Spring/Summer Upgrades for the WRX

[exar333]

So, looking at making some modifications to the WRX when weather gets nice, and I can get my summer wheels/tires back on. Thoughts? I want to keep the engine mostly stock (for now) and focus on handling upgrades without getting the ride too compromised.

24mm front sway bar (Whiteline)
22mm rear sway bar (Whiteline)
Kartboy endlinks (F+R)
Cobb CAI
Hawk HPS brake pads (F+R)
Stoptech SS brake lines (F+R)

After shopping around, these would total a bit over $1200, maybe less if I can find good-quality second-hand or get lucky on some good deals.

Thoughts? Anything I might be overlooking or any items listed above that you say is not worth the effort?

Besides the above, I will be replacing the stock head-unit + speakers, but that is unrelated. After checking the Subaru forums and Cobb's site, it looks like with a 93 tune + CAI, I would be looking at around 260hp/310tq (at the wheel). That is pretty solid based on stock numbers; about 20% gain for both by just replacing the intake and doing a 93 tune...

I am on the fence regarding suspension and front brakes; I may look to replace them altogether at a later time, but I have to keep a 'low-profile' on my expenditures until after my wedding this year... :sneaky:

Edit: I already have a Cobb AP + STi short-throw shifter/bushings.

 

[Black2na]

look at portfield pads and goodridge lines i priced the hawk and stoptech and save myself about 300 going portfield R4S and goodridge lines on my WRX also did rotors at the same time. also biggest gain on a WRX is a Downpipe and catless uppipe, you can get the downpipe with a highflow cat to keep it not stinky. then get a protune will really help you boost power and the sways will certainly help with body roll

 

[exar333]

look at portfield pads and goodridge lines i priced the hawk and stoptech and save myself about 300 going portfield R4S and goodridge lines on my WRX also did rotors at the same time. also biggest gain on a WRX is a Downpipe and catless uppipe, you can get the downpipe with a highflow cat to keep it not stinky. then get a protune will really help you boost power and the sways will certainly help with body roll

Thanks, I will check those out. Did the SS lines help the pedal feel a lot for you? Thats my main reason to get them; I am not the biggest fan of how the brakes feel on the car stock.

 

[Zivic]

E85 conversion.. injectors, possibly a fuel pump and a retune.

 

[jlee]

I wouldn't bother with the intake, tbh.

E85 conversion.. injectors, possibly a fuel pump and a retune.

Definitely fuel pump and tune.

 

[Zivic]

I wouldn't bother with the intake, tbh.



Definitely fuel pump and tune.

obviously a retune.

I am not too versed in the subie world, but on my evo, E85 makes over 100 whp more than 93 pump.... and even better yet, only gets about 15% less mpg on E85 vs pump

 

[Fenixgoon]

I wouldn't bother with the intake, tbh.


Definitely fuel pump and tune.

my brother told me similar for my car (genesis coupe 2.0T) - generally the biggest restriction is going to be your exhaust first. so if anything you'd want to do that. and then only once you start pulling lots of air would you want to consider changing your intake plumbing.

not sure about the suspension setup, but what about coilovers or something? just got some for my car. can't wait to install

 

[Black2na]

between the pads and the lines use a good high end fluid like this
http://twosrus.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=22_68&products_id=668
and you should be more the happy with pedal grab and feel. that is also the company bought all the brake parts for my WRX he normaly specializes in MR2 stuff but if you call him he is a dealer for goodridge and portfield and can get anything for anycar and is a standup guy that takes care of his customers and i know him personaly really good guy just tell him Derek Sent you if you end up going that route

 

[exar333]

between the pads and the lines use a good high end fluid like this
http://twosrus.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=22_68&products_id=668
and you should be more the happy with pedal grab and feel. that is also the company bought all the brake parts for my WRX he normaly specializes in MR2 stuff but if you call him he is a dealer for goodridge and portfield and can get anything for anycar and is a standup guy that takes care of his customers and i know him personaly really good guy just tell him Derek Sent you if you end up going that route

Thanks for the link, it is much appreciated! I figured it would be good to replace the brake fluid anyway while putting in the SS lines.

 

[exar333]

my brother told me similar for my car (genesis coupe 2.0T) - generally the biggest restriction is going to be your exhaust first. so if anything you'd want to do that. and then only once you start pulling lots of air would you want to consider changing your intake plumbing.

not sure about the suspension setup, but what about coilovers or something? just got some for my car. can't wait to install

After reading-up on the WRX forums, there are some gains to be had from replacing parts (or all) of the exhaust system, but overall the stock is pretty good. For the time being, I want to keep the exhaust system as much stock as possible. At some point, I may just replace the whole turbo-back system for performance/weight, but thats down the road.

 

[exar333]

I wouldn't bother with the intake, tbh.



Definitely fuel pump and tune.

The performance increase with a good tune look solid (~20hp/tq) but overall I REALLY like the Cobb CAI sound. The intake really gives the car a great sound. The small amount of $$$ is worth it to me for a nice addition to the engine tone.

