Strut

REMOVAL & INSTALLATION

Front

EXCEPT SVX — WITH STANDARD STRUTS

1. Before servicing the vehicle, refer to the precautions in the beginning of this section.
2. Remove or disconnect the following:
   • Negative battery cable
   • Front wheel assembly
   • Caliper, if necessary, leaving the line connected, and suspend it out of the way with a piece of wire or string
   • Clip or bolt attaching the brake line to the strut housing
   • Bolt securing the Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) sensor harness, if equipped

   NOTE: Scribe a matchmark on the camber adjusting bolt which secures the strut to the housing.

3. Remove or disconnect the following:
   • 2 bolts and nuts securing the strut to the steering knuckle. Notice that the shaft of the top bolt is not round. This bolt is used for camber adjustment, and must always be installed in the top hole.
   • 3 nuts securing the strut to the body in the engine compartment
   • Strut and coil spring assembly from the vehicle

   To install:

4. Install or connect the following:
   • Strut assembly into the vehicle
   • Upper strut retainer nuts and tighten the nuts to 15 ft. lbs. (20 Nm)
   • Lower strut nuts and bolts. Be sure the alignment adjustment bolt is installed in the top mounting hole. Tighten the nuts to 112 ft. lbs. (152 Nm) for Impreza models, or to 130 ft. lbs. (177 Nm) for Legacy models.
   • ABS sensor harness, if equipped and tighten the bolt to 24 ft. lbs. (32 Nm)
   • Caliper, if removed
   • Brake line to the strut and install the clip or bolt
   • Front wheel
   • Negative battery cable
5. Check the front end alignment and adjust as necessary.

EXCEPT SVX — WITH PNEUMATIC STRUTS

1. Before servicing the vehicle, refer to the precautions in the beginning of this section.
2. Remove or disconnect the following:
   • Negative battery cable
   • Air line and height sensor harness (from inside the engine compartment) from the strut assembly
   • Front wheel assembly
   • Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) sensor, if equipped
   • Caliper, leaving the line connected, and suspend it out of the way with a piece of wire or string
   • Clip attaching the brake line to the strut housing
3. Matchmark the camber adjustment bolt to the strut housing as reference for installation.
4. Remove or disconnect the following:
   • Bolt securing the ABS sensor harness, if equipped
   • 2 bolts and nuts securing the strut to the steering knuckle. Notice that the shaft of the top bolt is not round. This bolt is used for camber adjustment, and must always be installed in the top hole.
   • 3 nuts securing the strut to the body in the engine compartment
   • Strut and coil spring assembly

   To install:

5. Install or connect the following:
   • Strut assembly
   • Upper strut retainer nuts and tighten to 15 ft. lbs. (20 Nm)
   • ABS sensor harness (if equipped), and tighten the bolt to 14 ft. lbs. (20 Nm)
   • Lower strut nuts and bolts. Be sure the alignment adjustment bolt is installed in the top mounting hole. Tighten the nuts to 112 ft. lbs. (152 Nm).
   • Caliper
   • Brake line to the strut and install the clip
   • Height sensor harness and air line
   • Front wheel
   • Negative battery cable
6. Start the vehicle and allow enough time for the struts to pressurize before driving.
7. Check the front end alignment and adjust as necessary.

SVX

1. Before servicing the vehicle, refer to the precautions in the beginning of this section.
2. Remove or disconnect the following:
   • Negative battery cable
   • Tire and wheel assembly.
   • Sway bar from the strut assembly
   • Bolt and bracket securing the Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) sensor wire to the strut assembly
   • Bolt and bracket securing the brake hose to the strut
3. Scribe matchmarks on the camber adjusting bolt and the steering knuckle for installation purposes.
4. Remove or disconnect the following:
   • Nuts from the lower strut mounting bolts
   • Lower mounting bolt. The upper bolt MUST remain in place.
5. Support the lower control arm under the ball joint with a suitable jack.
6. Remove or disconnect the following:
   • Strut mount cap in the engine compartment
   • 3 strut plate mounting nuts
7. Lower the jack about an inch and remove the strut-to-steering knuckle upper mounting bolt.
8. Remove or disconnect the following:
   • Strut from the vehicle
9. If the strut is to be replaced, remove the sway bar link.

