SnatchedHatch

I believe the difference in clearance on the OBS, as it is slightly higher, is just taller springs. I don't have definitive proof ...*google search*... http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=253616 http://articles.philly.com/1997-02-07/news/25534974_1_legacy-outback-impreza-wagon-mud lol so not necessarily taller springs, but different spring rates for sure, and not to mention it received taller tires which alone could have made up for the difference in height I get that you are on a budget, but if you're buying a used set of struts, especially with higher mileage, you should be replacing the springs and rubber, de facto elimanted a number of sources for your car ride troubles. Ball joints, very good, fix what's broken. Also, good job on buying proper tires, they are one of things people fail to see as vital. Look for local Subie strut assembly sets, I chose WRX and I didn't need any spacers and didn't need to mess with my (rear) trailing arms. This is something you will have to get into if you go with something with a much larger lift, i.e. Fozzie struts. Just a little note, the WRX struts give just shy of an inch lift over stock, and the rear spring perches are higher, so my oversize 215/60R16 tires no longer rub at any point in a drive.

Sorry compadre, I'm simply showing you a door. I saw a 97 OBS in Chi that had the plate removed, and the intake modified so that it had an open air filter sitting beneath the scoop. I noticed my 98 had a different setup than in that yours should already have the box right beneath the scoop opening. Now.. what with the zip ties, and the general ricey state of that OBS.. fart can and plastidip.. who knows if some serious thought went into that. Cheers on finding out! haha

What car do you have, yr/model? If you have a cosmetic scoop, and are referring to that sort of shielding, you are simply inviting the elements into your engine bay... i.e. corrosion. You could take advantage of that situation, if you have an RS/OBS.

I agree, as well, you need new struts, they can cause a variety of symptoms when worn excessively. Check out my thread http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/152839-link-thread-for-swapping-subaru-struts-into-gc8gf8-come-all-and-post-advice-and-questions/ on this topic, it's exactly the info you are looking for, if you decide to go with a Subaru strut swap. There are a number of options and methods to go with when swapping Subie struts. While bolt-on KYB factory new struts are hassle free, you can't beat the low prices of a used set. Also, if you swap your struts, you should change out the rubber/tophats and springs. Those wear out and cause problems.

I believe spending a hundred or so on a mechanic's inspection is more than worth the cost when prospecting a car. Given your attention to detail in picking up a few "questionable" things (in your eyes, not commenting on them directly), why not alleviate your worries, that is especially if this seems to be your better option in your area. Don't fall in love with the car, suspect anything and everything, and don't take the seller's word for anything until you or a qualified professional can verify. Welcome to the forum, hope you make it back here after you conclude your Subie hunt! When in doubt, why risk anything? You should have any car you purchase inspected, with no rush from you or the seller!

I went the drilling route, I've successfully swapped in some '04 WRX strut/spring/tophat assemblies into my 98 OBS GF8 I'm using 16" 01' RS rims with 215/60R16 TripleThread Fozzie tires. The WRX setup is just above stock height, so I have zero rub issues. Due to the spring rates meant for a heavier car, I was wondering if they'd be bouncey. They are ever so slightly, but it's not too bad. The way I look at it, with the HD springs and oversize tires, I can bank on a satisfactory ride even when loaded with cargo/people (the alive kind). Rides like a dream, stiff but giving and certainly much better than my seesaw, creaky, rattley sounding ride of the past. The car stays flat at all times, giving it such a smooth roll. Coupled with the gem of a powertrain on this one, it surprises me how it's stepped up in "performance". The power deliver is consistent and potent enough to zip around all the family rides in traffic! Damn.. I can only imagine how well this will do on the highway. Steering is a little lax for what the struts can handle, and being a wagon, upgrading the sway bars would help as well (very sharp maneuvers can be felt through the body, just something you have to compensate for while driving). However, I'm not worried about that as I'm not building an autocross ride and I like still being able to hit some trails. Build: The fronts were bolt-on, however, they need some make-shift brakets to hold the brake lines in place. I've got that covered with a generous helping of zip ties I took the opportunity to replace my long worn sway-bay endlinks that were incredibly noisy. $10 each at a local auto parts store The rear tophat bolt patterns were slightly different, as described in the links above (the same situation with newer gen Forester tophats). What I did, was I purchased new, but identical WRX tophats and installed them (we had a spring compressor). You should replace the rubber when using used struts. I swapped them on, and then took the spare old tophat, cut off the one bolt that is off by a cm or so from GF8 OEM spec. The remaining two bolts, fit when the chassis holes were widened about 2-3mm on the outer edges for the pair. Once I was able to bolt on the modified old tophat by the two inner bolts, I turned my attention back to the rear WRX struts complete with new tophats. I used some stiff cardboard (hard plastic, wood, or sheet metal would work better) to make a template for the WRX bolt pattern. I placed this bolt pattern over my GF8 chassis and onto the two exposed bolts from the modified WRX tophat (already in place). This allowed me to precisely pinpoint and drill the remaining hole, as it close to a Cm away from the original GF8 chassis hole. Note, I started with smaller drill bits, to be able to focus on precision and to work my way up to a hole that was barely large enough for the WRX tophat bolts. The template and spare modified tophat were removed, the rear WRX strut was moved into place and coaxed into its new chassis holes. I used the tophat nuts to further bring the replacement strut into it's new place of residence. The bottom of the rear strut bolted up as normal, and the brake line brackets were usable, as the rear utilizes steel clips found on the original struts. One thing has worried me, and I know I have seen (in one of the links above) a plastic bushing/spacer used in between the WRX/forester strut tophat and the GC/GF chassis to rectify this. The center of the top hat has a rounded, inverted bowl shape, that fits snug into the large circular hole in between the three tophats bolts/holes. The new location of the WRX or Forester tophat offsets this bowl and does not fit it in the center of the circular hole. It rests againts one side of the hole, causing a slight gap between the tophat and the chassis. It seems secure, but I have been taking it easy with my Wagon as it does not inspire confidence in me. So far, with some lightly spirited driving, I have heard nothing out of the ordinary and everything looks as it did when we installed it. Should I rectify this? Let me rephrase, can I get by with this setup, or will it over strain the chassis or tophat bolts? I took some pics of the process, notably the template and drilling of the chassis. I'll get those posted soon. http://postimg.org/gallery/2q15o03lk/ http://postimg.org/gallery/m117w8ry/

