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Thought I'd get one of these things up now that the car is drivable...




Purchased the car back in January as 100% bog standard LX with AWD. Ended up with it after flying to Sydney to look at another car (Gen 1 Legacy) which turned out to be nothing like the seller described. Tried to make good of a bad situation and drove home in a new Gen II.

My goal with it was (and still is) to end up with a car that is capable of tackling shallow creek crossings, easy-medium forestry trails and runs up the beach yet still handles predictably and just as well as a non lifted car when pushed. It handles OK now but with a little negative camber in the front and a slightly thicker rear sway bar I feel it'll handle a lot better.

The list so far:

Remote Central locking and Alarm
Subaru Headlight Protectors
JDM GT Legacy Foglights and Switch
KYB Excel-G Outback Struts
King Raised Springs
Outback Trailing Arm Mounts
New front balljoints
Reconditioned Subaru Front Driveshafts with extended inner boots
All new Superpro Poly bushes both front and rear
Whiteline Sway Bar links front and rear
Whiteline Adjustable Rear Camber Bolts
16" GT Forester Rims

In the near future:

Outback Lift Blocks front and rear
Outback Control arm mounts
Sump Guard
Light bar and Lightforce 170's
Subaru Slimline weathershields
Cruise Control from a GX
Gen III Outback Seats
Legacy Tailgate Spoiler
Tint

The wish list:

EJ25 or H6
Forester Box with lower low range
Forester Rear LSD

Will keep adding updates and pictures to this thread.

looks shit hot:D

keep modding untill u drop thats what im doing anyway eheheh


dave

Nice ride... and pics!

Have you seen the photo comp (nudge nudge )

Cheers

Bennie

Looking good JC hopefully we will see you on the beach,
are you a Qld Subaru 4wd club member if not you should consider it.

D3V1L wrote:looks shit hot:D

keep modding untill u drop thats what im doing anyway eheheh

dave

Thanks Dave, I'd bloody love to but modding will slow down big time now... debt + wallet suffering is kicking in. Thanks to some REALLY really good prices I haven't spent all that much so not complaining. Only about $1600 in total.

El_Freddo wrote:Nice ride... and pics!

Have you seen the photo comp (nudge nudge )

Cheers

Bennie

Have you seen the photo comp Bennie? (nudge nudge) I threw one up there to keep it going. I'm a bit of a landscape photography addict so it's good to see some interest in it on a Subaru forum. They both go hand in hand really, I bought my Lib for pretty much that reason alone, to travel in (wagon so I can sleep in it) and get me to photogenic places that I'd otherwise not be able to get to.

00outback wrote:Looking good JC hopefully we will see you on the beach,
are you a Qld Subaru 4wd club member if not you should consider it.

For sure, can't wait to get it on the beach and see a few other Subis. I love surfing and don't mind a fish so it'll get plenty of trips up to DI time permitting.

Not a member yet but will definitely come along to something very soon, will drag my brother along in his EJ22 L series which used to be owned by a Subaru Club QLD member many years ago.

*drools* nice nice.. its higher than mine.... Do you have any negative camber in the rear? DO you have lift blocks installed or its just the struts & coils upgrade?
Cheers
AP

Anyone want to give me a hand to get this Liberty sorted out?

The thing has pretty much sat as is since I last updated this... (have another more boring car and have been really busy with work).

Issues I have with it are as follows:

- Two x Dead front driveshafts (too much angle on them)
- Too much positive camber in the front (bad tyre wear and understeer due to this)

Right now it's still got the Raised King Springs and Outback Struts. I don't really want any more height but I do want a bit less angle on the driveshafts and some negative camber in the front.

As far as I know I've two options...

- get rid of the raised springs and fit a 2 or 3" lift kit

- Keep the raised springs and fit a lift kit. (don't really want that much height though)

Keen for a bit of advice on what i should do, would like to get it going properly without spending too much and have some more Subaru adventures.

Cheers,

Jake

__JC__ wrote:Anyone want to give me a hand to get this Liberty sorted out?

The thing has pretty much sat as is since I last updated this... (have another more boring car and have been really busy with work).

