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Suspension Improvements For the third Gen Subaru Leone (also known as: DL, GL, GL-10, RX, RS, GT, GTi, ST, Omega, Winner, Loyale Royale, Vortex and even as Isuzu Gemminett II, depending on the Market, but here will be referred to, as the "EA82" for easy reference.) However, since the Second Gen Subaru Leone (EA81 / Brat) uses the same diameter and tall coil springs on the Front, being different on their spring rate and load rates only; you can use the third gen Leone's (EA82) coil springs on the second gen Leones (EA81), also you can use the Alternative coil springs from another automotive makes, which I mention here, on the second gen Leones, but their suspension could get way too stiff and might need a small cut off on the coil spring's wire, to work. Remember: going too weak or too stiff on the suspension on any car, could make you loose control of it, mainly on irregular terrains, so this could be Dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. Disclaimer: Use this information, and All the information I post, at your own Risk! Introduction: Please note that this writeup is intended to give you ideas to make stronger the Suspension, intended for rude use / offroad \ heavy loads; it gains a Sporty feeling, but the suspension could become harder, Stiffer. The modifications written here, has been tested with great results on the third gen Leone (EA82) Wagon only. My dad purchased this 1985 Subaru Wagon EA82 new that year; I've done regular maintenance and lots of repairs on it since then; when this subie became mine, I did many modifications and named it: the "BumbleBeast" I've Been part of this Great Club since year 2001 and I've Learned a Lot (mainly here, in this Awesome Website) about how to fix and improve many Things, but I personally have Discovered by myself, many other things about those older subie Models, things which I've Shared here with you, like the following suspension ideas... Let's begin! In this Writeup: ► Shock Absorbers and Coil Springs. ► Alternative ones from non-Subaru cars. ► Their part numbers. ► Photos. First Part: modifying the Suspension with other cars' Parts: About The REAR Suspension: In my own humble opinion, the subaru's weakest suspension part is the Rear shock absorbers; no matter how careful I drive, if I hit a pothole with some Load on the car, is almost sure that a Rear shock absorber will say Good Bye... Those are somehow, the "Achilles Heel" of the Subie: The trail arms, of the front wheel drive (2WD) Subarus, have a different mounting point (perch) for the Shock Absorbers than their four wheel drive (AWD) counterparts, as you can see in the following photos: The 2WD ones mounts the shock absorbers in the position where normally goes the constant velocity joint (Axle)... ...while 4WD ones have the said mounting point, raised, two inches higher on their trail arms, to let the axle pass. So, Subaru made two different Rear Shock Absorbers for the EA82: The Front wheel drive (2WD) Models' Shock Absorbers, has the base plate for the coil spring, welded to their bodies, two inches (2") Higher than the four wheel drive (AWD) ones, to compensate the lower mounting point (perch) on the trail arm; and both models use Same Coil Spring. 2WD .Vs. 4WD ► Using a 2WD shock absorber, on a 4WD subie, will lift the rear, due to the Higher position of the Coil spring's base. Then Subaru Suddenly changed the Production of those two, for one "Universal" Rear Shock absorber, which featured Adjustable Base for the Coil Springs, so you can place said base Up or Down (2" of Difference) and also included a "Middle" (1") Position; Despite the Coil Spring's Base position, the Total damper travel of those "Universal" Subaru Rear Shock absorbers, is 160 mm / 6.3" inches. Here is a Photo of said "Universal" Rear Shock Absorber, with Part Number and KYB equivalence: The Subaru Part Number for the Spring Coil's Base (seat) is: 21025GA230 But those Rear Shock Absorbers are Still Weak to handle our Horrid Roads, plenty of Potholes -and even Potholes inside the Potholes- with my Loaded Subaru "BumbleBeast", especially during my Usual offroad Weekend Mountain Travels; and I wanted my Subie to be Taller without a Lift kit in the Rear. Chapter 1: How to Improve the Rear Suspension: First I Needed Stronger Coil Springs for the Rear of my Wagon, because Usually I Travel with it Fully Loaded and many people in our very Bad Roads; also I do many Weekend "Mountain Adventure" Family Travels offroading; so, let me explain my own Method for searching and finding suitable replacements: I took off one of the Old Rear coil springs in order to take measurements of it with my vernier scale (Caliper Tool known here as "Pie de Rey" = King's Foot), and then I carried it as a Sample for comparison purposes, to the local Junk Yards; then I searched, and searched for suitable replacements, among piles of coil springs and strut assemblies, found on many different local Junk Yards, called here "Yonkers" as you can see in the following photo: Honduran “Yonkers” are different from the regular “PaP” (pull a Part) or any other USA version of a Junk Yard; they receive the cars and disassemble everything; sending the unuseful things such like crashed metallic bodies and cracked plastics to the Recyclers; and then they classifies everything in “Areas” so, you can find in a Latin American “Yónker”, one area dedicated solely to Doors, other area dedicated to Engines, other areas for Starters, Alternators, Seats, Headlamps, Struts, Mirrors, Transmissions, etc, etc, etc, let me share with you a photo of a typical Latin American “Yonker” (Junk Yard): I went there carrying my Vernier Scale and made annotations of the Measurements found on the Coil Springs that could be suitable replacements; then I came home, contrasted those measurements and researched online further information regarding those coil springs that I found to be as possible candidates; because they don't only need to have similar size and shapes; they must be of similar capabilities. The variables that I compare, are their Measurements, Spring Rates, Load Rates and Wire Diameters, to find the perfect ones for the application. I wanted taller coil springs with similar diameter and shape, but with increased load rate / spring rate, under certain margin, because you can not go too stiff nor too soft on them, otherwise the stability and safety of the car would get compromised. So after many search and research, I found that the Subie's Rear Coil Springs are almost the Same Size, Tall and Wide than the Honda Accord's Front Coil Springs (1986 ~ 1989) but the Honda ones have Thicker wire and it has Two More Turns than the Subie ones; so I Swapped the Rear Subaru Coil Springs with the Honda Front ones; it Makes the Subie More Capable to Manage the extra Weight when is Loaded, without going too low; also the Honda's Coil Springs does Lift the Subaru's Rear in two inches (2") and its Movement & Handling while Driving in Unpavemented Roads / Pot Holes, becomes Firmer and Sportier. So they gets rid from the Bouncing and Saggy Butt. The Front Honda's Coil Springs that Fits on the Subaru's Rear, came from the 1986 ~ 1989 Honda Accord, (The Prelude from that Era has them too) it could come either from the Manual or Automatic, With or Without A/C, but Keep in mind that the Hondas with manual trans and without AC, does have weaker Coil Springs than the Hondas with Auto Trans and A/C, so I chose the Stiffer ones. The Part Number for the Honda's Coil Springs, is: ~► MOOG CC248 for "Moog" Brand. ~► NCP 2775298 for "Napa" Brand. So, How to get Rid of those weak Rear Shock Absorbers? My Subie was in dire need of Stronger Rear Shock Absorbers, so after Searchin' and Researchin' a Lot using "my own method" that I explained above, I Found This permanent and simple Solution: To Swap the Toyota 4Runner's Front Shock Absorbers in the Place of the Subaru's Rear ones! (Despite that this two photos says: "Subaru 4WD" the shock absorber shown on them, are "Subaru 2WD" the ones with taller spring perch. Sorry, that was an involuntary mistake while editing the photos on a hard day's late night...) As you can See in these Photos, the Toyota ones has the Same extended Tallness than the Subaru Ones; Also the Toyota ones has the Same Wide Base for the Coil Spring and they use almost the Same Design; But the Toyota Ones are Thicker and Heavier, have a thicker bar, they're more Capable to manage the Stress of Riding in my Crazy Country Roads, especially for offroading with a Fully Loaded Subaru Wagon. (Subaru 2WD shock absorbers shown on this photo) The Subie Ones had their Threaded top of Nº 10 mm and the Hole opening on their Base is for a Nº 10 mm Screw; While the 4Runner ones has them Nº 12 mm Screws; So the Subie's Nut on the Base for Nº 10 mm Screw had to be Removed in order to Use a Pass-Thru Nº 12 mm Screw with its own Nut and locking washer. The Subie's Part for the Shock Absorber's Top shall be Modified too, in order to Accept the Nº 12 mm Screw Size instead the Older Nº 10 mm One, I Just made the Hole Larger; pretty easy! For Those who want the 4Runner's Shock Absorber Part Number, it is: ~► KYB 341232 in KYB (Kayaba) Japanese Brand The salesman from the Aftermarket parts store where I purchased those KYB 341232 Shock absorbers, said that those are for the Front of a Toyota 4Runner for the 1998 model year; However, Toyota used the same platform and shared these shock absorbers in the Hi-Lux Surf, and the Land Cruiser Prado / Colorado (J90) Which is a very Popular car here, in LADM (Latin American Domestic Market). The Following is a Screen Caption of a website that I Saved long time ago, where you can find the Original Toyota's Part Numbers for their OEM Shock Absorbers... According to online databases, it does interchange with: ~► Monroe D8344 ~► Sachs 230631 ~► BOGE 27-D67-A I Tested the KYB 341232 only, any other Toyota Shock Absorber could be "Visually" Identical, but might have some differences, such like even shorter travel, Harder ride, Thicker Body, etc ... So I Kindly suggest you to Stick to the KYB Part Number I Provided, I can not guarantee to work the other ones... My Subaru "BumbleBeast" Runs very well with that Setup: Toyota Shock Absorbers + Honda Coil Springs in the Rear, since many, many years ago... ...despite that they has only 4.3" of total damper Travel. (as I wrote above, the Subaru rear Shock Absorbers has 6.3") But that shorter travel is not an issue, because the Coil Springs won't let it go down more than 4" under compression, and the total expanded -extended- lenght is Equal to the Subaru's ones, as you can see in the photos above. In case you need to do a Rear Alignment on these Subaru Models, here is the Factory Guide about how to do that: ► IMPORTANT NOTE: You can use the 4Runner's shocks along with the subaru coil springs, to keep the original height of the suspension. If you use the Honda coil springs, the rear suspension will be lifted two inches (2"), stressing the angle of the rear axles in 4WD (AWD) models only. (You might drop the rear differential a little to compensate the lift) The 2WD (FWD) models doesn't have any problem with that configuration. ► LEVELING ISSUE: Since Those front Honda Coil Springs does Lift the Subaru's Rear two inches (2"); after that Swap, I had to Lift the front of my "BumbleBeast" an equal amount to compensate, using lift blocks, as you can read the complete information and see many photos about that, ~► Here, but also, below you'll see a photo of said lift blocks already installed. About The FRONT Suspension: The 4WD (AWD) Shock Absorbers has a 5.75" / 147 mm in Total damper travel, While 2WD (FWD) Shock Absorbers has a 6.12" / 155 mm in Total damper travel. Since I couldn't find any 2WD (FWD) Shock absorbers locally, I installed into my "BumbleBeast", new Monroe Front Shock Absorbers for the XT; this are their part Numbers: Passenger Side: ~► 71876 .................Driver Side: ~► 71877 Chapter 2: How to Improve the Front Suspension: Next, I wanted to install Firmer Coil Springs for the Front of my Subaru, as I already did on the Rear, to have equal balance of handling and sportier feeling (Harder / sportier Suspension). Initially, I searched for stiffer Coil Springs for the Front of this models of Subaru, on year 1999; Because my 2.7 Wagon (now dead) Project, had the Heavyweighed ER27 engine, plus a Fiberglass & Metal sheet Reinforced Front Bumper; I Needed Something Stronger than the EA82's coil Springs to better carry that extra weight. So, using "my own method" which I described with details above; I Found that a suitable replacement are the front coil springs from a Ford Tempo; which looked pretty similar to the Subaru ones, but having around two more Turns and a thicker wire. I found those Tempo Coil springs on year 1999, already taken outside their car; (they only had a Mark done with white paint marker on them, that said: '94 Tempo) and originally I used them on my Loyale 2.7 wagon project; but since it is dead (More info, ~► Here) I decided to remove certain parts from it to make my EA82 Weberized Wagon (Now renamed as the BumbleBeast) a Better car, with the Better parts from the two; including the front Tempo coil Springs. So, I installed those Tempo's Coil Springs on the front of my "BumbleBeast" and those add to the Front Suspension the Same Firm & Sporty Feeling that the Rear suspension obtained with the Above written Modifications. ► IMPORTANT NOTE: The Ford Tempo Coil Spring's total radius -diameter- is Half inch (½") smaller than the Subaru ones, but that is Not a problem, I Drive my Subaru "BumbleBeast" with them since Years ago and they doesn't "Shift" nor make any clunk noise. Somehow these front coil springs from the Ford Tempo, aids to keep the Camber / alignment within specs; other coil springs that has been tested on the front of these Subarus, makes the camber to be even Worse... Further information on the subject, photos and even a Video can be found, ~► Here. (thank you Bryan Dudas / Subaru Adventures \ Anderson Design and Fabrication, for your kind words) According to the info I obtained back then from the Junk Yard's salesman, the Front coil Springs came off a basic 1990's "Second Gen" Ford Tempo with in-line 4 Cylinder engine and manual transmission; Those are "Non-Progressive" Coils, so they measure the Same between each turn. I searched on internet for The Part Number for those Ford Tempo Front Coil Springs, So those should be: ~► MOOG CC854 for "Moog" Brand. ~► NCP 2775375 for "Napa" Brand. These are the Lift Blocks I had to use in the Front, to compensate the Rear Lift, as I explained in the "Leveling issue" note, written above: ► IMPORTANT NOTE: The Ford Tempo Coil Springs I used, came out from a used 4 cylinder Tempo, so they were used and not as Stiff as brand New coil Springs, so I didn't had any fitment problems nor had to trim them; but People who has brought those Coil Springs brand new, had to Trim them up to 1.5 Turns, especially the Moog CC856 because those are "Progressive" which means that they has different spaces between coils and they're intended for heavier V6 Automatic Tempos, and are even Stiffer than the Moog CC854 I Used, so I don't recommend to use those uncut, they might be too stiff for the Subaru. Also, I found that the Front Coil Springs from the Kia Sephia (first and second generation), are almost identical to the front coil springs on the Subaru Loyale; but the Kia Sephia ones have a thicker wire (around 2 mm) and the Sephia ones have a slightly bigger total radius, but they fit on the Subaru's shock absorbers; and the Sephia ones have an increased load capabilities. Let me Show you: They're almost identical, here are the Sephia's ones, Load Capabilities: Even the first gen Sephia, has an increased load ratio than the second gen Sephia. The ideas in this writeup are for those who are interested in Improving the Suspension of their Subies (Specially for Off-Roading), let me Tell you again that this Mods are intended for a More Rude Use and Longer Lasting Parts; not for Confort; so be adviced that the Ride will become Harder, with the stiffer suspension. Despite that, I use my lifted Subaru "BumbleBeast" as daily driver on city roads & Highways during weekdays (60% usage) and offroading on Weekends (40% usage) on our usual "Mountain Adventure" travels with my Family + Luggage, toys, food, etc... ...to Drive my Modified Subie with those 4Runner Shock Absorbers + Accord's Coil Springs in the Rear, and the Subaru XT Shock Absorbers + the Tempo's Coil Springs in the Front, Changes the Handling & Feeling of the Subie in the same way you'll notice while Driving a Police Car after being Driving the Civil Version of it before. I've Test Drove it Unloaded and Loaded, up to 160 KPH (100 MPH) in Highways... ...Bad Pavemented Roads and gravel off roads... ...and it Feels Really AWESOME! ... ... but rides Pretty Hard to be a "Family Wagon" anymore. Please see further details on the Second Part of this Writeup, below!