After doing some searching myself, I find that there's some good info out there among the Subie sites on swapping newer Suspension components into older Subies. I'm looking to swap out my city beaten 98 GF8 suspension, so I've done some info gathering and have come up with a pool of useful links for your typical GC8 or GF8 swaps. Maybe you'd like a lift for trail trekking, nab some Fozzie struts (Forester). Most Subie compents will bolt up, if not with some coaxing. I'd like to hear from some members that have done these kinds of swaps themselves, on what worked out for them and what didn't. Ideally, I'd appreciate a first hand account of the work and end result. http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showpost.php?p=18820009&postcount=7 General info on modifying the suspension on 93-2001 Impreza's of all trims Which came from this "will this suspension part fit my x Subaru?" http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?p=18820009#post18820009 http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/118004-the-unofficial-how-to-lift-your-impreza-thread/ the-unofficial-how-to-lift-your-impreza-thread http://www.rs25.com/forums/f105/t70898-diy-strut-spring-install-pics.html diy-strut-spring-install http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1589951 Assembling front strut http://bbs.legacycentral.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=45743 Info on Legacy strut top hats and springs, needed to fit GD WRX rear struts into a GC8/GF8 (at least that's one route) http://www.rs25.com/forums/f9/t109573-forester-struts-impreza-gc8.html forester-struts-impreza-gc8 http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2279833 What USDM Springs/Struts Will Fit a JDM '94 GC8? http://www.rs25.com/forums/f24/t96397-04-wrx-suspension-into-gf8.html http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1980173 GD suspension on a GC http://www.rs25.com/forums/f9/t200479-02-wrx-front-struts-l-rear.html Saggy rear, wrx front struts and stock rear struts http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1429052 Trailing link install tutorial

I'm looking to replace my struts/springs in my GF8 and have found a number of helpful threads on topic. I was split between forester struts, then WRX (found some locally), but now I think I'll go with KYB RS-spec oem style struts to forgo the hassle of tophats/springs. FYI, '89-'91 Legacy rear springs and top hats will work with WRX struts and bolt up to your car, but that's extra cash, time, and I guess the work isn;t very complicated to do. http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showpost.php?p=18820009&postcount=7 General info on modifying the suspension on 93-2001 Impreza's of all trims Which came from this "will this suspension part fit my x Subaru?" http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?p=18820009#post18820009 http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/118004-the-unofficial-how-to-lift-your-impreza-thread/ http://www.rs25.com/forums/f105/t70898-diy-strut-spring-install-pics.html http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1589951 Assembling front strut http://bbs.legacycentral.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=45743 Legacy strut swap info, for the top hats and springs you need (at least that's one route) http://www.rs25.com/forums/f9/t109573-forester-struts-impreza-gc8.html http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2279833 What USDM Springs/Struts Will Fit a JDM '94 GC8? http://www.rs25.com/forums/f24/t96397-04-wrx-suspension-into-gf8.html << Finna make an account and post here, you should. 2008 thread, with 2012 posts http://forum.wrx.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=77418 Rear WRX suspension in a GC/GF http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1980173 GD suspension on a GC http://www.rs25.com/forums/f9/t200479-02-wrx-front-struts-l-rear.html Saggy rear, wrx front struts and stock rear struts http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1429052 Trailing link install tutorial

What's your set-up for winter like (Subie)?

