bushytails

There's been several threads lately about options for front struts, now that they're entirely unavailable in the US. With one of mine getting really wobbly, and my springs so flat that I've been sitting solid on the front bump stops (and ruining tires with the resultant camber) for the last year, I decided it was time to really look into my options for new parts. It turns out that ordering from Australia is a lot easier than I expected! This post will mostly focus on Gen II parts, since that's what I drive, but the info in it applies to all vehicles and anything else you want to order. I've looked in the past, and even emailed several places, both ebay sellers and local businesses, and very close to absolutely no one in Australia will ship to the US. There's one person on ebay with a small selection, charging a very hefty markup, and they have poor feedback. Australia has many parts options available - all of KYB, Monroe, Gabriel, and Sachs struts, both 4wd and 2wd and for every generation, two manufacturers of new springs, King and Lovells, in standard height, heavy duty, 1"/25mm lift, and lowered (are there people this silly?) versions, at least four options for control arm bushings, new copper-brass radiators, caster/camber adjustment kits, complete front caliper rebuild kits, fuel filters with the third nipple on top, brand new tie rod ends,... and no one will ship to the US. So what to do? Freight forwarding! I used AUSFF, https://www.ausff.com.au/ but there's other options. For a small fee, you have sellers ship them packages, then they ship them to you. All the steps I provide will be for AUSFF, but I assume the other options have a similar process. My experience with them was about average, so other options could be better or worse. Here's a little writeup on the whole process. First, you sign up, and pay a fee for the "plan" you want, which starts at AU$5 for one package. I got the AU$20 plan, which will ship up to 10 packages a month, with various extra services. The signup process is fairly typical. They talk about verification documents, but their faq mentions these are for high-risk transactions, and they didn't ask me to provide any of them. I guess no one scams people for old subaru parts. Next, if you're shopping on ebay, go to https://www.ebay.com.au/ , and log in using the same login you use for the US .com site - no need to create a new account or do anything special. Go to your profile, and add a new (additional, not primary) shipping address. Enter the address AUSFF, or your chosen freight forwarder, gives you. This will be an address in Australia that you can ship all your stuff to. AUSFF gives you a unique number you should ship things care of, like "C/O R123456", that you enter as the second line of your shipping address. If you don't do this, they won't know who the package is for, so make sure you enter it. Enter AUSFF's provided phone number and everything else they give you, none of your own address info. You can also order from local businesses. For example, Sparesbox, https://www.sparesbox.com.au/ , also has a good selection and significantly lower prices than ebay sellers (and they sponsor 4WD 24/7, so I'll give them a shout-out), and I would have ordered from them except they were out of stock on the springs I wanted. You should probably stick with sites that use shipping services rather than local store delivery, but you can also get local deliveries if you talk to AUSFF beforehand. Ship everything to your AUSFF address, of course. If you can't enter a second address line, put the c/o number on the end of your name, i.e. "John Doe C/O R123456". Note that AUSFF will not ship food, so no snacks, alas. Now, go shopping! I'll put links to some of the deals I found in a reply to this post, since they're probably transient, but here's an ebay search for most of the strut options I found. When shopping, you need to keep in mind the naming/model differences, and the currency differences. The latter is easier - at the time I'm writing this, an AUD is about 0.70USD. So, as a rough mental estimate, figure your USD cost is about 2/3rds of the AUD price. An AU$300 part is US$200. etc. The exchange rate will likely be different by the time you read this, so look it up before shopping. And then shipping and tariffs bring it up to about the same number again. Then, there's model names. "Brat", "GL", etc are US names (and one is a trim package that for some reason is used as a name, for reasons I still utterly fail to understand), and won't find any parts anywhere else in the world. The Brat is the Brumby in Australia, while other models were Leone, with Leone II being Gen II vehicles. There's also model codes, for example AU5 is a Gen II Brumby, while AM5 is a Leone II Estate (Gen II Wagon). You'll need to search with these names/models to find parts. Take note that ebay and other sites' fitment information is often **very** random. As an example, the fitment table might only specify a part fits the Sedan version (looking at you, Lovells Springs!), while it's identical on Wagons and Brumbys. Also common, parts will only say they fit Brumby (Aussies love their Utes!), while they'd also fit every other model of the same generation. Or the year range will be wrong (King Springs this time). Or they might be listed as fitting both your Gen II vehicle and a Gen III vehicle, but you know the parts are different. So do very wide searches and mentally filter based on your subaru knowledge rather than trying to search for exact model parts. Also remember some parts are still available in the US - you can get the KYB boot kit locally without paying international shipping and tariffs, for example. Add all the items you want to your cart, and go to check out. First, make sure to switch to your AUSFF (or other forwarder) address. It will then show correct shipping (usually free) and let you pay. When you pay, ebay will ask if you want to pay in AUD or USD. If you pay in USD, they will do the currency conversion for you, at a rate that's slightly worse than the current rate found elsewhere, and bill your payment method (credit card, paypal, etc) in USD. If you pay in AUD, they'll bill your card in AUD, and your bank may charge a foreign transaction fee in addition to using an unknown exchange rate. I used USD and let them handle it. If you pay with paypal in AUD, paypal will ask you the exact same question again, with a similar but slightly different exchange rate - again it's probably easier to let them do it, especially if you're using the pay later options. With non-ebay sites you'll probably pay in AUD and the rate will be up to your card issuer/bank. And now the waiting begins. But not much waiting. Most places ship AusPost or Aramex. Aramex has a rather spoob reputation, but I don't think the actual experience is worse than the budget couriers in the US. Both will get parts to AUSFF pretty quickly. Every time AUSFF gets a package, they email you with the tracking number of it. When AUSFF has all your packages, the next step is consolidation. Log in, select all your packages, and click the button to consolidate them. They'll open up the larger boxes and try to stuff the smaller boxes in too - for example, they stuck my tie rod ends inside my springs. This saves you a lot of postage getting them to the US, by shipping one package instead of several. They'll then wrap everything with plastic and tape it up. You can also ask for pictures of the items you got, scans of printed information, etc. When you get the notice that they've consolidated your parts, log in again, and select to ship your new consolidated package. You'll be given several options for how to ship it. FedEx Express was only a few dollars more than AusPost, and was 3-5 days instead of 3-5 weeks, so that's the one I went with. You'll need to provide the tariff information for your items, which is a short description of each item, a tariff code which you can look up at https://hts.usitc.gov/ (for example, 8708.80.1300 is McPherson Struts for non-agricultural vehicles), the value (price you paid), and country of origin (enter Australia if unknown). You can estimate the tariffs at https://www.simplyduty.com/import-calculator/ and other sites. At the time I write this, the Australia special rate for automotive parts seems to be 10%, but that might change in five minutes. With FedEx, they deliver your parts then bill you for the tariffs - I'm still waiting for my bill, so I don't know how paying them works yet. AUSFF has a box to check if you want insurance; I selected it. And now for more waiting, which is maybe little or lots depending on the service you selected. And then installing! Overall, the process was fairly painless. I spent a lot more time selecting parts than with the actual shipping. And with how much nicer my AM5 is driving now, I regret not doing this long ago!

