Need help with rear strut/spring combo on 98 bk

[Soarer]

So, I removed the front and rear suspension from my 98 legacy gt wagon this weekend to replace the factory stuff with KYB GR-2's and Whitleline Control springs. The fronts were no problem. The oem top hat or strut mount, whatever you call it, matched up perfectly with the whiteline spring.

However, when I tried to put the rears together, I noticed that the new whiteline spring was about 3/4" larger in diameter than the old oem one. What threw me off even more is that the KYB GR-2 that I went to mate the whiteline spring up to matched the whiteline spring perfectly. It was just the top hat that was about 3/4" too small in diameter.

Here are the parts I'm referencing...

Rear OEM struts: 20360FE150 & 20360FE140 these struts will hold a spring with a diameter from top outer mounting edge to outer mounting edge of 15.5 cm.

Rear KYB GR-2 struts: 334111 & 334112 these struts hold a spring with a diameter from top outer mounting edge to outer mounting edge of 17.5 cm.

So, I think my easiest solution would be to find some top hats that hold a spring with a total top diameter of 17.5 cm. Does anyone know which Subaru top hats would work?

A friend of mine has a wagon just like mine and he's running coilovers from a 2004 STI so I believe that the mounting holes are the same for the legacy and STI.

[Huffer]

Are you sure you have the spring installed the right way?

[Soarer]

yes. They can only go one way. The top end of the spring is relatively flat and the bottom end fits into the spring perch at an obvious point.

[track8]

I just did that exact swap like 2 months ago. Did they send you rear springs #70385? That is the spring I got and they fit perfectly. Either you were sent the wrong spring, or the top hat may have been changed at some point. Any chance your car is Canadia spec or something?

[Soarer]

Yes, they sent me #70385. I called to order some top hats and they asked me if my car was early or late production 98. Perhaps they changed them??? I don't believe it is Canada spec.

[jg09]

Then I'd say that there was a slight difference. That's how a lot of vehicles are. In fact, many vehicles (such as the 1994.5 Toyota Tacoma) were redesigned/introduced halfway through the year.

[Soarer]

Here are some pics.

Here's what I got.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y236/2bucks/LeggyGTRearStruts001.jpg

Here's a pic of the new kyb gr2 that fits the whiteline spring (rear)
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y236/2bucks/LeggyGTRearStruts002.jpg

another angle
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y236/2bucks/LeggyGTRearStruts003.jpg

Here's a pic of the old rubber perch thingy from my old springs layed over my new spring. You can see how it is too small in diameter.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y236/2bucks/LeggyGTRearStruts004.jpg

another angle
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y236/2bucks/LeggyGTRearStruts005.jpg

Here's how the strut mount looks layed on top of the new spring
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y236/2bucks/LeggyGTRearStruts006.jpg

Here's the old strut/spring next to my new spring. Notice the old one is skinnier.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y236/2bucks/LeggyGTRearStruts007.jpg

[track8]

Looking at the second picture and seeing the one top hole in the mounting flange well, that is a front strut. You are trying to assemble the front strut and spring to the rear top hat, judging from that picture.

[Soarer]

I think you'll see by the part numbers as referenced above:

Rear KYB GR-2 struts: 334111 & 334112

that I'm mounting rear struts to the correct springs.

[track8]

Here are some pics.

Here's what I got.

Here's a pic of the new kyb gr2 that fits the whiteline spring (rear)
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/In this shot, the upper mounting hole looks oval, the rear struts don't have an oval hole in that location. There is no camber adjusting provision in the rear, only in the front. If the pic is somehow deceiving, then my mistake, otherwise its the front strut.