legacy lift

[subie69]

this is only my second post on here, im pretty new with this. but ive been reading on alot of forums and i just have a few questions for anyone who could help? i have a 1995 legacy sedan and its got a saggy butt on it and i wanna fix that but i also wanna lift it up some while im doing it. i have read that i could use 98 forester struts, or springs, or do i need both? can i just yous the 98 forester springs on my legacy struts? to lift the saggy but up? and if i do get the forester struts and springs to i use my tophats? there has also been people saying you can use outback struts and spring to put a small lift on it but i dont want to get the wrong year strut and spring to put on my car, so if anyone could tell me what year or what i need to fix at least the saggy butt on it thank you!!

[Legacy777]

I don't have any direct experience, but my recommendation would be to grab a set, front and rear struts, from whatever vehicle you decide. I don't see why you couldn't use OB struts on forester sprins, or vice versa.

Hopefully someone with direct experience can chime in.

[subie69]

do you think i could use my struts i have right now, but with forester or OB springs just to lift the saggy rear end back up?or do you have to use struts also? and if i get the springs and strut will my tophat work with them?

[kbeefy]

been a while since I brushed up on this, but here ya go.

Swapping springs might help you little, your springs could be overworked and worn out.
Most of the lift from the OB/Forester swap is from a different strut design, so without swapping struts not much happens.
Swapping struts sometimes neccesitates altering/replacing trailing arms and other bits, do so at your own risk...

[Shaggy]

So i have a 90 and not a 96 but i used 98 outback struts. I got them for 30 a piece for the rears and 40 each for the fronts from the junkyard conplete with struts springs and tophats. I put the fronts in just how they were but i had to use the rear tophats that were originaly on my car, due to my tophats being smaller where the spring seats into the tophat, i had to use my stock springs from my car too, my rear springs were taperd and the outback springs weren't. I got two inches of lift all around due tonthe struts being two inches bigger and my car sit level also. So from my experience the springs dont do much its the struts. But with your car sagging in the back that means ur springs are worn out and u need new springs. I dont know what kind of condition ur struts are in but if they are ok then all u need is new springs and ur car should sit level again. Even if ur struts are worthless ur car should still sit level with new springs. My car had horrible struts before i did the swap and it still sat level because my springs were still good. If u dont want to lift ur car then just get springs.

[subie69]

kbeefy and Shaggy, both my rear struts and springs are brand new.. i have big system in the trunk that weighs alot... (that's where i'm getting the sag) so if i get stiffer springs like out of a forester or an outback, it will even it out, but everything is brand new just sags cause of the weight i believe, but i would like to lift the whole car, but what i would like to do before that is just get it level again.. what year springs off a forester would fit my strut cause there new.. soo im just trying to find out what year? would fit my strut, cause i figure a stiffer/bigger spring will level it out with the weight i have in my car thank you

[subie69]

if anyone knows anything could you please let me know?

[kbeefy]

Check the susp. sticky for spring rates, I think wagon springs are a bit stronger.

[subie69]

just check for legacy wagon springs? or OB springs? does it matter what year?

[crawlerdan]

i have a 91 with outback struts, and my own design 1 inch spacers
i have nearly 14 inches ground clearance at the diff, and run 225-65-16 all terrains

[Shaggy]

Can i see some pics crawlerdan. I believe u can use any of the late 90's forester springs. But the best thing to do imo would be to get some outback struts and some wagon springs wether they be from an outback or forester.i believe the forester wil give u about 3/4 of an inch more than the outback springs would. I have a 90 legacy with outback struts and i have outback springs in the front and my original springs in the back because i had to use my tophats due to the pattern of the mounting bolts on the tophats and the tophats from mine are smaller than outbacks so my springs are taperd and the outbacks are not and my car sits level and i can load the back of my car up with hard wood (1/4 cord) with the back seats folded down and my back end barely sags. It mostly sags due to my tires.

[crawlerdan]

out back struts and forester struts yeild the same results- forester rear springs offer a little more spring rate but the front are about the same- ill have pics up soon. the top hat design is why ive made these spacers. at this point i believe i am they only company manufacturing spacers for the rear of these cars

[Shaggy]

Did u notch the rear holes for the tophats to fit? I know that the fronts are direct bolt in but the rears are i little different. Thats why i had to use the original rear tophats that were on my stock struts.

[crawlerdan]

no- i used original legacy top hats

[Shaggy]

How did u use the original tophats with the forester springs. Arent the springs the same as the outback springs, arent they more wide at the top than the legacy springs? I deffinatley need to see some pics.

[crawlerdan]

i didnt use forester springs in the rear, i simply stated that thier spring rates where a little higher then out backs


im using-1998 kyb gr2 outback struts all 4 corners
front springs and top hats are forester xt
rear springs and tophats are 91 leggo
all 4 corners have my own 1 inch strut spacers

[Shaggy]

Ohh alright.. I thought i might of misunderstanding somethin. How big are ur tires inch wise. I plan on getting some 195/75/14 bf goodrich at ko's cuz i dont want to get to big of tires and im not sure what sizes i can fit on there with 15 or 16 inch rims.

[crawlerdan]

i have 16 inch forester wheels with 225 65 16 general grabber at2

[Shaggy]

Did u have to trim ur fenders or anything like that.

[crawlerdan]

no, i took the mud flaps off in the rear, as they would contact on big hits, but after the spacer install, i bet they wouldnt

[subie69]

i didnt use forester springs in the rear, i simply stated that thier spring rates where a little higher then out backs


im using-1998 kyb gr2 outback struts all 4 corners
front springs and top hats are forester xt
rear springs and tophats are 91 leggo
all 4 corners have my own 1 inch strut spacers

in this post you said like what struts you used in front and back and what springs and tophats for each corner, what would i need to lift my car up for a little more offroad, i have a 95 which was the first year of the new body style, if you could tell me everything i would need to lift it up that would be awesome!! what springs and struts, and tophat and where they will fit thank you!

[crawlerdan]

exactly as i stated, but you can reuse your springs if you want, and top hats, you can also use forester or out back springs and top hats

[subie69]

so if i was to just go buy 4 outback struts for a ninety eight i could use my stock springs and tophats? and it would just bolt up? or could i use outback springs all the way around and just my tophats? would it make a difference if i bought just the struts and used my springs and tophats would i notice a differemce? sorry about all the questions i just dont want to spend the money and have the wrong parts or anything of that sort so i need all the help i can get, but are you sure the its no different for my body style?

[crawlerdan]

you can use your springs, or the outback, and your hats, or outback hats.
your 95 legacy is the same chassis as the late 90s outbacks, plug and play for you

i had to swap things around as i have a different chassis and the rear top hats are different

[subie69]

so a full 98 outback spring strut and tophat or just spring and strut would work with my tophats? i could put that on my car and it would just bolt up and lift without putting stress on my CV's?