[RaceComp Engineering]

Good Thread !!

mw

[Splash]

To be honest, my plan to run 285 R-comps is the only reason I decided to jump in and do the swap.

I had 2 full seasons on my OEM bearings in STU and the left front was finally starting to show some play. If I stayed in STU, I would likely have just replaced both fronts and been done with it until the rears started to show play.

As has been said, the 285 R-comps will supply a LOT more grip, and I figured any strength increase I could get in the bearings would be a big plus. As it happened, the wheel selection in the sizes I need for these 285's is MUCH better in the 5x114 pattern, meaning I likely got the swap done for free by the time I count the difference in wheel costs since 9.5-10 inch wide 5x100 would have been custom made.

[STi4WRC]

Just want to throw my two cents in here. I HPDE about eight times a year and have blown through the original and two additional sets of front bearings. One time it was so bad I had the car trailered home. Thank God for AAA+ towing insurance. That alone saved me over $500. Anyhow I just put on the 6Gun kit so I can regain some reliabity cofidence that I will be able to drive home from the track. One of the benifits of the 05-06 kit is that you can change the bearing/hub at the track if you have a spare. There is no way you are going to do that with the stock 04 set up. There will also be no change to the alignment because you don't have to remove the steering knuckle to change the bearing. I'll bet that I would be able to get it changed in the 40 minutes between sessions if everything went right. Now all I have to do is order a spare so that I will be ready if and when the bearings go out. And someone correct me if I'm wrong but if in the future I want to switch to 5x114 I could still use the front hub from the kit, just by putting the studs back in the original holes, and just order a 5X114 for the rear. See you all at the track.

[Turninconcepts.com]

Didn't take us very long to kill the bearings in our STi and wrx. The sti lasted a couple years and a season of autox before the left front died. Since then we have replaced it 2 or 3 additional times before going wtiht he 6gun kit. We have always gotten knockback with the old bearings. With the new bearings we have had no problems. We have never replaced a rear on the sti, but just did one last week for a guy with an 05 wrx with 60000 miles.

Our 04 wrx has blown both front wheel bearings after 3 track days and some autox. Thye just don't last.

Tony

[munky69]

def a hard choice for the 5x100 upgrade or the swap... we'll see when the time comes. i have brand new rotors and rims so i'll hold off for a little while.maybe look into getting them repacked with some better grease.. so for the suspension i only need the 05 coilover bottoms to bolt to the knuckle, the rear is the same right? been awhile since i looked at all the details, sorry... oh btw i have tein flex so i can just screw off the old ones and put on the 05's no problem

[Turninconcepts.com]

Originally Posted by munky69

def a hard choice for the 5x100 upgrade or the swap... we'll see when the time comes. i have brand new rotors and rims so i'll hold off for a little while.maybe look into getting them repacked with some better grease.. so for the suspension i only need the 05 coilover bottoms to bolt to the knuckle, the rear is the same right? been awhile since i looked at all the details, sorry... oh btw i have tein flex so i can just screw off the old ones and put on the 05's no problem

You do that change out of the lower clevis, but I have heard of guys having a very difficult time getting ahold of the the new parts.

[STI_Mike]

not worth all the moneys needed to install and buy the setup i think.

[slowersti]

sorry if this is offtrack but i have a set of 05 sti hubs if anyone is interested pm me...

[2blue4usti]

Originally Posted by STI_Mike

not worth all the moneys needed to install and buy the setup i think.

You have an '05, so you've probably never experienced bearing failure or knock-back(because you have the wider wheels, better bearings and hubs).

For an '04 that is going to see multiple track days or NASA time trials on a regular basis, this is the way to go. IMHO of course.

[jamesohoh7]

Originally Posted by munky69

def a hard choice for the 5x100 upgrade or the swap... we'll see when the time comes. i have brand new rotors and rims so i'll hold off for a little while.maybe look into getting them repacked with some better grease.. so for the suspension i only need the 05 coilover bottoms to bolt to the knuckle, the rear is the same right? been awhile since i looked at all the details, sorry... oh btw i have tein flex so i can just screw off the old ones and put on the 05's no problem

The 5x100 option retains your current suspension b/c they machine the 05 steering knuckle to accept pre-05 struts. So, you can go that route and keep your current suspension, rotors, wheels and so on. A cheaper option for folks more heavily invested in pre-05 parts.

I just helped aschen put this kit on his 04 STi about a week or so ago (he and I posted earlier in this thread). It all works very well, he's super happy with the improvement in braking (no knock-back).

[na-STi]

Originally Posted by jamesohoh7

The 5x100 option retains your current suspension b/c they machine the 05 steering knuckle to accept pre-05 struts. So, you can go that route and keep your current suspension, rotors, wheels and so on. A cheaper option for folks more heavily invested in pre-05 parts.

