Suspension...Stock and Modified Offroad

[Mojave Venom]

Hello all. Need some help. I have searched and googled and everything else. Trying to get some basic information and it has been very challenging. Here we go...can anyone tell me the weight rating of the stock strut assemblies on the 1999 Subaru Legacy Outback? That's basically it. That's what I need to know.

 

I have built a dune runner by modifying one of my Outbacks. It has 5" suspension and 3" body lifts. I am currently running 235-75/R15 off road tires and will be switching to paddles in the rear shortly. I am trying to replace the stock struts with shocks to free up room in my wheel wells, but need to know an approximate weight rating so I can get the right capacity shocks.

 

If anyone can help me out with the strut assembly ratings that would be great!

Thank you for your kind reply.

[Mojave Venom]

Just wondering if I might have put this in the wrong place? If there is a better place to post this question, please let me know and I will move it. Thank you.

[Fairtax4me]

You can't replace a strut with a shock. The strut is a structural part of the suspension and holds the knuckle/hub assembly in position relative to the suspension. A shock does not hold any part of the suspension. It merely controls the up and down movement.

 

You still need a coil-over strut assembly if you have the factory multi-arm suspension.

 

The weight rating is dependent on the vehicle. If you have added or removed weight on the chassis of the car then the spring/strut setup needs to be matched to the weight of the vehicle loaded in the way you plan to run most often.

 

Not as many people here get into serious off-road performance. Check around some of the Impreza forums like Dirally and see what people are running for off-road coil-over struts. Most of those are slimmer than the stock strut assemblies.