[idosubaru]

need new springs in my 00-04 Outback H6. already have new rear struts and the springs are shot. i'm not that familiar with suspension stuff at all, i've done tons of motor and trans swaps, block swaps, head swaps...yet not much suspension.

the thing rides...well, like a wagon. i'd like to combat at least some of the rear swaying/bounciness....but also have a little stiffer springs for holding weight as we travel and occassionally tow.

i read that you should necessarily get a stiff sway bar and upgrade to stiffer/larger springs?

i think i should just get stiffer springs and leave the sway bar stock. that gives me a little firmer ride and retains the stock height better if loaded.

sound about right?

 

[Saint J VT]

Yes, while you are down there, I would check the sway bar rubber mounts. I found that the OEM rubber mounts on the front are gone (with bad roads where I live) by 60K miles. We couldn't figure out the clunking sound with every bump, until I replaced the sway bar rubber mounts and links at each end, then the clunking stopped.

Now, the car has 122,000 miles on it and both the front sway bar AND rear were loose within the rubber mounts. I ordered new bushings (four total) and four new ends (two front and two different for the rear). Cannot tell you how it is as I am also replacing all the struts, strut upper mounts, all the brakes, all rotors, rear rotors, parking brake shoes and hardware and a few other things.

Some people don't mind it if their vehicle sounds like a bucket of bolts on every bump. It drives me nuts.

I got a pair of bushings the first time that were a hard red plastic, total junk, noisy from the beginning, so I went with factory original bushings and learned my lesson not to get the hard plastic bushings.

 

[1 Lucky Texan]

I would wait until after the struts (and maybe springs sounds like) are swapped out to decide. If you've been riding on sagging parts, you may find refreshing them gives you back what you want.

 

[cmill1154]

i think i should just get stiffer springs and leave the sway bar stock. that gives me a little firmer ride and retains the stock height better if loaded.

Am I missing something here? Changing the sway bar isn't going to change ride height.

I would change the springs and decide how you feel after that. I have a little experience with both.

My girlfriends '04 has Baja springs, a Whiteline 20mm rear bar, and stock alignment. The springs cured the bath tub feel that Outbacks have in stock form. The rear bar nearly stopped all body roll, however it will still understeer like most Subaru's.

My '00 has Baja springs, her OE rear sway bar (few mm bigger) and a custom alignment with -1.2 degrees camber all around. Mine doesn't corner nearly as flat but has dramatically less understeer. It feels like a better handling car overall (to me at least).

Good luck

 

[idosubaru]

Am I missing something here? Changing the sway bar isn't going to change ride height.

no, i'm not worried about ride height, if everything is working properly it should be fine. i tow a 2,500 pound boat and other stuff from time to time so it would be nice to have the rear not sag too much under load.