I just helped aschen put this kit on his 04 STi about a week or so ago (he and I posted earlier in this thread). It all works very well, he's super happy with the improvement in braking (no knock-back).

Did you run into any issues with the install? Do you have any advice for those of us who are thinking about doing the swap?

[jamesohoh7]

Originally Posted by na-STi

Did you run into any issues with the install? Do you have any advice for those of us who are thinking about doing the swap?

Getting the tone-ring adapters on was apparently one of the bigger pains... I wasn't there for that portion, Aaron did it by himself. Wound up using a propane torch to heat the stuff up so it'd press on easier. I *believe* he put the adapter on first, then the tone-ring on the adapter. He's in England currently, probably won't see this for a few days or so, but I'll ask him next time I talk. I don't think you could pre-assemble ring to adapter and then put that on (it goes on the outer CV joint, btw) .. I doubt it would heat up correctly since the metals are dissimilar.

Maybe the next most PITA thing is separating the tie-rod end from the steering knuckle (disassembly of old stuff). You will want to get a tie-rod-end pickle-fork (just a smaller size pickle fork). Most auto parts store should have 'em.. and of course Harbor Freight. Doing that task w/out one is risking damaging threads (though I've done it that way in the past in a pinch by flipping the castle-nut over and threading it down some, then hitting squarely w/hammer.. I don't recommend it).

I mention 'tie-rod-end' sized pickle fork b/c a regular control-arm ball-joint fork is wider and may not 'seat' in the joint correctly. Pickle forks come in various sizes... a good counterman will know what you need. It's just a wedgy-shaped 2-prong fork... hard to describe.

You don't need to separate the LCA (lower-control-arm) ball-joint from the LCA, per-say... it is held in place in the knuckle by a pinch-bolt. Remove the pinch-bolt, hammer around that area on the knuckle to loosen any rust.. then hammer downward on the LCA to 'free' the parts. Some PB-blaster might help here (pre-soak).


The bulk of the job is really just 'unbolt old stuff', 'install new stuff'. If you've ever put struts on an Impreza, you've done 80% of the job.

Maybe the biggest physical hurdle is breaking loose the axle-nut. Big cheater pipe gets it done though. You don't have to unstake that nut before removing it, but it might help. It'll take a punch or some work with a screwdriver if you want to unstake it first. You'll see how it goes.

One thing: Aaron's kit didn't come with the 8 bolts that hold the bearing-assembly (hub) and knuckle together (four per side). I can't remember what thread they are, but he wound up driving around quite a bit to find them. You might want to order some of those ahead of time (or buy some if you have a good bolt-source locally).

[Neanderthal Racing]

we're doing the 6gun 5 x 114.3 swap right now for all of the reasons noted, along with a swap to 9.5 x 18 wheels, the 6gun bje kit, adjustable (jic?) rear lateral links and a bunch of other major suspension changes. we got the machined knuckles to fit '04 front struts and i had 6gun press in longer arp studs.

ungodly expensive barely seems appropriate...

[300hp@6000rpm]

jamesohoh7 that's some nice info. I plan on doing this swap in the near furture so here's some info I've gathered.

Here's step by step instructions with pictures that show how to remove the front hubs. Instructions for Front Hub Removal

You'll need to buy a gear puller to remove the speedo gear from the axel. As for getting the speedo gear onto the 6gun adaptor collar, 6gun reccommends heating both up in an oven at 350 and using a dead blow hammer and large socket-type tool. Pictures of the Gear Puller/Adaptor Collar Install

After seeing those pics I'm fairly confident I can do the fronts myself. I plan on doing the front as well as installing new coilovers before I do the rears. As for the rear I plan on having a shop press those in cause I don't want to touch the e-brake. I plan on buying some of those 5x114 to 5x100 conversion spacers so I can run my stock 5x100 BBS on the way back from the shop, and then swapping on my new 5x114 wheels when I get home.

[red5001]

I am in the middle of the hub conversion actually.

The abs rings were a lot easier then I expected. I did modify a gear puller to pull them off. I let them soak in some PB blaster and then popped off with out much issue with a gear puller. I then heated the abs ring with a torch and then slipped it on the adapter ring. Needed a hammer to get it all the way on. I thee used a torch and heated the abs ring and adapter ring and it slide right on the the cv joint. A dab of loctite and cool down and they were good to go.
I had more problem getting tie rod out of the knuckle with out ripping the boot.

I am replacing the rear knuckle assembly with 05 pieces (got them really cheap that is why I am changing the whole thing and not just the hub) and that is causing more way more problems then the front. the long lateral link bolt is giving me some issues. From my research it appears this happens if the car has been drive in the winter at all and on salty rods.