March 23, 20188 yr Hello, we purchased an 2002 Impreza outback sport 2.5L with 108k miles. The front U frame bracket is rusted alot so we are ordering a new one to replace it (its bad). Im having a hard time finding parts like control arms for this particular car. Per chance are the WRX parts in this year model the same as the outback sports? Any decent cross reference charts for subaru parts? I'd really appreciate any help on this matter. The car drives like a dream, but some parts are going to need replacing before i'm comfortable to hitting the interstate with it.
March 23, 20188 yr most WRX SPORTWAGON suspension parts should fit - maybe not sedan parts due to different track width. I know anti roll bars are different. maybe axles.... dunno about control arms.... most parts places should do well if you include the VIN, there is always confusion due to the word 'outback' - your car shares very little with the Subaru Outback (Legacy-based) cars.
March 23, 20188 yr Author most WRX SPORTWAGON suspension parts should fit - maybe not sedan parts due to different track width. I know anti roll bars are different. maybe axles.... dunno about control arms.... most parts places should do well if you include the VIN, there is always confusion due to the word 'outback' - your car shares very little with the Subaru Outback (Legacy-based) cars. Yeah, i'm kinda hating the whole impreza outback name as it immediately brings up the assumption its a regular outback. We just wanted a little car to putter around in and save the van for when more of us go out and bout. But between the rusted u frame and leaking gasket (2.5) i'm wondering what we have gotten into... Paid too much for it too 4k, but we had alotta crap going on while looking and somehow we rushed into it.. so, its either polish the one we got or reap our losses and turn it into a farm vehicle (expensive one, but well).
March 23, 20188 yr Yeah, most of the WRX suspension is comparable to it's direct Impreza variant, so Sedan for Sedan, and wagon for wagon. You can use GC8 arms with a spacer if you change swaybar and endlinks.
March 23, 20188 yr You can use sedan sway bars in a wagon no problem, I've done it many times. The control arms and front axles are different lengths, but the rest of the suspension is compatible. Pretty much any 02-07 Impreza interchanges.
March 23, 20188 yr just get the parts you need, they're not hard to find and readily available, no need to try to do swaps you can't figure out: www.car-part.com are you sure it's not just benign surface rust and you're worrying about nothing? us northeast people see cars rusting through with holes and failing parts yearly and a "u frame" is not something that typically rusts/fails. and if it did normally the car would have so many falling apart body panels it wouldn't command $4,000. maybe it got salt on it then sat in a field of grass for years which is terrible for vehicles, but just making sure.
March 23, 20188 yr I have a WRX muffler that would fit, free if you know someone passing thru DFW that can bring it to you.
March 23, 20188 yr just get the parts you need, they're not hard to find and readily available, no need to try to do swaps you can't figure out: www.car-part.com are you sure it's not just benign surface rust and you're worrying about nothing? us northeast people see cars rusting through with holes and failing parts yearly and a "u frame" is not something that typically rusts/fails. and if it did normally the car would have so many falling apart body panels it wouldn't command $4,000. maybe it got salt on it then sat in a field of grass for years which is terrible for vehicles, but just making sure. Can't say I agree with that. Those u shaped subframe braces rust out all the time, while the rest of the car isn't rusty. It's a very common replacement because of rust.
March 24, 20188 yr Author I keep hearing that some just don't even bother replacing the U frame in question as it is a impact deflect related part of some sort... But even if its not needed, control arms for a non highway robbery price would be awesome if I can find some.. New preferred, but man.. Its just not a common item apparently, or it's listed differently for some reason.
March 24, 20188 yr Yeah, the earlier models didn't even come with that u brace. Controls arms were under recall. It would be worth checking your vin number with the deaker and seeing if they've been replaced under the recall.
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