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97 legacy wagon rear spring/strut assy to 96 legacy sedan. Bolt-on?


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I've searched a bit and haven't found an answer. I'm sure most of you know this just off the top of your head.

 

Backstory:
One of my house-mates just junked his 97 legacy wagon (non-outback) and gave it to a local Subie-Guy, after Guy put the 2.2 from it in to housemate's "new" 99 SUS Sedan (Purchased from Guy). The plan was to have Subie-guy use what was needed to get SUS on the road, save a few parts for me and my 96 Legacy L sedan, and Guy could have the remainder of the car to part out or scrap as he wished. Guy also works at an auto parts store, thus can look up numbers, get parts cheap, etc.

My car was in severe need of rear struts when I bought it a year ago. Knowing this deal was coming, and knowing that my housemate bought new rear strut/spring assemblies for a car he'd be junking in 4 months ('Cause that's the kinda guy he is...) I was offered the assemblies when the time came, with the assurances from all sides that they would work.

Now that the deal has happened and the housemate is looking at buying new spring/strut assemblies for his "new", just-as rusted-out 99 SUS (and he knew his new/old ones from his 97 wouldn't fit his new car when he bought them ..) Guy was looking up part numbers and telling me that I probably wouldn't be able to make them work on mine. He wasn't sure if the bolt holes were different or what, but the part numbers were different from 96 sedan to 97 wagon, thus probably a no-go.

I'm okay with a slight lift or heavier spring ( I tend to carry a bit of weight around, via trailer or junk in the trunk). I just need to know if those are a fairly direct bolt-on replacement or not.

Thoughts?
 

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All 95-99 legacy/outback rear struts are interchangeable.

 

You might want to consider new rear struts - i just bought a set of brand new KYB rear struts for a FWD legacy on ebay or amazon this summer and they were dirty cheap, like pennies on the dollar. 

I installed FWD rear struts in my AWD legacy sedan, worked just fine.  Struts are a wear item and sometimes it's a lot of effort to swap used struts...then they go bad...but i get that free is free.

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Thanks folks! I figured they'd be fine, but I certainly am glad to have the expert confirmation.
 

 

All 95-99 legacy/outback rear struts are interchangeable.

 

You might want to consider new rear struts - i just bought a set of brand new KYB rear struts for a FWD legacy on ebay or amazon this summer and they were dirty cheap, like pennies on the dollar. 

I installed FWD rear struts in my AWD legacy sedan, worked just fine.  Struts are a wear item and sometimes it's a lot of effort to swap used struts...then they go bad...but i get that free is free.

 Yeah, free is indeed free. Luckily, his struts and springs are only 4 months old. Plus, my springs are old and weak/saggy so I'm just swapping the whole assembly. I'm not tearing the struts themselves out. Didn't care much for it the one and only time I ever did it before lol

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