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Repair Manuals - Chilton's or Haynes?


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I'm sure this has been asked before but I did a search and didn't come up with anything. Any opinions on which repair manual is better for an early series Legacy ie 90-94? Chilton's or Hayne's? I've been getting by using my factory manuals for my old 85GL but that doesn't work so good. Is anybody interested in buying my set of 1986 Service Manuals? I'll post them in the Marketplace.

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Since they're cheap, I have both but I prefer Haynes's. It's more explicit most of the time.

Here and there, Chilton's is ridiculously misleading. Example: it tells you to remove the timing belt to replace the crankshaft position sensor. .:banghead:

 

A five minute repair can then become something major and all for nothing.

Comparing both is often useful.

My 2 cents.

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I have Haynes manuals for the Legacy and all 1600s and 1800s. I find them to be helpful for diagrams, and that's just about it.

 

I was just discussing in another thread about replacing my XT's axles in the Old forum, the manual said that the axle was pressed into the hub and a shop had to separate the two!!!:madder:

 

An example for the Legacy manual is that it says you have to remove the intake manifold to replace the knock sensor... Or you have to remove the left cam sprocket and rear timing cover to remove the water pump... :temper:

 

My personal opinion is that these manuals should be only used as a supplement to basic car knowledge. In other words, if you don't know how to do it, for Pete's sake DON'T use these manuals as your only source of info!!!

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I have the Haynes manual, ISBN 1 56392 326 2

 

I find it covers a surprising number of details. Sometimes I spend a while try to work something out and a few days later discover that I could have saved a bunch of time, cause its there in the manual!

 

Even, so I have seen Haynes manuals for other cars and they have been PATHETIC! The above book number is a good source of info the first generations of Legacy, and not conclusive proof that Haynes make the best manuals.

 

I also have a Gregory's "Automotive Service, Diagnosis, and Repair" book which I find extemely helpful since it covers all the theory in general, you just have to apply it to whatever car you are working on at the time.

 

Oh, it might have helped that I spent six months in an authorised Subaru dealer...but that was thirteen years ago.

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i've used a bunch of haynes and chiltons manuals in the past, and they all seem to be very hit or miss. it depends on how close the car they disassembled to write the book is to yours. when you get the "blanket" books that cover many years and many engines and model revisions, they are often very bad.

 

i usually lean more towards haynes, and the subaru one is pretty good, though i don't know for an earlier legacy. i've know chiltons to have very wrong info more than a few times. a friend was trying everything to remove a crank bolt. chilton's didn't mention the fact that the bolt was reverse thread :banghead: !!

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