Outback '01 2.5 4eat VDC project

So couple years ago i bought myself my first subaru ever and after long time thinking took outback against forester. Didint had budget for newer one so went for some 2nd gen that i found

Top original, lower 2"" lift with BFG TA KO2 215/65 R16

It was 2001 subaru outback 2.5 4eat eith rear LSD and early VDC package. All weather with heated seats, windows, climate control.
It has rear self leveling shocks still ok condition so i left them just put 2" spacer on top. Not sure is it made car harder and less comfy but it can take load very well. But its not soft car to drive fast on bad roads
Then i cut front bumper and put steel skid plate just for engine. Diy it myself from steel sheet from scrapyard

 

[Ben Up North]

Have you got trailing arm spacers? Rear tyres look a little close to the guard in a couple of those pictures

 

[scalman]

0sP

Have you got trailing arm spacers? Rear tyres look a little close to the guard in a couple of those pictures

.no i dont have and i know what you mean. You mean as those

I just put strut spacers. And without camber in front.
You think those rear shocks geting too much load on side maybe?
I mean wheels are just little more to front but they not even close to touch anything
Thats better angle

Yes i can see that they not in center. Is that making some problem to shocks? If so i would put spacers there too.
In flexing they pretty much stays in their places too

And i have rear sway bar disconnected if thats gives something to the picture

 

[scalman]

Thing that i dont like is how much wheels went inside car because of lift.front mostly. Best seen in top right pic. Its good for muding as mud dont fly all over car but from some angles car looks kinda ugly. Nothing that wheel spacers couldnt fix i guess. Still im waiting for that as i like go into mud

My trunk with LPG and custom made subwoofer on side

Custom diy subwoofer box

My custom UEL headers skid plate and rear muffler Remus. Itsbjust little too long sticks out off bumper 8cm

My custom UEL headers.comparrison top left what you can buy, low right mine, others 2 made by others. I can see maybe my angles too hard. Could remake it someday

My most rusted places and what i did to that

Now i can lift car there . before i couldnt.

More in rear

Fender rust. Did same on both sides

 

[scalman]

Anyone have sugestions or thoughts for me i would gladly listen . just wanna make car as capable as possibly, still carry original look nothing too much hardcore but more better on road and off .
As much as i can i like to do things diy and make something from something if possible.

 

[scalman]

LTablet holder on cup holder. Its best idea as i can move it forward backward and then up down and to sides to makr any angle i would need. And its strong enough to hold 10' tablet

Osram night braker laser

Highest spot on Austria Alps

Led lighting in trunk. Its so bright its lights some area outside car even

Modifying plug tool so it turn full circle

Its not so bad to change spark plugs on those engines

New rear brake discs

UEL custom headers for some that subaru rumble

Thats how much i need lift rear so wheel comes loose with rear sway bar disconnected

 

[scalman]

short lights vs high . shorts are Osram Night Braker Laser H7

in time will add some extra LED lights there for going in really dark places those alone are not enough. maybe light bar or two small led bars on sides.

reverse lights are not good, but its still better then my led bulbs that i payed 10 euros for one. that i put in front DRL so i left default bulbs there for now. thinking whats cheaper add more powerfull bulbs in same places or add some extra led lights there. those can be pretty cheap.

DRL with LED bulbs im pretty happy with . even they alone gives some light on sides which adds some more light with all lights used . and trunk LED light that lights even some outside space pretty good. but im thinking add another one maybe on door itself so when i open door that light would light up larger area around it too. those where pretty cheap 3 euro for 2 lights.

 

[scalman]

cut the bumper process was simple and same time was cleaning rust and painted some antirust 3in1 paint on those places under bumper was good

so i cut it in that place for reason that bumper wont get in the way anymore. now that radiator frame part is lowest there. so it need to be covered , maybe even strenghtened with extra metal which i might still do later. not that im hitting anything that hard but you never know

so now i dont need to worry about fron bumper anymore. even if it would hit it its so small now that it wouldnt brake or crack or anything it would just bend some and thats it. front of car is now safe. going in to deep sand or some holes i dont need to worry that ohh something might happen to my front bumper. not anymore.

 

[scalman]

some mudding in forest up hill and down. VDC On . tire presure about 2,15 bar / 31 psi on all . sometimes felt as VDC cuts power then search for grip then when founds grip gives me full power again. its interesting experience. and it just goes forward. didnt had problems there with VDC.
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_cf8Cn7LH8&t=138s"]Subaru Outback mud offroad - YouTube[/ame]

 

[scalman]

At last some more snowing. For me snow its best time for subaru and driving it .if i see its snowing at day if its all day i will go outside city to try it late evening or evrn night. Its just something that any other car gives you in snow that subaru gives.

