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Old 07-23-2007, 02:22 AM   #1
subysouth
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Default Has anyone put an STi steering rack in a 2nd gen Legacy?

Did a search and came up empty but I thought I read somewhere someone had done this.

TIA
ss
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Old 07-23-2007, 06:31 AM   #2
wanganstyle
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You could fit a 04 sti 2.7 steering rack if you swapped to the 04 wrx style crossmember with the 2 bolt clamp drivers side. You'd have to switch the inner control arm bushings to 04 sti width or shim them like an impreza gc8 fitting a gda front X member, Or you could fit usdm wrx 02-05 wagon control arms to have oem inner wide bushings and original width (so you wouldnt have camber issues). OR iirc that the 06 WRX's use a 04-05 style steering rack mounting with the narrow GC8 width inner bushing. all suspension components are geometrically compatible (ex driveshaft and damper lengths) between 93-01 impreza and 95-98 legacy. 02/03 wrx is one standard, 04/05 is revised (and the first gen for the quick rack you are inquiring about) and 06/07++ is new and spiffy territory.....

in short, yes if you want to change the X member to the one that matches the steering rack or weld something to accomidate the differance in mounting. Respective changes to accomidate X member to accomidate quick steering rack.
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Old 07-23-2007, 08:55 AM   #3
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Wow, thanks for the reply wangan, very thorough. I am having a leak at my steering rack and figured if I needed to swap I might as well consider an upgrade if possible. Thanks for all the info.

ss
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Old 07-24-2007, 01:00 PM   #4
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Not to hi-jack or anything but if I were to swap to the 04 WRX crossmember and all the goodies, would my 2.5l still work (I don't want to loose the n/a) w/o any fitting problems in my 98 Outback? Sorry if this is a stupid question but the upgrade sounds like a great idea when my rack goes.
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Old 07-24-2007, 01:27 PM   #5
DerFahrer
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If I were you, I'd swap in a 1st-gen Legacy rack. They have the 2nd-quickest steering rack of any Subaru (STi has quickest).

Then you don't have to change out anything besides the rack.
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Old 07-24-2007, 02:47 PM   #6
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^ do you happen to know the ratio?
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Old 07-24-2007, 04:16 PM   #7
subysouth
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Yea Id like to know the steering ratio for the early Legacys too. Are you talking about the turbos or all the early Legacys?

ss
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Old 07-24-2007, 06:02 PM   #8
DerFahrer
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Turbos and NAs are the same. 16.0:1 ratio.

Every other Subaru I looked at (from the SVX to the WRX) has a slower ratio except the STi, which is 15.0:1.
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Old 07-24-2007, 06:05 PM   #9
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So, for the record, thats:

WRXs 16.5:1
First gen Legacys 16.0:1
STis 15.0:1

What about our Legacys? Foresters?

ss
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Old 07-25-2007, 02:02 PM   #10
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wangan, I got under the car today to look at the rack mounting points and I have two bolts on the driver and passenger sides. The attachment points on the rack on the drivers side appears to be sorta square in profile top and bottom and the passenger side round on top and bottom but with a square profile bushing fitting into a square profile mount on the top.

What is the difference I am missing regarding the 2 bolt mount on the drivers side?

Thanks
ss

And I also just calipered the steering rack brackets at 30mm, so it looks like my 97 Legacy uses the same steering rack bushings as all the way up to the 05 Imprezas.

Last edited by subysouth; 07-25-2007 at 02:17 PM.
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Old 04-26-2011, 01:29 PM   #11
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Bumping this one back up. I've considered a rack upgrade for a long while but have never really looked into it in detail. So, to install an STI rack I need the appropriate front crossmember. Any change to the swaybar, or will the current swaybar fit just fine? Any changes in suspension geometry as a result of the crossmember change? What needs to be done with the steering shaft?
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Old 04-26-2011, 07:20 PM   #12
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Hey Patrick,

I talked to PIA about this. It is possible, but it isn't an easy modification.
I'm going to install a Q-rack eventually.

http://www.q-rack.com/WhatIsQRack.html

The Q-rack is a speedy 12.5 to 1.
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Old 04-26-2011, 07:25 PM   #13
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Get the quick rack or see If Tibor can mod yours. I have the 11.5 to1 in my 03 WRX and it's probably my favorite thing on the car. And don't be worried about driving it on the street, it's not quirky at all. Great upgrade for the money.
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Old 04-27-2011, 10:28 AM   #14
Patrick Olsen
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I'm not sure I'm up for spending $1300 on a quicker rack. If I can do the STI bits for $400 or something like that I'll be happy. This may not ever happen, it's just something that's on my list of possible/someday projects.
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Old 04-27-2011, 11:57 AM   #15
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The Leg is my daily driver, and talking about the mods necessary to put the STI rack in, with labor, it wasn't worth it to me, since the ratio's are not all that different. The Q-rack is an easier install solution, and perhaps I MIGHT be willing to do it myself.

