I noticed my son's Subaru has a right front broken coil spring. Strut shaft looks a bit oily too - I suspect its leaking. Instead of buying a spring and strut and renting tool to compress the spring, besides the cost of new parts - I'm thinking I could check a few bone yards for a coil spring strut combo - make sure its not leaking, or in bad shape, at a reasonable price.

 

The bolts holding the bottom of the strut housing are very rusty - not looking forwarded to breaking those free.

 

Any advise - on getting strut/coil at bone yard? and any tips with the DIY replacement?

 

Milty

 

 

It's a pretty easy replacement. I have found some struts at a yard that were in good shape. Spray the bottom bolts with some good penetrating spray and you should be fine. Might need a breaker bar to get them loose.

Note orientation of top plate. there is an arrow, note where it points and install replacement similarly.

Use a chisel to mark the top strut bolt and the nut, this so they can go back the same, hopefully negating an alignment.

Use a 6 pt 19mm , breaker bar and PB.

Top nuts are 12.

 

O.

something like 1995-1999 legacy's (maybe others) have a recall for the front coil springs.  you might want to call and see if it's: 
A. covered

B. can get the potential upgrade after you repair it - or get it on the other side at least

Thanks for all the info.

 

...Milty

On those rusty bolts & nuts, spray them with PB Blaster or penetrating oil, a few days in advance of when you want to loosen them up. This gives the oil some time to really break the rust bond that makes them hard to break loose.

I just tossed several rust free Colorado Springs.

I have more $5 + shipping.

 

Larry

Going to check out auto wrecking this weekend but if I go the route of coil only I'll hit you up.

 

....Milty

Auto wrecking in my town has a strut/coil complete assembly - 50 bucks - owner states its rusty but coil is in good shape and no leaks from strut. I'll check it out tomorrow.

 

..Milty

I'd like to know how he broke it!

The guy my son bought the car from (a brother of my sons 's best buddy) - called the car a beater - u can beat it and it keeps going - I'm sure they broke the spring - they broke a control arm on drivers side front - put one in from the junk yard before he sold it. 

 

They had a pisser with the car (owners words) - especially in the winter - he gave me 4 winter tires and rims - one just the rim with a blown out shredded tire - what's left of it sitting on the rim. Three of the all season tires and rims on the car are gouged along the rims in multiple spots - don't know if they hit the curb multiple times or what?  

 

...But all in all so far engine and tranny are in good shape.

 

...Milty 

Larry,

 

If you have coil springs available for sale I am interested. Let me know.

 

Thanks,

 

Milty