Spring Length Comparison?

Are the OBXT and LGT strut spring lengths the same or different? I can't seem to find a definitive answer on this. I'm looking at simply getting the KYB LGT struts and reusing my existing springs/tophats. It wouldn't make any sense to me that they'd be different but ya never know.

It seems most people who have done the LGT strut swap have swapped the complete assemblies.

From my research the springs are different lengths. The OB's have more travel so you need longer springs to go with the longer struts.

 

Cheers,

Jim

good question. anyone know how much longer the springs are compared tot he LGT?

 

for the OP, they make outback specific KYB gr-2 so you dont need the legacy version and dont need to worry about fitment.

for the OP, they make outback specific KYB gr-2 so you dont need the legacy version and dont need to worry about fitment.

 

Yeah, I like the idea of retaining the tire to spring perch clearance with the outback struts.

My goal is a lower ride height but I want to keep my options open. I was thinking that if the Legacy springs are a bit shorter than I could simply get the Outback GR-2s and add some Swift Springs to drop the car ~2 inches. Swift claims a drop of 1.3" F and 1.0" R for the Legacy. If I decided later to sell the car I could just put the stock springs back on and have the stock ride height again.

I simply cannot find the specifications for the OEM springs...?

I put on legacy wagon springs and a set of bilsteins with 1/2 spacers in the rear about two weeks ago. The car sits at what I consider a perfect height now and handles like crazy.

I have the oem legacy and outback springs/struts still in my garage. I can take a look and see what the difference is.

I have the oem legacy and outback springs/struts still in my garage. I can take a look and see what the difference is.

 

That would be great! Thanks.

Sorry for the wait but I have a few pics.

 

The rears Id say its ovious the springs are different lengths. You can just see that its different and the outback one has more coils:

http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt307/fibtlcivic/springs.jpg

For the fronts since my outback ones didnt have all the hardware its hard to say, but they might actually be the same but im not 100% sure:

http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt307/fibtlcivic/springs1.jpg

Thanks. That answers the question of being able to put aftermarket LGT wagon springs on the OB struts. The rears would be dropped further than the front due to the differences in stock spring length.

Yup i remember seeing someone putting tien s tech's on an outback. They are all the same shape jusr ever sp slightly different.

Stating the obvious, on the rears, looks like the overall height difference is due to 1) higher perch, and 2) longer spring.

 

But from your picture, I would guesstimate an inch of it is due to the spring, and the other 1.5 in is due to the perch height. (Isn't the ride height difference 2.5" total??)

 

So if someone put the leggie spring on the outback strut, they would reduce height, and travel by 1 inch. Sound reasonable???

 

This assumes same spring rate. Are the wires the same thickness? Anyway you can measure (micrometer??).

 

ONE MORE THOUGHT: If someone started with an Outback spring, and cut off 1/2 a coil on the bottom, would they end up with a Legacy spring equivalent??

 

Regardless, thanks for providing the pictures.

Assuming again a 2.5" difference between Legacy and Outback, I'm thinking the strut does a bit more than 1/2 of that, so the spring must do the rest. So the spring might be softer, or shorter. Can't tell from this picture.

 

There could be other factors at play, but can someone lend their opinon after looking at these pics: OB Struts are ~ 1.25-1.5" longer from lower mounting holes to perch. The remaining ride height difference (ASSUMING 2.5") must be due to shorter/softer Legacy spring.

 

Or what???

Sorry for the wait but I have a few pics.

 

The rears Id say its ovious the springs are different lengths. You can just see that its different and the outback one has more coils:

http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt307/fibtlcivic/springs.jpg

For the fronts since my outback ones didnt have all the hardware its hard to say, but they might actually be the same but im not 100% sure:

http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt307/fibtlcivic/springs1.jpg

 

is it possible to take pics of the springs alone, not installed on the struts. i ask because when a spring is installed, it is preloaded and compressed some. the best comparison would be just the springs alone.

Hmmm....this is getting interested.

 

So...how would the KYB shock/struts stand up to having shorter springs on them? Do you guys think this is a recipe for short lived dampeners?

 

Cheers,

Jim

Generally speaking yes a shorter spring would add addition work on the strut but just how much I do not know.

http://www.trademotion.com/parts/2005/SUBARU/OUTBACK/?siteid=214857&vehicleid=1430735&section=REAR%20SUSPENSION&group=REAR%20SUSPENSION&subgroup=STRUTS%20%26%20COMPONENTS&component=Spring

 

While trying to track down OEM rear springs for the LGT Wagon through subarupart.com they list the same rear spring for the LGT Wagon and OBXT? See above link.