 

[jlee]

The performance increase with a good tune look solid (~20hp/tq) but overall I REALLY like the Cobb CAI sound. The intake really gives the car a great sound. The small amount of $$$ is worth it to me for a nice addition to the engine tone.

Ah, if you're just looking for sound, makes sense - just make sure the AP tune accounts for the intake. A downpipe will help you out a lot with power, too..you can keep your stock catback if you like.

 

[Black2na]

a DP is were the major gain comes in on the WRX i have one attached to my stock cat back and its not to loud and youll get an even better jump in power with a downpipe and COBB CAI looks like you would could flash a off the shelf COBB stage 2 on your 2011 WRX and be putting down like 250+whp and over 300Ft lbs of tq. that would be more then enough in that car! add the suspension mods and you would have one HELL of a daily driver/toy

 

[ballmode]

I have SS lines on my WRX and the petal feel is very firm but not touchy like an audi's.

I love it, and in fact it's one of my favorite mods I've done except the sways

 

[Demo24]

The performance increase with a good tune look solid (~20hp/tq) but overall I REALLY like the Cobb CAI sound. The intake really gives the car a great sound. The small amount of $$$ is worth it to me for a nice addition to the engine tone.

honestly you can get those gains with a stage 1 tune which is basically stock parts. The stock intake is good for like 300hp or more ive read. If you want sound then just take the air silencer out of the passenger fender, I did it once and you definitely hear the turbo then! Feel free to do it if you want though, just ensure the tune takes it into account.

I did pretty much exactly your brake upgrades and it was a very nice improvement. Pedal feel is muuuch better, but I kinda wish I had gone with the hPS+ pads for that bit more aggressiveness. Also very similar suspension upgrades, the sway bars won't make as much difference until you do springs imo. I did them first and while it helped some, the car didn't really start to handle nice until I put prodrive springs on there, and now its how I wish it had come stock!

 

[NutBucket]

a DP is were the major gain comes in on the WRX i have one attached to my stock cat back and its not to loud and youll get an even better jump in power with a downpipe and COBB CAI looks like you would could flash a off the shelf COBB stage 2 on your 2011 WRX and be putting down like 250+whp and over 300Ft lbs of tq. that would be more then enough in that car! add the suspension mods and you would have one HELL of a daily driver/toy

This all day. Don't even bother with power mods until you get a downpipe on it. In my experience, catless really didn't stink once the ecu went closed-loop. The bigger stink was the leaky up-pipe I was too lazy to replace. I had catless on my Legacy. The WRX has a catted Helix.

Intakes can really be a mixed bag as far as using OTS Cobb tunes and I'm honeslty skeptical they're worth it since you can buy a downpipe for similar (or just a bit more) money.

Also, I honestly wouldn't bother with endlinks until your stock ones fail. I'm still on stock endlinks with about 60k on aftermarket sway bars. No noise, no problems.

 

[exar333]

honestly you can get those gains with a stage 1 tune which is basically stock parts. The stock intake is good for like 300hp or more ive read. If you want sound then just take the air silencer out of the passenger fender, I did it once and you definitely hear the turbo then! Feel free to do it if you want though, just ensure the tune takes it into account.

I did pretty much exactly your brake upgrades and it was a very nice improvement. Pedal feel is muuuch better, but I kinda wish I had gone with the hPS+ pads for that bit more aggressiveness. Also very similar suspension upgrades, the sway bars won't make as much difference until you do springs imo. I did them first and while it helped some, the car didn't really start to handle nice until I put prodrive springs on there, and now its how I wish it had come stock!

Hmm, Ill give that a shot. Would save me some $$$ as well. I will research this a little more and get some feedback on the WRX forum.

I am hoping the better sway bars eliminate the slight oversteer. For the springs, I wouldn't mind a little more 'long-term' road tests for the 2011 WRX, to make sure they are not destroying the stock struts. If that is the case, then I might as well just go coilovers from the start. Still on the fence on this one. Regardless of if I go springs or coilovers later, I can keep the swaybars.

 

[cheezmunky]

Hmm, Ill give that a shot. Would save me some $$$ as well. I will research this a little more and get some feedback on the WRX forum.

I am hoping the better sway bars eliminate the slight oversteer. For the springs, I wouldn't mind a little more 'long-term' road tests for the 2011 WRX, to make sure they are not destroying the stock struts. If that is the case, then I might as well just go coilovers from the start. Still on the fence on this one. Regardless of if I go springs or coilovers later, I can keep the swaybars.

The newer WRX's don't have the silencer; it's built into the air filter box. That was the first mod I did to my previous sti, and had planned on doing it as soon as I got my '11 wrx home. Turns out that it doesn't exist. Kind of a disappointment that you can't even hear the turbo in stock form. I hear your new intake will solve that problem [thumbs up]

 

[NutBucket]

Pretty much any aftermarket spring will eat the stock shocks so you might as well just upgrade them both at the same time.

Koni FTW!