The Subaru Forester has long been a respected platform, sold worldwide as the ultimate inclement weather wagon, complete with good ground clearance and notable interior storage volume. The Subaru brand harkens back to the Fuji corporation and their first vehicle, the Fuji Rabbit, a motor-scooter constructed from spare WWII aircraft parts. Their first automobile was the Subaru 1500. Cars from the quirky manufacturer have also been used for overland travel since the first “Symmetrical” AWD model was manufactured in 1972, with impressive trips across the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Australia completed with stock units. In general, Subarus perform best when stock or near-stock, so modifications should be limited to only subtle enhancements. The overloaded and overbuilt Subaru is rarely a happy Subaru (or owner).
However, a few things can help on bad roads or when encountering deep snow, mud, and sand. One of the best ways to improve that performance is with a 1-1.5 inch suspension lift and a small increase in tire diameter. We recently worked on one of our project vehicles, a 2010 Subaru Forester that has been a faithful adventure companion since purchased, including a few trips across the country (East/West and North/South). The owner wanted an improvement in off-highway performance to accommodate her frequent adventures, providing better access to remote hiking trails and overland routes.
This started with selecting the tire size, moving from the stock 215/65 R16 tires to the General Grabber APT in 215/70 R16. The new tire is 28” in diameter, nearly an inch taller than the stock tire, which adds a half-inch of total ground clearance. The width is the same as stock, so the tire does not stick out past the fenders and yields similar gas mileage. The Grabbers also (just) fit in the spare well. General all-terrains are known for their durability, and the APT is no exception. The APT features their Duragen technology (for improved carcass strength) and a mountain/snowflake rating. The tread pattern is a mild all-terrain, quiet on the highway while providing some mud evacuation and lug profile for mechanical keying.
Installing new tires is also an excellent opportunity to fit stronger wheels, so we selected the 16-inch Method 502 rally in the 5×100 Subaru bolt pattern. The offset is +15mm from the stock wheels, which helps accommodate the reduction in track width when lifting an IFS/IRS vehicle. These wheels are strong at 1,850 pounds per corner and are constructed from solid A365 aluminum with T6 heat treatment. The black finish sets off nicely with the white car, and the lifetime structural warranty gives peace of mind.
The final step was to install a 1.5-inch lift from LP Adventure. The comprehensive kit includes all the components required to lift the Forester safely and properly. This starts with their stainless steel top plate spacers, which are TIG welded and powder coated. The 304 SS is corrosion-resistant, and the coating provides additional protection. When lifting a Subaru, camber becomes a concern, so the plates are offset to bring the alignment back into specification (combined with the factory camber adjusters). In the rear, the kit uses link spacers to lower the subframe slightly, improving roll center and allowing for proper centering of the wheels to reduce rubbing. Final changes include hand brake and brake line spacers to prevent stretching and new exhaust hangers.
Overall, the Subaru Forester project has proven to be a fun and reliable companion to adventure. The increased capability and traction have helped improve the owner’s confidence in exploring the backcountry and remote hiking destinations while still being safe and stable on the highway. Fuel economy has dropped about one mpg, and there was some minor rubbing on a pinch weld in the front (it rubbed a lot prior to the lift). Just as in the famous Subaru logo, the stars of the seven sisters (the Pleiades star cluster M45) aligned to make snow white the perfect adventure Subie.
Resources:
LP Adventure | lpadventure.com
Adventure Imports (where we purchased the lift) | adventure-imports.com
General Tire | generaltire.com
Method Wheels | methodracewheels.com
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