Author Topic: Orca's Slow and Steady Saabaru - keep on keeping on  (Read 8664 times)

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Offline OrcasNotOilers

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Re: Orca's Slow and Steady Saabaru - busted up
« Reply #75 on: January 26, 2020, 10:55:24 pm »
It's been a really busy year, and haven't had the time to lurk around.

My daughter is now 10 months old, I finished my PhD, and I'm now working full time. So life is very different from the last time I posted. Back here because I busted up my rear suspension. Rear passenger side spring seat rusted through and the spring was rubbing against the tire; thankfully didn't have far to go. Guess winter(s) took a toll on her. I've posted a WTB because I'm not looking to upgrade right now, just need it to DD for the time being.

The ironic thing is I just finished taking the insurance and registration off of the jeep because we bought a 2013 MDX, so we currently own three cars but can only drive one.

Offline OrcasNotOilers

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Re: Orca's Slow and Steady Saabaru - keep on keeping on
« Reply #76 on: January 31, 2020, 10:33:41 am »
I've realized that I have no idea what proper suspension feels like. This is what you get for only moving from beater to beater.

Both of my struts were completely shot, basically zero damping. Install of new excel-g struts was smooth, removal of old struts (and specifically seized bolts) was not, but nothing exorbitant amounts of rust penetrant, torque, and hammering can't solve. Stock springs but new struts + mounts + bolts (mine were bad, and one I sheared off and passed on to another prof here at the U for failure analysis in his classes).

I've abandoned any hopes of ever doing rallyx or autox someday as I've just got too many hobbies already, plus I should hang out with my family when I'm not working. Planning to do the fronts on my own timeline in the next month or so, because it's sooo obvious to me now that those are just sitting there not damping anything as well. Again, not really going to upgrade anything, just install KYBs + mounts and call it a day. I think my control arms are fine (but hey, I said that about the suspension a year or so ago so what do I know). Should I bother playing with anything else while I'm in there? My budget is whatever a shop would charge minus ~$300.

Pics? Nobody wants to see the evidence of my incompetence. It literally looks like the old struts have been sitting in the bottom of the ocean.

Offline seat safety switch

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Re: Orca's Slow and Steady Saabaru - keep on keeping on
« Reply #77 on: February 01, 2020, 03:59:02 pm »
Struts and mounts are fine. If your bumpstops were coming out torn or flattened you should probably replace those too, but the 02-07 Imprezas I've driven don't seem to really use bumpstops for suspension tuning.

Offline ultimatt

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Re: Orca's Slow and Steady Saabaru - keep on keeping on
« Reply #78 on: February 03, 2020, 11:02:04 pm »
What's the mileage? I'd consider replacing sway bar endlinks and bushings too.
Poke the control arms with a screwdriver and see how rusty they are. If they're not falling apart, clean them out best you can then bomb some cavity wax in there.
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Offline OrcasNotOilers

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Re: Orca's Slow and Steady Saabaru - keep on keeping on
« Reply #79 on: February 04, 2020, 01:40:54 pm »
What's the mileage? I'd consider replacing sway bar endlinks and bushings too.
Poke the control arms with a screwdriver and see how rusty they are. If they're not falling apart, clean them out best you can then bomb some cavity wax in there.

227k+? Last time I checked the control arms were in decent condition, though last time I checked my suspension wasn't rubbing on my tire either.

Offline ultimatt

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Re: Orca's Slow and Steady Saabaru - keep on keeping on
« Reply #80 on: February 06, 2020, 12:02:41 am »
That's not too bad. None of the vehicles I've had of that mileage and vintage had them rust out, but carjuygon had is fall apart on him (2004 WRX).
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Offline OrcasNotOilers

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Re: Orca's Slow and Steady Saabaru - keep on keeping on
« Reply #81 on: October 13, 2023, 04:38:55 pm »
RIP.

Mechanic sent a video of driver's side camshaft spinning freely, after no compression on that side. Time to move on.

Offline RockThePylon

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Re: Orca's Slow and Steady Saabaru - keep on keeping on
« Reply #82 on: October 13, 2023, 08:22:23 pm »
LS swap?
I may scream like a dainty lady, but I punch like a fairly strong 11-year-old.