Do early Impreza struts fit in L towers ?

discopotato03 · Post by **discopotato03** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 4:22 pm

Hi all , I'd like to gather the last bits needed to fit the CrossBred 5 stud kit to my RX . I need to find a pair of std front struts complete that will go straight into the front of my L series and not hit anything . Its not important if the spring and damper rates are not right because initially it just needs to be usable .

Do early Impreza struts have springs that are smaller diameter at the top and clear everything inside the L tower ? Can anyone tell me if the ride height is somewhere near std for an RX , the wheels I'm using for starters are MY00 WRX 16 x 7 and 205/50 tyres so it can't sit down low .

Also just in case anyone else didn't realise Gee tells me that I have to use early 2WD Liberty outer CV joints , I had thought the L RX turbo ones were the same but apparently they don't suit the Lib/Imp upright .

Thanks in advance , cheers Adrian .

Chris_Rogers · Post by **Chris_Rogers** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 9:40 pm

2nd gen liberty will fit in. ride height on mine is close to original. as for axles see my thread on driveshafts IF you are using the EJ driveline.
I have the same set of wheels on mine with the same size rubber. all clears nicely on the front - rear will need rolling as it will hit when loaded.

questions - just ask

legacytt · Post by **legacytt** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 9:21 am

Impreza will fit as they have a taipered spring so no fouling issues. Gen 1 Liberty won't without a lift.

discopotato03 · Post by **discopotato03** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 1:22 pm

Hi Chris , LegacyTT , the gearbox will be a full time L one so Gee tells me that I just use RX or Turbo Vortex shafts with the outer CV's changed to early Lib 2WD which match the shafts and hub/upright assembly .

2G Liberty struts/springs , I am interested to know how an RX (L series any way) rides with your combination parts . I didn't set out to buy 7" rims but at the time the price was too good to pass up . What era and designation is 2G Lib ?

I've also noticed that my RX is very much affected weight wise at the back , I can tell by looking at if if the tank is full or near empty . I will probably need to use slightly uprated but shorter rear springs and tenders so that they don't "fall out" at full droop .

Does anyone know where in Sydney its possible to obtain usable std 2nd hand second gen Liberty strut assemblies ? The wrecker I've used in the past is Pick and Payless at Blacktown but most of their Subie cars are L/MY/1st gen Liberty . Or if anyone has a pair for sale I'm all ears .

Cheers and thanks , Adrian .

PeeJay · Post by **PeeJay** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 6:52 pm

I've got some reasonable Impreza struts/springs here, but without the strut hats.

Sounds like you've got the exact same setup as I do. Crossbread kit in an RX with L AWD box.
When I first did mine I had struts from a 93 GT Legacy with WRX shafts. I think I also had 15mm extended front arms at the time as well. When I got the 2" lift kit the struts didn't fit in with the strut spacers the right way around.
When the bank balance recovered I got a pair of Impreza KYBs with raised king springs, new shafts to fit 94 std lib, and I swapped my arms for the crossbread ones. For some reason I've never actually had trouble with the length of the driveshafts.
In the back I have RX KYBs and standard king springs. I've never actually noticed a major difference with a full or empty tank.

discopotato03 · Post by **discopotato03** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 7:26 pm

Fair enough , do the KYB's and King springs keep the rear ride height about std ?

Anyway ATM I just need to find some cheap acceptable 2nd hand front struts to slot into my 1G Liberty uprights otherwise I can't start the front part of the conversion .

My kingdom for a set of Vortex XT6 front struts and brakes ! Cheers Adrian .

subalex · Post by **subalex** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 10:22 pm

For a good source of Subie parts try "All Parts R Us" in Padstow. I've taken the drive from Kellyville to there quite a few times. They're specialists in older Subaru and Suzuki parts. I'd be very surprised if they didn't have what you need. I've done the searches through Pick n Pay more lots of times too and they're not really a lot of help most times but ...you can be lucky.

discopotato03 · Post by **discopotato03** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 12:13 am

Padstow eh , not too far out of the way - thanks for that .

Can you tell me by how much the springs and top seats clear the towers by because I'd like to use adjustable REX urethane type strut tops for more static caster .

Also did any of the second gen Libertys use as std Bilstein dampers ?

