STi Shocks - Need Sorting!
STi Shocks - Need Sorting!
Author
Discussion

paulmoonraker

Original Poster:

2,850 posts

186 months

Thursday 12th May 2011
quotequote all
Hi All,

Right, my knackered MY05 STi shocks are driving me and the OH up the wall. My temporary fix (white lithium grease) is becoming more and more temporary with the knocking returning within a month or so.

So, what shall I do? Are there replacement struts that are not the standard ones? How costly? By the time you have done the springs and struts are coilovers the same price?

Cheers all...

-P


rhinochopig

17,932 posts

221 months

Thursday 12th May 2011
quotequote all
Personally I think cheap coilovers very much reflect the adage you get what you pay for. Even the expensive ones tend to be less reliable than OE platform type dampers. If you are happy with how your car drives at the moment I would personally stick with OEM type dampers from the same or better model.

With Coilovers you also get into issues with roll centre as they nearly always lower the car, which means fiddling about with RC correction kits, and other bits.


kayzee

3,272 posts

204 months

Thursday 12th May 2011
quotequote all
Hi when I bought my STI last year the previous owner told me the only problem he ever had with the car was the notorious rear shocks. He changed these out for TEIN coilvers from these guys...

http://www.extremescoobies.co.uk/sbrakes.html

Cost around £900 installed. To be honest I'm really happy with them, had Gaz coilovers on my last car and imo the TEINs are much better.

Oh and he tried OEM replacements three times before doing this, but they just kept on failing!

paulmoonraker

Original Poster:

2,850 posts

186 months

Thursday 12th May 2011
quotequote all
So are there any providers of aftermarket shocks? If I put originals back on they will go again!

rhinochopig

17,932 posts

221 months

Thursday 12th May 2011
quotequote all
paulmoonraker said:
So are there any providers of aftermarket shocks? If I put originals back on they will go again!
Hundreds:

EXE TC
Ohlins
Nitron
KW
AST
Proflex
Hotbits
Intrax
Tein
BC
etc.

to name just a few. It depends on the size of your budget. Just be wary of the cheaper end though - do some some research on the MLR and Scoobynet or similar as some of the cheaper ones have some real issues. Naming and shaming prevents me saying which these are, but there many threads running on the specialist sites.




Edited by rhinochopig on Thursday 12th May 14:44

Hol

9,254 posts

223 months

Saturday 14th May 2011
quotequote all
You can strip them and remove the hardened grease inside, which is allowing the movement and then rebuild them with red grease.

Good a google search for STI, knock and red grease and you should fine a cople of guides.


paulmoonraker

Original Poster:

2,850 posts

186 months

Saturday 14th May 2011
quotequote all
I have seen that article

I have been unable to find aftermarket shocks that I can simply swap.

-P

NorthDownsScooby

170 posts

192 months

Monday 16th May 2011
quotequote all
paulmoonraker said:
So are there any providers of aftermarket shocks? If I put originals back on they will go again!
Where have you been matey..????? biggrin

Tein adjustable coilovers on mine with EDFC...top notch.

Rich

paulmoonraker

Original Poster:

2,850 posts

186 months

Monday 16th May 2011
quotequote all
NorthDownsScooby said:
paulmoonraker said:
So are there any providers of aftermarket shocks? If I put originals back on they will go again!
Where have you been matey..????? biggrin

Tein adjustable coilovers on mine with EDFC...top notch.

Rich
Haha - I have been looking for replacement aftermarket shocks, not coilovers I guess... Anyway, I am getting xtreme scoobies in Essex to sort me some Teins smile

NorthDownsScooby

170 posts

192 months

Monday 16th May 2011
quotequote all
paulmoonraker said:
Haha - I have been looking for replacement aftermarket shocks, not coilovers I guess... Anyway, I am getting xtreme scoobies in Essex to sort me some Teins smile
Have a look at the EDFC too matey - it really is a top toy for an extra £300 ish. Means you can alter the damping effect from inside the car rather than having to set it with a key/pin manually. Ask yourself, how many people purchase 'adjustable' coilovers then only ever adjust them the once !! I change mine between the 3 pre-programmed memory settings 10-15 times during every drive !!! Top notch !!

paulmoonraker

Original Poster:

2,850 posts

186 months

Friday 20th May 2011
quotequote all
Booked in for Teins to be fitted in June - cool smile

-P

ScoobieWRX

4,863 posts

249 months

Friday 20th May 2011
quotequote all
Bilstein Dampers and Eibach Springs, tuned for UK roads. Baring in mind you spend most of the time on UK roads and with the current state of our badly damaged roads, a less extreme setup than coilovers might be better if you want to retain some comfort.

