Getting your hands dirty on your own car is rewarding, but having the right subaru tools makes the difference between a quick afternoon job and a three-day ordeal involving a lot of swearing. If you've ever tried to change the spark plugs on a Forester or WRX, you already know that these cars are built a bit differently. That horizontal Boxer engine layout is great for a low center of gravity, but it's a total pain when you're trying to reach components tucked against the frame rails.
If you're planning on doing more than just a basic oil change, you need to build a kit that's specific to the quirks of these Japanese machines. Here is a breakdown of what you actually need to keep your Subaru on the road without losing your mind.
The Spark Plug Struggle
Let's talk about the elephant in the room: the spark plugs. On a standard inline-four engine, you just pop the hood, remove a cover, and they're right there. On a Subaru, the plugs are located on the sides of the engine, pointed directly at the frame of the car. There is about two inches of clearance if you're lucky.
A standard deep-well socket and a long extension won't work here. You'll end up getting the socket stuck in the hole with no room to pull the ratchet out. This is where a thin-wall magnetic swivel socket becomes one of your most important subaru tools. Specifically, a 14mm or 5/8" (depending on your year and model) swivel socket with a built-in extension is a lifesaver. The magnet holds the plug so it doesn't drop and gap itself, and the swivel allows you to navigate that tiny gap between the engine and the frame.
Dealing with the Boxer Crank Pulley
If you're diving into a timing belt job or replacing an alternator, you're going to have to deal with the crank pulley. That bolt is usually torqued to a level that feels like it was tightened by a disgruntled giant. Because the engine rotates, you can't just put a wrench on it and pull; the whole assembly will just spin.
You could try the "starter trick" where you prop a breaker bar against the frame and crank the engine, but that's a great way to break something expensive. Instead, grab a crank pulley wrench. This tool has pins that lock into the holes on the face of the pulley, allowing you to hold it steady with one hand while you break the bolt loose with a breaker bar in the other. It's a simple piece of metal, but it saves hours of frustration.
The Mystery of the T70 Torx Bit
Subaru is famous for its All-Wheel Drive system, and that means you have a lot of gear oil to manage. If you own a manual transmission Subaru, you might crawl underneath to change your gear oil only to realize that the drain plug isn't a hex bolt or a square drive. It's a massive T70 Torx.
Most standard Torx sets only go up to T50 or T55. You aren't going to find a T70 at your local neighborhood hardware store most of the time. It's one of those subaru tools that you only need once every 30,000 miles, but when you need it, nothing else will work. Don't try to use a T55 and "hope for the best"—you'll just strip the internal teeth and then you're in real trouble.
Suspension and the Dreaded Pinch Bolt
If you live in a place where they salt the roads in the winter, the words "pinch bolt" probably give you nightmares. Subaru uses a long bolt to pinch the front knuckle around the lower ball joint. Over time, road salt gets in there and welds the bolt to the knuckle.
To survive a suspension refresh, you need a few specific items. A ball joint separator tool is a must. Don't just beat on the control arm with a pickle fork; you'll ruin the boot and potentially bend something. A dedicated puller that applies even pressure will pop that joint out much cleaner. Also, do yourself a favor and have a high-quality half-inch drive impact wrench and plenty of penetrating oil on hand. You're going to need the vibration of the impact to break that rust loose.
Axle Nuts and Big Sockets
Subaru axles are beefy, and the nuts holding them into the hubs are equally massive. Depending on your model, you're likely looking at a 32mm or 36mm socket. These aren't usually included in the "100-piece tool kits" you buy at big-box stores.
When you're shopping for these subaru tools, make sure you get impact-rated deep sockets. You'll be putting a lot of torque on these (often over 150 ft-lbs), and a standard chrome socket can actually shatter under that kind of pressure. Also, remember that Subaru uses a "staked" nut, meaning a part of the nut flange is hammered into a keyway on the axle. You'll need a small drift punch to un-stake that nut before you try to spin it off.
Fluid Maintenance Essentials
Changing the oil on a Subaru is actually pretty easy, especially on newer models where the filter is right on top of the engine (the "oil filter cup of soul"). However, the drain plug uses a crush washer that really should be replaced every single time. It's not exactly a "tool," but keeping a bag of these in your toolbox is essential.
For the filter itself, especially if a shop over-tightened the last one, a claw-style filter wrench is your best bet. Because the exhaust headers often wrap right around the oil filter area (creating what Subaru owners call the "ring of fire"), you don't have much room to grip the filter with your bare hands. A socket-driven claw wrench lets you get up in there from below without burning your knuckles on a hot manifold.
Interior and Trim Tools
Subaru interiors are held together largely by hope and a thousand little plastic clips. If you're trying to install a new head unit, run a dashcam wire, or fix a rattling door speaker, you need a set of nylon pry tools.
Using a flathead screwdriver to pry up plastic panels is a guaranteed way to scratch your dashboard or snap a clip. Nylon tools are soft enough that they won't mar the finish but stiff enough to pop those stubborn fasteners. While you're at it, buy a multi-pack of replacement trim clips. No matter how careful you are, at least one of those 10-year-old plastic tabs is going to shatter into a million pieces the moment you touch it.
Diagnostic Software and Scanners
Modern Subarus are basically computers on wheels. If you get a Check Engine light, a basic OBDII scanner will give you a code, but it won't tell you the whole story. If you're serious about DIY work, you might want to look into FreeSSM or RomRaider compatible cables.
These allow you to hook a laptop up to your car and see real-time data from the ECU and Transmission Control Unit. You can check individual wheel speed sensors (great for diagnosing ABS issues) or look at your fuel trims to see if you have a vacuum leak. It's a step up from the cheap scanners you find at the auto parts store and falls firmly into the "advanced" category of subaru tools.
Why Quality Matters
It's tempting to go to the cheapest tool bin and grab whatever looks right, but Subarus can be finicky. The bolts are often quite soft, and using a poorly fitting wrench is a fast track to rounded bolt heads. Investing in mid-to-high-tier six-point sockets rather than twelve-point sockets will save you a lot of grief. Six-point sockets grip the flats of the bolt rather than the corners, which is crucial when you're dealing with an old, rusty undercarriage.
Working on your own car is a learning process. You'll probably realize halfway through a job that you're missing something, and you'll have to hitch a ride to the store. That's just part of the hobby. But if you start with these core subaru tools, you'll be ahead of the curve and ready to tackle almost anything the Boxer engine throws at you.
At the end of the day, having the right gear makes the work more enjoyable. Instead of fighting the car, you're actually fixing it. And there's no better feeling than that first startup after a successful repair, knowing you did it yourself—and you did it right.