Hi - this is a 2005 Outback - the VDC (R 3.0)

 

We took a trip to NYC last weekend, and after two days on the rough roads our Outback began to drip a heavy oil from the rear differential crossmember support bar bushing. This crossmember is located forward of the axles and rear of the U-joint. There is a bushing about 2.5" diameter on each end of this 18"(+-) crossmember.

 

I did not realize that bushings had fluid in them. Is it critical I replace them with the OEM bushing, which I have not been able to find? What I see online appear to be solid. Is there a performance upgrade which you can recommend ? Does this have a different name I might search with?

 

Thanks for your help. Craig

The older ones were just rubber but it wouldn't surprise me if they switched to an "oil" filled bushing there.

What color is the oil dripping from the bushings?

 

 

Probably gonna be a dealer only item. The older ones were mix and match and worked on several different cars, but they changed the design of the diff outrigger in 05 so those bushings may be a different size.

Edited August 31, 201312 yr by Fairtax4me

The oil is gray, and slightly frothy. It is not black or whitish, or the color of old engine oil. It is not a light brown like new engine oil. There is no reddish tint. It is more like used differential oil -- but the leak is clearly from this bushing.

 

It is still leaking after a week. It drops two drips, one on each side of the bushing. So on the garage floor I have 4 or 5 pairs of drip stains.

 

Thanks - Craig

Yep. The oil filled bushings usually have a heavy grey silicone based oil.

Eventually the oil will drain out and the bushing will be very loose. It may start clunking when accelerating or coming off throttle.

 

You might check SubaruOutback.org to see if anyone else there has had this issue. They know a lot more about the "newer" cars and may know an alternative to dealer parts.

Okay - I appreciate the input and will look around a little. C

I looked at this a little more today and finally found a diagram and parts numbers from oppositionforces.com

 

The bushings look like they are factory sealed into the cross member. They do not have a separate parts number, even though the two bushings on the back side of the differential have a parts number and show separately in the diagram. So I probably need to buy the whole thing.

 

At subaruoutback.org there is a discussion thread with photos showing exactly the same problem on the same car/year. No one really had a decent solution, and could not say why oil would leak from that spot. Looks like my mechanical project for next week. I am hoping to find the part used on ebay.

worth checking kartboy, Whiteline and Prothane to see if they offer anything.

 

NOTE: any aftermarket poly is likely going to transmit more noise/harshness, so, unless you MUST save every penny, avoid that. I think some folks have made bushings from a 3M product - windo-weld ????

Edited September 3, 201312 yr by 1 Lucky Texan