Ye Olde 99 Impreza Outback Sport with 205K starting to ride a little rough.

 

What's required to make her ride smooth again? Struts, front and rear? Big job?

 

Don't know nothing about it yet but then again, I didn't know nothing about all the other stuff I've done either before I started.

 

Thanks,

UMT

Struts are an easy swap, but on these cars you have to disconnect the brake hoses, so you'll want a quart of brake fluid for bleeding the air out of the lines afterward.

 

Check the condition of the springs. If they're rusty, get new ones. They break quite often due to rust.

You can buy pre-built strut assemblies that have new strut, spring and mount already put together and all you have to do is pop it on the car.

 

Avoid Monroe like the plague.

KYB is factory OEM and are the best struts you can buy for a stock replacement.

 

You should also check other suspension components, ball joints, tie rod ends, control arm bushings. The rear bushings are fluid filled and will leak a heavy grey silicone oil when they split. After a while they wobble all over the place and make clunky noises and floaty/drifting suspension feel.

don't disconnect the brake lines, get a hack saw and cut through one side of the thinnest part and bend it out of the way, do the same on the new struts, bend it back once the line is in place and reinstall the clip. Never had a problem and done it dozens of times

don't disconnect the brake lines, get a hack saw and cut through one side of the thinnest part and bend it out of the way, do the same on the new struts, bend it back once the line is in place and reinstall the clip. Never had a problem and done it dozens of times

+1 i've been doing that for many years, even back on old 80's Subaru's. or use a dremel, etc.

AHA! Now I see what has to be done! EZ-PZ! I can do this...

 

Thanks for the help/tips, guys.

 

Any more? Keep 'em coming.

 

Thanks,

UMT

if you need and can determine there's a way to use them, I have the stock springs off my 06 WRX wagon. less than 1900 miles on them.

 

$50 plus shipping.

 

 

What everyone said about KYB struts is right on. Check RockAuto and even Amazon for prices. And , at the age of your car, you may need to refresh the strut mounts at the top and inspect/replace some bushings underneath the car, inspect ball joints too. Good time to inspect the axle boots too, lots of labor overlaps for several related parts.

if you need and can determine there's a way to use them, I have the stock springs off my 06 WRX wagon. less than 1900 miles on them.

 

$50 plus shipping.

 

 

What everyone said about KYB struts is right on. Check RockAuto and even Amazon for prices. And , at the age of your car, you may need to refresh the strut mounts at the top and inspect/replace some bushings underneath the car, inspect ball joints too. Good time to inspect the axle boots too, lots of labor overlaps for several related parts.

 

Thanks,

 

I'll be sure to take a good look at those springs. I would also routinely check everything else for wear/tear while I'm doing the job. My goal is to get 300K out of this wonderful car. I bought it for 5K in 2005 with 105K miles on it. Had a newer Forester before and although I really liked it, the Impreza Outback Sport has really surprised me.

 

Thanks,

UMT

Go through partstrain.com for struts; KYB excel G. Best prices and overnight shipping for less than $10.

 

You can run the 06 WRX springs, but need to use different rear tophats. Either the WRX ones and notch the mounting holes in the body, or 90-91 legacy rear top hats which are a direct fit for the mounting holes and spring diameter.

 

This is my 97 with STi springs on all 4 corners and saggy butt spacers in the rear (3/8")