47 replies to this topic

[Goobysoobs]

sorry to bring up such an old thread but I'm considering this mod to my 90 legacy and was kind of shopping around for tire prices and such and the guy at the tire store was adamant that if I were to put outback 15" rims with 205s it simply would not fit even with outback struts/springs.... just wondering if anyone has done this successfully.

[Dodge Aries K]

Well, to add to this old thread I can tell you we made my buddy's 95 Legacy wagon look like an Outback for the most part. Swapped in some Outback strut assemblies which lifts it pretty much the same as the stock Outbacks I own, swapped the front and rear bumpers with bumper covers, and put on some 15" wheels with 205/70R15 tires. The only two things that set it apart from my cars is that it does NOT have the raised roof and it doesn't have the two tone paint on the body, just the bumpers. Personally, it looks pretty nice and makes it look like there's FOUR Outbacks here instead of three and a Legacy

Oh, and no you can't put the Outback size tires on with stock Legacy springs. Attempted to and failed due to spring perch being lower.

[johnceggleston]

sorry to bring up such an old thread but I'm considering this mod to my 90 legacy and was kind of shopping around for tire prices and such and the guy at the tire store was adamant that if I were to put outback 15" rims with 205s it simply would not fit even with outback struts/springs.... just wondering if anyone has done this successfully.

swap in the struts and then go back to him and make a bet, if they fit you get 1 tire free, or 4 mount and balance free. he will not take the bet.

[rainman19154]

Well, to add to this old thread I can tell you we made my buddy's 95 Legacy wagon look like an Outback for the most part. == swapped the front and rear bumpers with bumper covers, and put on some 15" wheels with 205/70R15 tires.

was that bumper swap a simple bolt on?

I'm grabbing an OB bumper and grill from a 96 (as soon as Pick a Part gets it processed into the yard) - and i'd like to double check that it's a straight swap.

From all I've heard about the early OB and their Lego siblings, this should be no issue.

[Fairtax4me]

I've put some thought to this recently. There was a nice 97 outback in the yard last time I went and I didn't grab the struts because I didn't want to spend the money right then, but If it's still there I think I'm gonna grab them this weekend.

[rainman19154]

I've put some thought to this recently. There was a nice 97 outback in the yard last time I went and I didn't grab the struts because I didn't want to spend the money right then, but If it's still there I think I'm gonna grab them this weekend.

Go grab em! It's not that big a job.
I just did mine this week. It took me 90 minutes +/- to pull the replacements ... and I was robbing two differant corpses to get them.
The install was about 2 hours for the rear and a little more than that for the front.
And all of it done very casually. With modest effort, you could certainly shave 20 minutes off of my times.

Grab em on Saturday and have em on by Sunday afternoon.

[Fairtax4me]

You have a wagon? Mine is a sedan. I get to have a LOT more fun installing the rears than the wagon people do. Whole back seat has to come out, some trim, seat belts. I've already replaced the rear struts once. The old springs were shot, and the struts were on their way. Took me 2 hours just to get the old ones out. Took me all of 30 minutes at the junkyard to get the replacements out of the wagon I took them from.

[Goobysoobs]

I've put some thought to this recently. There was a nice 97 outback in the yard last time I went and I didn't grab the struts because I didn't want to spend the money right then, but If it's still there I think I'm gonna grab them this weekend.

lucky.... I've hit two yards and all the outbacks are strutless..... someone got to 'em first lol.

[Fairtax4me]

That's usually how it is at the yards I go to. Wheels in decent shape are a pipe dream. Leather seats same story. And seems like headlights are a hot item too.
Gonna be kicking myself for not grabbing the struts the first time around if they're gone.

[Goobysoobs]

yeah at the u pull and pay rims are just thrown everywhere so theres probably some nice outback rims.... but it could be next to a ford or under a saturn etc. so sad.

[rainman19154]

yeah at the u pull and pay rims are just thrown everywhere so theres probably some nice outback rims.... But it could be next to a ford or under a saturn etc. So sad.

