Cowgirl Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 How many things can go wrong.... First, you have to remove the wheels. That alone is almost a week long project, because they are so rusted on, that you have devise some way to MAKE them come off....including and driving with 2 loose lug nuts, which of course makes you realize that the numbnut who worked on the car last has stripped the lugs and studs. So as you are continually taking them off and putting them back on causes you to sheer off a lug nut stud. But hey! You were already planning to replace the lug nuts and studs anyways... Next you have to remove the old air bag suspension system, which makes you wonder if what you are getting into is too good to be true. Along the way you discover that a brake caliper bolt is stripped and refuse to come out. So you have to remove the caliper and put it in a vice. Apply some , and it comes out, but can you find anyone who just sells the bolt...we shall see....Oh yes, and it definetly needs brakes shoes/pads and drums/rotors all the way around too.... Now come the fun part; Ordering the new parts. If anyone sells them. Then it takes two weeks to get them because they are special order AND backordered......get said parts, and guess what? You don't HAVE ALL of the parts you need!!! So back to the parts store, for MORE special order expensive mumbojumbo.... SO we finally have all the parts we need (we think) and DH goes to install them and discovers they might have sold him the WRONG PARTS!!!! His wagon is a 1994-- the parts he has are for a 1995!~~ :banghead: It's past closing time, so DH decides to go ahead and try the parts anyways.........THEY DON'T FIT!!!!!!! :banghead: So DH calls parts store, and tells them what's the deal here!?!??! So today he goes in to talk/return/whatever, and they tell him that they called and talked to distributor/whomever they get the parts from, and they said that the parts are correct!!! WTH!?!?! SO!!!! After all this, DH is stumped!!! Help me help him........ WHEN INSTALLING A STRUT AND SPRING ASSEMBLY HOW DO YOU DO IT PROPERLY!!?!??!?!?!? If you know of a thread that deals on this subject, please link it to this post....thank you in advance from a weary tired stay at home mom who is about to shoot her DH....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamal Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 I've replaced my struts and springs and taken an assembly apart so maybe I can help. Yes, it will be a pain in the rump roast to get some of the bolts off. A nice piece of pipe fitted over a flex handle is useful at removing those strut to spindle bolts. The top one up front is cammed to adjust camber so make a note of where it was rotated, although you'll want to get the car aligned right away afterward. Since the parts are from a 95, your best bet would probably be to find a set of used suspension for a 94 wagon, and buy new struts. Then you'll have all the spring perches and top hats and little rubber boots and whatnot, so you can transfer all that to the new struts. Post a wanted here or at bbs.legacycentral.org (it's a legacy right?). Also try PMing Blackbart, he might have a set laying around. Next up is installation. The only thing I can think of is to make sure not to over-tighten the strut top bolts because they're prone to snapping off. Torque spec on them is 14lb-ft. Well, that probably covers most of it, do you have any more specific questions? Here are some scoobymods writeups: http://www.scoobymods.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36 http://www.scoobymods.com/forums/showthread.php?t=346 and here's what I did: http://bbs.legacycentral.org/viewtopic.php?t=21883 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowgirl Posted February 17, 2007 Author Share Posted February 17, 2007 Thanks for the super links!!!! I still am wondering if either DH is doing something wrong or that he has the wrong parts.:-\ .. he says that the spring/strut assembly (where the shock/strut is located inside the spring) is too tall/doesn't fit.. ... btw, he did not compress the spring to install on car,--he does not think that should be necessary to install. He bought them unassembled, and put them together himself. Does anyone know offhand how many inches the shock/strut is supposed to be for a 1994 Legacy??? :confused: That would help alot to solve this mystery too.