Totally agree with everything you say! I went down the new route on my WRX as it's a UK car on 110k and the rear subframe is really crusty. To blast and powder coat would kill the bushes and require metal inserts or poly bushes custom made to put in to replace them which at the time would have probably been £150-200 all in whereas Import Car Parts were selling brand new STI units for £220. For the effort it seemed the easiest way. In the UK the bush replacement can be done with AS Performance milled aluminium inserts but they're made to order and still need pressed in. I still repainted the new subframe with Simoniz Tough Black and then filled with Bilt Hamber S50 cavity wax. I'll still keep the old one to restore at some point because there will come a time where none of this will be as easily available as it still is currently, and you never know what parts you'll need in the future. I've done the same with the front subframe, original steering rack, and the replacement hubs.
Upgrade is slightly debatable, not much weight difference and same strength. Reason I personally used these is I had them and had the bushings. This will be no race car
@@JuuS0 they do not sell them separately. There are replacement rubber/steel bushings available through “hardrace” though. I used them before on a project
Thanks for response. Another thing, is the hole diameter the same in stainless and in rubber bushing? I was wondering if it's really necessary to have such a big diameter hole in it?
@@Moneypit_Adventures i had just called my local subaru dealer. I got it just as i made this vid. Its said the parts that are becoming NLA on the gd’s and gc’s, super lame. Call your nearest dealer with the part number and they will check all of North america and japan for stock
i always thought the only differences between stis and wrxs were the heads, transmission, brakes, rims, axles, turbo, and seats, seems like theres much much more
Front and rear Control arms, sway bar thickness and steering racks too. Even the gas tank inside is different (baffled) Sti were really maxed out for factory performance. Is neat to really see how different they are
@@koolazltd718 yes sir! However if you have GC specific cat back then the subframe hanger will not match up on the cat back. But if you have a GD cat back then it will match the frame hanger
@@TheSubieSanctuary why would aluminum be bad, I am very curious because other companies make aluminum subframe bushings for 240s and skylines and don't seem to have problems to my understanding
@@TheSubieSanctuary i have to say, since Ive been dailying mine, the repairs come in phases but it's quite euphoric, too. Maybe an entire weekend down, doing brakes, and then back to work Monday. Or stripped interior to patch a 1/4. Its a funny perpetual thing us car guys, endure. So rewarding tho! Thanks for sharin, you guys keep us going 🤙🤘. Pumped to see more!!
@@Gunma_garage very rewarding indeed, sometimes you get lucky with a long stretch of blissful ownership. But some seasons you get that plaque of maintenance overload. Wouldnt trade it for the world though.
Totally agree with everything you say! I went down the new route on my WRX as it's a UK car on 110k and the rear subframe is really crusty. To blast and powder coat would kill the bushes and require metal inserts or poly bushes custom made to put in to replace them which at the time would have probably been £150-200 all in whereas Import Car Parts were selling brand new STI units for £220. For the effort it seemed the easiest way. In the UK the bush replacement can be done with AS Performance milled aluminium inserts but they're made to order and still need pressed in. I still repainted the new subframe with Simoniz Tough Black and then filled with Bilt Hamber S50 cavity wax. I'll still keep the old one to restore at some point because there will come a time where none of this will be as easily available as it still is currently, and you never know what parts you'll need in the future. I've done the same with the front subframe, original steering rack, and the replacement hubs.
Exactly dude 👌 im going to paint my subframe too just to make it really last forever
fe400 discontinued , fe430 left as used in 2006-2007 sti and wrx
Brother, keep up the great work on this bugeye.
Very very helpfull and for sure saved on the watch list for the future.
Why not upgrade the front control arms to the aluminum ones
Upgrade is slightly debatable, not much weight difference and same strength. Reason I personally used these is I had them and had the bushings. This will be no race car
Great tip. Do they sell those stainless bits separately?
@@JuuS0 they do not sell them separately. There are replacement rubber/steel bushings available through “hardrace” though. I used them before on a project
Thanks for response. Another thing, is the hole diameter the same in stainless and in rubber bushing? I was wondering if it's really necessary to have such a big diameter hole in it?
@ they are the same, its play for alignment purposes.
Any link to where you found it? Everywhere I check is unavailable since obviouslly they stopped making them.
@@Moneypit_Adventures i had just called my local subaru dealer. I got it just as i made this vid. Its said the parts that are becoming NLA on the gd’s and gc’s, super lame.
Call your nearest dealer with the part number and they will check all of North america and japan for stock
i always thought the only differences between stis and wrxs were the heads, transmission, brakes, rims, axles, turbo, and seats, seems like theres much much more
Front and rear Control arms, sway bar thickness and steering racks too. Even the gas tank inside is different (baffled) Sti were really maxed out for factory performance. Is neat to really see how different they are
@@TheSubieSanctuary awesome! thanks for the reply
Well these fit a GC8 ?
@@koolazltd718 yes sir! However if you have GC specific cat back then the subframe hanger will not match up on the cat back.
But if you have a GD cat back then it will match the frame hanger
Are the gas tanks also interchangeable?
Yes sir!
Are the solid bushings in the STI subframe made out of aluminum or steel?
Aluminum I believe, could be stainless. Ill throw a magnet on them
@@TheSubieSanctuary any update?
@@XX-kz4zg stainless steel, makes sense i guess. Aluminum would have been a bad idea for a couple reasons
@@TheSubieSanctuary why would aluminum be bad, I am very curious because other companies make aluminum subframe bushings for 240s and skylines and don't seem to have problems to my understanding
@@paul4733 dissimilar metal contact, corrodes. Then easy to mishap
Great hack.great vid
Worth a share right, better save $ and better product in the end
Powder coated Bugeye bits!!??? I almost forgot this car was getting more resto. #feels
Activly still working away on it. For the sake of my soul, I need to get it back on the road this summer 🙏
@@TheSubieSanctuary i have to say, since Ive been dailying mine, the repairs come in phases but it's quite euphoric, too. Maybe an entire weekend down, doing brakes, and then back to work Monday. Or stripped interior to patch a 1/4. Its a funny perpetual thing us car guys, endure. So rewarding tho! Thanks for sharin, you guys keep us going 🤙🤘. Pumped to see more!!
@@Gunma_garage very rewarding indeed, sometimes you get lucky with a long stretch of blissful ownership. But some seasons you get that plaque of maintenance overload. Wouldnt trade it for the world though.
Ouuut