 

OutbackXT05 - Are you sure your LGT strut assemblies originally came from a wagon?

I trust the pictures a few posts back more than this trademotion website. But you could cut your xt springs

I finally made a decision on new suspension...

KYB replacements for the front (standard parts) with '04 KYBs in the rear. Then I'll be running the Eibach Pro Kit Springs for the '02-'04 Outback. The springs have a claimed height drop of 1.2" so this should come out to be roughly 15.8" from wheel center to fender. I'll still have plenty of clearance at the front spring perch with the OE replacement struts for future wheel options.

All the parts have been ordered. I figure this should be like a poor mans version of the Japanese Bilstein kit. I'll know in a week or two if it works out.

Benjineer, where did you find such springs? Can you provide a link? (they might be for an Imprezza-based Outback Sport...and therefore might not work).

Benjineer, where did you find such springs? Can you provide a link? (they might be for an Imprezza-based Outback Sport...and therefore might not work).

 

JDM Hub in Texas (just down the road from you) has them listed on their website. I'm pretty sure they are spec'd for the Legacy Outback based on the engine model options (H4/H6) they list that the springs will work with. Here's the link, have a look.

http://www.jdmhub.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=78645&path=2_985_3484_29078_29079

I originally tried to order these through ERZ Performance but they no longer have access to them as Eibach has discontinued them. JDM Hub lists them as being in stock based on their website.

There are a few different companies that claim to have these available when I search "outback Eibach".

I've got a call into JDM...if they actually have them in their Dallas warehouse, I'm going to try to talk them into letting me see them before buying.

 

These Eibachs are for an 00-04 Outback, which had a ground clearance of 7.3". So if they drop the 00-04 Outback 1.2" (from 7.3 in to 6.1"??), the question is what drop would they provide on the 05-09 Outback? It might not be the same net drop. Knowing the difference between 00-04 stock spring and 05-09 spring would help. I THINK the 00-04 actually sits lower than an 05-09, but ground clearance is not necessarily the same as "travel."

 

Couple that with the common belief that putting 04 front struts on an 05+ actually raises the 05 ~3/8 inch. Same result inthe rear. If you add all this together, the Eibachs might cause a net 2.3" drop or more. That's more drop than I want. If I can somehow convince myself they would drop the 05-09 by 1" to 1.5" total, I'm in. If 2.3", I'm out.

Impatient: I was also concerned about the travel of the struts. The following two links show that the travel of the struts between an '04 & '05 are essentially the same. Regardless of the whole ground clearance approach the suspension travel is the same. If you look up the rears you will find the same thing as the front.

2005 Outback Front

http://www.justsuspension.com/kyb-excel-g-strut-339098.html

 

2004 Outback Front

http://www.justsuspension.com/kyb-excel-g-strut-334447.html

First: Ben, thanks for finding this info. Not sure if it was ever brought forward. So we all need to thank you.

 

Now the bad news (maybe): while both 04 & 05 front shocks have the same travel, the 04 has a min & max length ~ 1 inch longer than the 05. The strut doesn't control static ride height by it's min & max, but by lower perch height (for any given spring)...but, if the min length is longer, while the perch height is kept constant, then the amount of travel between static ride height and min length gets squeezed.

 

Now look at http://www.justsuspension.com/kyb-excel-g-strut-339096.html for the 04-08 Legacy. It's range is from ~ 14" to almost 20". So it actually has more travel than the outback strut?????? WTF??????? And for the 02-03 Legacy:

http://www.justsuspension.com/kyb-excel-g-strut-334445.html shows ~14 - 20.7" range.

 

Of course, not sure if this info is accurate, we are just quoting Justsuspension. Why would a Legacy have more travel than an Outback????

 

After all this, I'm all ears to see how your decision goes. It might go great! My situation might work with the Eibach's too, I just haven't factored in all the variables yet: slightly higher perch, 1" higher minimum length & maximum length, and maybe a shorter spring. I might be able to get a good static ride height, but it sounds like I'll be max'ing out the travel too soon. Of course, there is another assumption there: the Bisteins have the same range as the 04 Outback KYB's. It's hard to compress & measure a high-pressure monotube strut, but it seems to be close to the 04 Outback KYB strut's measurements.

Im pretty sure they came from a wagon. At least whoever sold them to me on here said they are. I probably still have the PM somewhere in my inbox.

Ok heres the differences for the front now that I took them apart.

http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt307/fibtlcivic/sdfsdffds.jpg

http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt307/fibtlcivic/sdfsdfs.jpg