Long time ago (as you can see the Background Story ~► Here in a Short thread), I wanted to do a Li'l Front Lift of 2" to level the front of my "BumbleBeast" because with my Suspension Mods (Which can be seen ~► Here) it gained two inches of lift in the Rear... Back then I Couldn't buy the 2" Lifting kit because Paypal Didn't Had Honduras in their List (Four Years Ago) But Now, that story is about tho Change... I Really Need to Lift Two inches (2") the Front to Level my "BumbleBeast", but Without Loosing the Safety and proper Camber / Caster, also I Want to Keep the Axles' angle the more Straight Possible, So, I Believe that a Pair of 2" Blocks at 15º for the Front Struts, plus Dropping the Engine Crossmember 1" will do that, isn't it? I am Kindly Asking your Advice, Because I Really Need to do a 2" Front Lift but as Cheaper and Easier as it could be, without Sacrificing the Subie's Safety + Alignment. Please, Help me... Any Advice will be very Welcome! Kind Regards. ► Edited to add the Tags for the New USMB Search System.

Hi folks, I just took my 1980 Brat in for a safety inspection (part of the process of importing it into Canada). I was told that my front passenger control arm is shot and needs to be replaced. I'm hoping for a second opinion as my understanding is that I just needed to replace the inner tie rod. Two questions: 1) What should I look for to determine if the control arm is shot (it's a Nevada car, rust free and in good shape - just drove across the country) 2) Where could I find a control arm if need be? I've emailed Mountain Tech Subaru and I'm waiting to hear back. This is somewhat time sensitive as I've got about 30 days to complete the importation, though I'm sure I could figure out an extension if need be. Thanks as always, look forward to hearing your advice!

