Lifting/stiffening '01 OBW rear suspension

[jonathan909]

My second '01 H6 OBW HG job of the summer is done and seems to be running well, so back to this...

What year range of Forester will yield suitable springs for this?  There's a pretty decent assortment from '98-'11 in the local P'n'P yards at the moment, and it would be great to fetch a set before the snow falls and working out there becomes unpleasant.

[heartless]

looking at opposed forces diagrams, looks like the first model year of the "shock" style rear suspension is going to be 2008-ish (manufacturing date of Nov 2007 and beyond)

before that shows the larger style struts

http://opposedforces.com/parts/forester/

might be aware that USDM had a recall on 2013-2015 models for spring problems.. not sure about Canadian models

Edited October 7, 2022 by heartless

[idosubaru]

On 9/16/2022 at 9:51 AM, jonathan909 said:

Thanks.  I'm going to cast about for the Baja Turbo springs, but at first glance that doesn't look like an easy acquisition - Bajas are pretty rare (at least around here, and none listed in either of the local P'n'P's inventory), making a turbo tougher yet.  Rock doesn't list springs for them, and I shudder to think what a dealer will ask.  I'll check with the usual local aftermarket parts shops today and maybe see if the full-service wreckers have anything.  Previously unfamiliar with King - that experiment looks like it'll cost as much as the car did, esp. factoring in shipping from Oz...

Any hints where I might have better luck looking?

Stateside they're in the $50's from Subaru, that's where I get them. I think they were $40 last time I did it. 

[jonathan909]

On 9/16/2022 at 2:15 PM, jonathan909 said:

Availability:  The dealer tells me that Baja parts are being discontinued fast, but they do have a few pieces of the 20380AE50A spring at a reasonable price - $104 canuck.  Curiously, they also have one piece of the 20380AE52A for a little more ($114) but have no indication what the difference is, if any.

To close the loop on this:  Figured it was time to stop thinking about it and actually do it, since I just completed a 12-day road trip carrying a lot of stuff and pulling a boat, during which the RR wheel well was within a cm of the tire - turns out that in addition to being old and soft, a little less than a turn had broken off of the bottom of the spring (it was intact when I replaced the shocks last summer).  When I called the dealer to place an order, the parts guy asked for the last eight, and I don't have a Baja, so I called my buddy who does and he supplied his... and the parts guy said that it listed the 20380AE39A spring, which only confused things.  So I ordered two of the 50A, and the idiots in the (Portland?) warehouse shipped one, and I put it in yesterday and it fits fine and looks great, though I won't really know until I load it up.  But if it's stiffer, I should be made in the shade.