+1

[Fairtax4me]

Vultures I tell ya, vultures.
So it looks like the rear cross member is different (different part number at least) on the OB, and there are some spacers between the cross members and frame. The transmission cross member appears to be different as well, and so it the pitch mount. Longer to account for lower engine position?
Seems like other people who have done this swap haven't bothered to grab much or any of this and it all fit together fine though.
I have a line on some 205/70 15 snow tires, wheels might be a trick to get ahold of (probably be watching CL for those) but I think I can pull this off.

I'm excited about lifting the legacy now. Really gonna have to kick myself in the rump roast if those struts are gone!

[Goobysoobs]

yeah a guy in Lakewood here is parting two outbacks out so I'm going to give him a call tomorrow to see if he still has struts springs avail and he says he has alloys but I'm hoping he has steelies as well if not the search will continue (possibly forever )

[cousinphil]

Not to be a stickler or anything....... I bought a 95 Outback in 1995 and it is by far the best car I have ever owned. It is still on the road. But the only difference between the 95 Legacy and the 95 Outback are a few minor details: two tone paint, 15 inch wheels with low profile tires, and a 12 volt outlet in the rear. That's it. Oh, yeah. And an Outback decal. They didn't even have the metal Outback emblem in 95. No 3" lift. That didn't come till 96. Do yourself a favor and don't mess with the suspension. This is a superb handling car.

This is the real deal. 95 was the first year the Outback was introduced and it was just a fancy package for the Legacy. In 96 it was a whole new model.

[Goobysoobs]

Not to be a stickler or anything....... I bought a 95 Outback in 1995 and it is by far the best car I have ever owned. It is still on the road. But the only difference between the 95 Legacy and the 95 Outback are a few minor details: two tone paint, 15 inch wheels with low profile tires, and a 12 volt outlet in the rear. That's it. Oh, yeah. And an Outback decal. They didn't even have the metal Outback emblem in 95. No 3" lift. That didn't come till 96. Do yourself a favor and don't mess with the suspension. This is a superb handling car.

This is the real deal. 95 was the first year the Outback was introduced and it was just a fancy package for the Legacy. In 96 it was a whole new model.

forgot another detail which is the most important... the engine the Legacies came with the ej22 whereas the outbacks have ej25s.

[Olnick]

But not the '95 Outback to which cousinphil refers . . . it was an EJ22!

[Fairtax4me]

96 outback with manual trans had EJ22 also AFAIK. Maybe 97 as well?
Just my luck I checked CL for the first time in about a month, somebody posted a 98 outback with apparently dead engine for $300. But it was listed early last month so I'm sure it's gone by now.

[Goobysoobs]

wow really I though all outbacks had the 2.5 Damn should've jumped on a '96 OBW for $2000... though it did have 215k seemed a bit over priced.

[WoodsWagon]

Vultures I tell ya, vultures.
So it looks like the rear cross member is different (different part number at least) on the OB, and there are some spacers between the cross members and frame. The transmission cross member appears to be different as well, and so it the pitch mount. Longer to account for lower engine position?

Rear crossmembers are the same, I've used outback crossmembers to replace rusted through legacy ones. The spacer blocks and bolts are different.

[Olnick]

Right you are, Fairtax. '96 manual tranny was EJ22, but that was the last time in an Outback (at least in a factory Outback!)

[Dodge Aries K]

was that bumper swap a simple bolt on?

I'm grabbing an OB bumper and grill from a 96 (as soon as Pick a Part gets it processed into the yard) - and i'd like to double check that it's a straight swap.

From all I've heard about the early OB and their Lego siblings, this should be no issue.

Yep, it was easy to swap on. Just have to change the metal support beam as well as the bumper cover.

[Fairtax4me]

Cha Ching! Got 'em!

When I got there a guy was taking the heads off and he had a cordless impact wrench. Had all 4 off in less than ten minutes. Freakin' awesome!

[rainman19154]

Cha Ching! Got 'em!

When I got there a guy was taking the heads off and he had a cordless impact wrench. Had all 4 off in less than ten minutes. Freakin' awesome!

hahah awesome