'05 OBXT handling concerns

[BlackWagon GT]

Just picked up the car a couple weeks ago. I've already taken it on a 1,000 mile road trip, but I'm still learning what is "normal". I previously owned an '05 Legacy GT wagon and '06 Legacy 2.5i, so I'm somewhat familiar with the platform.

 

The car has 136k miles and for all intents and purposes is bone stock. I was told all four shocks/struts were replaced at around 100k. Not sure what brand; possibly Subaru parts.

 

Here's what I'm experiencing: The car gets easily upset over bumps, especially in corners. It wallows more than I expected, and the back end feels like it steps out; I have to correct with steering to keep in in a straight line. It feels like the rear shocks are weak.

 

I've gone over the suspension front to back and the only things I found obviously wrong were a little play in the right front wheel bearing and the rear stabilizer bushings have some wear, which I wouldn't expect to affect handling THAT much. Shocks/struts pass the bounce test and visually look good.

 

The steering wheel is slightly off center, maybe 5° to the left, so I plan on getting an alignment done. The tires (Yokohama YK580, I seem to remember these are OEM type?) don't have uneven wear, so I'm not too concerned about a rear toe issue, but it is something I considered.

 

Is there anything I should take a closer look at that may not reveal itself through normal means? Or is that just the way the car is when it's stock?

[MilesA]

The Outback wallows from the factory, unfortunately.

 

Most of the symptoms you are describing sounds like a combination of poorly matched shocks and undersized rear anti-sway bar. You also have higher profile tires than the LGT, a few extra PSI would not hurt anything. Check your alignment.

 

Many of the Legacy GT suspension components can be fitted to the Outback. You can find several long threads here of people's experiences with various combinations.

[xt2005bonbon]

When the rear gets 'upset', it is when the suspension compresses a bit and the tires toe in, thereby making the car handle weird for that split second.

 

The rear shocks from factory are, for a lack of a better word, crap! That's why I am doing this: http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/bonbons-bilstein-bts-kit-260197.html

[BlackWagon GT]

Thank you both for the input and direction. In terms of parts, I'll probably go the KYB GR-2/Excel-G route to start. I had them on my wagon and was pretty happy with how they performed.

 

After that, the next logical step seems like it ought to be the sway bar. Even just replacing the bushings and reinforcing the brackets could do some real positive improvements.

 

The Bilstein JDM setup sounds fantastic, but the price tag is a bit rich for my budget.

[xt2005bonbon]

I know it is expensive. I waited 8 years! Before that, I did what you are planning to do. Still was not happy. But keep in mind I am used to carry lots of things in my trunk.

[jonnyt88]

Thank you both for the input and direction. In terms of parts, I'll probably go the KYB GR-2/Excel-G route to start. I had them on my wagon and was pretty happy with how they performed.

 

As others have mentioned, the outback stock setup was not that great. GR2s are OEM Comparable, so you may have the same results.

 

Unless you mean Legacy GR2s, in which case you will need a few other parts and will likely see an improvement.

[rougeben83]

You have a couple of problems going on at the same time, all from worn suspension components. The wallow is likely from worn shocks/struts, the stepping out you are experiencing is something called "ghostwalking" and usually due to shocks, and worn bushings in the rear - the most important one is the front bushing in the rear control arm/swing arm. It has voids like the big bushings in the front control arms and it will tear in higher mileage cars. Replace both front and rear control arm bushings along with the struts.

[BlackWagon GT]

As others have mentioned, the outback stock setup was not that great. GR2s are OEM Comparable, so you may have the same results.

 

Unless you mean Legacy GR2s, in which case you will need a few other parts and will likely see an improvement.

 

You answered a question I hadn't gotten around to asking yet. I was wondering if the GR2s would actually make a difference since KYB advertises them as you described. I found a post where someone used '04 struts and that made a difference. What's needed for the Legacy struts? Top mount spacers?

 

You have a couple of problems going on at the same time, all from worn suspension components. The wallow is likely from worn shocks/struts, the stepping out you are experiencing is something called "ghostwalking" and usually due to shocks, and worn bushings in the rear - the most important one is the front bushing in the rear control arm/swing arm. It has voids like the big bushings in the front control arms and it will tear in higher mileage cars. Replace both front and rear control arm bushings along with the struts.

 

Yes, I agree that is what it feels like. Like I said, the struts are new enough that I wouldn't immediately fault them due to age, and the bushings all look intact with no excessive play while shaking down the suspension. (Granted, if I'd used something like a prybar for more force/leverage, maybe something would have made itself obvious.)

[rougeben83]

In my experience, you can't really tell if those style of bushings are worn until its *really* bad. There's too many links in the rear suspension to induce enough play without a prybar. I couldn't induce play in mine, but when we removed the bushing, the inner sleeves of each bushing literally fell out of the car.

[BlackWagon GT]

I figure I may as well give an update on this since I've dedicated a significant amount of time to working on the car over the last few weeks. This is what I've found so far, and I'm not done yet.

 

• Both front wheel bearings went out at basically the same time, with the right front being worse with axial play.
  
• Right front ball joint had play.
  
• Both front lower control arm rear bushings were almost completely torn out.
  
• Right rear trailing arm forward bushing separated from its sleeve and shifted laterally, affecting toe.
  
• Right rear upper lateral link inner bushing had no torsional resistance whatsoever, completely sheared.
  

I haven't taken the left side rear trailing arm out yet, but I'm expecting to find more of the same.