The more I go along, it seems I need a 4th car so my Subie can sit for awhile and I can actually enjoy working on it.

In day to day driving it isn't a big deal, but taking the car on Pacific Raceways I absolutely hated the slow steering.
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Old 04-27-2011, 12:48 PM   #16
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I have an 05 STi Rack in my lego and the turbo X member. I had to trim a little bit out but my borla header fit fine after. I'm going to try a doing a quick steer alteration on my hubs but I haven't had time to play with it.

Johann @ Girodisc
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Old 04-27-2011, 02:37 PM   #17
Patrick Olsen
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So what are the details, Johann? Is it covered elsewhere?

- Which inner and outer tie rods are you using? Legacy or STI?
- Any modifications required to the steering shaft?
- What front swaybar are you using? Is there any reason my existing swaybar wouldn't still work?

Thanks,
Pat
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Old 04-27-2011, 04:18 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by girodisc View Post
I have an 05 STi Rack in my lego and the turbo X member. I had to trim a little bit out but my borla header fit fine after. I'm going to try a doing a quick steer alteration on my hubs but I haven't had time to play with it.

Johann @ Girodisc
How much of a difference did you fell? This thread didn't really confirm what the Lego's steering ratio is, but I'm guessing it is 16.5 to 1.
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Old 04-27-2011, 07:44 PM   #19
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Pat the 04 sti rack will bolt right in, it's just the spines on the u-joint that don't match up. 05-07 racks don't work.

http://www.landefabrication.com/parts.html

They also make columns with quickeners built in.

I have a 1st gen rack in my car, not really noticeably quicker plus the linkage was at a funny angle. The rack I got also had different inner and outer tie rods so one of them was too long when I went to put on the newer tie rods (have a WL RCA now). I just trimmed it down like 3 years ago when I did it. I do have the correct inner tie rod in a box in my garage that I will change someday.

Last edited by jamal; 04-30-2011 at 01:35 PM.
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Old 04-27-2011, 09:23 PM   #20
Patrick Olsen
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kraziken View Post
I'm guessing it is 16.5 to 1.
Per the FSM, yes, it's 16.5:1 for all non-Outbacks. The Outbacks are 19:1.

Quote:
Originally Posted by jamal View Post
Pat the 04 sti rack will bolt right in, it's just the spines on the u-joint that don't match up. 05-07 racks don't work.
Ahhh, that's a good piece of info, thanks (and thanks for the link on the converter part).

Pat
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Old 04-27-2011, 11:20 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick Olsen View Post
Per the FSM, yes, it's 16.5:1 for all non-Outbacks. The Outbacks are 19:1.


Ahhh, that's a good piece of info, thanks (and thanks for the link on the converter part).

Pat
LOL 19:1, is that the same as a bus?
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Old 04-27-2011, 11:52 PM   #22
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Just about.

As far as what car has the quickest rack stock, the sti is second, and the 1st gen legacy is third.

In a dead magazine far, far away. In the "before" time, the long.....long ago. There was an STi S402 Legacy, with a 13:1 ratio steering rack.

On page 31 of the May, 09 issue of Sport Compact Car.


~Josh~
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Old 04-28-2011, 12:08 AM   #23
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Wow 13:1? Any chance some of the JDM Imprezas had just as quick of a steering rack? I suppose those would be tough to trach down.

Glad Patrick resurrected this thread.
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Old 04-28-2011, 06:25 PM   #24
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Quote:
Originally Posted by subysouth View Post
So, for the record, thats:

WRXs 16.5:1
First gen Legacys 16.0:1
STis 15.0:1

What about our Legacys? Foresters?

ss
Bump for info on the BD ratio, 16 or 16.5? My 95 Lego beater feels tighter than the WRX, but that could just be the smaller steering wheel.
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Old 04-30-2011, 07:24 AM   #25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by midnite_wrex View Post
Bump for info on the BD ratio, 16 or 16.5?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick Olsen View Post
Per the FSM, yes, it's 16.5:1 for all non-Outbacks. The Outbacks are 19:1.
That's per my '97 FSM. I don't know if the '95 would be different.
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