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
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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
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Adding significant weight behind the rear axle line can cause serious rear suspension problems. If you have SLS, they will be shagged in no time.

If you are changing to non-SLS (as I have) make sure that the struts and springs are suitable for the extended loading. Mine are ideal for towing my trailer (50-70 kg load on tow bar), but not so strong as to make the car uncomfortable with adverse effect on handling when not towing.

In fact, the combination of the Pedders rear struts and around 33 kgs extra for the front SubaXtreme bar both contribute to Roo2 having a better ride and noticeably improved handling at speed on winding country roads. No bad habits on dirt roads at speed either (around 130 kmh on loose dirt).

Just a few things to consider.
 
so adding weight in trunk in rear part near bumper is ok weight but add that weight onto rear bumper and shocks cant handle it ? really. those SLS works just fine with full load people and full trunk load of bags no prob why they should have problem with one wheel added to rear bumper part. but i see point there sure. just considering options.
again if i will carry that spare wheel just in trunk it adds weight to shocks as well.
i have LPG tank in trunk as well of 50l and there is no prob with that being full.
never drive fast on highways and never drive fast offroad . mostly about 90km/h as by law.
 
The SLS system looks like a good idea (my wife's SH still has them) until you realise that the shock absorber is doing part of the work that should be done by the spring. Then it suddenly becomes not such a good idea.

Mine developed bad saggy butt syndrome which is why I investigated replacement of the SLS strut assemblies. Took advice from a couple of mechanics I trust, and ultimately Pedders to get what I needed for my use.

No modern vehicles are designed to carry loads outside of their precise design parameters. Hanging a 20+ kg spare and 20+ kg Jerry can off the extreme end of the vehicle (along with weight of supporting framework, maybe another 30-40 kgs) is well outside the design parameters for our vehicles. At best, you risk bending or breaking a strut. Members here have done both.

Our Foresters have a gross vehicle mass of 4 adults plus around 45 kgs luggage each. This is a very common reality with most modern vehicles.
 
Weight that far behind the rear wheels adds a leverage effect. 70-80Kg on/behind the bumper is going to be equivalent to excess of 100Kg over the rear wheel. I know a guy with an SG who has a rear bar with tyre and fuel carrier, he bends struts all of the time. Changing rear struts is his pass time and he's tried all different brands hoping something will be strong enough. Outback is probably a little stronger then SG but I still wouldn't do it.

Roof racks are a better option if its just a few bulky items like a tyre and a jerry can. If you are carrying serious weight consider a trailer.
 
i agree and those are good points everybodys said.something to think of. so on roof then is better maybe. but im ok without spare too. i could just toss it in trunk when no need trunk space . but. 1. its not same tire. so diff height too. and different tires doesnt work so much with VDC traction control brains.

So today i got stuck in forest about 10 km from home. Was trying get myself out myself couldnt, then asked uncle to helo but he just had ford transit van. He came but couldnt do nothing almost get stuck himself.It was muddy road half frozen because cold but one side was soft mud and i got there with front wheel.and all car liy down on belly now on half froszen half soft mud.
I left car was getting dark and i needed go to work night shift later .so i left car i middle of nowhere. Driver side car is in mud almost until door. Other side on ok track. Didint had any ppl i know with heavy truck or tracktors or 4wd. So that bad. Tomor will try to get car somehow out. But so much problems when no car.
My solutions:
1. Look someone with bug lift 4wd and ask him to get me out.
2. Look who have tracktor and ask him.
3. Buy some hand recovery gear and go try to get out car myself with hi-lift maybe.
Problems:
Dont know noone with heavy jeeps around. Dot know anyone with tractor around.
Normal cars wont pull me out of there .
If tomor will freeze and that mud become solid what will i do .
Hope noone will touch my car there. :((
Car sit on exaust tube which brake or separated somewhere because now its sound loud. Hopefully no more damages.
Driving alone..dont go to places you think are bad. I got there passed 3 times ok . then i wanted try go more on side. Was mistake.



now what i learned from that. i tried to dig up mud and tried lift car at least one side and put some small trees under wheels. and that worked up for one side but other side was all in mud. and i had just folded but good shovel. and axe. and just small hidraulic lifter. which is enough to lift car from ground on solid surface but its doesnt work at all offroad. if i would had then hi-lift i would lift front of car enough to raise it from mud some and put some cut trees there. maybe would even got out . so my lifter was main problem. shovel was ok and axe too. and i found that now that i cut my front bumper and my recovery points are open its good point to lift car too. even with my small lifter i lifted it couple time by those points and all was fine. it was strong enough place to lift it. and i could even weld there something to make it more solid and good spot for good hi-lifter . so that stuff was missing. then again i could pull out car with hi-lift too. just need a lot ropes and chains and trees around. which i had .

so im now thinking what i could do to get out car and who could help me and should i just try to handle it myself by hands power. maybe i could. and it would be good practice to recover car. just weather is not best for doing that. hands frozen, all muddy , wet and such.
and i saw problem later. it was running water on that side where i got stuck. and running water made that part very soft and sinking surface.

maybe i just need some gear
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and get to the work
i would need do that i think
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mine looks now similar to this. just on one side . and would be different story if it would be warm weather and log days as in summer. not when 4pm is dark allready and cold. :(
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would simple come-along work too ? like 4t ones ? or they too weak and will just brake
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or chained models
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i use them in work to lift stuff. but they really big and heavy if they like 3t models. wouldnt wanna put that in car and carry around
 
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I have a similar one, 1,6 ton (3.2 tons with a pulley), 20m of cable and 2 straps. