so I re-acquired my old 02 legacy 2.5 gt wagon yesterday. gave it a good looking over on the lift today, and found some leaks (head gaskets) failures (drivers front axle, rear struts, sway bar bushings) and general needed maintenance (fluid changes, front brakes, tires). this has led me to a half day google binge, and finding and reactivating old forum accounts. this car left my ownership in 2010, and I haven't had a Subaru since.
anyway, since the sway bar end links and bushings are sacked, and I never liked the amount of body roll this car had, I think its time to upgrade sway bars.
in one of my old posts, I had made some vague reference to the Tribeca 25mm front, and a forester rear.
in googling today, I found that plenty of people have used the Tribeca front on legacys. or at least claimed to. any pictures and tips for this on the 00-04 platform?
secondly, on the rear, ive now found that guys are using a 17mm turbo baja rear sway bar for an upgrade. I also found that apparently an impresa rear bar will fit a legacy (was unable to figure out what years they were talking about) with a little clearance of the spare tire well with a 3lb hammer. I found that the impresa guys are using forester rear bars for an upgrade. again, I couldn't figure out what years they were talking about, as all these chassis codes in the Subaru world are making my head spin.
so, I guess what we have here is a junkyard swaybar upgrade thread for am 02 legacy wagon.
thanks for any help you can give me guys.
Michael
NGTD
UltraDork
1/18/16 12:26 p.m.
02-07 Impreza chassis (GD Sedan, GG Wagon)= 03-08 Forester (sorry - don't know the chassis codes)
93-01 Impreza (GC sedan, GM Wagon (IIRC)) = 97-02 Forester
Legacy's - I have no idea
Early build 02 WRX sedans came with a 20 mm rear bar
Hal
SuperDork
1/18/16 9:00 p.m.
Not sure about an 02 legacy, but Subaru seems to use the same measurements for swaybars over a range of vehicles. I wanted a larger rear sway than the 16mm that came on my Outback. I found a 19mm and a 20mm that would fit (from links on another forum). I got the 19mm and it only took me 15 min. to install it. Other than diameter all the measurements were identical to the stock swaybar.
I had a Tribeca front once, but I sold it to a guy who put it on his '97 Impreza. From what I understand, all is still well over there. All he did was flip the endlink from the outside of the bar to the inside of the bar since it was wider than the old one.
Front end should be pretty close to a 2nd gen Legacy in that regard. You've got a third gen so you might be blazing a new trail here.
Part of my eventual plan is to use a 2nd gen Legacy aftermarket 22mm front bar on my GG Impreza; Whiteline contraindicates for it but I'm pretty sure it will work.
On a 1st or early 2nd gen Impreza, if you upgrade the rear bar you might have to go to one of the upgraded rear sway bar mounts from the 04+ Impreza; SGP sells all the OEM parts to upgrade if you don't want to splash out for an extremely expensive machined "Stout Mount" or similar. I'm not sure what the compatibility is like on the third gen Legacy since the rear subframe is crazy with the different suspension.
There might be some parts interchange in the rear with the third gen (08+) Impreza, since they ended up with the 3rd gen Legacy style rear suspension when they were introduced. Probably some interesting parts interchange over there, but it's not territory that has been well explored. I would love to hear more if someone else has better knowledge.
One thing I do know about the third gens is that upgrading (or at the very least, replacing) the rear suspension bushings is time consuming but provides a large benefit. It's not like the earlier cars where you can have hogged out trailing arm bushings and the car is still generally pleasant.
02 WRX sedans came with a 20mm RSB as was stated; I believe all WRX wagons had a 17mm.
I went ahead with the turbo Baja 17mm rear bar. For 74.00 with bushings. Couldn't beat the price. We'll see how nutral the car gets before upgrading the front bar. May not need it, but the option is tbere.
Next is figuring out how to swap the rear lower strut bushings that are bad instead of spending a bunch of money replacing struts with 10k on them.
In my experience, a 17mm RSB will put that car into just about the sweet spot for mildly enthusiastic street driving. That's a worthwhile upgrade.
Sounds like a pretty good deal for a rear bar, too.
Any idea on the strut bushings? Can't find a listing for them, and my Google fu is,failing.
I asked my buddy who has had a succession of third gens and he says either replace the entire strut or machine your own Delrin bushing (he's working with someone in the community to put out a set for the GR2/Excel-G).
Sorry ![](/media/img/icons/smilies/unhappy-18.png)
on the head gaskets, two questions:
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what brand of gaskets?
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do the heads need machined when off, or not?
11044AA642 is the Phase 2 EJ25 MLS head gasket. The dealership will give you crappy ones if you just give them your VIN.
Otherwise, Cometic MLS.
Hi Dusterbd13, I've got a 04 Legacy L Wagon 5mt that I've been through most of this stuff on. I'm running the 17mm turbo baja swaybar on mine, it does interfere with a brace at the back of the car. You can remove one of the brace bolts for extra clearance but it still makes the odd clunk on mine. Remember to grease your new bushings or they'll squeak like crazy. Combined with the JDM bilstiens and springs I have (not sure what 3rd gen leggy they came off of but sits at stock height) the car is really neutral and planted, lots of fun in the snow.
When I replaced my headgaskets I used Fel-pro MLS gaskets and so far so good (50000 km later). I was able to do the job with the motor in the car but if I had an engine hoist I would've pulled it. It's a good time to re-seal the front end of the motor, change your timing belt and water pump while you're in there.
Hope this helps,
Adam
i should follow this tread since i have also a 02 subby outback...might be looking to get a new one for screwing with after taxes and modding to start autocross and drifting with.
I'll be pulling the motor. Just seems quicker and easier than trying to do it in the car. Also gives me the opportunity to reseal the whole thing.
And adam, can you show a picture or something of the contact point? I should be able to make a solution to the rub/clunk.
And I honestly thought I was working on a second gen. Is this correct? If so, does that mean that 3rd Gen stuff fiys, like the 05ish bilstien stuff from the spec b?
I can try to get a picture over the weekend but I'm guessing its under a layer of frozen slush right now. There is a brace running from one of the corners of the subframe to underneath the spare tire well (going from memory so I could be off) and where it bolts on towards the center is where the interference is, I think the problem just affects the wagons using this baja swaybar. I believe it is part 20157 in this link http://parts.subaru.com/a/Subaru_2002_Legacy25L-AT-4WDL-Wagon/_54106_6029084/REAR-SUSPENSION-LATERAL-LINK/B12-201-02.html
I mat try lowering the swaybar mounts on mine in the spring to drop it and give some clearance.
Our cars are 3rd gen legacy's, BH to be exact for the wagon. That generation in North America ran from late 99 to 04 according to wikipedia (and to 06 with the baja). Although the suspension is very similar to the 4th gen (and B-spec) I believe only the fronts are a direct swap with the rears being a bit different IIRC. I picked up my setup from one those companies importing shipping containers of parts from Japan on ebay, it was a risk but the cost was about the same as a new set of KYB's and I got springs and mounts that were all in nice shape.
Adam