   To install:

10. Install or connect the following:
    • Sway bar link on the strut and tighten the mounting nut to 28 ft. lbs. (37 Nm)
    • Strut assembly into the vehicle
    • Strut upper mounting nuts and tighten to 30 ft. lbs. (41 Nm)
    • Strut mount cap
    • Strut to the steering knuckle
    • Lower mounting through-bolts and loosely install the nuts
11. Remove the jack.
12. Rotate the camber adjusting bolt so the matchmarks are in alignment. Tighten the mounting nuts to 112 ft. lbs. (152 Nm).
13. Install or connect the following:
    • Brake hose bracket and bolt on the strut
    • ABS sensor bracket and bolt on the strut
    • Sway bar to the sway bar link and tighten the mounting nut to 28 ft. lbs. (37 Nm)
    • Tire and wheel assembly
    • Negative battery cable
14. Check the front end alignment and adjust as necessary.

Rear

EXCEPT SVX — WITH STANDARD STRUTS

1. Before servicing the vehicle, refer to the precautions in the beginning of this section.
2. Remove or disconnect the following:
   • Rear seat assembly, on Sedan only
   • Rear speaker grille and service hole cap, on Wagon only
   • Strut mount cap
   • Wheel and tire assembly
   • Brake hose clip
   • Union bolt from the brake caliper. Move the brake hose out of the way.
   • Lower nuts and bolts securing the strut to the rear wheel housing
   • Retainer nuts securing the strut bearing cap to the strut tower, from inside the vehicle
   • Strut from the vehicle To install:
3. Install or connect the following:
   • Strut onto the vehicle, making sure to position the strut properly in the upper strut tower mounts. Refer to the illustration.
   • Strut retainer nuts and tighten to 14 ft. lbs. (20 Nm)
   • Strut to the rear wheel knuckle assembly using the retainer nuts and bolts, and tighten the bolts to 145 ft. lbs. (196 Nm)
   • Brake union bolt and tighten to 13 ft. lbs. (18 Nm)
   • Brake hose clip
4. Bleed the brakes.
5. Install or connect the following:
   • Wheel
   • Strut mount cap
   • Rear seat, on Sedan
   • Speaker grille, on Wagon

EXCEPT SVX — WITH PNEUMATIC STRUTS

1. Before servicing the vehicle, refer to the precautions in the beginning of this section.
2. Remove or disconnect the following:
   • Negative battery cable
   • Rear seat assembly, on the Sedan
   • Rear speaker grille and service hole cap, on the Wagon
   • Strut mount cap
   • Air line from the top of the strut assembly
   • Height sensor and solenoid valve wiring harnesses from the strut assembly
   • Wheel and tire assembly
   • Brake hose clip
   • Union bolt from the brake caliper. Move the brake hose out of the way.
   • Lower nuts and bolts securing the strut to the rear wheel housing
   • Retainer nuts securing the strut bearing cap to the strut tower (from inside the vehicle)
   • Strut from the vehicle To install:
3. Install or connect the following:
   • Strut on to the vehicle, making sure to position the strut properly in the upper strut tower mounts. Refer to the illustration if needed. Install the retainer nuts, and tighten to 11 ft. lbs. (15 Nm).
   • Strut to the rear wheel knuckle assembly, using the retainer nuts and bolts, and tighten the bolts to 145 ft. lbs. (196 Nm)
   • Brake union bolt and tighten to 13 ft. lbs. (18 Nm)
   • Brake hose clip
4. Bleed the brakes.
5. Install or connect the following:
   • Wheel
   • Height sensor and solenoid valve wiring harnesses to the strut
   • Air line to the top of the strut
   • Strut mount cap
   • Rear seat, on Sedan
   • Speaker grille, on Wagon
   • Negative battery cable
6. Start the vehicle, and allow enough time for the shock to pressurize before driving the vehicle.

SVX

1. Before servicing the vehicle, refer to the precautions in the beginning of this section.
2. Remove or disconnect the following:
   • Tire and wheel assembly
   • Rear quarter interior trim panel
   • Bolt securing the brake hose bracket to the strut and position the bracket out of the way
   • Knuckle-to-strut mounting nuts and remove the lower bolt. Leave the upper bolt in place.
3. Support the rear knuckle assembly with a suitable jack.
4. Remove or disconnect the following:
   • 3 upper strut plate mounting nuts
5. Lower the jack about an inch and remove the upper mounting bolt from the knuckle assembly.
6. Remove or disconnect the following:
   • Strut from the vehicle

   To install:

7. Install or connect the following:
   • Strut in the vehicle and install the 3 upper mounting nuts. Tighten the nuts to 13 ft. lbs. (18 Nm)
8. Raise the jack to line up the knuckle with the strut bracket, and install the mounting bolts and nuts. Tighten the mounting nuts to 112 ft. lbs. (152 Nm).
9. Remove the jack.
10. Install or connect the following:
    • Brake hose bracket to the strut and tighten the mounting bolt
    • Rear quarter interior trim
    • Tire and wheel assembly
11. Check the alignment and adjust as necessary.