superu

Right, i retained the washers from the IMP strute to install on the FOR ones. I put teh shock shaft through the spring seat, through the upper strut mount, then washer, then nut = clunking methinks additional washers? perhaps the shaft is not seated on the nut, ergo gap b/t shaft seat and washer ...

Right on, those are certaily larger than I would go on this rig. Its not aven an OBS, just plain '93 IMP L... Maybe OBS wells are larger? Anyway, did you have the clunking issue at the rear upper mounts (as did Andy and a couple others) when you completed the job? I'm thinking legacy springs (as you alluded to) and a washer or two to tighten the shock stud at the mount... THanks for your beta Eric (I think that's you I'm terrible conecting names to screen names...

these pix show the point best... before: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=3981&d=1150779235 after: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=3980&d=1150778988

That's good beta, thanks.. I have my old legacy struts and could part the springs... So I was thinking it would be fine to loosen the center shock nut in the car right, then jack it up and pull them apart? One could put the spring compresser on the spings tighten some, then jack up the car, and push the shock down into the shaft to remove the spring, right? I'm just trying to avoid having to take the WHOLE stut out of the car, again...

sorry, the last pix were sopposed to be the rear before and after, no the front... http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=57952 these should be befores and afters...

Andy, like you said, yes the spring seats just pop off whewn you unbolt everytihing, but its kind of a trick to get things lined up correctly again .. I too have the thumping in the rear.. I think its in need of some washers as spacers for the shock bolt... The front looks perfect, the rear looks dumb.. The wheel as swung forward and is too close to the fender, and i am not a fan of the chizle/doorstop look.. I'd like the rear to raise traight up a couple inches like the frint, so how can I mellow out the lift in the back? Anyone that's lifted IMPS would be welcome to chime in here... thanks..

So here's a couple images of before and after. '93 IMP on '98 FOR struts and springs... As you can see, i gained like 4 inches in the back and a couple in front... How can i bring down the back some so its not all jacked up '70's musscle car-style? I'm thinking of either dropping in legacy springs or the stock IMP springs, but would like you guys' opinions...

Hooray for high shutter speed!! Those shots are great, looks like good times!

I certainly hope its not pressed.. I'm curious about the rubber seat on the bottom of the IMP mount, maybe it just gets pressed when all installed under spring load? I was hoping to get this done B4 my trip wed. night, but looks like i won't Ooh wel, it'll an official summer project (i.e. after the 21st

Hmm, not talking the same stuff... So when I got the nut loose, the mount and spring perch came off as one unit, the rubber bumper stayed with the spring (just stuck to it), but the large round 'perch' is what I'm talking about, the spring seat.. How does this come off the upper strut mount? The pic shows the FOR mount with the spring seat 'attached' on the left, and the new IMP 'mount' on the right... How do i get the seat off the FOR mount and attach it to the IMP mount?

So what's the story about the spring perch? Does it come off the mount when you get the shock nut off?

ditto...

Too much outsidedness? Are you serious?!! Does it make you shrivel up and wince with pain? I'll get a better profile pic and try to do the real measurements with a board in a couple weeks.. I've actualy been curious what the approach angle is now, thanks for starting this by the way, Andy......

No worries yo, thanks for your beta though! Now to find a pair of rear mounts for cheap... Wow, i see now (after being online 3+ hours, avoiding work) how threads get conversationally hijacked...

Sorry I don't have autocad, nor better asphault pix, but here's what I've got... (1st) Stock '95 Legacy L, (2nd) on outback stuts, 205x75 14s and Mudrat bunmper after the wreck(sorry i don't have a better profile shot) http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=2467&d=1114457179

B/c the driver's side rear mount is toast... (pix are certainly clearer than words) When you jack up the car, this strut falls out of the mount and the wheel hanges by the lower control arm and drive axle...

Hmm, seem to be $61 a piece http://www.tirerack.com/suspension/Susptabl.jsp?autoMake=Subaru&autoModel=Impreza+L+Wagon+4wd&autoYear=1993&autoModClar=&brand=&category=BootMount Do you have a hook up there or something?