having serious regrets about messing around w/ my Loyale, "Joan Crawlins" after i finally had her in the best shape she's been in since i got her last Winter in Penn. everything was great as stock, but then i put in a 2" inch lift to gain clearance over sand in btwn the tracks on a rutted out access road to the beach. that messed up the camber of the front wheels something awful (pics here: http://s406.photobucket.com/user/GlenSzabo/library/2%20inch%20Lift%20kit%20and%2015%20inch%20Pugs) and after tracking down some 15" alloy pugs in a junkyard in Pennsylvania and ordering lugs from Dan in Sacramento, i thought that would help the camber issue, but it didn't solve nearly enough for daily driving. so pulled the lift kit out, but kept the pugs on and had to cut a bunch of the wells out cause i was getting lots of rubbing since my suspension was in bad shape. put in new struts in the front which helped, gonna put in struts in the back in the next couple days, but having no luck finding coils for the front. CAN I USE COILS FOR ANOTHER SUBARU that are easily available? like a legacy? if so, what should i get? also, now my camber is ok in the front, i'm getting positive camber in the back, which i can only guess was as a result of putting in and taking out the lift in the back. once i put in new struts in the back and hopefully coils in the front, and then get everything aligned professionally, will my camber issues be solved, theoretically? just ruing my decision to have changed anything at this point, but all's not lost by along shot and if i can get the suspension finished and the alignment solves the camber, i'll be happy to have the Pugs on rather than the stock 13"s. here's a look at where i'm at now: http://s406.photobucket.com/user/GlenSzabo/library/Loyale%20Camber%20Issues @175eya @CoyotePaws @Mechanical_Misfit thanks for the help folks, as always, i'm eternally grateful for the advice and support. -Glen

