[Pitcherman]

That looks like a pile of fun there. You doing the install yourself or having a shop do it?

[Islandboy630]

I haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaate you

Looks awesome... I cant wait to get my whitelines as well~

[BobX]

Originally Posted by Pitcherman

That looks like a pile of fun there. You doing the install yourself or having a shop do it?

It'll be all me except for the alignment afterward. I'll leave that to the pros at Performance Alignment over in Blue Ash.

[BobX]

Originally Posted by crand002

Nice mod choice

I think the only difference with my set-up is the Cusco motor mounts.

Thanks! From your avatar picture your car looks much lower than JDM pinks would put it. What springs are you running?

[TIMELESS]

At least you save all that effort and maybe cash of installing the parts at different times.

[BobX]

It saves my wife the trauma of seeing the car up on jackstands mulitple times.

I finally got the JDM Pinks and have the struts assembled. Talk about color clash!

BTW, lovely car you have there TIMELESS.

[BobX]

It's been nearly a month and in that time I had to take what I could get and ended up with three separate install days.

Group N Engine, Transmission Mounts and Pitching Stopper

I installed these when I put on my header and having run them before I knew what to expect. The drivetrain has settled down and doesn't wind up nearly as much. As a tradeoff I now hear a lot more of it than I would like. The OEM STi pitching stopper is the same one you get if you order a "Group N" so save your money or opt for one of the billet editions.

Whiteline 24 mm Front and Rear Anti-Sway Bars

This change made the most dramatic difference in handling than anything I've ever done. It was so good afterwards that I was tempted to sell the Ohlins/Pinks combination and be done, but I just had to know. The car stays so much flatter and powers through a corner so much better that you will kick yourself if you have waited very long to do this. Why they don't come from the factory with bigger bars is beyond me. No ride degradation at all, no noise, only better handling.

Ohlins Fixed Perch Struts, JDM Pink Springs and Group N Tophats

This was not as huge of a step change as the bars, but the personality of the car is completelly different. The one word to sum it up is: BMW. If you have driven a later model Bimmer, you know how they soak up bumps while still giving you a very keen sense of the road beneath you. That's exactly what has happened to the STi. Bumps are actually a little sharper on the initial compression due to the higher rate of the Pinks, but that's as far as they get. The rebound of the bump is damped out and it's like you are only getting half bumps. The car feels much more planted and the ability to hussle it down a bumpy, curvy backroad is improved. Nearly all of the bobblehead is gone and what's left is probably seat related. I have the struts set 10 clicks off soft in the front and 8 clicks off in the rear. I will play around to see how things change through the adjustment range. This is an expensive option, but well worth it if you want the best compromise between ride and handling. The Pinks lower very little so my V-Limited lip though too low for most parking curbs is still safe entering and exiting driveways.

I have not installed the Klunk Killer or the steering rack bushings and may not for a while. Also, I have not had the final alignment done to crank in the negative camber and remove the toe out from the drop.

Mitch

[PowerLabs]

Originally Posted by BobX

It's been nearly a month and in that time I had to take what I could get and ended up with three separate install days.

Group N Engine, Transmission Mounts and Pitching Stopper

I installed these when I put on my header and having run them before I knew what to expect. The drivetrain has settled down and doesn't wind up nearly as much. As a tradeoff I now hear a lot more of it than I would like. The OEM STi pitching stopper is the same one you get if you order a "Group N" so save your money or opt for one of the billet editions.

The billet editions will turn your firewall into a giant speaker. You think you can hear much of your drivetrain now? You haven't seen drivetrain noise until you've heard a solid pitch stop .
Also, the STI and the GrN are supposed to look identical but the GrN should have a harder rubber compound. Supposedly anyway. I did my tranny mount and didn't notice much extra noise. We'll see when I do my engine and pitch stop.

Originally Posted by BobX

Whiteline 24 mm Front and Rear Anti-Sway Bars

This change made the most dramatic difference in handling than anything I've ever done. It was so good afterwards that I was tempted to sell the Ohlins/Pinks combination and be done, but I just had to know. The car stays so much flatter and powers through a corner so much better that you will kick yourself if you have waited very long to do this. Why they don't come from the factory with bigger bars is beyond me. No ride degradation at all, no noise, only better handling.

Because you are reducing your independent suspension's independence... I.E. Wheel lift on hard cornering. Also because you are improving handling by removing some of the safety margin the stock car has when it begins to lose control. I.E. Your car will be harder to regain control of once you begin a slide.
Not enough of an issue that I don't put beefier swaybars on all of my cars, but it is something to be aware of, so since you asked I figured I'd tell you

Other than that, excellent review! May I ask why you went with the Ohlins and pinks instead of a similarly sprung and dampened (but much lighter and more adjustable) coilover setup? Are they cheaper?

[BobX]

Originally Posted by PowerLabs

The billet editions will turn your firewall into a giant speaker. You think you can hear much of your drivetrain now? You haven't seen drivetrain noise until you've heard a solid pitch stop .
Also, the STI and the GrN are supposed to look identical but the GrN should have a harder rubber compound. Supposedly anyway. I did my tranny mount and didn't notice much extra noise. We'll see when I do my engine and pitch stop.

Yes, I can image how well engine noise would transmit through a big aluminum billet.

As for the pitching stopper, wolfplayer came to the same conclusion long ago.

Because you are reducing your independent suspension's independence... I.E. Wheel lift on hard cornering. Also because you are improving handling by removing some of the safety margin the stock car has when it begins to lose control. I.E. Your car will be harder to regain control of once you begin a slide.

So true. This is the same reason most cars come from the factory with understeer dialed into the chassis. Most drivers do not know how to handle an oversteer, but understeer is easy; just take your foot off the gas.

Other than that, excellent review! May I ask why you went with the Ohlins and pinks instead of a similarly sprung and dampened (but much lighter and more adjustable) coilover setup? Are they cheaper?

Didn't want the noise, the rebuilds or the adjustability. I have a daily driver and it will seldom see an auto-x course or racetrack. I wanted to install them and then forget about them for a long time. They were more expensive than the Sportlines after all was said and done.

[ACHAHockey]

Originally Posted by BobX

Thanks! From your avatar picture your car looks much lower than JDM pinks would put it. What springs are you running?

His avatar picture is an IWSTI one, not his actual car. Awesome parts man, my bank account would hate me if I lived near TiC.

[eXstasy]

Mmmmm I'm jealous... I don't even have to live near TiC for them to take all of my money though. I've participated in their last couple of group buys! Free (and FAST) shipping means whatever I order reaches me in 2-3 days anyway. That's why I always check with them first if they carry the item I want before looking to other vendors.

[Alex]

I know its a bit old, but I wanted to say simply that the first picture you posted is glorious. You really should get out to a local autox to enjoy the more sporty side of what you've purchased

[BobX]

Thanks very much! That was thrown together quickly in my garage as I had a friend waiting to install his turbo and injectors right next to me.

And I will get it to an Auto-X when I get some time (my most precious commodity).

Mitch