Front strut install HELP

Drifting STi · Post by **Drifting STi** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 3:53 am

The 19MM bolt and nut that hold the bottom of the strut are frozen. I sprayed penitrating lube, banged on it, used an electric impact wrench, stood on a breaker bar. What else should I try?

BTW the rear install went fairly well. I installed STi springs, strut tops, and struts. WAOH The wagon feels so much better and thats just the rear! Almost like the STi!

Post by **Legacy777** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 4:03 am

Put a cheater bar on a craftsman or other lifetime guaranteed breaker bar

Drifting STi · Post by **Drifting STi** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 4:39 am

okay...whats a cheater bar? Where do i get one? Can you post a picture of it?

ultrasonic · Post by **ultrasonic** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 4:45 am

A cheater bar is another name for a breaker bar- you use it to break loose difficult fasteners. It is a socket drive, usually 1/2", connected to a long handle, anywhere from 18" to 24" or more. It is not a ratchet, just a square drive that pivots.

A google search turns up the following:

http://www.azpartsmaster.com/shopazp/de ... D=PAS53118

Drifting STi · Post by **Drifting STi** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 4:49 am

Thanx fellas

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 5:05 am

A cheater bar can also be a big length of iron or steel pipe to slip over the handle of a breaker bar. I think that is what Josh was talking about.

Are you using good penetrating lubricant? PB Blaster? Kroil?

Post by **Legacy777** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 6:43 am

vrg3 wrote:A cheater bar can also be a big length of iron or steel pipe to slip over the handle of a breaker bar. I think that is what Josh was talking about.

Are you using good penetrating lubricant? PB Blaster? Kroil?

Yup, that's what I was talking about. Just get a big pipe.

LaureltheQueen · Post by **LaureltheQueen** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 6:27 pm

We use jack handles here. they're very effective

Drifting STi · Post by **Drifting STi** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 9:44 pm

I managed to get the bolts off with a 18" craftsman breaker bar and a "cheater bar".

BUT!!! The STi springs need STi Top hats which I didn't have. I had to put everything back together until I'mm able to get my hands on them.

The following pictures are of the STi strut tops and Legacy strut tops. These are the same.

These are the STi springs and Legacy TOP HATS which won't fit the srings!

dzx · Post by **dzx** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 9:59 pm

Is that a dog's paw in the 2nd picture?

Drifting STi · Post by **Drifting STi** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 10:12 pm

LOL yeah, Anyone need a choc Lab? Take her PLEASE!

Chef · Post by **Chef** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 10:19 pm

At leats now those bolts will be a little easier to remove next time. When you put it back together proper, use some anti-seize on the bolts. Makes life a lot easier later on!

Drifting STi · Post by **Drifting STi** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 12:20 am

I'll have to get some anti seize......I dont have any. I hope I wont have to ever remove them.

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 1:52 am

You'll have to loosen and tighten them to align the car.

I think you can use any Impreza front top hats.

Drifting STi · Post by **Drifting STi** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 1:53 am

vrg3 wrote:I think you can use any Impreza front top hats.

Thanx for the tip. But I want to be sure before I take it apart AGAIN!

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 2:05 am

I'm 99% sure.

Drifting STi · Post by **Drifting STi** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 2:08 am

Thank You.

Drifting STi · Post by **Drifting STi** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 9:46 pm

OKAY Fellas!

Maybe you guys can help me out in this. I did the STi rear strut install everything came out fine. Except now I have the ABS light on.

I did remove the front struts and reinstall them because I didn't have the proper top hats. Could I have messed up the ABS sensor cable in the process? It looks fine to me.

I believe the Legacy has ABS in the front only right?

Any help would be appreciated

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 10:02 pm

All four wheels have ABS. No vehicle has front-only ABS as far as I know.

You may have damaged one of the sensors or the cables. The ABS computer can tell you why it's throwing the trouble code -- search for older posts about that.

But first, take a voltmeter and check your battery voltage, especially if you left the battery hooked up and a door open while you did the work or something. If system voltage is low, that could make the ABS computer fail to run. And, of course, it could eventually make your car fail to run.

Drifting STi · Post by **Drifting STi** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 10:37 pm

Thank you,

I'll keep searching.

Next time I' ll just pay the professionals to do the job!.

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 10:45 pm

Hang in there. I messed up an ABS sensor in an axle swap too. You're learning with this job and it'll make you better equipped to do the next one.

Drifting STi · Post by **Drifting STi** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 10:54 pm

if its a sensor how much is it to replace?

BTW the search turn up a Self diagnosis sheet with all the codes!

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 11:32 pm

I think they're expensive when new, and hard to remove without breaking, but you could just swap in a used hub from a junkyard that already has the sensor on it.

Yeah, ain't searching grand?

Drifting STi · Post by **Drifting STi** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 11:45 pm

Holy s*** I cant believe this!

I checked under the passenger seat. There is a small flap but no module with an LED. Its just a wire in there with no box! The rug has the cut out for the box but its missing! I checked all the sensor wires and nothing is broken or shorted....I might have to pay someone to diagnos it.

I cant believe I messed up my car! Fix one thing and break another. I hate that!

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 11:53 pm

I think you might be a little confused. The box is under the carpet. When you lift up that flap you can barely see the LED if it's lit. You can't actually see the computer without removing the seat and part of the carpet.

When I need to read a trouble code from the ABS computer I usually wait until it's very dark outside and then hold a mirror up by the flap so I can see the LED better.

Did you check system voltage? If that's the problem the LED won't do anything at all.

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Front strut install HELP

Front strut install HELP