club.liberty.asn.au

Hi new member here.

My missus has had her heart set on a Subaru liberty for a while now, so I surprised her last week with a MY06 3.0R Spec B Sedan.

Its a fantastic car, really nice in all respects. She was so happy she even washed it Friday evening and waxed it on Sunday.

But disaster, we got it registered yesterday and she could drive it for the first time. It drives wonderfully, but she has a neck problem and after driving for 20 minutes it gave her a bad neck smasm and migrane. Shes back to catching the bus today while it sits in the driveway.

Unfortunately the Spec B suspension is just a bit too stiff and bumpy (neck jiggling). Bummer. Shes pretty upset and has asked me to sell it.

Instead I'm looking into just downgrading to stock liberty suspension. The cars too nice to sell.

My question is: What makes a Spec B suspension? I know its the Bilstein shocks, but are the springs different too?

Trying to find out if I can just swap struts or do springs need to be changed too.

TIA

No one?

Depends if the suspension is flogged out or not...
When the struts are past their best, they’re harsh and will easily bottom out over bigger bumps with a bang!
The car will set into a lean in a corner and kinda stay there.

If your springs are black, chances are they’re stock, if yellow, red, pink, blue or green, they’ll be aftermarket...
Some are decent, some are harsh and none will work well on rooted struts.

To determine the condition of the struts, find a huge bump and see if they bottom out with a bang.
And follow the car on a bumpy whumpy freeway, if the car bounces over a big bump, eg compress, bounce, bounce... they’re done. I’m sure you’ve seen an undamped shitbox in action, right?

Saggy butt is a thing to consider, as well, google it and the fix...

If the shocks are in good nick, on stock springs and so on, consider a set of 17” rims, they will fit over GT type brakes...
The extra height & flex of the sidewalls might do the trick.

Failing that, take a ride in a stock 2.5i or similar gen4.
They’re a real cruiser barge on the stock 16”s.

Outback struts n springs might do the trick too...

If the GT brakes fit 16”s (I can’t remember atm) then go 16”s.
Otherwise definitely consider a good or new set of KYB’s...

16”s don’t fit over GT brakes but Wrx 4pots will fit under 16”s opening up a whole range of affordable options from stock to rare. http://legacygt.com/forums/showpost.php ... ostcount=5

At the other end of the price spectrum, Shockworks and MCA coilovers on full soft are a good thing for damping, full travel, compliance and recovery.

I hated my Bilsteins when I bought the car at 150k, I’m guessing they were done.
My handling is now sublime with very decent comfort, but its a different feeling and intention to my sons recently bought 1st car, a looked after 220k my05 2.5i 4eat.
That car is a smooth cruiser

I can demonstrate a sorted GT-b on Shockworks and a stock 2.5i in Collingwood

Thanks,

The springs are black so stock. The struts arn't rooted but at 200k are probably past their prime. Hitting potholes etc. is a bit rough and causes the head jiggling so probably on the way out. Otherwise handles fine. I followed it on a freeway, sat well.

Saggy butt, thats a new one. I Googled it and it doesn't have it.

I considered new KYB struts with the Spec B springs but didn't want to go through the trouble and still have it too stiff for her.

I've ordered a set of low mile stock 3.0R struts (same as GT I think?) to swap in. Is there a huge difference between stock and 3.0R/GT in terms of ride etc?

bigBADbenny wrote:
I can demonstrate a sorted GT-b on Shockworks and a stock 2.5i in Collingwood

Thanks for the offer I would take it up but I'm in Canberra

https://www.google.com.au/search?biw=56 ... ghtr6kI%3D

There you go, it’s all about context.
If the struts are black,they’ll be KYB’s.
Billies are yellow, as found on spec B’s and RB’s...
The Gen4 lib is suspension travel limited compared to say a BMW...

So the various stock heights are fairly close, saggy butts notwithstanding
Iirc its outback, normal or tbsti pinks. There’s some differentiation due to vehicle weights as well, eg 2.5i’s dont respond as well to lowering due to being lighter at the front.

Iirc one company did make raising springs: H&R?

IMHO you’ll get the most comfort gains from smaller rims/taller tyres.

If op’s car is a 3.0r-b, it should have yellow bilsteins, being the spec b model?

I have full struts out of a 2.0gt that were taken out at 90,000 in the shed, could these work for your missus?

What state are you in? I have a set of KYB struts (with Springs) taken off my 2.5i at 47,000kms. You just need to transfer the strut tops off your struts onto the KYBs as part of the migration.