Sweet!! Thanks yo! This makes me happier, I'll keep you (all) posted...

Well, I guess its still better to know this now, than when the car is ripped apart an undrivable.... The LR mount is toast, and both rear strut shocks are 'tired', hince the need for new struts... Its my G-friend's car and she hates spending money on money-pit things like cars... She wanted a bit more clearance thatn the stock 6.5" so I pipe up, "Oh let's just drop forester stuts in there." Well, now after buying 4 struts I need to get a pair of mounts as well, I hope to get these for little to no money I know IMP top mounts are $98/each from the dealer, and getting a pair of mounts from a yard might be costly b/c of the labor to remove struts from the car, then part the assembly into its compontents so I can get the mounts... Arrgghh!! Oh well, i guess worse things could happen... I'll just have to stall her on the repair until I can find and buy the mounts. . . . Any doners out there?!?? -mark-

I've PMed you a couple times on this so lemme recap, hopefully it may refresh for you... I've done the outback strut swap into my '95 legacy, worked out great.. i know the IMP-FOR, LEG-OB connection which is why i was stumped that these FOR tops looked like my LEG tops... Then the IMP dust cover (right out of the car) didn't fit the FOR mounting bolts... I just got 4 '98 FOR stuts from a yard in Phoenix today, hince the pix You can email me directly (aspleenic@aol.com), it might be easier to work directly through this that way... Its basically you and Eric (Zapar) that've done IMP lifts that I know of, and he used OB struts... anyhoo, thanks for your help man, i appreciate it...

Well I soppose I'll see for sure when I put the car on blocks and get into the job, but side by side, the forester tops look identiical to legacy tops, and NOT the same as IMP tops... The mount dust cover doesn't even fit on the forester mount bolts.. Iam not very excited right now (like i was hoping to be when I got the FOR struts), and perhaps it'll come out in the wash when i get under the car and pull stuff out, but initially it looks like 98 forester strut mounts (tops) are NOT the same as IMP tops... Pix, FOR strut left, LEG right IMP dust cover on FOR mount IMP mount in car, NOT the same as FOR dome-toped mounts (poor pic)

This is true. Subs may have more straight up clearance, but in real terrain suspension travel will be important, as well as gearing. Truck are going to take the cake there unless you tack a ton of mods into the equation for a sube...

Hmm, banter banter, slap slap.. Lets get back on topic and to the original question, hmm 95 legacy L with '97 outback struts and springs 205x75 14 cooper discoverer ATs I'm ruinning 9.5 rear 8.5 front (custom skidplatecovers the pipes) cat-back 2.25 pipe through a magnaflow, tucked high for improved clearance... photo compares 2002 chevy silverado 2500 HD w/ 4" and 33s given its running the HD rear diff (which gives it 8 inches at the pumpkin)

I do not believe they'll go... All the info I'm getting points to no. I want to drop struts into a 93 IMP as I have have a set of 95 legacy struts sitting around. But I am going to go for forester struts for lift, even though I'll have to buy them instead of my free legacy struts b/c of the mounting differences... All the beta I've gotten is legacy and impreza are different, but IMP and forester are the same as legacy and outback are the same. Ergo my 95 legacy struts wouldn't go into the 93 IMP w/o mods to the car body (strut top mount holes)... i admit 95 legs are not the olders around, but bodys are different enough b/t old legs and early IMPS..

Yes, 97 stuts all the way.. The tops were also from teh OB. I admit I didn't do the instal myself. i pawned it to my mechanic, and all he said was that it was a ***************. But they just bolted right in. Apparently the clips for the brake lines are a headache... He just poped the square bracket open and slid in the brake line clip, so when you get to the brake lines, be careful and use your extra attention there, ergo don't get to lazy... But to answer your question, the OB struts went right into my non-OB legacy as a bolt in procedure and instant 2" lift... good luck, and welcome to the lifted new gen group Andyjo has a sweet writeup with good tips (checkit in USRM), like mount the strut into the car first, rather than to the knuckle first... etc...