Cheers A .

discopotato03 · Post by **discopotato03** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 7:47 pm

Subalex I found a pair of 2nd gen Liberty front springs but no struts hats etc . I also found an unknown era Impreza damper which was interesting to compare to a 1st gen Lib item . The impreza one is shorter between the lower two bolt holes and the top of the tubular section of the damper body , I think the ram itself is also shorter . Who is wrecking Imprezas in Sydney ?

I really need to find a pair of Impreza or 2nd gen struts with everything above the hub assembly at least . Then roll on the day I can fit Bilsteins/small diameter springs and adjustable strut tops - the urethane suspended ones . My specialist tells me that you simply machine off the lower seats and use a parting off tool to make grooves for the Bilsteins lower seat mounting circlips .

Cheers .

Ben · Post by **Ben** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 12:22 am

legacytt wrote:Impreza will fit as they have a taipered spring so no fouling issues. Gen 1 Liberty won't without a lift.

My Second RX had series 1 liberty struts n springs with an L series hat with the XT6 brakes.

Sure, it did require a 'little' hammerification to stop the rubbing at more than 1/4 lock but 'fit' they did.

Ben · Post by **Ben** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 12:24 am

discopotato03 wrote:
Also did any of the second gen Libertys use as std Bilstein dampers ?

Cheers A .

Yeah, the Silver Anniversary Edition RX sedan had Bilsteins

PeeJay · Post by **PeeJay** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 8:53 am

You could also try Brooky Parts Plus at Wetheril park. They have lots of stuff but like to charge lots of $$$.

subalex · Post by **subalex** » Wed Nov 21, 2007 8:38 pm

I've also found that SuziParts, near Liverpool by recollection, specialises in Suzuki and Subaru (Liberty and Impreza, not older MY or L) parts. Since I've never needed parts fom them I don't know how reasonably they charge. There's actually a few places nearby in that area that has lots of Impreza and Liberty parts. You could use Yellow Pages online to search in that area.

PeeJay · Post by **PeeJay** » Wed Nov 21, 2007 9:06 pm

Do you mean suzispares? http://www.suzispares.com

I found them last week when I was after an EJ22 flywheel. $110.
They seem to have mostly 90's libs with a few MY and L series things.

I should also mention Brooky Parts Plus has been sold, not sure of the new name.

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Sun Feb 16, 2014 5:06 pm

Digging this thread up...
Will gen2 lib front struts and springs fix my problem?
Bottom spring perch fouling on the inside front of the strut tower

These are I believe Gen1 lib front struts

I have light blue kyb wrx struts and gen2 outback struts and they all are the same diameter across the lower spring perch.

What am I missing?

RSR 555 · Post by **RSR 555** » Sun Feb 16, 2014 6:15 pm

Gannon wrote:Digging this thread up...
Will gen2 lib front struts and springs fix my problem?
Bottom spring perch fouling on the inside front of the strut tower

These are I believe Gen1 lib front struts

I have light blue kyb wrx struts and gen2 outback struts and they all are the same diameter across the lower spring perch.

What am I missing?

What model car do you have them in? From memory the struts are the same, only the top cap is smaller in some models. I've found the Impreza seems to have the smallest top hats but I don't think this will solve your issue. Do you have any lift blocks in the car? You may be able to offset the top to allow the top of the strut to lean forward (or backwards depending on which way you need?) at the top a little more?

I'd just on some of the spring mobs (like Kings, Pedders, Lovells, etc) and see what info they have on the sizes of their springs

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Sun Feb 16, 2014 6:26 pm

87 RX Leone.

Coilovers are the obvious choice, but I dont have the money to do so before its on the road

My 2nd option is to cut the bottom spring perch off an L series strut and slide it down over the liberty strut, weld it in place and use the L series spring and top hat.
Ill then just trim the liberty strut to look like it belongs there.

Not ideal but will get me driving till I can justify the coilovers

RSR 555 · Post by **RSR 555** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 1:33 am

Coil overs would be the best option and there are some good priced ones on fleabay.

The guy who did the yellow wagon I have, just fitted the bottom spring plate inside the Liberty strut but the spring bounce is important and tricky to make everything correct.

I've also done a few Liberty Struts into the L.Series and not had any issues with rubbing. Is there something else not aligned up correctly? Is this happening to both sides?

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 5:05 am

Both sides

What could be wrong, i'm fairly certain I have the right strut on the right side, left on left.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 12:11 pm

There'd be a number on a genuine strut to check up its origins Gannon