Forester (2006 XT 5MT) Will KYB + Lifted Kings still allow me to have spirited drives?

CoolCat

CoolCat

Forum Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2022
Messages
7
Location
Denver, CO
Car Year
2006
Car Model
Forester XT
Transmission
5MT
Hey all! I have a 2006 XT 5MT that I love. Stock struts and springs are shot and I'm suffering from major booty sag.

I found a great deal on some Lifted King Springs. Will those paired with KYB struts still allow me to drive my Foz like I stole it?

I see mixed reviews on the lifted kings.

I want to fix my suspension, a small lift would be fun, but I don't want to lose *too* much driving ability on the pavement which is 95% of my driving.
 
I cannot comment on the lifted part.

When my 2006 SG developed saggy butt syndrome, I put Pedders variable rate heavy duty springs in the rear (no lift, complete strut assemblies) and kept my perfectly good front suspension as is.

Handling is excellent, even on one lane, windy country roads, where I get a bit 'vigorous' ...

I've thought about a 1" lift from @NachaLuva , but never got around to it. He is your go to man for lift information and kits. Beautiful work, and complete commitment to doing everything properly. He ships internationally.

Love the handling of my SG too.

And :welcome: to the forum.
 
G'day & Welcome! (I guess you are CoolCatClub elsewhere?) ;)
CoolCat said:
Will those paired with KYB struts still allow me to drive my Foz like I stole it?
Click to expand...
Yes indeed! The raised Kings actually stiffen the suspension (which is why some offroaders do not like them as it reduces articulation)
I have raised Kings
 
@Kevin The legend. Hey Kevin! Lol yes that's me. You can find my handle spread across various vehicle boards usually asking for help 😅

I'm thinking of lifted kings, KYB struts, and a fresh set of Falken A/T Trails 215/65/16. I have already read every thread google could find me on the springs, but my remaining concern was losing too much juice with this set up. Most converstion is off road focued, but I light to gun it off the stoplight in the city when I'm not in the mountains. I have my Astro as my goof car, I want to keep my foz as a practical and comfy daily driver.

I was going to do 2" front 2.5" rear spacers and a set of 215/75/15 Toyo open country AT wrapped on black rhinos (in fact I already bought some of this stuff). But now I'm pretty convinced to opt for the milder route with springs and tire size to retain daily status and prevent any trimming that would need to be done.


@Ratbag thanks for the info! I already found a full set of barely used lifted kings locally for $150 and I'm too impatient to wait for anything else as shipping times are months out right now for some aftermarket supplies.
 
You won't notice any difference with 215/65/16 especially in an XT ;)

Kings and KYB are a reliable combination
 
215/60 16" on OEM alloys were standard on my SG. These are wider tyres than my 2 ton Landcruiser, 7.5" (190.5)/100 16".

IOW our cars are already running wheels and tyres that are over-sized for their weight. Going bigger or wider does not make much sense.
 
Ratbag that's an interesting way to look at it. A small lift and slightly bigger tires may not be needed or the most efficient mod, but it sure looks cool haha. Also, a move to bigger tires doesn't always have to include more weight.

My OEM wheels are 19lbs and the all season 215/60/16 Yoko Avid Ascents on my foz are 24lbs.

16" Black Rhino Rumbles are 16lbs and 215/65/16 Falken AT Trails are 28lbs.

So 43lbs of unsprung weight now vs 44lbs with the bigger tires. A measly 1 pound added. And actually if I go with the G015s I save a pound during the upgrade as it totals out to 42lbs.
 
CC, I was actually referring to footprint per vehicle mass, rather than unsprung weight.

SWMBO's SH has 17" alloy wheels+tyres that (each) weigh 4 kgs more than those on mine - 21.5 vs. 17.5 kgs. It makes a very noticeable difference to handling, particularly body roll on corners around town. Speed bumps: 30 kmh for hers, 40 kmh for mine.
 
I think I'm going with 215/70R15s because I already got a deal on the Boxer 15" rims. With this tire the width is actually the same as stock, 8.5".

With Black Rhino Boxers + G015s, I will actually be shaving off half a pound compared to my stock setup.
 
Kevin said:
Gee that's slow :p
Click to expand...
It's a particular set in Latrobe Terrace, Cheltenham, Kevin. They are marked 20 kmh, but are unusually 'sharp'. The 2019 Liberty loan car bottomed the front end suspension at 20 kmh :( .
 
Yokohama Geolander G015 215/70R15s and Black Rhino 15" Boxers are installed! White lettering out because I've never had the option before and always thought it looked badass.

Suuuuper happy with how it turned out! I can't believe I waited 4 years to put new shoes on my girl. Before and after below.

Looking at the after picture, you can see how much booty sag I have in the back nowadays, this is with an empty trunk too. KYB struts + Raised King Springs will go on next week.

I have 4 King Springs, 4 KYB struts, 4 strut mounts, and 4 strut boots. @Kevin is there anything I'm missing? I found part #s on RockAuto. Will the raised springs require different strut boots than OEM because of the length?

The tires are less than an inch taller than stock, but I'm still hearing some rubbing/squeaking from the front wheel wells. Hopefully that goes away with the lift, but if not I will have to do some light trimming...


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2000 GT owner here. When shopping for a Foz I only wanted a turbo model because I too love a blast through the twisty, mountainous stuff. I did the commonplace raised King Springs / Kyb struts and a 2" lift.

I can say that on road tyres it was still great. Mine is meant to ride on 215/60/R16 and it was still amazingly agile due to the improved suspension. Now that I have AT 65's it feels a bit different but still quite fun. Definitely doesn't feel as good in the wet on off-camber and fast tight corners.
 
Interesting, thanks for the input! That same tire change is exactly what I just did haha. Went from stock size 215/60R16 road tires to ATs that are the same size as 65s.

Hearing your story I'm glad I chose the milder Yoko G015s compared to something even more aggressive like the Falken Trails.
 
For reference, I have a 07XT with 1" Front Spacers + Raised King Springs, 2.5" Rear Spacer + Raised King Springs, and it performs excellently in the mountainous terrain around me.
 
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