September 8, 201015 yr Howdy! (1992 legacy SW) So I bent my strut cups on the way up alaska a while back, and the tires rubbed, but I moved em around and it hasnt been a problem.... But now Im about to go back through the Yukon on those BUMPY roads and I dont want my tires to start smoking from the rub... I plan on finding the late 90's outback struts to replace the front (the only real issue as of now, rear seem fine) ones on mine. I was told they go right on fairly easily. My question is; Do I have to replace the rear at the same time? I still have my little lifter springs in my rear struts, so it might even out as far as front/back lift goes. I dont think I have the tools to retrofit the rear ones...so, I'm wanting to know if there is imminent disaster if just the front are replaced... Also, I gotta do a search to see how to replace the front struts with the newer model ones, unless someone wants to hook me up, since I'm on my short lunch break @ work:rolleyes: Cheers! duke
September 9, 201015 yr I guess nobody knows? I'm not much help, but... If you have bent struts, it's probably because the springs bottomed out before the shock absorber did. It would help to install a bump stop, but with this type of suspension the only place it will fit and do any good is on the top of the body of the shock, which means the top hat and spring have to come off to install it. If you have spring spacers I'd take those out, and install OB struts all around for the lift. I think I read you just have to drill a hole or three in the rear strut towers for the studs on the OB struts to fit. (Don't hold me to that though, I might be way off. )
September 9, 201015 yr Hi. Not sure exactly what went wrong with your struts (haven't heard of that happening before), but say a 96, 97, or 98 Outback should fit. I am trying it right now with a '94 Legacy. I suppose the fronts could be done separately of the rear but I would do all four at the same time. Who knows what kind of weird handling there could be from having the front a bit higher than the rear. Probably not much more than loading the rear up with tons of people and gear or towing but having them all match would be better in my mind. The struts do have bump stops in them, on the strut rod. But they do often deteriorate with age and they're not going to stop damge from bottoming out if it's a hard hit. They give a touch more time for deceleration when bottoming out but a hard hit it won't make much difference.
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