DaveSluder Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 I have a 98 legacy. Recently, when I drive on roads that are slick, my car handles strangely. That is it is a bit squirrely, it almost seems like it wants to "pass" itself. My tires are new (less than 1500 miles), car was aligned when I replaced the tires. This symptom does not exist on dry roads, or is at least not perceptable. The symptom is not noticeable until about 35mph. There is no perceptable movement in any of the suspension components when I examine the car jacked up. Wheel bearings are OK. I am clueless other that something could be really wrong with the alignment. Any suggestions would be appreciated--------------Thanks Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 Could be the tires. Could also be worn struts, or an incorrect alignment. Take it back to the shop you had the alignment done at and ask them to look at it and make sure it is within spec. Is this an auto or manual transmission? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subaru360 Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 Sounds normal to me. Awd subarus oversteer (hang the back end out) in the snow. Countersteer and don't lift. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 (edited) Yeah unfortunately it's probably normal. If you're driving through some thick slush/snow, it tends to grab and push the car around too. If you're talking about on packed snow, just riding on top of it then the tires probably just aren't good snow tires. There's no substitute for good snows or even studded tires if you have serious snow to drive through. If it's rare then you'll just have to sacrifice the lower snow traction of all season tires. And "new tires" are not all created equal - just use some of the old Bridgestone RE92s that used to come on Subaru's, they're rather poor in the snow for an AWD Subaru that's very common in rough climates markets. It's not alignment, I can promise you that. For that matter, save your money from here on out. Alignments are oversold and unnecessary. I listened to a guy in the alignment industry years ago who said never to get an alignment until I see uneven tire wear - easy on Subarus since I rotate tires often. I've never paid for an alignment in like a decade. I got the first one last year when I rebuilt a suspension and forgot to mark it, but that's my own fault. Don't know about other makes but for normal daily drivers Subarus don't really loose alignment easily at all. If they do - something else is wrong. I'm driving 20+ year old XT6's and they wear perfectly normal. Edited February 11, 2010 by grossgary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subaru360 Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 Subarus aren't very picky about alignment like other cars. I align them with a level for camber and strings and a tape measure for toe. I only align them if parts have been replaced. I've never had a problem with tire wear. Snow tires are completely worth it if you get a lot of snow. We just had 2 feet today. I had to got out in it. I was on unplowed roads with over a foot of wet heavy snow and went right threw it, even up a 6% grade. This was in an awd impreza with 4 snows. The only other thing on the road was plow trucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CNY_Dave Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 Sounds normal to me. Awd subarus oversteer (hang the back end out) in the snow. Countersteer and don't lift. I wish mine oversteered, my porky beaner just wants to plow. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 I wish mine oversteered, my porky beaner just wants to plow.Oh man, like our 02 OBW - is that what you call that. It is crazy how different each vehicle is. It sort of just wants to lunge to the sides in really deep slushy stuff. Like it's getting pulled sort of... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subaru360 Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 I've never driven the newer legacy in the snow. All the Imprezas and old legacys I've had and driven want to oversteer and thats fine with me, it suits my driving style. I don't like cars that push. With the imprezas, you can pretty much pretend your colin mcrae in the snow and hang the back end out on turns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robm Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 Is this "ghostwalking?" I thought only the OBW's did it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonicfrog Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 My suggestion...... 35 mph is probably a bit too fast. I usually don't go more than 25 in the snow in the Sierra Nevada's. Sliding off the edge of a mountain curve is not going to get me home any faster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 Is this "ghostwalking?" I thought only the OBW's did it?No - that's entirely different and only subject to a limited year and vehicle. Well covered on the Subaruoutback forum if you want more info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 (edited) please state your tire Manufacturer and model of tread. I know the Michelin HydroEdge and the General Altimax SUCK here s what they look like. they are no good on ice at all. those tread designs, the outside is trying to push tire right, the inside push left, and then go to the opposite side of car, its same, and the side to side is fighting each other. Its a FAIL design of the tread for ice. No balance on that center rib can even it out. Edited February 11, 2010 by bheinen74 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnKos Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 My suggestion...... 35 mph is probably a bit too fast. I usually don't go more than 25 in the snow in the Sierra Nevada's. Sliding off the edge of a mountain curve is not going to get me home any faster. Unless you live at the bottom of the mountain. Then you're home in seconds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtsmiths Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 ".... 