I might as well ask here, Just need a confirmation, assuming all other tire dimensions are matching, will a difference in width on one of the tire treads cause a problem? EDIT: I thought it over, and I think I have it down: A taller tire will rotate slightly more than it's paired opposite, because of the larger circumference. That, is detected as rotating more, hence, as if it were slipping. Having a taller tire will constantly engage the diff, if I have a slightly skinnier tire, or an unstudded+studded tire, one of them will rotate more than the other in certain driving conditions. While that's not as bad as constantly engaging the diff, it is engaging it more often than with matching tires. Looks like I should ditch my shaved tire, it needs studs + it is half an inch skinnier than my other tires (I love when manufacturer's mess with the tire dimensions and don't mention it) + difference in tire-wear ratings (I'm looking them up).

Really? An EJ22 hauled that weight around, reliably? Now I feel better about the treatment it's getting in my Impreza (98) :-D

Obligatory rear end tax, FairFax! The donut was on the rear, so of course the replacement must stay in its place for say 2-4 business days while the operator adjusts .

Gary! I updated my other thread, and wanted to check back up on this now that I have a slightly beefier tire on one corner of my car. I went the shaved route just to be clear. Could you confirm that they put the "taller" tires on the diagonal? I'm considering doing it, but would like to hear if that local shop does it for anyother reason than "it's better than having a pair of very worn pair of tires on one end of a car."

Forget to address this, if you haven't noticed the door sill sticker on your Subaru (at least the 90's gen), Subaru specifies a tire pressure of 32 for the front, and 29 for the rear, for this exact reason. That's what I have been doing, and readjusted to after swapping around my tires at present. Especially important with my deeper tires in the rear (by 2/32" max).

Finally uploaded the pics of the shaved tire, if anyone was curious. It's on the back with the other tire, coincidentally the pair with the most thread (slight difference). As you can see in the pictures, that's an extremely rough grazing of the tire! Holy ... I did not expect it to look like that. Due to the state of the thread and it's (slightly) greater depth, I'm going to drive around in FWD for about a week, at least until the next blizzard. I should be seeing improved fuel economy right?

Slight update, my family's Outback was taken in for "Oil Consumption Assessment/testing". I'll post more details when available, namely what in the world they'll have to say to mitigate... no, euphemise the situation .

"I personally don't recommend FairTax4Me's strategy either," You have a point about a spirited driver wearing a tire more evenly. However, those levels of spirit would be beating on this kind of car, with this age. Not recommended haha, but I do get you.

Yes, yes it does.

1/4" is measured by the tire circumference , not the thread depth. No doubt, 1/4" depth is basically a bald tire to me.

I had to call them, and I gave a tread depth. Chose a bit higher than what the rest are at.

It may have been misleading info, as there was a general trend of those complaints coming from individuals with high-mileage (by our standards) subarus, in which they resorted to keeping FWD on after discovering a bit of torque bind. Also, I've read and heard a notice from SOA mentioning that the FWD-mode is intended "for towing and diagnostic purposes" with no mention of DDing. I just turned on my FWD mode today, and rotated the other two tires. Dash light on.. front's a spinnin'.. I'm only driving like this til Friday. Thread update, ordered a shaved winter tire. It was about $125 including shipping to my local shop.

It's a 1998 (I think only the engine seals were changed up for that year, as per major changes), what I decided to do was purchased a different tread pattern snow tire, and order it shaved down to match. You mentioned a new tire working in a pinch, and for a second I thought about the $10-15 I would save by getting a matching Brand/model tire... but I suppose it's better to be safe than be sorry right? Like I mentioned in my other blowout thread, my drivetrain is solid right now.. it'd be nice to keep it that way. Thanks for the advice Gary, spot-on again

That's not exactly how under and over inflated tires wear, not evenly that is. Hence why I questioned your advice, and my suggested marginal pressure difference. For those wondering, under inflating a tire significantly will wear it at the edges, the shoulders. An over inflated tire suffers the same at the center of the thread, or if not properly aligned, the left portion or right portion of the thread, depending on the setup. I personally don't recommend FairTax4Me's strategy either, I think it's results have the same chance of helping as hurting your situation, whether it be a negligible difference on the drive train, or the adverse effect on your tires.

" Another option I see fit, is moving the new tire to the rear, and disabling AWD ==> FWD Am I wrong to have noticed a trend in members developing strange issues from prolonged "FWD enabled" usage? I've looked at the FWD fuse.. removal (or insertion?) in the past out of curiosity and picked up on a number of individuals developing torque bind. Maybe that information was misleading :/ still would like to hear your two cents on this, thanks. "