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reveeen Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 I happen to know for a fact (because I tried) that aftermarket (new) strut mounts will not fit and/or work properly on your Legacy. I was in a situation where I needed new rear strut mounts for my Legacy, *thinking* I would save a few bucks I tried aftermarket (Gabriel to be specific, as they had the only listing for my car) so like you I ordered them. So now my car is sitting on stands, with no rear struts, and the mounts don't fit/work. Local Subaru dealer time, 2 Subaru strut mounts, and air freight later, all became well. If I was changing from an air ride anything, be it a Subaru, or a Lincon, I would locate used strut assemblys from a junk yard and replace the shock parts with new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamal Posted February 18, 2007 Share Posted February 18, 2007 Thanks for the super links!!!! I still am wondering if either DH is doing something wrong or that he has the wrong parts.:-\ .. he says that the spring/strut assembly (where the shock/strut is located inside the spring) is too tall/doesn't fit.. ... btw, he did not compress the spring to install on car,--he does not think that should be necessary to install. He bought them unassembled, and put them together himself. Does anyone know offhand how many inches the shock/strut is supposed to be for a 1994 Legacy??? :confused: That would help alot to solve this mystery too.... If he's jacking up one corner at a time he's not going to get the upright on that side to drop down far enough unless he disconnects the endlink because the swaybar will hold it up. The only way the tops won't fit is if he has rear 95+ Legacy or rear 02+ Impreza tops. All the front ones are the same for pretty much every subaru. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowgirl Posted February 19, 2007 Author Share Posted February 19, 2007 If he's jacking up one corner at a time he's not going to get the upright on that side to drop down far enough unless he disconnects the endlink because the swaybar will hold it up. The only way the tops won't fit is if he has rear 95+ Legacy or rear 02+ Impreza tops. All the front ones are the same for pretty much every subaru. Okay, I hate to sound like a newbie, and since I have not gone into the garage since DH started this project, I have NO idea what is what...so please give me a walk through....what upright dropping down?? what endlink to the swaybar?? DH says the strut is too long/tall by 4-6 inches. He cannot figure anyway to "make" it fit. Parts guy says it is the correct part. DH says he's hating this project more and more....I'm thinking he missed a step, or someone is wrong in the parts department..... :confused: :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamal Posted February 19, 2007 Share Posted February 19, 2007 the two sides of the suspension are sprung together with a swaybar. A swaybar acts to reduce body roll, and is attached to the control arms with an endlink. In this picture the vertical silver bar is the endlink, attached on the top to the swaybar and on the bottom to the control arm. The upright/knuckle/spindle is the thing the strut, balljoint, and steering arm attach to that holds the axle and hub/brake/wheel. So, if the endlink is attached and only one wheel is off the ground, the swaybar is going to hold everything up and prevent the strut from fitting in. Also, rear struts are longer so make sure he's not trying to fit them in the front. Are the strut/spring/top assemblies all put together? Edit: forgot the picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowgirl Posted February 19, 2007 Author Share Posted February 19, 2007 the two sides of the suspension are sprung together with a swaybar. A swaybar acts to reduce body roll, and is attached to the control arms with an endlink. In this picture the vertical silver bar is the endlink, attached on the top to the swaybar and on the bottom to the control arm. The upright/knuckle/spindle is the thing the strut, balljoint, and steering arm attach to that holds the axle and hub/brake/wheel. So, if the endlink is attached and only one wheel is off the ground, the swaybar is going to hold everything up and prevent the strut from fitting in. Also, rear struts are longer so make sure he's not trying to fit them in the front. Are the strut/spring/top assemblies all put together? Ahhhhh....Light dawns on darkened head.....okay.....DH just read this thread, and just went back out to garage.... As far as I know, he has assembled at least one strut and spring assembly...I don't know if he has tried to put any of the other three together. I do know, he had to figure out front from rear and left/right on everything--that alone was a PITA!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowgirl Posted February 19, 2007 Author Share Posted February 19, 2007 Gotta say, you all rock!!! DH did whatever he needed to do with the swaybar, and he's gotten the fronts on!!! I will let you know how he does with the rears.....(also please see my next post on rear brake removal:-\ ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.