Subaru owners: Let's see your expedition rigs!

I got a 2019 2.5 back in August and I finally got a chance to take it on a long trip, including some backroad driving. It's my first AWD car, and so far I've been impressed with it. I DO need to get skid plates and better tires. The OEM all-seasons did fine, but the roads were dry and in good condition, and I was sweating every time I hit a sharp rock or a mesquite stick.
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Not bad as a camping platform either, though I need to work out some storage solutions if I'm going to sleep two in the cargo bed.
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Dougnuts

Well-known member
After previously planning to lower my Outback, and installing STI wheels and brakes........

Well, how's this for a change of direction? After talking to my Pastor, of all people :), I decided to go for more of an off road build than a handling machine.

I went with Rallitek 0.75" overload springs, Bilstein struts, new control arms, Whiteline top hats, KMC708s with 245/65/17 Falken Wildpeaks. Overall the car gained 3" up front and 2" in the rear.

Not a bad looking ride for 141K miles. If I had it to do over again, I would have went with the 0" lift springs (which actually do lift the car a little). I have some OEM fender flares that I may get put on tomorrow night, if I have time.










 

laylow

Observer
New to me 2019 Forester Base. 35k miles. So far everything I've done has been electronic, besides the roof rack. It's got 2m and 70cm amateur radio, and an SDR dongle feeding an android tablet for SDR and ADS-B decoding. The tablet also provides media and navigation, and the solar panel in the back window keeps the tablet charged when i'm not driving. A Verizon unlimited 5g hotspot generously provided by my employer that I don't really need for work is mounted in the spare tire storage area to provide the tablet connectivity. Using my Tailscale VPN, I have always-on connectivity to the tablet, so it keeps my podcasts in sync, and I can push Android APKs or new music to it from my office, or wherever I happen to be.

Future plans are basically just some more aggressive tires, and some kind of sleeping setup in the back.


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PatrickM

Member
I'm kinda late to this party. Long time lurker, first time posting. Just wanted to announce that I think I invented this whole Subaru as Overlander concept. LOL Maybe not; haven't looked at every page of this thread. I am pretty sure I am among the handful of first builders.

These pics might be of historical interest to some. My '77 4WD wagon that I pumped everything into... and in those days it wasn't much. I had to do some custom mods. I was inspired from reading the early exploits of the Turtle Expedition and their Land Rover 109" WB.

I did what I could with it, given that there was next to zero aftermarket support of Subaru in those days:
  • Had Con-Ferr (in Burbank, CA) custom-make me a shrunk down version of their iconic roof rack, to fit the Subaru wagon's small roof (Con-Ferr charged me only $80 in 1979 or so)
  • Had a welding shop make some upgrades to the factory optional front bumper and grill guard
  • Added an array of lights, mostly Cibie
  • Did a custom lift of the front end (rear didn't really require it); I even designed in some camber adjustment, since the original lift made the camber a little wonky
  • Had the factory steel disk wheels widened by a local wheel builder so I could run taller and fatter tires
  • Swapped the stock carb for a Weber 32/36 DGV
  • Had a truly custom single-muffler exhaust (no catcons on Subs in those days) made by a local muffler shop
  • Ported ported heads
  • Installed a cam reprofiled by Schneider Racing Cams
  • Moved the spare tire onto the roof-rack an mounted a really nice, flat tool box in the spare's old spot under the hood.
This car also has the distinction of being the first Subaru in the world to wear Bilstein shocks. Late 1970s. That was years ahead of Bilstein offering a factory set of shocks for any Subaru. How I did that was take my struts and rear shocks to Bilstein of America in San Diego, and the manager there was super cool about the idea. Really nice German guy. We looked through their warehouse and found some shocks to match.

Turned out that their Nissan 240Z replacement strut inserts were a darned near perfect fit with my front struts. I don't recall what rear shocks we selected. They were basic stem-eye shocks off some other small car. I was in no position to be picky. But darn it, I wanted Bilsteins 'cause that's what all the Baja bugs and desert racers in the off-road magazines were running. LOL

The manager even gave me a really cool "BILSTEIN Racing Shocks" sticker, big white letters on a clear background. I wore it proudly on the back hatch for a number of years, til it disintegrated.

I started a Jerry-can holder project but never quite finished it.

I took these pics back in the mid-1980s, in and around Anza Borrego Desert State Park, California.

Sold this little car in 1991; bought an International Scout II to replace it. I still have the Scout.

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EDIT: Just throwing in some reference material below, couple of old magazine ads from the late '70s, for people who don't know how long Subarus have been a thing to play with off-pavement, and what they were when I bought mine. I know many of you probably hadn't been born yet!

BTW, notice the winch on the nose of the second one. Yes, US dealers used to offer small winches as an add-on, along with the push-bar you see here. I believe that was a Superwinch. Smallest model they made.

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heehawhardy

Adventurering
Just picked up a 2016 Forester XT little over a month ago. Absolutely love it. Already added DiodeDynamics SS3 Fog Replacements.

Have SubtleSolutions 1" front and 1/2" rear strut spacer to install. Just to gain a tad more clearance and help level the Forester out.
 

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ThundahBeagle

Well-known member
Just picked up a 2016 Forester XT little over a month ago. Absolutely love it. Already added DiodeDynamics SS3 Fog Replacements.

Have SubtleSolutions 1" front and 1/2" rear strut spacer to install. Just to gain a tad more clearance and help level the Forester out.

I love the new Forester Wilderness but they are a bit pricey and marked up. So I have been looking at 2019 -2020 Forester Sports. I stumbled on an ad for an 18 Forester XT Touring and nearly dropped my lunch. First near the same price as a 20 Sport I can get the same options but with a saddle leather interior, paddle shift manual mode and the 2.0 DIT engine. I've never owned one, but it sure seems like I now have some decisions to make.
 

heehawhardy

Adventurering
I love the new Forester Wilderness but they are a bit pricey and marked up. So I have been looking at 2019 -2020 Forester Sports. I stumbled on an ad for an 18 Forester XT Touring and nearly dropped my lunch. First near the same price as a 20 Sport I can get the same options but with a saddle leather interior, paddle shift manual mode and the 2.0 DIT engine. I've never owned one, but it sure seems like I now have some decisions to make.

I paid 24,980 out the door for my FXT with 72,000 miles. Sticker was 21,500, added GAP, and then rest was TTL.
 

ThundahBeagle

Well-known member
I paid 24,980 out the door for my FXT with 72,000 miles. Sticker was 21,500, added GAP, and then rest was TTL.

Near me they are asking $21k for 2018 with just over 80k miles, and up to $27/28k for ones with 40k miles. I'm trying to stay on the lower end of the mileage scale because I'm daily driving 500 miles per week. In 4 years, a car with 80k Mike's will be creeping up near 200 thousand miles and I want to avoid having to switch cars in the next 6 years. Pay now or pay later, I guess
 

calicamper

Expedition Leader
I paid 24,980 out the door for my FXT with 72,000 miles. Sticker was 21,500, added GAP, and then rest was TTL.
You paid 24k for a subaru with 72,000 on it? Then bought gap insurance? If your in CA let me know when you need a bankruptcy lawyer. My brothers office is doing great business right now. Gap insurance is like one of their first questions the more gap insurance the person has typically the worse their situation
 

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