But i would like more snow for more fun. Shame that looks like its melting now allready .wet snow its not so fun and more dangerous.

 

[scalman]

Checked IACV and PCV valves . cleaned them. Put back.

Whats that nasty yelow stuff there?

Washed car as well

 

[1WD Foz]

Hey mate ,
what a awesome rig you have there!!
love the front bumper cut!!!!!!!!!
and DIY skid plate looks sweet
something im yet to do
would you ever install a winch?

I love lots of light, so i think your plans to get some led bars would make your outback look really cool and help alot to see in really dark places,
I just noticed I think you and I have the same led in our boot!!
very bright and very cheap
I Reccomend them to everyone

 

[scalman]

ohh we do ? thats great. yh i still have second light and thinking where to put it ... maybe on trunk door like when you open door up that light lights up outside area in back and to sides. i think would be cool.
then i wanna better backup light. put stronger bulb in original place or add some extra led bar but not sure where.
winch would be cool. and i saw people kinda fitting one even under bumper. so maybe for future i will.
maybe front and rear cameras as well. or even 4 of them for surround view.
whats your plans for your car into future?

 

[1WD Foz]

yes it looks the exact same as mine, i installed 2 of them on the inside of the boot door and they shoot light out the rear of the car ,
i will try to find a website better than photo bucket so i can upload photo's
i like your idea of making the reverse light brighter
i would do this also
i have some spare small led bars which should do the trick lol
but i need a dual battery setup before i add anymore
camera's would be a great idea also

For me i would like to trim my front bumper like you , maybe even try to get someone to help custom fab a arb style front bar, with winch mount
i want a skid plate, custom side rails replacing the skirts
and im not sure if i should go 2inch lift or 3 inch lift
but a lift none the less

 

[scalman]

yh cut bumper is free thats why i did it. and its still legal. i was thinking just add some bar maybe under bumper but more i drove with it and i never even touched it , so i think i dont even need anything there more.
rear bumper i will do next i think. as mine is well long and its really comes in the way everytime. i saw some ideas already to cut it.
really the best way to know what you need change to your car is driving it in different situations on diffeent angles so you will see whats going on and what you could change.
yh you should lift it will look great.

 

[scalman]

still that power loss slow acceleration laggy performance problem as per this thread: https://offroadsubarus.com/showthread.php?t=7471

i mean even 1997 legacy outback does 0-60mph in 10s and i do double that time ..i have some serious problems with something there. or my fual goes badly, but then i have LPG system so my gas goes badly as well , or my air goes bad, or then my exaust bad. or nothing of those but something else. like computer messing with something. so then bad sensors... again which ones ? O2 or some others.

 

[scalman]

thought i need add some extra mini led bar for reverse lights... just one problem there , i measured voltage and with just ignition on it was 9v on reverse bulb. who so low ? with engine on, its goes some up but not fully and its not stable 12v still. so when i connected 2 mini led bars from reverse circuit i had them lighting not fully . so must find out whats will voltage drops there

this just with one bar connected. thin then it was good voltage. and its good difference. but its bad place for lights . i should be mush more spread if it would sit just under actual light. still much better then oem lights

here is problem with voltage droping when i turn on AC same time or other lights. its big difference . and its problem.

new interior middle light 9 leds. before was 6 leds and was little bluish , now light is more white/yelowish and much brighter

 

[scalman]

and end result on reverse lights. removed oem bulbs completely. they wer rusted corroded and i need to change those sockets ifi wanna used oem ones again. but why i need them when i have this much light now on reverse. and if you stand from rear you dont even see them because they no lighting up at all , because i hide them under rear plastic light and they slightly under angle down too so they give most light just to ground and some front.

so end result from this to this

and they very invisible there same time they wont blind anyone. it feels like light just coming from license plate area and it goes down. and with extra bright bulb in reverse light bulb place you would blind people if they stand there and driver if he sits in car behind your car. and with this place where i put it you wont.

 

[scalman]

Added this other day

Maybe i should try one that made for fuel system too

 

[1WD Foz]

nice reverse light upgrade man.

ive been thinking about the same thing, just thinking i should have it wired through a switch to the reverse light so I can drive with normal reverse light in city and switch "extra" reverse lights on in the bush

insane amount of light from those little led's !!

1WD