lower my 91 legacy sedan

Struts, spring, anti-rollbars, braces and the like.

Moderators: Helpinators, Moderators

Post Reply
thisisforhondas?
In Neutral
Posts: 17
Joined: Sun Jul 26, 2015 2:21 am

lower my 91 legacy sedan

Post by thisisforhondas? »

If i get stock kyb replacement struts for a 91-2001 Impreza will they

A: fit my car? do i need to "U pull it" some top hats?
B: lower my car between an inch and two?
C: will it ride like a lowered car or ride like a stock Impreza?

my car is a 2.2L 5 speed sedan AWD N/A I know the suspension on FWD is different and pre face lift means something else as far as lowering goes. is the conversion as simple as putting on Impreza struts?
1993 L wagon (receiving wrx heart)
2001 outback
2002 wrx
91 ss 5mt
91 sedan AWD 5mt
mike-tracy
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 5000
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2009 7:52 am
Location: Des Moines, Wa

Re: lower my 91 legacy sedan

Post by mike-tracy »

Those struts will work, and you reuse your old top hats, perches, etc. Ride height should be the same (or possibly higher with brand new parts) till you change out the springs.

King springs and H&R springs still sell the legacy specific ones.

Alternately, I just swapped my lowering springs out (some JDM ones that came on a half cut, not sure the brand) and I'll be having those for sale soon, cheaper than brand new.

Here's what they looked like on my old 91:
Image

and on my 92:
Image

They *require* the front fenders to be rolled.
1992 Legacy SS 5mt, build in progress
Josh Colombo wrote: Mon Jan 14, 2002 10:23 am Wait....I'm confused now.
thisisforhondas?
In Neutral
Posts: 17
Joined: Sun Jul 26, 2015 2:21 am

Re: lower my 91 legacy sedan

Post by thisisforhondas? »

so I should not be thinking struts but I should look for Impreza springs?
1993 L wagon (receiving wrx heart)
2001 outback
2002 wrx
91 ss 5mt
91 sedan AWD 5mt
mike-tracy
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 5000
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2009 7:52 am
Location: Des Moines, Wa

Re: lower my 91 legacy sedan

Post by mike-tracy »

You want springs for a legacy for evenness
1992 Legacy SS 5mt, build in progress
Josh Colombo wrote: Mon Jan 14, 2002 10:23 am Wait....I'm confused now.
thisisforhondas?
In Neutral
Posts: 17
Joined: Sun Jul 26, 2015 2:21 am

Re: lower my 91 legacy sedan

Post by thisisforhondas? »

to lower my car I reuse my old springs? my struts and springs are all in good shape. I read some where that my car would have tapered springs and to lower it I needed 2006 Impreza spring, struts or both.
1993 L wagon (receiving wrx heart)
2001 outback
2002 wrx
91 ss 5mt
91 sedan AWD 5mt
mike-tracy
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 5000
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2009 7:52 am
Location: Des Moines, Wa

Re: lower my 91 legacy sedan

Post by mike-tracy »

The springs are what sets the ride height for the most part. So at a minimum you'll need to swap those. Don't worry about tapered and different top hats for now, just pick the springs you want, then use the appropriate top hats.

Tapered springs need 1990-1991 legacy 1-piece rear top hats which you should have fitted.
non tapered's need 92-94 2-piece top hats

I have tested FWD rear top hats and they do work in an AWD car.
1992 Legacy SS 5mt, build in progress
Josh Colombo wrote: Mon Jan 14, 2002 10:23 am Wait....I'm confused now.
mike-tracy
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 5000
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2009 7:52 am
Location: Des Moines, Wa

Re: lower my 91 legacy sedan

Post by mike-tracy »

Here is my 1992 with 2002-2003 WRX Eibach/Prodrive springs. I drove it approx 20 miles. Too embarrassing:
Image

Here's my old 1996 with 2004 WRX wagon suspension, highlighting the high front and low back. My guess is the front would be lower with a heavier engine (such as a turboe'd one ;)):
Image

Last but not least, this is what I'm running on my 92 now: 2004 STI springs and legacy specific struts. The front is higher, but it's not enough to cause the rest of my hair to fall out lol.
Image


So from experience, I highly encourage you to go with Legacy springs, specifically ones designed for a 1st generation car for the best look.
1992 Legacy SS 5mt, build in progress
Josh Colombo wrote: Mon Jan 14, 2002 10:23 am Wait....I'm confused now.
cj91legss
Fifth Gear
Posts: 6322
Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2008 8:17 am
Location: Lakewood, Wa 98439
Contact:

Re: lower my 91 legacy sedan

Post by cj91legss »

mike-tracy wrote:The springs are what sets the ride height for the most part. So at a minimum you'll need to swap those. Don't worry about tapered and different top hats for now, just pick the springs you want, then use the appropriate top hats.

