Tell me about Gen 3 OBW rear suspension

[jonbfish]

Bought a used 07 2.5 Basic a while back, has been ok since I have a short commute and its usually just me but had two adults in the back seat recently and yeah, need to do something. I believe I saw on here years ago that the gen 2 was a better setup and could be swapped in, is that correct? Just look up the OEM part numbers and order from Subaru? Any preferred aftermarket brands or any of the chain repair shops have a good option? Not really looking for different performance, just want quality and longevity.

Looks like it's a fairly easy job to DIY, just struts and springs? Or is there a full swap assembly worth buying? Any other parts to check or just replace when doing it? Appreciate any advice, tips, or recommendations. Thanks, this place is the best.

[el_freddo]

Gen 2 and Gen 3 Liberty/Outback platforms are completely different in the rear end. 

To swap in a Gen 2 rear suspension you’ll be welding some strut towers into the back of the Gen3 to accommodate the MacPherson style struts. Not worth it in my book. 

You’d be better off replacing all of your bushes in the suspension, front and rear. This will refresh the handling and a new set of springs and shocks will further complement the ride quality. Well worth the effort. 

All the best with it! 

Cheers 

Bennie

[88SubGL]

You really didn’t specify what the problem was? 

[jonbfish]

The issue is the rear shocks were close to/bottoming out with a few passengers, and when I had it aligned last they said there isn't a camber adjustment which basically means the springs are worn. I thought it was pretty common for this gen of outback to have the sagging rear suspension and am looking for the best replacement thoughts, assuming that just replacing the parts with normal OEM or having Midas do it would lead back to the same problem. Maybe the design is just flawed and there isn't anything different that that can be done.

[jonbfish]

Went back and found this about the swap:

On 10/12/2020 at 12:53 PM, idosubaru said:

05-09s kind of suck relative to other years. They’re struts, power steering are garbage compared to 00-04s. Any 05-09 I get I can assume those trash items will need replaced, and it’s not like they’re any better in some way that makes it a trade off. 00-04 (or baja) struts are commonly installed as upgrades (direct swap) over 05-09s struts.  and plan on $300 OEM steering pump or replacing aftermarket a few times to get a good new one. Wheel bearings are also more likely to fail.  Those aren’t big deals and easily remedied in a way but they have no advantage to 00-04s....except they are newer.

If it were for my family/friends I’d get a nice low mileage 00-04 southern/western rust free 03-04 Outback all day long over a lower grade 05-09.  Fly or have it shipped - do whatever you need. I shipped a Forester like 400 miles this summer for like $350. Dirt cheap and expands my range for a better deal in the end. 

Or spring for a 2017+.  In between is no mans land. Limited advantages for a little lower maintenance and reliability.  

 

[el_freddo]

If your springs are worn get some upgraded aftermarket units. Kings springs if available over in the states would be a good start. 

A new set of struts could help improve the handling/driving feel too. 

But as I said earlier, new suspension bushes all round will go a long way to restoring the driving experience your vehicle originally gave, if not making it better again. 

How far has your Subi travelled? 

Cheers 

Bennie

[jonbfish]

The body has 230,000 miles but a new short block at 200,000, King springs look like they are quality but maybe a little stiff for me. Now thinking I'll go with the KYB full assemblies. For the bushings do you think something like this https://www.energysuspensionparts.com/19.3105?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMImeuc3rekiQMVUAytBh2PnABnEAQYBSABEgKIEPD_BwE  makes sense? Or do you have something else you would recommend?

Appreciate the help Bennie!

[idosubaru]

You could inspect the bushings first and see if they're a problem, though sometimes they're not easy to diagnose. 

To clarify - the Subaru OEM struts for that year are prone to wear at 60k-100k, earlier than most subaru struts so they're annoying to me for that reason but not bad struts compared to any other vehicle. And there's no guarantee the KYB offering for the same year is the identical strut to the OEM.  It may be the case that the KYB 05-09 rear struts are more similar to the 00-04 KYB than they are to the OEM 05-09.  But seeing as how few people buy Subaru struts, the KYB earlier ones are good options.

Subaru springs are sometimes reasonably priced, i've bought a variety of legacy and turbo 05-09 springs and they're not expensive from Subaru.

Never tried the KYB assemblies, just the struts and top hats. 

 

[jonbfish]

Appreciate the clarification. I'm going to get under it this weekend and see if I can get a feel for the bushings. I have a feeling some are probably worn out after that was mentioned. I'm guessing that if I go the assembly route that I will have to get the 05-09 ones as it sounds like its only the struts that are a direct swap and not the rest. Thanks for all the leads.

[lmdew]

Hope you have been soaking them in PB Blaster or something like that.  Rust belt.

[el_freddo]

Aftermarket KYB struts are gas filled. OEM KYB struts are oil filled. Something to keep in mind there. 

We put superpro or Nolthane poly bushes in my sister’s Gen3 RX Liberty (Legacy) a number of years ago. It drives beautifully now! 

I can’t vouch for the product in that link. It’s each to their own with the type of bush to use. Personally I like the Nolthane, many consider these too harsh etc. I’ve not had that experience in my off-roader L series, or my sister’s RX Liberty; I think they’re a great product. 

Stiffer springs will generally mean better handling, the trade off might be a firmer ride. For a road going vehicle that’s not a bad thing as the stock springs are a compromise between handling and ride comfort for the general consumer. An uprated spring goes a long way for better handling/performance.

Cheers 

Bennie