You still get supreme roadholding but with some compliancy. Much better than OEM and cheaper too.

Don't forget to get a full geometry setup to finish off the install, whatever you have bought, otherwise it's all a bit of a waste of time and money.

paulmoonraker

Original Poster:

2,850 posts

186 months

Friday 20th May 2011
quotequote all
I have been looking for suppliers of other dampers but have not had much luck! Anyway, I am set on coilovers now, and they are adjustable smile

rhinochopig

17,932 posts

221 months

Friday 20th May 2011
quotequote all
paulmoonraker said:
I have been looking for suppliers of other dampers but have not had much luck! Anyway, I am set on coilovers now, and they are adjustable smile
Just check the forums before you buy - with coil-over dampers you typically get what you pay for.

DocJock

8,722 posts

263 months

Friday 20th May 2011
quotequote all
ScoobieWRX said:
Bilstein Dampers and Eibach Springs, tuned for UK roads. Baring in mind you spend most of the time on UK roads and with the current state of our badly damaged roads, a less extreme setup than coilovers might be better if you want to retain some comfort.

You still get supreme roadholding but with some compliancy. Much better than OEM and cheaper too.

Don't forget to get a full geometry setup to finish off the install, whatever you have bought, otherwise it's all a bit of a waste of time and money.
This^^^^

(Unless you are spending a lot of time on track)

rhinochopig

17,932 posts

221 months

Friday 20th May 2011
quotequote all
DocJock said:
ScoobieWRX said:
Bilstein Dampers and Eibach Springs, tuned for UK roads. Baring in mind you spend most of the time on UK roads and with the current state of our badly damaged roads, a less extreme setup than coilovers might be better if you want to retain some comfort.

You still get supreme roadholding but with some compliancy. Much better than OEM and cheaper too.

Don't forget to get a full geometry setup to finish off the install, whatever you have bought, otherwise it's all a bit of a waste of time and money.
This^^^^

(Unless you are spending a lot of time on track)
Not true, you just need to buy decent coilovers. What you claim only applies to cheap coilovers. My EXE TCs offer a far plusher ride than Billies.


paulmoonraker

Original Poster:

2,850 posts

186 months

Friday 20th May 2011
quotequote all
I am getting Tein Super Street - recommended by Paul at Extreme Scoobies in Essex... I will also get EDFC later...

rhinochopig

17,932 posts

221 months

Friday 20th May 2011
quotequote all
paulmoonraker said:
I am getting Tein Super Street - recommended by Paul at Extreme Scoobies in Essex... I will also get EDFC later...
I've not driven a car fitted with these but a lot of reviews do state that they offer a very very firm ride. I considered them when I was looking, but what put me off was that they are Japanese and are set-up for Japanese roads which are most unlike our b roads.

If you can, blag a drive in a car fitted with them if you can. Some love them, other don't.

paulmoonraker

Original Poster:

2,850 posts

186 months

Friday 20th May 2011
quotequote all
Thanks, I will see if I can. To be honest, the firm ride won't bother me too much as its a toy car, not a daily at all. However, it needs to be tolerable on a trip. Also, they are the right price point!

Do you have any other suggestions (about 1K max).

I have searched for other dampers like Blistein etc, but no sites seem to list them for an 05 STi!

-P

rhinochopig

17,932 posts

221 months

Friday 20th May 2011
quotequote all
paulmoonraker said:
Thanks, I will see if I can. To be honest, the firm ride won't bother me too much as its a toy car, not a daily at all. However, it needs to be tolerable on a trip. Also, they are the right price point!

Do you have any other suggestions (about 1K max).

I have searched for other dampers like Blistein etc, but no sites seem to list them for an 05 STi!

-P
At that price I can't. The makes I would recommend that I have tried would be EXE, Nitrons and Ohlins and all these are 2k+.

That said a quick google brings this up for 03-07 cars and is much closer to your price. Given Lichfield's rep for setting up the best handling scoobs, that would be where my money went. £1300 though, but worth saving a little longer IMO given the reviews Ian's cars get.

http://www.litchfieldimports.co.uk/shop/content.as...