They're from your part of the globe!

So shiny... I'll do a writeup later, maybe this weekend if I have time.

I forgot it had electric power steering. So that's one less thing to worry about. lol 99% of the time the AC won't turn it, it's because you're low on refrigerant and the low pressure cutout switch is tripped. There's no point in doing any other diagnostics until you get a set of gauges on it and check the charge. An ER27 is a big EA82 engine, with the same bellhousing. A newer engine will need a bellhousing adapter and redrilled flywheel, unless you run a newer transmission too, which is its own whole set of adaptations. Pitch stop is the link on top of the engine to the firewall. You have to fab brackets for it for an engine swap.

On Gen II, inner and outer are the same seal.

Someone in another thread recently said they couldn't find the right driver for installing front wheel seals, so here's the random find I've been using for Gen II seals, a HyperTough 64P-14 oil filter socket, with the outside very slightly filed for a looser fit in the knuckle.

There is no back-and-forth. The mods needed to fit a newer engine are extensive - you'd need to do a lot of work to make anything repeatedly swappable, and it'd still be a big project every time. For just a small part of the list, you can start with engine mounts, bellhousing adapter, modded flywheel, starter, fuel pump and plumbing, custom radiator hoses, custom power steering hoses, custom a/c hoses, engine computer and complete wiring harness, pitch stop, radiator fans, air intake, alternator wiring, vacuum hoses to body-mounted vacuum stuff, ignition coil stuff, etc etc etc... all of which you'd have to have two sets of and swap each time with the engine...

I haven't worked on one of those engines (I'm more of a Gen II wagon fan), but those problems could just be it's time for routine maintenance... Change your spark plugs, wires, cap, and rotor, check for vacuum leaks (vacuum hoses, brake booster, stuck evap, intake gaskets, etc), clean throttle body, clean MAF sensor, check temperature sensor, clean idle air control valve, adjust idle throttle stop, change fuel filters, check fuel pressure under full load, etc. Some lifter tick is normal with that many miles - you can try various flushes and such, or just live with it. It sounds like this car is new to you, so keep a close eye on the oil level until you know just how fast it uses it - running it with no oil will make that engine swap suddenly a high priority. https://charm.li/ is good for quickly looking things up, https://project-car.net/technical-info/ has a pdf service manual, and you can google for other manuals... or ebay a full set. Will come in handy with the amount of work you plan on doing.

