Winter Suspension Opinions needed

[klarowe]

Right now I have the RCE Yellow springs and Koni Yellow shocks. I'm a little worried about the height for driving on these wonderful NY roads during the winter and was debating going to either a stock WRX setup (springs, struts) or a Forester setup. The question is; how bad will the increase in ride height affect my alignment. I don't want to have to re-align it before and after every winter so if its going to affect it a lot I'll just take my chances with where it sits now.

So what are your guys' opinions on the whole thing? Would the WRX / Forester setups be worth it? Or should I just man-up and rock it how it is now???

[rshaw123]

Where it sits now should be fine. I ran my 97 Legacy with Tein S-techs for the winter and my car was slammed.  I didnt have an issue

[Turbaru]

A change in ride height like that will need an alignment each time!

[skyphix]

I mentioned it in your other thread: I Drove my stock STi lots of places I shouldn't have with no real ill effects.

Do you drive a lot of dirt roads? Packed snow or ice roads that might have deep snow sections? Or are you largely on surface streets and highways?  My driving consists, largely, of the former. If yours is the latter, there's no reason to do much at all besides good snow tires.

[klarowe]

Yea, I think I'm just going to stick to good snows and hope for the best. I'm sure I won't have any problems making it through anything.... I was just more worried about the damn snowdrifts left by people plowing their driveways and the risk of busting up the front bumper.

[deadlydave]

You'll be fine, I drove wagonzilla through last winter with just snows, and she was lower than she sits now.

[Iant333]

Last winter after our first big storm I drove the car around my yard in about a foot of snow to see how it was traction wise. It's was lowered like an inch then and had zero issues even on all season tires.

[hydrochloric]

I drove the first snow storm after I got my car on Hankook Ventus RS-2 tires (what came on the car).  They're one step away from slicks.  It drove.  Couldn't stop or turn, but it drove, even in slushy stuff.  No way suspension matters as much as tires in snowy streets, so I think you'd be fine as is.

[madlife]

Stechs here too and no issues with driving.

I did fuck up my undertray and lost my passenger fender liner three times.  Also I believe my front bumper is pushed out of line.

But I'm fearless and don't feel itimidated by the many many feet we had last year...  I learned the other day it was a record.

Therefore the OP will be fine

[klarowe]

I drove the first snow storm after I got my car on Hankook Ventus RS-2 tires (what came on the car).  They're one step away from slicks.  It drove.  Couldn't stop or turn, but it drove, even in slushy stuff.  No way suspension matters as much as tires in snowy streets, so I think you'd be fine as is.

I have no concerns what-so-ever on traction. It was more of a fear of what madlife just said... damaged body panels.. lol

[hydrochloric]

Ah.  Well...  In that case.  Ignore that!

I still wouldn't worry much assuming you're on normal roads.  I suppose ice-topped snow could do some damage, but...

[04sti]

I ran my sti last year with stock ride height with no problems at all and no body damage. The only problem I had was snow packing against the inner fender because of the 17s. I don't think you'll have any problems at all especially since I went down my driveway multiple times with snow coming over the hood lol.

[rshaw123]

I have no concerns what-so-ever on traction. It was more of a fear of what madlife just said... damaged body panels.. lol

s-techs make the car sit low.  I don't know if you have seen what they do to a car but driving on a warm sunny day down a paved road can cause body damage.  For an example, here is the thread with my car with them. http://www.unysoc.org/board/index.php/topic,7044.msg88295.html#msg88295 

[hydrochloric]

That still only looks like about 3" less than stock, judging from my ride height (which may actually be a hair low, since I never bothered to check the stock height when the coilovers went on).  I can see with newer (read: lower) bumpers, the bumpers getting damaged, but the underbody is still gonna be a good for about 5-6" clearance, no?

[klarowe]

So taking this in a new direction; what do you guys think of the DRT Skid plates? I was looking at them before anyways because it does sit low and well, we live in wonderful NY. And the DRT skids are going for around $150ish which is a hell of a lot cheaper than even the slightest undercarraige damage that could happen. But it says its made of 1/8 Aluminum which is extremely strong... but would still protect against rocks, and other debris from causing damage... and offer at least some protection from bottoming out. Granted it won't do anything for the bumper, but I suppose that's probably the cheapest thing to protect... lol.

[skyphix]

Thats not a bad idea but you may be more likely to high center on snow (since you'll slide along top of it instead of cutting down into it. I like skidplates for other reasons, but never considered them for snow.

Seriously, I drive on some really bad stuff and did with my STi, and never had an issue. I think you're worrying too much.

[spoolordie]

man i drive my car through the winter on my coilovers  no problems

I just grease the fuck outta the threaded strut body so they don't seize up

[klarowe]

Oh I'm sure that I'm worrying too much. She is my baby and I don't want to hurt her.. lol. I was thinking the skid plate for more than just the snow... but we shall see.

[hydrochloric]

man i drive my car through the winter on my coilovers  no problems

I just grease the fuck outta the threaded strut body so they don't seize up

Anti-seize FTW!

I think you're worrying too much.

+1

That was more or less why I posted the bit about tires- you're not gonna high-center if you've got good traction, and even if you do, you'd likely be able to get out of it with just some good snows.

[LarenF3D5]

She is my baby and I don't want to hurt her.. lol.

You get over that the 2nd or third time you come out to dents scrapes, dings, or a collision. Then she becomes the dirty whore you need.

[deadlydave]

You get over that the 2nd or third time you come out to dents scrapes, dings, or a collision. Then she becomes the dirty whore you need.

Or the first road trip.  You eyeball the subaru factory paint wrong and it chips.  Worse on the dark cars, the white primer is painfully obvious.  User Jays02rs was a walking rageface for months during the fiasco with the WRB paint on his '08 wrx, justifiably. 

[klarowe]

She isn't perfect now anyways, but little dents / chips are one thing... a busted apart bumper is another... lol. Oh well.... She'll just have to take a pounding and keep truckin.

[Iant333]

  The car will even with good high performance all seasons plow through fluffy snow up to the top of the front bumper, with some speed and driving skills you can get even more. If you find that the snow on a regular basis gets higher than that, raise the car up, if not then you aren't going to get stuck.

[klarowe]

Like i said above.... i have no concerns about getting stuck. I know she'll handle it.

[hydrochloric]

She isn't perfect now anyways, but little dents / chips are one thing... a busted apart bumper is another... lol. Oh well.... She'll just have to take a pounding and keep truckin.

I would be amazed if SNOW could actually break a bumper.  Maybe cause a mount to fail, but break the bumper?  Do you plan on driving into ice blocks?

You eyeball the subaru factory paint wrong and it chips.  Worse on the dark cars, the white primer is painfully obvious. 

Too true.  My front bumper is a sort of baby-blue after 240k, the thing has more or less been stripped to the black plastic in some spots.