1999 Outback - Loose clunky bump steery awful feeling steering. Help me get a replacement parts list going

[anchoricex]

Hi all, my 99 Outback is pretty annoying. I have my girlfriends 99 outback to compare it to, and her steering is very stiff, returns to center, and is everything I'd want in my steering. Mines at 160k so it's probably got a lot of worn stuff going on in there. Alignment is in check, I'd like to take a weekend to replace out just about everything I should to get my steering feeling nice again. Last weekend I took it on a gravel road and the amount of clunky sounds and bump steer was a horrifying experience. Alignment is perfect btw.

So far I've got inner tie rods and a transverse link bushings. Not so sure what the transverse link is but I've read forum posts saying the difference was night and day after changing it out. 

What else should I go for?

[lmdew]

Good visual inspection is first.

Don't waist your money buying parts, until you know what you need.

[nipper]

This can be as simple as rack bushings being tired.

 

There are many parts to the front end, and at 160K if you are keeping the car, rebuilding the front end isnt going to do any harm, but first, as Imdew said, you need to inspect it to see where the weakness is to begin with. 

 

Also unless you get the car on an alignment rack, you cant say the alignment is fine as something isnt. 

[lstevens76]

Personally for bump steering issues I would start with ball joints and possibly struts. But look up how to properly inspect and test them before spending money on them.

Edited July 14, 2015 by lstevens76