Tapered springs need 1990-1991 legacy 1-piece rear top hats which you should have fitted.
non tapered's need 92-94 2-piece top hats

I have tested FWD rear top hats and they do work in an AWD car.
You got that backwards Mike.
91 L-TW Wagon with a full Swap -RIP
92 SS Prefaced, GD dash swapped, 22T/205 Hybrid 20 psi - BEAST!
93 SS Bone Stock Gone!
94 TW Bone Stock Gone!
91 SS 4EAT Sold!
98 LGT 4EAT
98 LGT Wagon 4EAT
mike-tracy
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 5000
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2009 7:52 am
Location: Des Moines, Wa

Re: lower my 91 legacy sedan

Post by mike-tracy »

Wut?
1992 Legacy SS 5mt, build in progress
Josh Colombo wrote: Mon Jan 14, 2002 10:23 am Wait....I'm confused now.
cj91legss
Fifth Gear
Posts: 6322
Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2008 8:17 am
Location: Lakewood, Wa 98439
Contact:

Re: lower my 91 legacy sedan

Post by cj91legss »

I need to learn to read. Nevermind.
91 L-TW Wagon with a full Swap -RIP
92 SS Prefaced, GD dash swapped, 22T/205 Hybrid 20 psi - BEAST!
93 SS Bone Stock Gone!
94 TW Bone Stock Gone!
91 SS 4EAT Sold!
98 LGT 4EAT
98 LGT Wagon 4EAT
mike-tracy
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 5000
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2009 7:52 am
Location: Des Moines, Wa

Re: lower my 91 legacy sedan

Post by mike-tracy »

Im just messing with you CJ. I did edit my post cause I dont want future readers to get bad info. ;)
1992 Legacy SS 5mt, build in progress
Josh Colombo wrote: Mon Jan 14, 2002 10:23 am Wait....I'm confused now.
cj91legss
Fifth Gear
Posts: 6322
Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2008 8:17 am
Location: Lakewood, Wa 98439
Contact:

Re: lower my 91 legacy sedan

Post by cj91legss »

BAAHHHHH you got me.
91 L-TW Wagon with a full Swap -RIP
92 SS Prefaced, GD dash swapped, 22T/205 Hybrid 20 psi - BEAST!
93 SS Bone Stock Gone!
94 TW Bone Stock Gone!
91 SS 4EAT Sold!
98 LGT 4EAT
98 LGT Wagon 4EAT
thisisforhondas?
In Neutral
Posts: 17
Joined: Sun Jul 26, 2015 2:21 am

Re: lower my 91 legacy sedan

Post by thisisforhondas? »

I think I am going to order some new legacy specific lowering springs then. a coworker told me if I put lower springs over the old struts the struts would blow out. should I tern the 250$ springs into a 600$ all new suspension job.

struts http://www.autoanything.com/suspension- ... cks-struts
lowering springs http://www.autoanything.com/suspension- ... il-springs
1993 L wagon (receiving wrx heart)
2001 outback
2002 wrx
91 ss 5mt
91 sedan AWD 5mt
mike-tracy
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 5000
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2009 7:52 am
Location: Des Moines, Wa

Re: lower my 91 legacy sedan

Post by mike-tracy »

It's hard to say what condition your current suspension is in, but those springs you linked to only drop your car 1.25"F and 1" rear so they shouldn't blow good struts.

Amazon has them for a hair cheaper and free shipping too.
http://www.amazon.com/H-R-29868-Sport-S ... 68+springs

If you have the cash, I'd grab the new struts as well.
1992 Legacy SS 5mt, build in progress
Josh Colombo wrote: Mon Jan 14, 2002 10:23 am Wait....I'm confused now.
thisisforhondas?
In Neutral
Posts: 17
Joined: Sun Jul 26, 2015 2:21 am

Re: lower my 91 legacy sedan

Post by thisisforhondas? »

thank you for all your help. I will start with springs and if the strut blows I will do struts to
1993 L wagon (receiving wrx heart)
2001 outback
2002 wrx
91 ss 5mt
91 sedan AWD 5mt
robertpaige
Fourth Gear
Posts: 1232
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2012 10:32 pm
Location: Portland, Oregon.

Re: lower my 91 legacy sedan

Post by robertpaige »

Or you could buy coilover suspension and be fully adjustable :)
the guy who had the really low winestone SS on the corvette wheels
jamal
Vendor
Vendor
Posts: 2485
Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2003 11:34 am
Location: Missoula
Contact:

Re: lower my 91 legacy sedan

Post by jamal »

It's a 20 year old car. The struts are already blown.

Also I notice that h&r lists the same spring for 1st and 2nd gen legacy. Does anyone actually have them on a post facelift with stock fitment struts?


If you are willing to spend, say 800 or so, you can get a set of ST coilovers, which are budget KWs. I wouldn't touch anything else in that price range though.
Post Reply