11 replies to this topic

[yeahultimate]

Hello again my friends..

So.. I have a question I hope someone can help me figure this out. I have p185 75 R14's tires on my 1992 Legacy.

I realize that this is a heavy car, even heavier than my other corsica I had. When I was jacking up this legacy to check the brakes and change a flat tire... It was very evident on my jack and on how hard it was to pump it how heavy this car is.

When I make a turn and i'm going fairly fast.. not speeding .. but lets say at 25mph... and there are bumps in the road. The whole dang car starts to hop over into the next lane. Is there something wrong with the under carriage? Is it just too heavy? Are the struts bad or something? I have noticed if I go over a break in a road the back makes a lound thump sound. But if I go over speed bumps at slow speed Its a smooth ride. I'm confused.

Thanks for help.

[Rooster2]

I don't think the car is THAT heavy. I use an Audi jack, instead of the Subie jack, just because it is a better jack, and don't experience any problems.

The lane jumping is a sign of bad struts, and or, ball joints, and even tie rods. Bad struts on the rear, result in bottoming out on bumps hit at speed.

As good as Subie struts are, I wouldn't be surprised if the struts are the originals with a zillion miles on them. If so, strut replacement may be the way to go.

[WoodsWagon]

Also check the bushings where the rear trailing arms attach to the body under the back door. If they get loose then the back wheels will shift around when cornering leading to some very tail-happy tendancys.

Do the bounce test on the shocks on all 4 corners, bounce the car up and down as hard as you can and then let go, it should go up, then back to center and stop. If it keeps bouncing the struts are not doing their job. Also check for leaking oil at the struts in the wheel wells.

[Manarius]

Why do you have 75 series tires on that car? I'm pretty sure the panel on the door calls for 60 series tires (Tire Rack says 70 series). That would be why your car jumps all over the place. Switch to a lower profile, I think you'll tighten up your car a little.

Edited by Manarius, 20 October 2010 - 09:24 PM.

[NoahDL88]

If the springs were ever cut you will be super bouncy, even the stock struts are 18 years old so they may not be good anymore.

[zyewdall]

I've always run 70 or 75 series on my old legacies, and they behave fine if the rest of the suspension is okay -- not as nice as 60 series wider tires than the newer ones take, but still not tail happy. I rally them on gravel roads alot, and one in good shape will handle cornering on washboard better than a GL series, even though it's heavier. My current one has no rear struts (well, mechanically they are they, but no damping action at all), so it does not do well on bumps... and it's a little tail happy on loose dirt. It does make awful thumping sounds from the back sometimes though, so that's the first thing I'd check. Then all the rear suspension links and such. Rear struts are expensive for some reason... I found a good used set for $100 each for entire assemblies, but they are $125 new for just the struts, not full assemblies -- unless someone else has a better source than I could find.

[Fairtax4me]

Struts are probably pretty well worn out, among other things. Jump on the bumper a few times and then jump off and see how the car reacts. If it keeps bouncing after you jump off the struts are bad. It should rebound to regular ride height and stop pretty much as soon as you stop bouncing the car.

KYB GR2's are pretty much the best way to go for the money for replacement struts. Rockauto.com carries them for a great price.

Edited by Fairtax4me, 20 October 2010 - 10:32 PM.

[bheinen74]

my 94 legacy sport sedan is 4450 weight. they are TANKS, and subaru put the metal where its needed only one air bag driver steering. lets battle a new leg vs old gen leg and see what car wins the demo derby. not a chance the newest model comes out the winner.......

your rear struts are DEAD. and the fronts. my first legacy same a legacy weighing that much kills struts front and rear after 80k the car weight is a tank and it kills the struts. replace fronts and rears with KYB gr-2 i find www.ajusa.com is cheapest

Edited by bheinen74, 20 October 2010 - 10:47 PM.

[Fairtax4me]

my 94 legacy sport sedan is 4450 weight

Gross weight, yeah I could see that. Curb weight, No way. You got a weigh station or scrapyard receipt showing that?

I'm kinda thinking you're seeing the gross vehicle weight rating on the door sticker. Gross weight is the maximum total loaded weight rating of the car with passengers and cargo. Subtract the maximum load weight (listed on the same sticker) from the gross weight rating and you get a round figure for empty vehicle weight.

[brysawn]

Gross weight, yeah I could see that. Curb weight, No way. You got a weigh station or scrapyard receipt showing that?

Yeah if he's looking at the door, it would say gross weight. Legacy's definitely don't weigh 4500 lbs. They really aren't that heavy of a car.

According to wikipedia (which seems correct) the curb weight of a legacy is around 3200 lbs.

Edited by brysawn, 21 October 2010 - 05:10 PM.

[Ricearu]

i weighed my 92 wagon with me out of it and about a half tank of gas, it was 3280. I took a bunch of scrap to the junker in the back. but that was on the way out.

[bheinen74]

94turbo legacy, gvwr 4110 pounds.
fact.
i was wrong before.