idosubaru Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 (edited) i've searched but everything i've seen is wagon related swaps. I want to install 99 OBW struts from a board member on a friends 1997 Legacy sedan. They do not come with front springs/coils, so I'll have to get those. Any recommendations on keeping the car level? I'm thinking SUS springs since that's a sedan. Hopefully the rears aren't too different? Edited December 4, 2008 by grossgary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmdew Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 Most of the lift comes from the 1 1/2 or so in height the bottom spring seat is raised. You could use the stock sedan springs with the outback struts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted December 5, 2008 Author Share Posted December 5, 2008 Most of the lift comes from the 1 1/2 or so in height the bottom spring seat is raised. You could use the stock sedan springs with the outback struts. no kidding, thanks a ton larry, that basically makes this really simple then! great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ou812 Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 Hey, Jeff here from southern Oregon... I put late 90s Outback wagon struts and springs on my 92 Legacy, without much trouble. The struts themselves are longer, as well as the springs, giving you a combined lift. The fronts are basically plug and play, bolt right in, without taking the assembly apart. The rears are different....you have to put the earlier Legacy top hat assembly on the Outback strut, and spring. The bolt holes are different, but this isnt that big of deal. Very cool mod, and fairly easy.....I had a more difficult time finding the struts and springs from a junkyard for a reasonable price, than putting them on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted December 6, 2008 Author Share Posted December 6, 2008 Oh wow! That really lifts it a lot. Is that just OBW struts giving it a lift? Are you sure the OBW springs are different, someone else said they were the same. Looks like you probably had a good look at them. His is a 2nd generation legacy so it'll be a direct swap. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 (edited) according to nipper's recently found parts site, they are different, but i don't know how. it would make sense that they are taller for the taller outback strut. does it make sense that this would give the outback strut a longer travel distance?? i guess they could be the same size but the outback is designed for a heavier car, but the difference in weight is only 500lbs or so?? http://opposedforces.com/parts/info/20383AC141/ http://opposedforces.com/parts/info/20383AC200/ gt is different as well http://opposedforces.com/parts/info/20383AC350/ check out how many models use the same right rear strut. http://opposedforces.com/parts/info/20363AC000/ . Edited December 6, 2008 by johnceggleston Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ou812 Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 I am not 100% sure about a later legacy and outback (96-99 years), but the later outback springs were different than the early legacy. I swapped them over, with the only legacy parts used were the rear top hats. Here are some more pics: These are the rear struts/springs. The strut body is longer, and it appears that the spring is longer/taller too. I was told that the Outback set I bought from a wrecking yard were indeed from a wagon. It makes sense to me that the springs would be bigger/longer on a wagon, designed to haul more of a load than a regular Legacy sedan, even if they were similar vintage. Here are the front struts/springs. The strut body is longer, but appears that the springs are similar, if not the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott in Bellingham Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 heres my Sedan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted December 6, 2008 Author Share Posted December 6, 2008 heres my Sedan is that lifted or just suspension swapped? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bratman18 Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 is that lifted or just suspension swapped? It's lifted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted January 28, 2009 Author Share Posted January 28, 2009 Okay my buddy did this to his 97 Legacy sedan. Installed 99 OBW struts. Word on the street is it lifted the car about 3" and it looks nice. His struts/shocks were shot, particularly the rears so he was needing something else anyway. if he gets me pic's i'll post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pannkake Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Do the longer struts ruin the alignment? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted January 28, 2009 Author Share Posted January 28, 2009 ruin is a strong word. sure, it will change things slightly. but it's not the end of the world. i told him to just keep an eye on his tire wear and have it aligned if they start wearing odd. he's a smart kid and on Subaru's AWD you need to rotate frequently anyway. so it makes it easy to keep an eye on your tire wear. it doesn't pull at all. alignment in general is overrated. it's a marketing hyped word now. it's a huge load by sales folks. i never get an alignment. i've put 125,000 miles on a car without ever getting an alignment and kept perfect tire wear the entire time. i never get an alignment with new tires. i've never gotten any of mine aligned unless I replaced (and forgot to mark) suspension components, only one time did that happen. maybe other makes are different but Subaru's rarely need adjusted. and that's even when i used to off road and beat my old ones pretty bad...never got an alignment on those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bryans subaru Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 i put obw springs and struts on my 95 legacy. i also used the a-arm spacer blocks from a outback replacing the stock legacy one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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