David's SG9 STI SWAP!

David had a beautiful SG9, with one goal in mind, STI swap everything!
Combine a 257 and 3.9 Forester STI 6 speed, you get a torque monster which is a blast to drive

Getting there wasn't a simple journery!


David originally had a beautiful cross sport model. He actually found me through facebook, inquiring about a diff for his upcoming swap. Once we got aquainted, I answered the right questions, gave him the right advice and waited until he got his 257 imported.

As time went on jobs were filling in the shop, had to put David on the backburner. He tried going to another shop to complete the job, unfortunately due to circumstances out of his control, that shop had to close down.

David was left with an unfinished swap.
5 months without driving car. Mix of parts which didn't work.

David was kind of enough to tow the car to the workshop. Same day he dropped it off, I swapped out the rear diff, corrected the axles and got the car running.

Fixed up the six speed linkage, as it was incorrectly installed.

For the first time in a long time, the SG9 runs!

However it wasnt free from other problems. There was clear drivetrain vibrations, almost like the wrong final drive was previously installed! David had a twin plate with the engine which didnt help with driveability but was not a cause for binding from a standstill.

Diag resulted in tailshaft being dropped to rule out the rear suspension; rear brakes and rear differential!
I then moved to the transfer gears and then the centre diff. What I found there was quite sad.