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Lower Control Arms...

Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2004 4:04 pm
by BAC5.2
Ok, I know the GC LCA's will bolt onto our cars, but at the expense of nearly $1000, it's not worth it.

What would be required to be able to use GD LCA's (which are only around $300)?

I figure just swap sub-frames with a WRX, and everything should bolt up? Will the WRX subframe bolt in?

WRX Subframes can't cost TO much, and the money made selling the Turbo Legacy subframe would recoop most of the losses.

What do you guys think?

Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2004 5:31 pm
by THAWA
talk to kelley, he was putting together somthing to do this.

Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2004 6:26 pm
by Legacy777
Yes you can do this. I was actually looking into it. I talked to richard buckner & paul eklund. The difference is in the rear bushing part of the control arm. It's a little fatter then ours. Paul said I could just grind a little off to make it fit, or swap in a wrx subframe. Obviously since I'm not turbo.....I can't do that now. However for you turbo legacy guys....it's definitely an option.

I'd like to see the two arms up close and see what the actual differences are, and see what Paul was talking about, and how much and where the material would need to be grinded off.

I want to do bushings or something on the front, but I really can't get just the bushings, and would like to have a relatively "complete" solution I can just bolt in.

If you or anyone has any more info, I'm definitely interested in hearing it.

Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2004 7:30 pm
by kelley
I can get all of the parts you need for this. this is what I am doing to my car. have all parts, just haven't gotten them installed yet.

Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2004 8:31 pm
by Legacy777
so you're swapping in the wrx subframe?

Can you take some measurements & pictures on what is exactly different and where between the two sets of arms, so I can have a better idea whether it's something I want to grind down to fit.

Thanks a bunch!

Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2004 9:51 pm
by kelley
I wasn't aware any grinding had to be done.
will let you know once it is in.

Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2004 10:04 pm
by georryan
Will the WRX subframe be lighter than ours (aside from the LCAs)??

Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2004 11:31 pm
by BAC5.2
The WRX subframe should be about the same weight.

The way I understand this, it is a simple bolt-in proceedure. Drop the stock subframe, bolt in the WRX subframe (all bolts will line up), and bolt on some GD LCA's (which www.racecompengineering.com sells Aluminum bits for $378 as opposed to the GC arms which are $950 and direct bolt onto our car.)

WRX Subframes can't cost THAT much, I'm sure.

Mmm, Aluminum LCA's :)

BTW: Does anyone know if 93-01 Impreza rear lateral links and trailing links are the same as our cars?

Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2004 11:59 pm
by mTk
BAC: yeah, they are the same.

MK

Posted: Sat Aug 14, 2004 12:05 am
by Legacy777
kelley wrote:I wasn't aware any grinding had to be done.
will let you know once it is in.
Not to use the wrx subframe. I'm talking about using the wrx aluminum LCA's without swapping to the WRX subframe.

Posted: Sat Aug 14, 2004 4:42 am
by THAWA
the crossmembers are about the same price on nabisco.