Bad struts on a 92 Legacy Wagon. Upgrade for towing?

[gnuman]

the left rear strut is starting to bind (creak), so I'll be needing new struts very soon now. I'd like to put something stiffer on the rear and leave the front as standard, if this is at all advisable, that is. . .

I was also considering changing two struts at a time (rears first, then the fronts) Any problems with this?

I'll be towing with this car so I was thinking that a stiffer rear could not hurt. Could it? will this throw off the balance of the car badly? will ride and handling suffer badly when I do not have a trailer on the back of it?

I was considering AGX on the rear and GR2 on the front. . .

Details of the car: 92 Legacy L Wagon AWD EJ22, 5MT, Class II hitch (soon to have a roof rack as well), 148,000 miles, strong runner. (Oh, and it is running the standard 14" wheels)

[Legacy777]

I'd strongly recommend against running stiffer on the rear...or at least too stiff. Your car will be rather tail happy. The GR2's are basically like running an AGX at the middle point. So unless you plan to adjust the struts, I'd just get 4 GR2's and call it done. Replace all four at once.

As for the towing....springs hold the car up, not struts. So if you're loading the rear down by towing....you'd want stiffer springs. The flip side to that....if you get super stiff springs, you need stiffer struts to control those springs....or you'll get the bouncies like the hondas that have the cut springs.

What are you planning to toe?

[gnuman]

Planning on towing a small camping trailer, or utility trailer filled with stuff. Also looking at using the Legacy to tow a dolly with other Subarus on it so I can repair them. Too many people "just give up" on thier Legacies (or other Subarus) thinking that the repair is more than the value of the car, or they just never get around to it. I want to take these cars and repair them, then put them back on the road. Looking at this, there will be a bit of weight on the back of the car, and I was looking at compensating for that. You say that putting stiffer on the rear is not a good idea (I was thingking of the AGX in the rear so I could stiffen them up when towing and set them for even when I was not), then would towing heavy trailers cause a more frequent wearing out of the rear struts? I was thinking of replacing two at a time as I cannot afford all 4 at the same time (I need to save even for the 2 at a time). By "tail happy" do you mean that the rear would bounce all over the road? If not what effect do you mean by this?

[Legacy777]

By tail happy I mean that the car will be prone to oversteer, and the rear end will break loose around corners. Similarly to how older RWD cars handled.

Again I'll say, springs hold your car up, struts don't. So getting stiffer struts without stiffer springs really will do nothing to increase or aid in towing.

If all you can afford is to get the rears right now, then go that route. Anything is better then worn struts.

[scottzg]

He has a 92- no rear swaybar. It's gonna take a lot of spring before it becomes dangerously oversteery. I'd slap in some stiffer springs and matched struts and just be aware of it.


Finding uprated springs may be the tricky bit.

[evolutionmovement]

The struts do offer some support to the springs. My car lost its sag after replacing worn hydraulic struts with GR2s even with my sister's fat 'special friend' sitting in back.

Steve

[206er]

just out of curiousity what do you tow with a legacy?

[gnuman]

just out of curiousity what do you tow with a legacy?

The Legacy has a similar towing capacity as my minivan, actually. . . .

What do i tow? Trailers full of stuff, towing dollies with cars perched on them, pop-up travel trailers (if you want to talk about without using the hitch, Jeeps, Expeditions, Pickup trucks, just about anything that breaks down in a bad place, and needs to be pulled to a safe place. . . )

This is a Legacy wagon with a 5 speed. I used to drive trucks that had less power per pound. . .

[gnuman]

OK, I've been asking around, and all I hear is KYB, KYB, KYB. . .
Is this the only option for good struts for my 92 wagon? Are there any other brands that are anywhere near as good? I'm looking for something that is well suited to hard usage, preferably adjustable for the back.

[scottzg]

Agx is adjustable, and koni inserts are an option.

Monroe, gabriel, etc, the bbs is not as fond of.

[gnuman]

Agx is adjustable, and koni inserts are an option.

