Subaru Legacy III (2000-2003 year). Manual - part 652

FS-20

FRONT SUSPENSION

FRONT STRUT

F: DISPOSAL

CAUTION:
• Do not disassemble the strut damper or place
it into a fire.
• Drill a hole before disposal of strut.
• Before handling gas filled struts, be sure to
wear goggles to protect eyes from gas, oil and/
or filings.
1) Place the gas filled strut (A) on a flat and level
surface with piston rod (B) fully extended.
2) Using a 2 to 3 mm (0.08 to 0.12 in) dia. drill,
make a hole in area shown in the figure.

FS-00072

40 mm
(1.57 in)

( A )

( B )

FS-21

FRONT SUSPENSION

FRONT STABILIZER

6. Front Stabilizer

A: REMOVAL

1) Jack-up the front part of the vehicle and support
it with safety  stand (rigid racks).
2) Remove jack-up plate from lower part of cross-
member.
3) Remove bolts which secure stabilizer to cross-
member.

4) Remove bolts which secure stabilizer link to front
transverse  link.

B: INSTALLATION

CAUTION:
Discard old self-locking nut and replace with a 
new one.
1) Install in the reverse order of removal.

NOTE:
• Install bushing (on front crossmember side) while
aligning it  with paint mark on stabilizer.
• Ensure that bushing and stabilizer have the
same identification  colors when installing.

2) Always tighten rubber bushing location when
wheels are in full  contact with the ground and ve-
hicle is at curb weight.

Tightening torque:

Jack-up plate to crossmember:

70 N·m (7.1 kgf-m, 51 ft-lb) 

Stabilizer link to front transverse link: 

30 N·m (3.1 kgf-m, 22 ft-lb) 

Stabilizer to crossmember:

25 N·m (2.5 kgf-m, 18.1 ft-lb) 

C: INSPECTION

1) Check bushing for cracks, fatigue or damage.
2) Check stabilizer link for deformities, cracks, or
damage, and  bushing for protrusions from the hole
of stabilizer link.

FS-00049

FS-00070

(1) Mark stamped on stabilizer

(2) Bushing identification color

FS-00050

( 1 )

( 2 )

FS-22

FRONT SUSPENSION

FRONT CROSSMEMBER

7. Front Crossmember

A: REMOVAL

1) Set vehicle on a lift.
2) Disconnect ground cable from battery.
3) Lift-up vehicle and remove front tires and
wheels.
4) Remove both stabilizer and jack-up plate.

5) Disconnect tie-rod end from housing.
6) Remove front exhaust pipe.
7) Remove front transverse link from front cross-
member and body. 

8) Remove nuts attaching engine mount cushion
rubber to crossmember. 

9) Remove steering universal joint.  <Ref. to PS-
25, REMOVAL, Universal Joint.>
10) Disconnect power steering pipe from steering
gear box.

11) Lift engine by approx. 10 mm (0.39 in) by using
chain block. 
12) Support crossmember with a jack, remove nuts
securing crossmember  to body and gradually low-
er crossmember along with steering gearbox.

CAUTION:
When removing crossmember downward, be 
careful that tie-rod end does  not interfere with 
SFJ boot.

B: INSTALLATION

1) Install in the reverse order of removal.

CAUTION:
Always tighten rubber bushing when wheels 
are in full contact with the  ground and vehicle 
is at curb weight.

Tightening torque:

Transverse link bushing to crossmember:

125 N·m (12.5 kgf-m, 90 ft-lb) 

Stabilizer to bushing: 

25 N·m (2.5 kgf-m, 18.1 ft-lb) 

Tie-rod end to housing: 

27.0 N·m (2.75 kgf-m, 19.9 ft-lb) 

Front cushion rubber to crossmember: 

74 N·m (7.5 kgf-m, 54.2 ft-lb) 

Universal joint to pinion shaft: 

24 N·m (2.4 kgf-m, 17.4 ft-lb) 

Crossmember to body: 

100 N·m (10.2 kgf-m, 74 ft-lb) 

2) Purge air from power steering system.

NOTE:
Check wheel alignment and adjust if necessary.

C: INSPECTION

Check crossmember for wear, damage and cracks,
and correct or replace if defective.

(1) Front stabilizer

(2) Front crossmember

FS-00051

( 1 )

( 2 )

FS-00069

FS-00064

FS-23

FRONT SUSPENSION

FRONT SUPPORT ARM

8. Front Support Arm

A: REMOVAL

1) Set the vehicle on the lift.
2) Lift-up the vehicle.
3) Remove the under cover.
4) Remove the four bolts and jack-up plate.

5) Remove the two nuts at both ends of the arm re-
spectively.

B: INSTALLATION

Install in the reverse order of removal.

Tightening torque:

Front support arm to crossmember: 
30 N·m (3.1 kgf-m, 22.1 ft-lb)
Jack-up plate to crossmember: 
70 N·m (7.1 kgf-m, 51.6 ft-lb)

C: INSPECTION

Check the front support arm for wear, damage and
cracks, and correct or replace if defective.

FS-00075

FS-00076