Pezimm's 2007 Forester
Pezimm's 2007 Forester
Hey all,
I decided to start a new thread to tell my experience with my beloved Forester XT. I won't be posting anymore to my previous thread here.
Back in mid-2007 I was looking for a new car and the Forester was always high on my preference list (keep in mind I never had a Subie before, so was still looking at other brands also). I was waiting to see the new model Forester come out to compare with the current at the time and make a call on what to get.
Down deep I knew I wanted the SG9 model and when I first saw the sheer size of the SH - which I thought was too big, I didn't waste any time. I was really going for the base X model - really believe me! - but I came across what is now my car sitting in Geelong and advertised for pretty much the price of the base model. I thought: this is a sign!
This is the car as it was at the dealer in Geelong:
And a very clean turbocharged engine:
The car's got a 2.5 turbocharged engine under the bonnet (EJ255) and an auto transmission (4EAT). It was a demo model and only had 113 kms on it (didn't do much demo'ing, i guess..) when I took delivery in early Feb 2008.
Here's a photo I took taking it for a spin in Torquay the day I got it:
Over the following days I will add more posts with my journey with the car, so bear with me for a bit. I want to make this a register of the mods I made - and will make - as well as the good times already had and to be had!
Cheers,
Pedro.
I decided to start a new thread to tell my experience with my beloved Forester XT. I won't be posting anymore to my previous thread here.
Back in mid-2007 I was looking for a new car and the Forester was always high on my preference list (keep in mind I never had a Subie before, so was still looking at other brands also). I was waiting to see the new model Forester come out to compare with the current at the time and make a call on what to get.
Down deep I knew I wanted the SG9 model and when I first saw the sheer size of the SH - which I thought was too big, I didn't waste any time. I was really going for the base X model - really believe me! - but I came across what is now my car sitting in Geelong and advertised for pretty much the price of the base model. I thought: this is a sign!
This is the car as it was at the dealer in Geelong:
And a very clean turbocharged engine:
The car's got a 2.5 turbocharged engine under the bonnet (EJ255) and an auto transmission (4EAT). It was a demo model and only had 113 kms on it (didn't do much demo'ing, i guess..) when I took delivery in early Feb 2008.
Here's a photo I took taking it for a spin in Torquay the day I got it:
Over the following days I will add more posts with my journey with the car, so bear with me for a bit. I want to make this a register of the mods I made - and will make - as well as the good times already had and to be had!
Cheers,
Pedro.
GONE - Forester XT Auto - MY07 with all the goodies
Now occasionally driving a Ford barge...
The very first mod to the original condition of the car was done on the friday night before Queen's Birthday weekend 2009
Removing the flimsy air flaps in front of the front tyres:
(Photo taken a couple days ago...)
That was the time I first suffered with these little things!!!:mad:
They are an absolute PITA to remove. My best experiences were achieved with a blast of compressed air to remove the dirt that gets them stuck prior to twisting them - took me a long while to figure them out, though.
As many of you know, the following day was spent out and about around Lerderderg and the Wombat Forest - it was my first outing with the Foz beyond a gravel road
And I achieved this on the Powerline Track (ahhh that famous puddle!!):
I love this shot!
Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLpZrJPRiYE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVro3K3mt3E
Pedro.
Removing the flimsy air flaps in front of the front tyres:
(Photo taken a couple days ago...)
That was the time I first suffered with these little things!!!:mad:
They are an absolute PITA to remove. My best experiences were achieved with a blast of compressed air to remove the dirt that gets them stuck prior to twisting them - took me a long while to figure them out, though.
As many of you know, the following day was spent out and about around Lerderderg and the Wombat Forest - it was my first outing with the Foz beyond a gravel road
And I achieved this on the Powerline Track (ahhh that famous puddle!!):
I love this shot!
Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLpZrJPRiYE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVro3K3mt3E
Pedro.
GONE - Forester XT Auto - MY07 with all the goodies
Now occasionally driving a Ford barge...
Fast-forward a few months and we're now in May 2010...
After a couple ventures offroad, I went down to the Otways with some of the boys in the forum and I reckon that was the turning point - I had to modify the car a bit more!
Couple shots of that day include a little muddy turn where I got a wheel up in the air (for the first time):
And a grueling climb that had me planning my attack initially and realising that the car was actually quite capable after getting to the top:
After that day I was convinced I needed a lift kit. The question now is which way do I go? Options are strut tops or heavy duty springs. Choices, choices!!
Pedro.
After a couple ventures offroad, I went down to the Otways with some of the boys in the forum and I reckon that was the turning point - I had to modify the car a bit more!
Couple shots of that day include a little muddy turn where I got a wheel up in the air (for the first time):
And a grueling climb that had me planning my attack initially and realising that the car was actually quite capable after getting to the top:
After that day I was convinced I needed a lift kit. The question now is which way do I go? Options are strut tops or heavy duty springs. Choices, choices!!
Pedro.
GONE - Forester XT Auto - MY07 with all the goodies
Now occasionally driving a Ford barge...