2 years ago I bought my dream car. I would now like to lift it up by 3-4 inches so that I can drive it on the beaches around the area. In its current configuration (Stock) it is to low to drive on beach. I was hoping before I tackle this or get someone to do it, I can get a schooling on all things involved in this modification. Thank you Subaru enthusiasts.

Step 1: Cut the wishbone out of you old ea81 shock. I cut the metal circle twice, knocked that off, cut out some rubber, used a hammer to bash the metal back and stripped the rubber off Step 2: Take new strut (both sides have to be eyelets) and put it in a vise, clamp towards where you're putting this, metal is solid up there Step 3: Lubricate. Put grease everywhere, inside the eyelet on the wishbone. step 4: Take vise grips and grap the circle part very tightly Step 5: Work the tip of the wishbone into the hole Step 6: Hammer the wishbone in Finished product is attached

Is it true that you can use Mazda Miata rear shocks to lower the rear of an ea81? I have a fwd hardtop, so I can't just adjust the trailing arm to lower it.

We are a niche company selling Prothane and Whiteline suspension products as well as Intro-Tech CUSTOM sunshades, winter windshield covers, car covers, and floor mats without logos. We are very interested in adding other Subaru products to our offerings and desire input from other Subaru autophiles. Please help us expand our product mix in Subaru products! Your comments are very important to us. Other comments are welcome!! Best regards, Auto Wearhouse

Hi, just picked up a 92 Legacy for cheap($250) running/driving, no immediate issues or problems. Except who ever had it before the guy I got it from had cut the springs to lower it & its a rough ride. My mission is to just fix it up a little bit and turn it for a profit then hopefully do it again, but here's my question: OEM Springs are a little more then cheap-o Ebay coilover sleeves, so I wanted to know what ya'll thought about putting 'em to the stock shocks without lowering them? Cause the sleeves are cheaper than the springs & since Im selling it it then gives the new owner a choice of ride height, tho it'd be sacrificing quality of ride. To each his own I suppose. That being said what, Whats your opinion/feelings on the subject? Thanks in advance

I'm upgrading the suspension on my 92 Loyale wagon that is getting lifted 2". I am thinking of going with King Springs and need new shocks as well. Lordco sells Moog and Monroe and I often hear about KYBs on here. What are the pros/cons and what would mate best with some Kings? I read up as much as possible and couldn't answer this question. Thanks.

Howdy, we have the 2005, and it needs suspension work. I am pretty handy and well equipped, and use the lifts at the garage on a military base - however, this is new to me. The garage has a strut / spring compressor mounted to the wall I can use. I need some recommendations for the best way to go about that. Should I just buy replacement struts with the coil (front) and the similar full assembly set up for the rear ? Or should I buy only the struts (front) and shocks (rear) and then reuse the coils ? I reviewed some of the info about ghostwalking, which is not an issue we have experienced. In the solutions area it says... Solution #3: Replace worn rear dampers. The 2005-2009 chassis dampers (struts/shocks) are notorious for premature wear. The rear end is the worst with a floatly/bouncy feeling after only a few years of use. The fix is to replace the rear shocks with a more robust aftermarket brand like KYB Excel-G/GR-2. Using the 2003-2004 chassis rear KYB shocks is a popular option because they stiffen the rear end considerably and are 100% compatible with the 2005-2009 cars. See the main suspension FAQ thread for more info. Would that be the best way to go at this point ?? I am not sure what a "damper" is, unless they are referring to the entire shock / strut assembly. They mention only the shocks, so are they reusing the spring coil ? Any other recommended struts or shocks, or should I stay with OEM from Subi ? Thank you, C

