Quick strut source or convert to shock?

[bstone]

It's time for my 97 Legacy OBW AT to get new suspension components. Unloading a strut scares the bejesus out of me so I'm in the market for a high quality quick strut yet I've been unable to find almost anything of this type. I'm also open to converting to shocks but I'm coming up with the same goose egg. Before someone suggests "just get them loaded at your local mechanic" or suggests I DIY it let's just say that isn't an option so don't even suggest it. So does anyone know a source for a quality quick strut or a shock conversion kit?

Edited July 22, 2019 by bstone

[1 Lucky Texan]

some folks have used loaded sstrus but, I have not read enough about that to remotely get a feel for what brand is OK.

have you looked at any youtube videos to help you decide about a DIY swap?

[heartless]

very few full strut assemblies (what you call "quick struts") are available for the older Subarus - you are dealing with a 22 yr old vehicle here - and usually only Monroe, which tend to be rather soft.

I just put new front struts under my 2002 Forester today. I could have gotten the Monroe assemblies, but I don't like the ride of those. I prefer the feel of KYB struts and there are no assemblies made with those available for this vehicle.

compressing the spring is not that terrible, if you take the appropriate precautions - most kits have a safety catch, use it, take your time, and work both sides evenly.

you can either buy a spring compressor kit or possibly rent one. One word of caution - either way do NOT use power tools on the bolt type! You will destroy the threads on the bolts.

we have done struts often enough (multiple vehicles) that we purchased one of the hydraulic spring compressors from horrible freight. honestly, i don't recommend it, lol. it does work, but getting things to line up correctly when installing the new strut can be a bit of a headache.

the only other option is create your own "quick strut" assembly by purchasing all new parts - strut, spring, top mounts, etc - and putting everything together before you start pulling the old ones out of the car.. either way, you are going to have to compress a spring, and you will want to get new front mounts at the very least. My car is several years newer than yours and mine were completely shot - the grease was coming out of the bearing, and you could actually see the balls inside.

or, you pay someone else to do it for you. Your choice.

[FerGloyale]

4 hours ago, bstone said:

It's time for my 97 Legacy OBW AT to get new suspension components. Unloading a strut scares the bejesus out of me so I'm in the market for a high quality quick strut yet I've been unable to find almost anything of this type. I'm also open to converting to shocks but I'm coming up with the same goose egg. Before someone suggests "just get them loaded at your local mechanic" or suggests I DIY it let's just say that isn't an option. So does anyone know a source for a quality quick strut or a shock conversion kit?

 

Your car uses Struts.  

By definition they are telescopic locating assemblies for the suspension. 

Shocks are merely a dampening system, and have no location purpose in the suspension.

You cannot convert Struts to Shocks unless you completely fabricate new a suspension with upper locating arms.

Buy the parts you want.  Take them to a reputable shop with av spring compressor along with your old assemblies, and have the springs and top hats changed over.

KYB struts, with new bump-stops and bellows are the way to go.

Edited July 22, 2019 by FerGloyale

[bstone]

I love how I specifically request no recommendations to compress the springs myself or bring it to a mechanic's shop for them to do yet rather for people to recommend quick struts or a shock conversion kit.....yet they repeatedly recommend what I specifically asked them not to.

 

Oh internet!

[el_freddo]

4 hours ago, bstone said:

I love how I specifically request no recommendations to compress the springs myself or bring it to a mechanic's shop for them to do yet rather for people to recommend quick struts or a shock conversion kit.....yet they repeatedly recommend what I specifically asked them not to.

 

Oh internet!

Because what you’re asking just isn’t done commercially!! 

The only bolt on option is to go for a set of coil overs, but unless you want racer-boy-hug-the-road-“fun” then you’re flat out of options other than to go buy a “truck”. 

So basically, like everyone said previously, it’s buy all the parts and build it yourself (DIY) or buy all the parts and go to a suspension shop to have them put together and you can decide whether you fit them or they do. 

Youll want a 4 wheel alignment after all this work is done. 

