I started on a project this afternoon to replace the rear strut cartridges on my '91 Loyale. I removed the passenger side strut and while handling it, material resembling bread crumbs started falling out of the upper portion of the assembly. It seems that the upper portion of the strut bumper (#9 on the attached diagram) is, well...gone. The lower portion (the plastic cylinder) is present, but the upper part I believe is the source of the "crumbs". It seems the bumper is made of some sort of foam rubber that got crusty and simply crumbled away. Now my questions: how important is this bumper? Can I get one some other place other than Subaru? 1st Subaru Parts wants $37.19 to replace this crumbly bit of rubbish, and I assume I'll need one for the driver's side, too (I didn't get that far). If someone knows of a generic replacement for this, I'd love to hear about it. Thanks!

rear bump stop. if a wagon id forget it. wagons have a seperate one. if a sedan-well id replace it.

It is a wagon. So if I understand correctly, since the wagon has the separate built-in bullet-shaped rubber bump stop, the integral bumper in the strut is redundant, so it doesn't really matter if it is replaced?

It is a wagon. So if I understand correctly, since the wagon has the separate built-in bullet-shaped rubber bump stop, the integral bumper in the strut is redundant, so it doesn't really matter if it is replaced?

indeed