trailing arms

[ramathorn]

okay i recently picked up what seems to be a hodge podge of a car and now im running into more and more things i need help with so here is the first of many to come possibly.

the rear trailing arms seem to be out of an early legacy with the straight droplinks for the sway bar as opposed to the 93+ subarus which use the now standard "c" style endlink with and trailing arm. my question is other than what i have read the gc body impreza's and the 93-94 legacy what other trailing arms are interchangeable in the subaru family? i know for sure that one local yard has a 96 outback with the c style endlinks and all the rear end so basically im wondering if that style legacy will work?

[n2x4]

You're actually referring to lateral links. The ones from the 96 outback will work. Is there any reason you want to change over? If it's just to switch endlinks, I don't think I'd do it. The drop links with some good poly bushings work great.

[jamal]

yeah plus if you check my sticky about adding a rear swaybar you'll see some of the potential problems with swapping the links.

[ramathorn]

i read through the sticky i figured someone might be able to elaborate on the "Outback/forester brackets might be taller" comment you made. other than that i diddnt realy read any other potential problem that you listed. did i miss them?

the main reason i want to switch them out is because i have a sti 21mm rear that i had on my other car that im selling and now want to put on my other car that has the old style drop links. also the links that are on the car currently bent so i figured that now as a good time to get some good aftermarket endlinks.

[n2x4]

If it's a GC8 rear bar, you're gonna have to whack your spare tire well a little so it fits.

The little brackets/tabs might be a little taller to compensate for the taller ride height.

[ramathorn]

its a gd sti rear bar. why would i have to wack the spare tire well? i have a 18mm wrx wagon bar on my car right now without issues.

ryan
my car is a gc.

[jamal]

Outbacks and foresters have spacers between the body and crossmembers and in some other places to keep the suspension geometry similar to other cars with the increase in ride height. The swaybar mounting brackets that attach to the chassis are probably longer to hang the swaybar lower so that it stays level, although I can't say that with 100% certainty.

You wouldn't need to change the brackets if you wanted to change the swaybar, endlinks, and lateral links. However, if you wanted to get some new, stronger brackets, e-mail subiegal or something and get some for an 04+ impreza. The bushings also changed and I think I mentioned that in my thread.