Have a nice day,

Cheers 

Bennie

[heartless]

7 hours ago, bstone said:

I love how I specifically request no recommendations to compress the springs myself or bring it to a mechanic's shop for them to do yet rather for people to recommend quick struts or a shock conversion kit.....yet they repeatedly recommend what I specifically asked them not to.

 

Oh internet!

You don't seem to understand that you will not be able to get complete quick strut assemblies for a 22 yr old car.

You either do it yourself, or you pay someone else to do it. those are your choices. pick one

[1 Lucky Texan]

people are just trying to give you helpful advice.

get used strut assemblies from car-part.com

[mikec03]

I sympathize with the OP.  It would be better for  posters who is going to ignore the OP's request to start off with "Its impossible to find a quick strut for older subarus" which is really what the OP wants to know.

Then it would be instructive if the poster would talk specifically about their own experience.  Such as, " I live in Dayton and I had to go to 15 auto shops before I could find one who would assemble my strut.  The one I found is on 15th st, etc"   So many people recommend a "reputable shop" but don't give any details, I wonder if any of those shops actually exist anymore.

  

[FerGloyale]

I repeat.

You cannot convert Struts to Shocks unless you completely fabricate new a suspension with upper locating arms.

So I have no idea what you are asking for when you say "shock conversion".  That is not a thing.

 

No manufacturer sells quick struts for your car.

 

Good luck.

[1 Lucky Texan]

coilovers could be an option - search for those.

[bstone]

35 minutes ago, FerGloyale said:

I repeat.

You cannot convert Struts to Shocks unless you completely fabricate new a suspension with upper locating arms.

So I have no idea what you are asking for when you say "shock conversion".  That is not a thing.

 

No manufacturer sells quick struts for your car.

 

Good luck.

Conversion to shocks is called "strut delete" and it does exist for other makes and models.

 

There are several quick struts available on Amazon but with no reviews so I am hesitant to even consider buying them and therefore came here to determine if others have had experience with them.

 

I am happy to have educated you on these two important points of information.

 

Good luck.

[Numbchux]

2 hours ago, bstone said:

Conversion to shocks is called "strut delete" and it does exist for other makes and models.

 

There are several quick struts available on Amazon but with no reviews so I am hesitant to even consider buying them and therefore came here to determine if others have had experience with them.

 

I am happy to have educated you on these two important points of information.

 

Good luck.

Google search for "strut delete" shows nothing like you describe on the first page.

There are no reputable options for quick struts.

 

Your options are:

1. Buy Junk

2. Do work

3. Pay someone else to do work.

[el_freddo]

5 hours ago, mikec03 said:

I sympathize with the OP.  It would be better for  posters who is going to ignore the OP's request to start off with "Its impossible to find a quick strut for older subarus" which is really what the OP wants to know.

Then it would be instructive if the poster would talk specifically about their own experience.  Such as, " I live in Dayton and I had to go to 15 auto shops before I could find one who would assemble my strut.  The one I found is on 15th st, etc"   So many people recommend a "reputable shop" but don't give any details, I wonder if any of those shops actually exist anymore.

  

Isn’t this exactly what @heartless did in the second reply?? 

I bet if everyone ignored the initial request because we don’t have the info the OP wants to read, the first reply would be from the OP with something along the lines of “really? No one? No info?”. 

I’m keen to see this strut delete. The only one I’ve ever seen was on Phinzinza’s MY wagon that he used for jumping (and I’m talking HIGH!). He added an upper wishbone to hold the top of the hub where the strut usually did the job. Not road legal, not worth yours or someone else’s life on the open road! 

To me the fabrication required for a strut delete is way more effort than swapping springs on struts or building a strut/spring combo to put on the vehicle. If the idea of spring compressors scare the bejesus out of you from some past bad experience, maybe you need to make something like this to do the work with: 

 Cheeky Russians have their spoob sorted! Quick, safe and easy! 

If you’re looking at fabricating a strut delete in a Subaru I’m 100% sure you can build a device like this and sort out your current suspension. 

