OK, so I have done some of research as to whether my 1999 Legacy Outback has an LSD or not.

 

I called Subaru of America customer service, and after more than 30 min of waiting, I was told that the rear LSD should come with the all-weather package.

 

Many other sites I've read say that certain model year Subarus NEVER got any form of any LSD. And some car research sites state the Outback came with an LSD.

 

 

So, in an attempt to find out, I looked underneath only to remember that my Outback has a black, metal differential guard in the rear. I tried to remove it, but with no actual shop lift and just plain jacks, I couldn't get a good look at the fasteners of the diff guard.

 

I do have a Haynes Repair Manual on 1990-1999 model year Legacy, but it doesn't mention anything about the removal of the rear differential guard.

 

 

Can someone help me?!?! I really want to see the sticker on my rear diff if it really is an LSD, but the diff guard is in the way. Is it too difficult to remove with plain ratchets and wrenches? I do NOT have a breaker bar, and no shop lifts. Is it better if I just pay/ask a shop to remove and reinstall the diff guard???

You can unbolt it. It comes apart in two pieces. Just jack up the car in the rear. Spin a tire, if the other spins the same direction it is LSD. If not, it is open. Yes, even works for the VLSD.

+1 on spin the rear tires.

 

I doubt you have an LSD on a 1999.

 

2000 was the first year for Outback to have a VLSD rear on the Outback Limited and that was an option.

 

2001 Limited came standard with VLSD and options on the reg Outbacks.

Plus even if you removed the Diff Gaurd, there would be no sticker. Subaru stopped putting a sticker with ratio and type listing in 1994. 95 and newer models have no outward designation, you just have to know.

 

Put the rear on jacks and see if both wheels spin the same direction. If so, it is VLSD.

I misunderstood your question from the post title. I was going to reply:

 

You could try that. Perhaps LSD would allow you to believe you had become very small/thin and removed the diff guard using nothing but magical purple haze which you keep in your pocket. Seems kinda risky, though.

 

But then I read your post, and realized you were asking something entirely different.

Wow, so taking off the diff guard will be pointless?!?!

 

Thank goodness I haven't actually taken it off yet.

 

And I don't get how that test works with a vLSD, can someone explain please?

Wow, so taking off the diff guard will be pointless?!?!

 

Thank goodness I haven't actually taken it off yet.

 

And I don't get how that test works with a vLSD, can someone explain please?

 

if you jack up both rear wheels and turn one by hand the other wheel will turn in the same direction if it has a lsd diff. if it is an open diff, non-lsd, the other wheel will turn in the opposite direction.

I have the Subaru heavy duty diff guard installed on my '97 Impreza. It is one piece and the rear portion fits between the rear studs and frame (crossmember?). I forgot how it's mounted in the front. In any event it's a pain to mount and/or remove.

 

As an earlier poster mentioned, no label anymore. However, if you have a manual transmission, check the number on the bell housing (also on the engine compartment VIN plate) against the transmission table in the USRM. It won't tell you anything more than the rear end ratio (same as the transmission).

Plus even if you removed the Diff Gaurd, there would be no sticker. Subaru stopped putting a sticker with ratio and type listing in 1994. 95 and newer models have no outward designation, you just have to know.

 

Put the rear on jacks and see if both wheels spin the same direction. If so, it is VLSD.

 

So, why does the service manual say that there's an ID sticker there?

 

Maybe they just fall off easily? I mean, I know for a fact that my 96 doesn't have a tag, because I've looked. But I have nothing to compare that to.

 

I do have the service manual though, and it says...

Unless something changed between 96 and 99...

Limited Slip Differential.

 

 

Always spell out LSD once in a poste to keep the feds, er um, the search engines happy. The search engine cant do a three letter search.That goes for anything that uses a three letter nick.

 

nipper

 

The search engine cant do a three letter search.That goes for anything that uses a three letter nick.

 

nipper

 

no wonder they invented the VLSD.

So, why does the service manual say that there's an ID sticker there?

 

Maybe they just fall off easily? I mean, I know for a fact that my 96 doesn't have a tag, because I've looked. But I have nothing to compare that to.

 

I do have the service manual though, and it says...

Unless something changed between 96 and 99...

I believe that information is on the front/side portion of the diff. All it tells you is the ratio which you can get from the transmission number.