Issues I have with it are as follows:

- Two x Dead front driveshafts (too much angle on them)
- Too much positive camber in the front (bad tyre wear and understeer due to this)

Right now it's still got the Raised King Springs and Outback Struts. I don't really want any more height but I do want a bit less angle on the driveshafts and some negative camber in the front.

As far as I know I've two options...

- get rid of the raised springs and fit a 2 or 3" lift kit

- Keep the raised springs and fit a lift kit. (don't really want that much height though)

Keen for a bit of advice on what i should do, would like to get it going properly without spending too much and have some more Subaru adventures.

Cheers,

Jake

The problem is that you need a block to be installed under between the cross member to chassis rail. If you have standard outback struts then you need 1" block there, if its standard struts plus raised springs, I think raised springs is extra 35mm meaning another inch,recommended total is 2" block is required.... ( you will also need longer bolt and an longer extension for the steering linkage (whatever the length of the lift has to be added on the linkage) then you wont have any more problems, it will lower the engine down a bit.)
Shown in this photo see the red arrow - thats 1" block on standard outback -


Does it have a block there?
Cheers
AP

Thanks AP...

I've actually got a set of the outback spacers and control arm mounts/bushes...

Will installing them make the front sit higher than the back though and will it solve the camber problem?

First off, nice ride, and nice pics.

The spacers will lower the engine and gearbox, which won't effect your ride height but will reduce your clearance, it will also reduce the angle on you cv's and may fix your camber issues.

I have a pair of AWD front shafts left over from an abandoned project, $50 + postage and they're all yours, or if you feel like a drive to west Brisbane your welcome to collect them.

Jordan.

Ah ok...camber is what im worried about. To be honest that was the reason why i didn't fit the OB spacers. Would I be right in saying that a better way to go would be small body lift - like 1.5" or something and stick with the raised Kings or go back to standard height Kings and a 2" lift. I don't really want to any higher than how it sits now.

I might just take you up on those shafts too Jordan. Once I work out a plan I'll PM you.

Car is on the Sunshine Coast but I'm in Heritage Park/Browns Plains.

I'd put in the OB crossmember spacers. This will push the bottom of the strut out slightly and help with camber. You'll need the steering extension too.

are you sure you can't adjust the camber enough at the adjuster on the bottom of the strut? I have just put forrie struts in my gen1 and I have adjusted the camber so it looks to be negative.

Yeah by installing these spacers in will fix the problems you're having, I have them in my Gen 2 Liberty and it was fixed after i installed the spacers.. That is why Outback has them.
Cheers
AP

AlpineRaven wrote:Yeah by installing these spacers in will fix the problems you're having, I have them in my Gen 2 Liberty and it was fixed after i installed the spacers.. That is why Outback has them.
Cheers
AP

Did you fit the steering extension also?

__JC__ wrote:Did you fit the steering extension also?

Yep you need to... You can make your own if you have to by using Liberty one and just add extra inch (cut and add a pipe then weld).
Cheers
AP

Thanks AP...just to clarify... so the outbacks come with a longer shaft? I might try and get my hands on one of those from a wrecker.

Can anyone help out with the steering extension?

Is there a picture floating around somewhere or can they be purchased from BYB?

Edit:

Also will I need any other blocks other than the cross member blocks? REALLY want to get this car sorted and driveable again for summer!!

I wanna be here again....

sorry can't help with the extension, but i just did this to my gen 1 and I put in Forester crossmember blocks and the front control arm rear bushes. They are offset to allow for the blocks. The Forester steering shaft does not fit.

__JC__ wrote:Can anyone help out with the steering extension?

Is there a picture floating around somewhere or can they be purchased from BYB?

Edit:

Also will I need any other blocks other than the cross member blocks? REALLY want to get this car sorted and driveable again for summer!!

I wanna be here again....

mate that is an bloody awesome photo it took my breath away... really it is....

For as steering extension - I tried looking for a spare one in the garage couldnt find it... But I'll have another look in the morning.
Cheers
AP

Looking nice!

Is that first shot taken at one of the Booloumba Creek Crossings?