Up to What year can Subaru's Be easily Modified?

technophile · Post by **technophile** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 11:38 pm

Hi all,

after recently looking at getting an L series for my first car, which fell through, i have also become interested in the outback as it a much more comfortable (ie, electrics etc) , and apparently easier to modify. my question to collective "hive" is up until what year/generation is the outback a good choice for a soft/off road vehicle, in regards to after-market mods available. i am also interested in what other models are worth looking at, where the main "off road" use would be sand.

i may be wrong here, but am i correct in saying that none of the new subaru models have hi/low 4x4

Thank in advance

taza · Post by **taza** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 12:10 am

There's heaps of off the shelf accessories for Foresters and Outbacks really up until 2008.

My mate has a gen 3 2003 2.5 Outback with 5" of lift and it goes really well offroad other than gearing. Has a front bullbar, big tyres and the likes. It's pretty sick. Most newer subies are pretty capable and easily more so, it just depends how hardcore you want to go and how much money you have.

If you are wanting an L-series I'm advertising mine next week as I only bought it as a temp car while my Forester was repaired. It's very stock and in great nic with very little rust. Runs like a bloody dream to with some work I had to put into it.

Taza

thunder039 · Post by **thunder039** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 3:53 pm

any subi can be modified i would say the forester and outback are the easiest (with my experience anyway) mainly due to the availablity of parts. any of the awd subis are good for sand and yes the new subi's dont have low range.
if your on a budget the 1st and 2nd gen liberty's rare cheap and can be modified well

Post by **Alex** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 3:55 pm

Alot of the newer subis do have low range actually. Only in manual though

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taza · Post by **taza** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 4:14 pm

Alex wrote:Alot of the newer subis do have low range actually. Only in manual though

Yep.

The first generation Foresters(1997-2002) have a 45% low range with the manuals while the Outbacks (95-08) all only have a 19% reduced low range. The L-Series has a 60% low range.

The 60% makes a nice difference but the 45% I have in my Forester does pretty well. The 19% is just uselesss and is really only good for towing a trailer or the likes.

Brumby Kid · Post by **Brumby Kid** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 5:28 pm

What % are the MY's reduced low range?

thunder039 · Post by **thunder039** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 5:46 pm

Brumby Kid wrote:What % are the MY's reduced low range?

59%?????

the only current model with low range is the forester while the outback lost with the current model but up untill 04 i believe all subaru's with manual and non turbo had low range

taza · Post by **taza** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 5:49 pm

thunder039 wrote:59%?????

the only current model with low range is the forester while the outback lost with the current model but up untill 04 i believe all subaru's with manual and non turbo had low range

Yes 59% is correct. I think Brumby's only have 45% to the best of my knowledge. So the same as a 1st gen Forester.

Up until 2008 the Outback had it and the Foz still has it. The Lib lost it in the early 2000's. The impreza had it until the the early 2000's too.

Brumby Kid · Post by **Brumby Kid** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 7:03 pm

Hang on,
Yeah old MY's and brumby's.
What are they?
Sorry for the thread hijack but.
Easiest way to improve this %?
New gbox and diff?

Cheers Cam

taza · Post by **taza** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 8:01 pm

Brumby Kid wrote:Hang on,
Yeah old MY's and brumby's.
What are they?

Brumby's are 1.447.1 so 45% to the best of my knowledge. I don't own one or have ever been in one so someone can confirm this. MY's are 1.598.1 so 59 or 60% whatever you want to call it.

Sorry for the thread hijack but.
Easiest way to improve this %?
New gbox and diff?

Replace the low range gear in the gearbox with the L-series or scorpion low range one which are both 59%. If your going down this route you may aswell get an AWD gearbox, front LSD and 3.90 or 4.11 diffs. L-series stock diffs on most models are 3.70, not sure with Brumby's.

This is expensive though.

Brumby Kid · Post by **Brumby Kid** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 8:10 pm

Awesome, so when I have the money and the want, I will have an even better low range and the LSD / diff lock.

Though I may not need / want / have the money for quite a while.

Thanks Cam

taza · Post by **taza** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 8:20 pm

Brumby Kid wrote:Awesome, so when I have the money and the want, I will have an even better low range and the LSD / diff lock.
Though I may not need / want / have the money for quite a while.

Thanks Cam

Same here Cam.

If I had the money (20k or so) I could quite easily spend it on the foz.

guyph_01 · Post by **guyph_01** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 10:17 pm

If i had to choose between a stock forester and a stock outback for offroading in the sand with some light mods like raised springs, id choose the forester no questions.

BUT, if I plan to do some crazy mods, I'd get a Twin sunroof Outback, Drop a H6 with vehom's drivetrain, 2inch lift and raised springs, bullbar, rear wheel carrier with all the other goodies like spots, AT tyres, etc etc.

OR Use a peanut eye Impreza:p

But seriously, i love those twin sunroof outbacks

Brumby Kid · Post by **Brumby Kid** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 10:20 pm

Peanut eye? Is that the 02 bugeye?
Heavily modified outback for the win!

taza · Post by **taza** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 10:23 pm

guyph_01 wrote:If i had to choose between a stock forester and a stock outback for offroading in the sand with some light mods like raised springs, id choose the forester no questions.

Same, I went everywhere when my Forester was stock. Definately too many places that it shouldn't of. lol

BUT, if I plan to do some crazy mods, I'd get a Twin sunroof Outback, Drop a H6 with vehom's drivetrain, 2inch lift and raised springs, bullbar, rear wheel carrier with all the other goodies like spots, AT tyres, etc etc.

You better do that for your next car! Should only cost about $30,000

But seriously, i love those twin sunroof outbacks

They are pretty sick, the Foz you can get a 'moon' roof which extented front from the drivers seats to the rear passenger seats. It's huge

Post by **Alex** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 11:09 pm

Peanut eye is that shape after bugeye. Best shape imo

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d_generate · Post by **d_generate** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 12:27 am

Easiast Subaru's to work on are Impreza & Foz up to 2000 and Liberty/Outback up to 98, pretty much everything is interchangeable between cars, they changed the rear ends on the OB & Libs after that.

taza · Post by **taza** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 12:44 pm

d_generate wrote:Easiast Subaru's to work on are Impreza & Foz up to 2000 and Liberty/Outback up to 98, pretty much everything is interchangeable between cars, they changed the rear ends on the OB & Libs after that.

Until 2002 with the Forester don't you mean, they are almost exactly the same between 98 and 02, just come cosmetic changes and the likes.

The multilink rear suspension put in the OB after 98 is F***ed. After having to install new rear struts on the weekend with 3" of strut lift it was bullshit hard, even with the right tools!!

guyph_01 · Post by **guyph_01** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 1:51 pm

taza wrote: They are pretty sick, the Foz you can get a 'moon' roof which extented front from the drivers seats to the rear passenger seats. It's huge

Hummm, yeah that too, Either one i find first and cheapest:p