Subaru Legacy III (2000-2003 year). Manual - part 649

FS-8

FRONT SUSPENSION

WHEEL ALIGNMENT

2. CAMBER

• Inspection

1) Place front wheel on turning radius gauge. Make
sure ground  contacting surfaces of front and rear
wheels are set at the same height.
2) Set ST into the center of the wheel, and then in-
stall the wheel  alignment gauge.
ST

927380002

ADAPTER

3) Follow the wheel alignment gauge operation
manual to measure the camber angle.

NOTE:
Refer to the “SPECIFICATIONS” for the camber
values. 
Front: <Ref. to FS-2, SPECIFICATIONS, General
Description.>
Rear:  <Ref. to RS-2, SPECIFICATIONS, General
Description.>
• Front Camber Adjustment

1) Loosen two self-locking nuts located at lower
front portion of  strut.

CAUTION:
• When adjusting bolt needs to be loosened or
tightened, hold its  head with a wrench and turn
self-locking nut.
• Discard loosened self-locking nut and re-
place with a new one. 

2) Turn camber adjusting bolt so that camber is set
at the  specification.

NOTE:
Moving the adjusting bolt by one scale graduation
changes camber by  approximately 0

°

10

′

.

(1) Alignment gauge

(2) Turning radius gauge

FS-00007

( 1 )

( 2 )

ST

(1) Strut

(2) Adjusting bolt

(3) Housing

(4) Outer

(5) Inner

(6) Camber is increased.

(7) Camber is decreased.

FS-00008

( 1 )

( 2 )

( 3 )

( 4 )

( 5 )

( 6 )

( 7 )

FS-9

FRONT SUSPENSION

WHEEL ALIGNMENT

3) Tighten the two self-locking nuts.

Tightening torque:

152 N·m (16 kgf-m, 116 ft-lb) 

3. CASTER

• Inspection

1) Place front wheel on turning radius gauge. Make
sure ground  contacting surfaces of front and rear
wheels are set at the same  height.
2) Set ST into the center of the wheel, and then in-
stall the wheel  alignment gauge.
ST

927380002

ADAPTER

3) Follow the wheel alignment gauge operation
manual to measure the caster angle.

NOTE:
Refer to the “SPECIFICATIONS” for the caster val-
ues. <Ref. to FS-2, SPECIFICATIONS, General
Description.>

Left side

Right side

Camber is 
increased.

Rotate counter-
clockwise.

Rotate clockwise.

Camber is 
decreased.

Rotate clockwise.

Rotate counter-
clockwise.

FS-00009

FS-00010

FS-00010

FS-00009

(1) Alignment gauge

(2) Turning radius gauge

FS-00007

( 1 )

( 2 )

ST

FS-10

FRONT SUSPENSION

WHEEL ALIGNMENT

4. STEERING ANGLE

• Inspection

1) Place vehicle on a turning radius gauge.
2) While depressing brake pedal, turn steering
wheel fully to the  left and right. With steering wheel
held at each fully turned position,  measure both
the inner and outer wheel steering angle.

Steering angle:

• Adjustment

Turn tie-rod to adjust steering angle of both inner
and outer wheels.

CAUTION:
• Check toe-in.
• Correct boot if it is twisted.

5. FRONT WHEEL TOE-IN

• Inspection

1) Using a toe gauge, measure front wheel toe-in.

Toe-in:

0

±±±±

3 mm (0

±±±±

0.12 in)

2) Mark rear sides of left and right tires at height
corresponding  to center of spindles and measure
distance “A” between marks.
3) Move vehicle forward so that marks line up with
front sides at  height corresponding to center of
spindles.
4) Measure distance “B” between left and right
marks. Toe-in can  then be obtained by the follow-
ing equation:

A 

−−−−

 B = Toe-in

• Adjustment

1) Loosen the left and right side steering tie-rods
lock nuts.
2) Turn the left and right tie rods equal amounts un-
til the toe-in is  at the specification.
Both the left and right tie-rods are right-hand
threaded. To increase  toe-in, turn both tie-rods
clockwise equal amounts (as viewed from the  in-
side of the vehicle).

3) Tighten tie-rod lock nut.

Tightening torque:

83 N·m (8.5 kgf-m, 61.5 ft-lb)

CAUTION:
Correct tie-rod boot, if it is twisted.

NOTE:
Check the left and right wheel steering angle is
within specifications. 

Model

Except OUTBACK

OUTBACK

TURBO

15 inch 

wheel

16 inch 

wheel

Inner 

wheel

36.3

°±

°±

°±

°±

1.5

°°°°

34.5

°±

°±

°±

°±

1.5

°°°°

34.7

°±

°±

°±

°±

1.5

°°°°

Outer 

wheel

31.6

°±

°±

°±

°±

1.5

°°°°

30.3

°±

°±

°±

°±

1.5

°°°°

30.4

°±

°±

°±

°±

1.5

°°°°

(1) Lock nut

FS-00061

( 1 )

(1) Lock nut

FS-00062

A

B

FS-00061

( 1 )

FS-11

FRONT SUSPENSION

WHEEL ALIGNMENT

6. REAR WHEEL TOE-IN

• Inspection

1) Using a toe-in gauge, measure rear wheel toe-
in.

Toe-in:

0

±±±±

3 mm (0

±±±±

0.12 in)

2) Mark rear sides of left and right tires at height
corresponding  to center of spindles and measure
distance “A” between marks.
3) Move vehicle forward so that marks line up with
front sides at  height corresponding to center of
spindles.
4) Measure distance “B” between left and right
marks. Toe-in can  then be obtained by the follow-
ing equation:

A 

−−−−

 B = Toe-in

• Adjustment

1) Loosen self-locking nut on inner side of link rear.

CAUTION:
• When loosening or tightening adjusting bolt,
hold bolt head and  turn self-locking nut.
• Discard loosened self-locking nut and re-
place with a new one. 

2) Turn adjusting bolt head until toe-in is at the specification.

NOTE:
When left and right wheels are adjusted for toe-in at the same time,  the movement of one scale graduation
changes toe-in by approximately 3  mm (0.12 in).

3) Tighten self-locking nut.

Tightening torque:

120 N·m (12.2 kgf-m, 88 ft-lb)

FS-00062

A

B

(1) Adjusting bolt

(2) Link rear

FS-00065

( 1 )

( 2 )

Left side

Right side

Toe-in is 
increased.

Rotate clockwise.

Rotate counter-
clockwise.

Toe-in is 
decreased.

Rotate counter-
clockwise.

Rotate clockwise.

FS-00066

FS-00067

FS-00067

FS-00066