front shocks or struts

[Bassnectar]

My car bounces up front like it is only riding the springs, the rear shocks seem okay.

 

what part am i looking at to restore ride quality? Do i need shocks or are subarus struts and shocks interconnected

 

 

My question is because on rockauto

 

For shock absorbers there is only 1 type Part # 854 by a few companies.. so im wondering if in the 2nd gen sedan there are 4 of those, or if they are only for the rear.

 

Basically want my car to stop feeling like a boat and bobbing up and down on the street,

 

Like as i accelerate it feels like the front end is lifting up a bit which is actually kinda cool but if i go down a curb its not so enjoyable....

[Platinum_Racing]

Ok, here is the rundown.....

 

Struts ARE shocks. Struts are shocks with built in coilover springs. A strut is literally, a shock with a spring around it.

 

A Shock is pretty much the same thing except it is literally just the shock. Whereas a strut has the spring mounts as a separate unit, a shock has the spring mounts (Or "hats") welded onto it.

 

For example, a 1995 F150 has shocks. The springs are separate parts from the shocks. In the front the springs are mounted next to the shocks. In the rear the shocks are in their usual place with leaf springs to support the axle.

 

A Lotus 7 uses coil-over suspension, which is literally, a separate shock with a separate spring around it. It looks like a strut, only the spring and shock aren't physically touching one another. A Chevy Astrovan also uses coil-over suspension. The shocks are mounted inside the springs, but the assemblies are separate, and either one could function without the other. You can't have a strut without a spring, and you can't have a spring without a shock in the strut setup.

 

 

The 1998 Legacy has struts, which have the springs mounted to the shocks. The struts are pretty much shocks, only the springs are supported by these struts instead of the car. Cars with struts usually have McPherson struts, which is the most common type of strut. the McPherson strut uses a coilover shock and spring combo with the strut to control camber as well as other alignment characteristics. For example, the 1993 Chevy Astrovan used a coilover suspension, which could be considered a regular strut since the spring was mounted to the shock. It is not considered a McPherson strut because it had a separate upper control arm designed to hold the suspension in place. A McPherson strut is a strut which also supports suspension function and geometry. A regular coilover just supports the weight of the car, while separate suspension parts are used to control suspension geometry.

 

I'll post the correct parts for you in a minute.

[Platinum_Racing]

I checked Rock Auto....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The only parts I could find under your search terms were strut related.

 

If you search 1998 Legacy GT Strut Assembly the only parts that show up are struts as far as I've seen.

 

I'd go with either Monroe or KYB. They are way better than AC Delco. The only thing to remember when installing struts is to get spring compressors and remember to install the springs onto the struts correctly. Spring compressors can be rented from Advance Auto Parts for a $50 deposit. You get all $50 back when you return the tool, so it's very worth it. Just make sure you get the spring onto the strut as close as possible compared to the way it came off. If it's a little off you can always tweek it when installing the part, but you don't want to kill yourself. Also, MAKE SURE TO MARK THE UPPER STRUT BOLTS TO THE HUB WITH A MARKER OR YOU'RE GOING TO NEED A NEW ALIGNMENT!!!! The upper bolt that holds the strut to the knuckle is eccentric, which means it's position is vital to maintain proper alignment. Mark the bolt, and the knuckle properly before EVEN TOUCHING this bolt. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL RESULT IN BALD FRONT TIRES WITHIN THE NEXT 5-10k MILES!!!!!

 

 

 

Good luck. It's not a hard thing.

[Bassnectar]

i was planning on going with kyb struts, just finding shock absorbers for 50$ a pop seemed a better deal to me than redoing all struts.

 

Since my car only needs front shocks/struts, i should be alright in only replacing the front.?

the kyb wont set my car off balance, or make it lean to the front at all if i end up using stock springs will it?

 

I dont have any desire to lower my car, I live near the mountains and rather have useful awd than a show car

 

 

and the best deal seems to be on ebay for the kyb Gr2 struts.. just im broke and weighing my options

 

I need new brake pads and tires soon so my best option seems to save up and get it all done at once. where the tires need to come off anyways

 

 

Im looking to become mechanically inclined so may attempt doing the work myself and try to intice my mechanic friend to give me a hand however I for sure would get an alignment on the same day (new tires.... cant ruin those) and would also get the mechanic to torque the wheels on to proper specification.

[Osei]

don't get an alignment the same day. Run a week or so to let the struts settle in. Then an alignment.

 

O.

[Bassnectar]

okay so im gonna run my crappy tires for a week or two , then new tires and alignment seems the best solution

[Osei]

You do not need to get an alignment after new tires alone.

 

Enjoy the better ride with the new struts.

 

O.

[Platinum_Racing]

New struts wouldn't affect the ride height of the car. Its the springs that lower the car, so you're good in that department.

 

All struts (Unless it's a Monroe Quick-Strut) don't come with the spring or the upper hat. You're going to reuse the stock springs no matter what you buy, but KYB are good struts anyway.

 

You will be fine in just replacing the two. I replaced my rear struts in my Subaru, and more recently just the rear shocks in my Pathfinder and still noticed a great difference. If you stumble across the money, buying all 4 will greatly improve the ride. The struts may not feel worn in the back, but they most likely are. Shocks and struts are some of the fastest wearing items on a car, but people rarely replace them when they're supposed to because they don't notice that they're worn, or they just figure they're not important enough. Whatever the case, replace the fronts now then if you have the cash in the future do the backs as well. You'll poo your pants when you feel the difference in cornering and bump handling.

 

If you need to rent a spring compressor, get one from Advance Auto Parts. They charge a $50 deposit up front, but you get all $50 back when you return the tool. Its worth every penny. I rented one when doing my struts and it worked great. I found it works even better when you use an impact wrench to screw down the bolts on the spring compressor.