Cheers 

Bennie

[heartless]

5 hours ago, bstone said:

Conversion to shocks is called "strut delete" and it does exist for other makes and models.

for "other makes and models" are the key words here.

there is no such readily available creature for a Subaru.

to the OP - you could take the time to research part numbers for a newer model that does have brand name quick struts available - compare bare strut to bare strut and see if the part numbers are the same. If they are, then you could possibly use assemblies for a newer vehicle than yours.

But the fact remains, for your specific year, there is no quick strut available, nor is there a "strut delete" option available

[Numbchux]

13 hours ago, heartless said:

for "other makes and models" are the key words here.

there is no such readily available creature for a Subaru.

to the OP - you could take the time to research part numbers for a newer model that does have brand name quick struts available - compare bare strut to bare strut and see if the part numbers are the same. If they are, then you could possibly use assemblies for a newer vehicle than yours.

But the fact remains, for your specific year, there is no quick strut available, nor is there a "strut delete" option available

I have not seen a quick strut in a brand I would use for any model Subaru.

[heartless]

11 hours ago, Numbchux said:

I have not seen a quick strut in a brand I would use for any model Subaru.

Me either.

The only ones I have seen are the Monroe's and I wont use them. it is KYB for me and my Subarus

 

[Mike104]

On 7/22/2019 at 7:15 PM, el_freddo said:

Isn’t this exactly what @heartless did in the second reply?? 

I bet if everyone ignored the initial request because we don’t have the info the OP wants to read, the first reply would be from the OP with something along the lines of “really? No one? No info?”. 

I’m keen to see this strut delete. The only one I’ve ever seen was on Phinzinza’s MY wagon that he used for jumping (and I’m talking HIGH!). He added an upper wishbone to hold the top of the hub where the strut usually did the job. Not road legal, not worth yours or someone else’s life on the open road! 

To me the fabrication required for a strut delete is way more effort than swapping springs on struts or building a strut/spring combo to put on the vehicle. If the idea of spring compressors scare the bejesus out of you from some past bad experience, maybe you need to make something like this to do the work with: 

 Cheeky Russians have their spoob sorted! Quick, safe and easy! 

If you’re looking at fabricating a strut delete in a Subaru I’m 100% sure you can build a device like this and sort out your current suspension. 

Cheers 

Bennie

Now that's shade tree engineering at its best!!

[idosubaru]

if !()*%!! quality struts are okay with you then get later model quick struts for the front and swap them in and hope they ride level and ignore the ABS brake hose attach points.  there's no options for the rears. 

A local sears installed quick struts in a friends 2003 Outback Sedan and I had no idea new struts and springs could perform that badly.  It Flooooooaaaaats along down the road and feels like a toy.  but that's my only experience driving in a car with them, I'm guessing some people are getting okay results or okay with the bad performance. 

Also there are numerous examples of new aftermarket strut top failures and weakness.  i've seen them fail completely, shearing off leaving the strut floating and banging in the rear well in less than a week and people have posted pictures of them "bulging" online - once installed and the vehicle is put back on the ground the strut mount bushing material balloons up concave into the engine compartment.  i'll only use used Subaru or KYB top strut mounts. 

Edited August 6, 2019 by idosubaru

[1997reduxe]

I could be wrong but i looked at rockauto even and it seems kyb sells them complete

for 97

 

Edited August 6, 2019 by 1997reduxe

[bstone]

40 minutes ago, 1997reduxe said:

I could be wrong but i looked at rockauto even and it seems kyb sells them complete

for 97

 

Where do you see this? I'm on rockauto's site now and I don't see the Strut-Plus for the 97 Legacy 2.5 AT.

[1 Lucky Texan]

look thru the catalog?

 

https://www.kyb.com/catalog/

[idosubaru]

10 hours ago, 1997reduxe said:

I could be wrong but i looked at rockauto even and it seems kyb sells them complete

for 97

 

They may have them but that looks like a generic advertisement. Surely we’ve seen these 10,455,193 times on billboards magazines TV and brochures.  that’s exactly what that is, not a specific part number, price for a product listing.

[heartless]

yup, that is a generic advertisement that is seen on just about every KYB page.

Yes, KYB does make complete assemblies for some vehicle brands - not all brands...

[Numbchux]

I'm still waiting for info on this "strut delete", lol