Monroe, gabriel, etc, the bbs is not as fond of.

So what you are saying is that KYB has proven themselves to be the best strut for the money, right? If so, I'll go with my plan of the AGX rear and GR2 front mix (yes I know this is not recomended, but from what I've heard on here, the second to lowest setting on the AGX is the same as the GR2. I'll use that for around town, ans stiffen them up when there is a load on the car.

[scottzg]

Yep, kyb is proven.

Sounds like a good plan, im sure you're aware that the rear end will still hang low when you're towing, but movement will be reduced.

IMHO, no harm will come to you if you uprate the rear springs, if you can find stiffer ones.

[gnuman]

Sounds like a good plan, I'm sure you're aware that the rear end will still hang low when you're towing, but movement will be reduced.

Yes, this is what I"m expecting and aiming for. As for stiffening the rear springs, how about those spacers that are used for this purpose? Do they work for this application? I could bolt a couple of those in on each side to stiffen the springs. . .

[professor]

Why mix the AGX and GR-2, we are talking a difference of only 50 bucks here, and in my experience the AGX is handy to be able to adjust, both front and rear. For me, it helped find the right setting for my springs and driving conditions, they are set softer now for winter but will get upped a notch in the spring.

I put the rear struts on first and didn't sweat the mix. It drove much better than with worn rears, and of course much better again when I got around to the fronts.

BTW I cut just over 1/2 coil off of all my springs, which gives a ride about 3/4" lower, and by math 15% stiffer or so. It works very well but I wouldn't do it on obviously worn or saggy springs. I did not want to have springs that were too low and wanted a little more stiffness, so this worked very well for me, no problems and the car looks better too.

No one answered the thread about later model Outback springs, but it seems they might be stiffer because the cars are heavier, but I don't know where to find that info.

[gnuman]

Why mix the AGX and GR-2, we are talking a difference of only 50 bucks here, and in my experience the AGX is handy to be able to adjust, both front and rear. For me, it helped find the right setting for my springs and driving conditions, they are set softer now for winter but will get upped a notch in the spring.

Which is $100 for the pair. This makes it a lot more dificult than the mix for me. I have to scratch for every penny I put into the car. I can justify the AGX in the rear as that is a more utilitarian mod than just performance. Increasing performance would not be a good argument with my family anyway (they say I've started driving a lot faster with this car as is. They are probably right too. The car handles well enough to justify it, even with bad struts )

[WagonMafia]

OK, here's one. I need to move across the country. Ive got GR2s all around with Tein s-tech springs or an 02 WRX (2in drop), would it be recommended by anyone to put a hitch on my car and tow a u haul 4x8 trailer...?

[Legacy777]

How much weight in the trailor?

If you've lowered the cars much, I'd be very cautious about towing a trailer.

[WagonMafia]

OOOOOHHHHH no much, My tool cart, a EJ22T with a stand, misc SS parts, and king sized bed with box springs... lol most likely too much weight. I have no plan to put helper bags in the rear or for that matter modify the car from its current state, so the trailer thing is probably out of the question. The Tools alone in the box weigh 500lbs.

[Legacy777]

Yeah, I'd say the trailer thing is a no go

[gnuman]

Holy resurrected thread Batman! The engine and transmission on these cars will pull a lot more than the suspension can handle. GR2s is good, but not the 2" lowering. you will be constantly bottoming out the struts, and will likely cause damage to the car that way, not to mention the likelihood of loosing control if that trailer is not balanced perfectly.

[WagonMafia]

good call. it was worth opening the topic though, 'cuz who the hell knows?

[WagonMafia]

another thought, i have my stock springs sitting in a box waiting to go to the scrapyard... gr2s with stock springs all around, haul a small uhaul trailer? do what i have to i suppose...

[gnuman]

Stock springs with gr-2's should do fine for a small trailer. be careful to balance it properly or it may try to get away from you. . .

[WagonMafia]

annnnd that would be bad kids.