35 mph is probably a bit too fast. I usually don't go more than 25 in the snow in the Sierra Nevada's." Better stay in California then ... in Montana you'll be run down by a 60mph logging truck your first snow outing. Subaru with Hakis ... 70 mph in white-out conditions, never ditched yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 Is this "ghostwalking?" I thought only the OBW's did it? No this is just plain old vehical dynamics, called oversteer. You have oversteer (rear swings out) understeer (turn the front sheels the car resist direction change) and balanced. The OP may just want to peek under his car and make sure the sway bar links arent broken. Oversterr and understeer are sometimes natures way of telling you to get better tires or to slow down. Ghost walking, if it truly does exist (there is another post on this so dont jump on it here) is something else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 my brothers 99 outback had sway problems. It was an auction car, and the forklift operator had bent all 4 lateral links badly when lifting and moving the car around. They are supposed to be straight. His car drives nice again after we replaced the lat links. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subaru360 Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 ".... 35 mph is probably a bit too fast. I usually don't go more than 25 in the snow in the Sierra Nevada's." Better stay in California then ... in Montana you'll be run down by a 60mph logging truck your first snow outing. Subaru with Hakis ... 70 mph in white-out conditions, never ditched yet I do about 50 or so in the snow. You kind of have to around here. We have lots of hills, if you don't keep your speed up, you don't make it to the top. my brothers 99 outback had sway problems. It was an auction car, and the forklift operator had bent all 4 lateral links badly when lifting and moving the car around. They are supposed to be straight. His car drives nice again after we replaced the lat links. Very common. It's hard for to find good used links in the junkyards, all of them are bent from moving the cars around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zyewdall Posted February 12, 2010 Share Posted February 12, 2010 It seems that no one has picked up on the original post saying that the car didn't used to do this, and now does? So... what changed? New tires? Anything else? Z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted February 12, 2010 Share Posted February 12, 2010 It seems that no one has picked up on the original post saying that the car didn't used to do this, and now does? So... what changed? New tires? Anything else? Z New tires and alignment, which is why I suggested it be taken back and rechecked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted February 12, 2010 Share Posted February 12, 2010 New tires and alignment, which is why I suggested it be taken back and rechecked. And it was asked what kind of tires. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subaruplatt Posted February 12, 2010 Share Posted February 12, 2010 The only thing I can think of that hasn't been mentioned already. Tire pressures. If the new tires you have a lesser load index than stock you need to over inflate them (slightly) . If the load index is greater than stock. Spec tire pressures or slightly lower 1 lb less will do. Maintain a ratio that is within spec ie 33/30 Do you have a digital gauge? I thought mine was pulling to the right but then I detected 1/2 pound plus in both tires on the drivers side, imagine that. Anyhow winter is not the time to over inflate your tires because the shocks don't dampen as well in low temperatures. Only over inflate if you have tires with a lower load index than stock ( in the winter ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setright Posted February 13, 2010 Share Posted February 13, 2010 On compacted snow, I find that if I enter a corner off the gas, then step on it, only to lift abruptly, and then floor it comprehensively again...the side windows take on the role of windshield....is this normal The abrupt lift is what really sets the tail out...good fun. To catch the slide, just ease off the gas or apply a little more counter-steer. To look like a pro, depress the clutch pedal before the car lines up, this will prevent the tail from overstepping to the opposite side. Once pointing straight, let the clutch in again. This could be used for automatics too, just nudge the selector into N. The lock isn't active from D to N. Is it locked from N to D on American models? I got to do some training a frozen lake a few weeks ago. Here I also learned that when a slide seems to be going too far...just mash the gas to the carpet. The wheelspin resulting on all four, will stop the car rotating about the vertical axis, it will keep sliding in the same direction. Same effect is possible with a good stab on the brake pedal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene J Posted February 13, 2010 Share Posted February 13, 2010 The latest set of RE 92 s absolutely inhale deeply. The first few sets were great. Now when cold weather appears they slip and slide all over the place. It was never like that before. I know for sure since I am the original owner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad Brian Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 When the original B-stones finally come off my 98 OBS (only 56K) for next winter I will replace them with BFG Traction TAs. They made a big difference on my 98 Civic over the original Firestones or the Mastercrafts. They should be great on the OBS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T'subaru Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 Nothing like 4 studded snows, lsd and a little turbo RX in a bit of snow and ice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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