After weighing my options for some weeks, I decided to go with a strut top lift. I could've gone with a 2in block, but instead decided to "start small" and purchased a 1in block set from Subtle Solutions.
They arrived in the mail and looked like this:
First impressions where: very solid blocks, well made out of aluminium. Their design doesn't incorporate any camber off-set and in installation, the top-hat studs are replaced with long screws (about 2 in) that go through the top-hat then screw in the block prior to mounting on the car.
Blocks installed on front strut:
And the final look of the car with the blocks in:
It certainly sits a bit higher and has an ever so slightly more bumpy ride, but car looks great and feels great!
NOW THE TYRES LOOK TOO SMALL!! What do do next???
Pedro.
They arrived in the mail and looked like this:
First impressions where: very solid blocks, well made out of aluminium. Their design doesn't incorporate any camber off-set and in installation, the top-hat studs are replaced with long screws (about 2 in) that go through the top-hat then screw in the block prior to mounting on the car.
Blocks installed on front strut:
And the final look of the car with the blocks in:
It certainly sits a bit higher and has an ever so slightly more bumpy ride, but car looks great and feels great!
NOW THE TYRES LOOK TOO SMALL!! What do do next???
Pedro.
GONE - Forester XT Auto - MY07 with all the goodies
Now occasionally driving a Ford barge...
Indeed tyres are next (silly comment as I'm catching up with my mods on the journal...)pezimm wrote:NOW THE TYRES LOOK TOO SMALL!! What do do next???
Anyways, on December 2010 the original Yokohama G900 215/55R17 tyres are replaced with a set of Geolandars A/T-S on size 215/60R17.
Here's what the new tyres look like:
Only trouble is the new tyres don't fit the spare wheel well. Short of making a rear wheel carrier, the next best option is to carry out some plastic surgery on the well to make the bigger tyre fit.
Wheel well in original condition:
Changes in progress:
And the final product:
The first outing on new lift and tyres was a road trip to Mount Hotham and down the Great Alpine Road.
Here's the Foz at Danny's lookout:
And again:
Pedro.
GONE - Forester XT Auto - MY07 with all the goodies
Now occasionally driving a Ford barge...
Time for an update!
After getting the new tyres sorted out, it was time to put them to the test...
And it came along with some terrific beaches and sandy tracks in Robe, South Australia. An excellent trip report by El_Freddo on that outing can be found here, but I take the liberty of adding my preferred shots:
It was the first time I went to Robe and the place blew me away. It's just a fantastic little spot!
The lift and the tyres went great on this trip! I took the additional precautions of removing the plastic sump guard and the side skirts (below the doors), which appeared a little fragile and exposed.
At the end of the trip, I can't remember bellying out in anything other than some sandy bits, but overall very very happy with the setup so far.
Pedro.
After getting the new tyres sorted out, it was time to put them to the test...
And it came along with some terrific beaches and sandy tracks in Robe, South Australia. An excellent trip report by El_Freddo on that outing can be found here, but I take the liberty of adding my preferred shots:
It was the first time I went to Robe and the place blew me away. It's just a fantastic little spot!
The lift and the tyres went great on this trip! I took the additional precautions of removing the plastic sump guard and the side skirts (below the doors), which appeared a little fragile and exposed.
At the end of the trip, I can't remember bellying out in anything other than some sandy bits, but overall very very happy with the setup so far.
Pedro.
GONE - Forester XT Auto - MY07 with all the goodies
Now occasionally driving a Ford barge...
And a quick shot of a milestone achieved in mid June/2011:
Took me 3 years to achieve this one, time to stop and remember all the nice places this great car has taken me... Let's see how long it takes to double it!
Cheers,
Pedro.
Took me 3 years to achieve this one, time to stop and remember all the nice places this great car has taken me... Let's see how long it takes to double it!
Cheers,
Pedro.
GONE - Forester XT Auto - MY07 with all the goodies
Now occasionally driving a Ford barge...
- thunder039
- Junior Member
- Posts: 998
- Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2011 6:41 pm
- Location: victoria AUS
And another little addition - this time on the inside: a ScanGauge II
I tried mounting it on the side, between the steering wheel and the door (where the mobile phone mount is), but the reflection on the window's glass at night was a bit of a let-down...
By mounting it on the centre instrument cluster, it keeps the unit away from direct sunlight and right in my field of vision.
Note that at the moment it is only being held by 2 bits of bluetac... Plans for the future include a cut-out of the plastic surroundings of the cluster, so it can be "integrated" with the other instruments. I already have a spare plastic piece to play around with and figure out the best position for the unit.
Pedro.
I tried mounting it on the side, between the steering wheel and the door (where the mobile phone mount is), but the reflection on the window's glass at night was a bit of a let-down...
By mounting it on the centre instrument cluster, it keeps the unit away from direct sunlight and right in my field of vision.
Note that at the moment it is only being held by 2 bits of bluetac... Plans for the future include a cut-out of the plastic surroundings of the cluster, so it can be "integrated" with the other instruments. I already have a spare plastic piece to play around with and figure out the best position for the unit.
Pedro.