Hello all, I have posted a lot here recently during two major jobs---replaced my clutch and did front end work, and later replaced timing belt. During these repairs, I also cleaned & re-packed my CV boots, changed transmission fluid (manual), and changed tie rod boots. I mention this since it might be relevant to my brand new problem, described below: I got the thing running again after the timing belt job, and took a victory trip of about 4 hours highway driving today, at the start of a vacation. During the trip I noticed some very minor steering wheel shudder on the interstate. Once I got off the highway and pulled into a gas station, I realized there was a significant vibration/shudder during tight right & left turns at low speeds. Feels like torque bind based on what I've read about it. But, I'm not experienced enough to be sure---perhaps it could be something else. I did some reading and noticed that (if it's torque bind) it could be my center differential viscous coupling. (I sure hope it isn't!) Relevant to this, I should point out that my transmission fluid was changed recently---but this problem didn't occur until AFTER this long trip. (I've heard/read that in old or poorly maintained cars, changing transmission fluid can cause problems). I did check my tire pressure to make sure this isn't being caused by low tire pressure. I've got 35 psi on the left, and 30 and 32 on the right side. I imagine this isn't enough to cause torque bind. Could I be wrong? I know I should have gotten an alignment done after the front end work, but I forgot to get it scheduled before this vacation. I figured it would probably be OK, since I counted threads when I was removing my tie rods and the vehicle isn't "pulling" to one side. I don't know if a slight misalignment could contribute to this. Also, after my clutch job, I experienced some bearing noise after a few minutes of driving. Eventually I discovered that this can occur if axle nuts are over tightened (this prevents bearings from being able to expand when they heat up). I loosened the nuts a bit and the problem went away. Now I am wondering if today's problem could be the result of the bearings being *much* hotter than they are in driving around town (i.e., 4 hours of driving 75mph). Could it be worth loosening the axle nuts? Finally, could the steering wheel shudder be related to the torque binding? Or are they probably unrelated problems? As always, thanks to all the brilliant Subaru experts who have helped me out on this forum. Much obliged :-)

Hello! I have a 1988 Leone 1800 turbo with air suspension. Something lead to that the compressor was running all the time and broke down (probably faulty damper). I have now changed the compressor (and some faulty rear dampers) and the system fills up and stays filled up like it should. I havent managed to figure out why the compressor doesn't stop when the system (dampers and airtank) are filled up. I tried to change the pressure sensor on the tank but that didn't work. How can I tell if the sensor is broken? I can't get any readings on my multimeter! Anyone with good ideas? I do have the wiring diagram. Tomas

Im looking to swap Forester struts into my 1997 Legacy L Wagon, so i can clear some bigger wheels/tires. from what i gather from reading a few threads on here, the forester struts will either bolt right in, or i will have to use the forester struts and springs with the legacy mounts. So which is it? Thanks in advance for your help.

Please excuse my first post......ever!....... if it is not correct. I am looking for either lowering springs such as H&R, Eibach, etc for my 2013 Impreza sport ltd 5 door. Any suggestions? Are the spring perches the same as the 2011 WRX? No one seems to have the answer and I desperately need to get bars and springs on this car to settle it down, and I have been looking for 1.5 years. Thank you. sbm.mike

My question here is can you use kyb struts for stock replacement but use a shorter spring to get even just an inch lower? if so is there a spring I can get or would it be alright to just cut the stock springs? This is a 82' 4WD GL. also what about the back? I know I can adjust the torsion bar but idk where its sitting at the moment and if it will get low enough to match the front.

2002 Forester 5MT, 205,000km I am trying to remove my Rear Differential, to fix it (I think that one of the output-shaft taper-roller bearings is worn - I have a rear-end rumble & about 1mm radial & axial play on the output-shaft at the diff). But I am stuck on the first step of the procedure. I cannot get the suspension lateral-links (front & rear) disconnected. I cannot remove the long outer lateral-link bolt (#20540AA000). This has a 19mm hex head, and is about 150mm (6") long. I can remove the 19mm nut, and I can turn the actual bolt with difficulty, using lots of lubricant and a long breaker-bar. But the bolt will not move along its length to remove it. I've tried hammering on the loosened nut, but the bolt won't move. How can I remove this bolt? I'm reluctant to use heat, as this will destroy the rubber bushings. But maybe that doesn't matter, as it could be that a rubber bushing is seized onto the bolt any way. Any advice for me? Thanks. EDITED to add "a rear-end-rumble"