I think you should start with simpler projects, like CVs, ball joints, and tie rod ends, before worrying about an engine swap. Until you're confident with routine maintenance like that, an engine swap isn't even something you can consider. Then worry about suspension mods and such until you're comfortable with fab work and re-engineering things. Then you can start researching engine swaps or other large projects. Is there even anything wrong with your current engine?

My favorite way to re-grease them is to remove the drive flange, push the axle shaft in a half inch (so the cv cup is no longer in the inner wheel seal), pack the area around the shaft with grease, and slide the drive flange back on, using the drive flange inside the wheel seal like a piston to force the grease through the bearings. Repeat until grease comes out the back.

Unless you have a run-in with a drunk driver, it'll run forever...

Subaru says to repack every 60,000 miles or 5 years, whichever comes first... I don't do that... I repack them every new CV joint, which comes well before either of those! lol Did you put in new seals last time you did the bearings?

I found a $7 walmart oil filter socket (the many-sided polygon that fits certain brand oil filters) that was the perfect size for my gen2 wheel seals, and the thin wall fit around the seal lip perfectly. I've never done gen3 seals, but it's an idea you might check for a seal driver.

No, the fronts are not adjustable. If you have play, and the axle nut is not loose, you need new wheel bearings. If they only lasted 10 years, they either didn't have enough grease, weren't repacked often enough, or got water in them from bad wheel seals.

You should always hit the gas pedal at least once before cranking, to close the automatic choke.

I hate things that stick up from the center console... always hit my elbow on them. Even the raised part on the power window models is too high. I usually drink bottled water with screw caps, and tuck it between the seats - with the back seat bottom folded forwards, there's a nice cubby there for my drink bottle. But I have to make sure it leans to the right, not the left, or I still get my elbow on it. lol

The path from where the key goes to the ignition switch itself is long and not direct - smoke may escape through it, but you're not getting any liquids into the switch that way. The switch is only two screws after you take off the shroud - pull the switch and work some contact cleaner in around the plastic piece in the middle. The switch can't be taken apart, so just spray a bunch around the center plastic piece, spin it back and forth a bunch of times so it wicks in, repeat repeatedly.

Someone once was telling someone I know that you need a pair of the automatic transmission stub shafts to fit some brand of locker into the 5mt, so I'm assuming everything is typical subaru lego.

A 2-headlight GL? That's a new one for me! It's a tilt wheel difference... The correct switch is on the left side of the column, and has a maybe 9" long wire pigtail with a pink 6-pin connector on the end. The one with no pigtail, from non-tilt columns, or with a black connector, from other vehicles, won't fit. Ask me how I know. lol Thanks again!

Thanks! I just remembered that, being a DL, your ignition switch won't fit my GL, unless you have the optional tilt column.

I've learned not to waste my time trying the local dealer's parts counter. Once they realize you're not in there for a $500 oil change, they basically ignore you, then if you demand attention and get them to look up a part, they give you a price five times what anyone would pay, so you go away. I know someone who used to do a lot of work on those, and he always re-used the head bolts...

My daily driver has about the same amount of rust... the secret is mine is the dark metallic red, which hides it!

Two of your old bolts are probably crusty; just hit them on a wire wheel and re-use them.

I need a torsion tube with good outer bushings, but shipping one is difficult, and it'd make your car a non-roller if you pull it. I could use a blower motor and blower motor resistor, an ignition switch, a rear wiper motor, and the long chrome plastic trim around the rear hatch button, if it isn't broken off its standoffs like mine is. Looks like you don't have a/c or cruise parts. But, I only need those as spares, as mine are currently mostly working, so give anyone who has a broken car priority. Well, not having my wiper return to bottom automatically is getting pretty annoying... Someone posted recently looking for windshield wiper arms; you could message them. Also, someone was looking for a driver's side rear door, if yours isn't rusted out at the bottom. Struts, rear CVs, and brake calipers are all NLA and in demand, but I just ordered struts (if I actually get them, I'll be posting how!), and I already have a spare cv and a pair of extra-crusty calipers. If your radiator is nice, they're also impossible to get.

I've always done gearbox first, then engine. I haven't tried doing them together. You'd need to lower them in pretty much vertical with the car way up in the air, I'd think.