Subaru Legacy III (2000-2003 year). Manual - part 650

FS-12

FRONT SUSPENSION

WHEEL ALIGNMENT

7. THRUST ANGLE

• Inspection

1) Position vehicle on a level surface.
2) Move vehicle 3 to 4 meters (10 to 13 ft) directly
forward.
3) Determine locus of both front and rear axles.
4) Measure distance “L” between center line of loci
of the axles.

Thrust angle:

Less than 30

′′′′

 when “L” is equal to or  less 

than 23 mm (0.91 in).

• Adjustment

1) Make thrust angle adjustments by turning toe-in
adjusting bolts of rear  suspension equally in the
same direction.
2) When one rear wheel is adjusted in a toe-in di-
rection, adjust  the other rear wheel equally in toe-
out direction, in order to make  thrust angle adjust-
ment.
3) When left and right adjusting bolts are turned  in-
crementally by one graduation in the same direc-
tion, the thrust angle will change approximately 10

′

[“L” is almost  equal to 7.5 mm (0.295 in)].

Thrust angle:

0

°±

°±

°±

°±

30

′′′′

NOTE:
Thrust angle refers to a mean value of left and right
rear wheel toe  angles in relation to vehicle body
center line. Vehicle is driven  straight in the thrust
angle direction while swinging in the oblique  direc-
tion depending on the degree of the mean thrust
angle.

(1) Center line of loci (front axle)

(2) Center line of loci (rear axle)

FS-00022

( 1 )

( 2 )

L

(1) Center line of loci (front axle)

(2) Center line of loci (rear axle)

(1) Front

(2) Thrust angle

(3) Body center line

FS-00022

( 1 )

( 2 )

L

FS-00024

( 1 )

( 2 )

( 3 )

FS-13

FRONT SUSPENSION

WHEEL ALIGNMENT

Thrust angle: r = (

αααα

 

−−−−

 

ββββ

)/2

α

: Right rear wheel toe-in angle

β

: Left rear wheel toe-in angle

NOTE:
Here, use only positive toe-in values from each
wheel to substitute for  

α

 and 

β

 in the equation.

(1) Front

(2) Body center line

FS-00025

( 1 )

( 2 )

FS-14

FRONT SUSPENSION

FRONT TRANSVERSE LINK

3. Front Transverse Link

A: REMOVAL

1) Set vehicle on a lift.
2) Disconnect ground cable from battery.
3) Lift-up the vehicle and remove the wheel.
4) Disconnect stabilizer link from transverse link.
5) Remove bolt securing ball joint of transverse link
to housing.

6) Remove nut (do not remove bolt.) securing
transverse link to  crossmember.
7) Remove two bolts securing bushing bracket of
transverse link to vehicle body at rear bushing loca-
tion.

8) Extract ball joint from housing.
9) Remove bolt securing transverse link to cross-
member and extract  transverse link from cross-
member.

B: INSTALLATION

1) Temporarily tighten the two bolts used to secure
rear bushing of  the transverse link to body.

NOTE:
These bolts should be tightened to such an extent
that they can still  move back and forth in the oblong
shaped hole in the bracket (which  holds the bush-
ing).
2) Install bolts used to connect transverse link to
crossmember and  temporarily tighten with nut.

CAUTION:
Discard loosened self-locking nut and replace 
with a new one.
3) Insert ball joint into housing.
4) Connect stabilizer link to transverse link, and
temporarily  tighten bolts.

CAUTION:
Discard loosened self-locking nut and replace 
with a new one.

5) Tighten the following points in the order shown
below when  wheels are in full contact with the
ground and vehicle is at curb weight.

(1) Transverse link and stabilizer

Tightening torque:

30 N·m (3.1 kgf-m, 22 ft-lb) 

(2) Transverse link and crossmember

Tightening torque:

100 N·m (10.2 kgf-m, 74 ft-lb)

(3) Transverse link rear bushing and body

Tightening torque:

245 N·m (25 kgf-m, 181 ft-lb) 

FS-00068

FS-00027

FS-00069

FS-00068

FS-15

FRONT SUSPENSION

FRONT TRANSVERSE LINK

NOTE:
• Move rear bushing back and forth until trans-
verse link-to-rear  bushing clearance is established
(as indicated in figure.) before  tightening.
• Check wheel alignment and adjust if necessary.

C: DISASSEMBLY

1. FRONT BUSHING

Using ST, press front bushing out of place.
ST

927680000

INSTALLER & REMOVER 
SET

2. REAR BUSHING

1) Scribe an aligning mark on transverse link and
rear bushing.
2) Loosen nut and remove rear bushing.

D: ASSEMBLY

1. FRONT BUSHING

To reassemble, reverse disassembly procedures.

CAUTION:
Install front bushing in correct direction, as 
shown in figure.

2. REAR BUSHING

1) Install rear bushing to transverse link and align
aligning marks  scribed on the two.
2) Tighten self-locking nut.

CAUTION:
• Discard loosened self-locking nut and re-
place with a new one.
• While holding rear bushing so as not to
change position of  aligning marks, tighten self-
locking nut.

Tightening torque:

186 N·m (19.0 kgf-m, 137 ft-lb) 

E: INSPECTION

1) Check transverse link for wear, damage and
cracks, and correct  or replace if defective.
2) Check bushings for cracks, fatigue or damage.
3) Check rear bushing for oil leaks.

(1) Rear bushing

FS-00071

( 1 )

1 (0.04)

1.5 (0.059)

Unit: mm (in)

FS-00031

ST

FS-00032

(1) Face bushing toward center of ball joint

(2) Ball joint

FS-00016

(1)

(2)

(3)