Leaderboard

I just did a KYB warranty exchange through RockAuto. Ended up being out return shipping, and about a 2 week process (luckily I have an extra car). And they only warrant the failed one, not the pair, so now I have a new strut across from a ~50k mile strut. No, not likely to be in stock, but you can typically order in to your local store for free (AutoZone ONLY ships next day air to their stores, so if they can get it, it'll be there in a business day or 2, no shipping charge). And with a friendly store manager, and a nice conversation, you could probably get the pair warranteed. I still order through RockAuto all the time, it's just something to be aware of that is not as transparent up front. If I'm likely to need to warranty something, I almost always buy from a local store.

Yep, same boot, almost the same issue as what you have there. A few more months (maybe) and it would’ve gone the same way as yours. The other three boots up front are fine - because they’re not located near the exhaust! I’m lookig at making a heat shield for the boot to help increase its life expectancy. I hope that repaired shaft does the job for you Cheers Bennie

Aside from parts directly from Subaru - KYB struts all the way. None of the other aftermarkets are worth messing around with, imho. Too soft/mushy KYB top mounts are of good quality as well - would not even bother with any others for that, either. Have used them on multiple vehicles over the years with no problems at all For me, RockAuto is just "easy" - Even local parts stores have to order stuff for Subarus because they are not common enough in this area for them to keep things in stock (unless it is something that is common to other brands as well, like brake pads), and generally speaking, the local stores charge more than what I pay at RA, even with shipping costs. (yes, I cost compare before actually buying) Example - From my local Advance Auto... as you can see, I can't even get them at my local store... From Rock Auto... Advance is nearly twice the price for the exact same part - before we even get to shipping.. for both rear struts and shipping from RA, I spent $136.70 and they were delivered to my door - today.

Yes you can put Outback or Forester strut assemblies in the legacy. They bolt right up. Good to have new CV boots for that as they'll stretch and be more prone to break due to the harsher angle of the axles. Particularly without any subframe spacers which the outbacks have and legacy's don't. But you don't have to install those, lots of people don't. I've never had those needle bearings come out. Did you make them come out on purpose to clean them or did they fall out? In the US market that's an interference engine so get a new Subaru or AISIN timing kit installed as soon as you can. 1997 can have the older and newer style tensioner but all of the 97's I've seen have the newer one piece tensioner like this: https://www.amazon.com/97-98-Subaru-EJ22E-Timing-AISIN/dp/B00Y12ZFVC (oddly that kit shows two more seals than you'll need - which is how many the 2.5 liter engine would need). The 1990-1997 two piece timing pulley and kit looks like this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/For-Subaru-Impreza-Legacy-2-2L-4cyl-CA-Aisin-OEM-Timing-Belt-Water-Pump-Kit-NEW-/360702346753 The water pump, belt, and pulleys are all the same, it's only the tensioner that's different.

These statements SCREAM u-joints. I know you said you swapped shafts, did you replace the joints yourself? Were you careful to maintain the orientation remained the same from the old joints? The FWD fuse basically eliminates any problems in the front end, and almost everything in the transmission. I've never heard a bearing noise (diff or wheel) that I would describe as a vibration, at all. Maybe a rear axle joint, but those fail so infrequently (I don't think I've ever seen one, and they're definitely not common, if available at all, in the aftermarket).

After doing some...never again. My time is too valuable to try and scrape value out of rusty northeast subarus. In Oregon it's probably surface, light, easy. In the northeast, usually a rust spot means poke your finger through it and surrounding paint, rubber trim, internal metal all disintegrate to a hole 4 times bigger than you thought. We don't know how bad it is - if it's just a small hole or the corner section - cut out another section, use a punch flanger, and weld it in. Nibbler is nice for chewing through sheet metal or an angle grinder, dremel, sawzall, which you'll probably need to get the hidden sections cut anyway if needed. Cut it larger than the area you're replacing. A punch flanger creates a step so that the edge of the new piece slides behind the existing metal, giving you two layers of metal overlap which saves time trying to get the metal exactly the right size/shape/orientation, you don't have any gaps to fill with body filler, and provides a little more heat sink for welding. But you can get away without one particularly if it's a small one off job. A welder, not too hot or you'll burn through it. Spot weld, you don't need a continuous seam. But really if it's bad it's a miserable job - it's often much worse than you think - once the outside sheet metal is off the rust behind it can be atrocious - falling apart, rusted all back into the crevices and folds and joints that come together, it's untreatable and you can't get to it all.

Those are cool! I have a white tool bag with green subaru logo! Also from the jy

That logo is definitely pre-'90. Cool find!

cool