GONE - Forester XT Auto - MY07 with all the goodies
Now occasionally driving a Ford barge...
Those scan gauges seem like a pretty cool add on... Just need some money lol
Nice, spot on 100,000 toopezimm wrote:And a quick shot of a milestone achieved in mid June/2011:
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Owner SubieLiftOz, lift kits for Subarus
'97 Forester: EJ22E; 4" Custom Body Lift; JDM STi plated LSD; 20mm WRX RSB; Snorkel; Kings
Owner SubieLiftOz, lift kits for Subarus
'97 Forester: EJ22E; 4" Custom Body Lift; JDM STi plated LSD; 20mm WRX RSB; Snorkel; Kings
We're back to suspension upgrades as I got used to the mere 1in lift and wanted more (Bennie, you were right: 1in is not enough!) - will this end?
The car went into Suspension City in North Melbourne following Greg's (Dulagarl) advice. I found them friendly and down to earth, no fuzz... Price was also fair.
The car just before being stripped of its OEM suspension
As I had the self-levelling suspension on the rear and I wanted raised King Springs, I decided to change the whole lot; springs and struts all around!
Got the tried and tested KYB-Kings combination and I am very happy with them!
Gotta love these yellow springs!
In case anyone needs, part numbers as follows:
Struts Front: 334468/69
Struts Rear: 334344/45
Springs Front: KSFR32SP
Springs Rear: KSRR43
This is what the car looked like as I pulled up at work:
I got a wheel alignment at Trutrack, also in North Melbourne. Although a tad dear, the place is fantastic and the guys in the workshop completely obsessed with setting the angles right to the "n"th degree. Plus I got to perve at some old school Ferraris and Porsches driving in and out.
Pedro.
The car went into Suspension City in North Melbourne following Greg's (Dulagarl) advice. I found them friendly and down to earth, no fuzz... Price was also fair.
The car just before being stripped of its OEM suspension
As I had the self-levelling suspension on the rear and I wanted raised King Springs, I decided to change the whole lot; springs and struts all around!
Got the tried and tested KYB-Kings combination and I am very happy with them!
Gotta love these yellow springs!
In case anyone needs, part numbers as follows:
Struts Front: 334468/69
Struts Rear: 334344/45
Springs Front: KSFR32SP
Springs Rear: KSRR43
This is what the car looked like as I pulled up at work:
I got a wheel alignment at Trutrack, also in North Melbourne. Although a tad dear, the place is fantastic and the guys in the workshop completely obsessed with setting the angles right to the "n"th degree. Plus I got to perve at some old school Ferraris and Porsches driving in and out.
Pedro.
GONE - Forester XT Auto - MY07 with all the goodies
Now occasionally driving a Ford barge...
The beginning of the end of my Geolandars A/T-S
A side-wall puncture (notice the silver tape marking the spot) while at the Wyperfeld National Part required a replacement tyre, which turned out to be unavailable.
The tsunami in Japan in 2011 caused - in addition to all the losses there - major disruptions in manufacturing industries, including tyres. The one I needed was not going to be available for another 3-4 months, so Yokohama offered me 5 brand new Geolandars H/T-S on the same size.
I took their offer, but also started looking for some 16in steel rims to use as my "off-road set".
Pedro.
A side-wall puncture (notice the silver tape marking the spot) while at the Wyperfeld National Part required a replacement tyre, which turned out to be unavailable.
The tsunami in Japan in 2011 caused - in addition to all the losses there - major disruptions in manufacturing industries, including tyres. The one I needed was not going to be available for another 3-4 months, so Yokohama offered me 5 brand new Geolandars H/T-S on the same size.
I took their offer, but also started looking for some 16in steel rims to use as my "off-road set".
Pedro.
GONE - Forester XT Auto - MY07 with all the goodies
Now occasionally driving a Ford barge...
- thunder039
- Junior Member
- Posts: 998
- Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2011 6:41 pm
- Location: victoria AUS
Struts are standard height, combined with raised springs, which gave me about 1 inch. That, plus the 1 inch lift block I had before gives me about 2 inches in total.thunder039 wrote:so how many inch do you have know? were they lifted struts or standard height?
Larger tyres gave me another half inch, so all up it sits about 2.5 inches higher than stock.
Pedro.
GONE - Forester XT Auto - MY07 with all the goodies
Now occasionally driving a Ford barge...
- thunder039
- Junior Member
- Posts: 998
- Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2011 6:41 pm
- Location: victoria AUS
So the chase for some 16in steelies took me to QLD. Well I was going there for New Year's anyway, so a few more stars aligned and I also came across a very nice SubaXtreme bullbar sitting in Orange, NSW.
One trip, 2 ticks on the "wanted" list!!:-D
This is how to fit 4 rims and a bumper in the back of the Foz!
And this little baby goes on tomorrow!!
Pedro.
One trip, 2 ticks on the "wanted" list!!:-D
This is how to fit 4 rims and a bumper in the back of the Foz!
And this little baby goes on tomorrow!!
Pedro.
GONE - Forester XT Auto - MY07 with all the goodies
Now occasionally driving a Ford barge...