So, I've been working on my suspension alot latetly. Got the rear super dialed in. 11 inches of travel!!! WOOT WOOT!! But now I need to work on the front. First try: This worked well for the upper shock mount, and the general location. Also, it was super easy to do by hammering a bolt between the channel that made the sway bar mount. Problem is, the bolts stick down low adn got hung up, also, I felt like my down travel was limited. So on to design # 2: I like this setup alot better. While doing this mod I also added 2" to the lift blocks on top of the struts. Also used some aftermarket springs that were on the a De-air suspesnsioned 92 Legacy. This combo is Muuy Bueno!!! 13 inches clearance at the Front Diff!! 4inches of travel Wish that was better, but I can certainly live with it. Questions? Comments? Pics of your mods? Discuss

I am a Delivery Service Provider for a paper circulation company. I have a 1999 Impreza OBS. Im looking to optimize my car for this purpose. My routes are very rural where the roads are atrocious. Any suggestions, comments, rants, pics are welcome in this thread. Just don't get too off topic

Hi, of so ive been doing work on my 1982 subaru brat like cutting out rust and pulling the front end out since it has been in a front end collision . (carfax needed) lol. So after pulling the frame and paint and such i would like to build the suspension for baja style off roading. I was reading that body lifts limit the amount of down travel so i want to stay away from that. Soooooooo, im pretty sure many of you guys have pondered this idea and i think ive seen a white gl wagon with long travel shocks in the rear but not up front. I know this will be a very involved process and will take a lot of work and everything will have to be custom fabb'ed but still would be a cool idea or possibility. My buddy built his own suzuki samuri using toyota solid axels and was telling my that i could make custom long travel a arms and it would be , also that i could use coilovers up front but how to get more down travel up front? THe rear is east to get the down travel but the front is only like 3 or 4 inches than on jacks. I'm not really looking for a crazy lifted suspension (not body lift) or a down travel of like 12 inches but just more. Would this be remotely possible with the knowledge and custom fabrication or am i just plain crazy . Please post your opinions and yes i have searched this in the search bar but couldn't really find anything about the front other than people just saying there is nothing other than ranchero shocks available. Thanks guys! hopefully i can pull the frame straight then get it ready for rego . hasn't been registered in 8 years and doesnt have the pink slip. Yeah california! haha

Yoyo, first time poster. I have a FWD XT. I want to stiffen the ride without lowering it, or lower it minimally (already can barely fit my head under the thing). I have four new KYB-Gr2's already. Does anybody have any recommendations for a set of springs for me? Im thinking some adjustable Honda springs might work?

Looking for more information about the suspension on my car, (84 touring wagon with pneumatic height adjust). Since it has springs as well is the air suspension does it use the same struts/ shocks as non air suspension? Likewise with the springs? Asking because my wagon now seems to bottom out really easily with passenger/s or any load. If i wanted to improve it (even just back to stock) is it possible to keep the pneumatic height adjust or just replace with non penumatic all round? All info appreciated. Cheers, Tom

Suspension on my '95 Legacy is pretty shot (well at the least the rear for sure) I keep hearing that Outback struts will bolt right up and lift the car about 1.5 to 2 inches. I think this is a great idea. But I feel like there is more to it? Do I need outback springs? spacers? anything like that. If anyone can give me any leads/video's/info on this swap. That'd be Great. thanks- travis

http://www.partsgeek.com/gbproducts/WC/359-01049330.html?utm_content=YN&utm_term=1982-1987+Subaru+GL+Struts+KYB+W0133-1615015+Front+82-87+Subaru+Strut+Assembly+1985+1983&fp=pp&gbm=a&utm_source=google&utm_medium=ff&utm_campaign=PartsGeek+Google+Base&gclid=COzk5eWCxbwCFUiGfgod-xcA-w Will these work on my 82' 4WD Gl wagon? And has anybody done this? how much lower are they than the 4WD struts? and can i use the stock 4WD springs? thanks guys!

I have an '82 Brat that I picked up recently and started fixing up. While I was replacing the struts I found that the sway bar connector on the passenger side was hanging. I was considering removing the sway bar altogether and was curious if people run without front sway bars on Brats?