Converting AWD 91 Legacy wagon to FWD

[regencyred]

Hi,
Thanks for the responses about the fuel tank.

I want to convert to FWD to save gas.
Is it just a matter of leaving off the driveshafts and differential?

Is there an electrical or computer factor to consider?

Thanks, Craig NY

[evolutionmovement]

The easiest way is to replace the transmission with a fwd unit and remove the driveshaft. You'll still be moving some extra weight around with the rear diff, though, and you might want to change out the front axles to the stronger fwd ones. If you have an automatic, I don't know if there's anything you'd have to do electrically. Manual transmissions are straight forward. That said, it may not really be worth the time and money. You'll only be looking at maybe a couple mpgs and changing transmissions will cost you (or maybe you could trade) plus time to do it. You'd have to drive a lot to make up the difference and then the car is less salable. There are usually fwds around and they're usually cheaper. Adjusting driving technique is free. Aero mods would also maybe be cheaper and might net you about the same improvement, but only if you mostly do highway.

The first huge mistake Subaru made, I think, is to drop fwd. I've only owned fwds and only wished for awd when I tried using performance tires in the snow. My GLs would punch out of snow banks after being plowed in on the street with just a couple moves back and forth and all of them embarrassed most SUVs in the snow with halfway decent tires. Also, I never bought a snow tire for any of them and didn't need them. To be able to sell a model for a grand or so less with an extra couple mpgs couldn't hurt sales. I can see why they made the marketing decision at the time and sales certainly didn't suffer, but times change and I think they should reintroduce fwd as a lower priced option. But what do I know? They make cars I utterly despise now and they sell more of them than they ever have, but I guess ugly, boring cars have sold well for a long time.

[sqc151]

waste of time, money and car. sell it and get a fwd model. dont tear down an already hard to find car that IS awd.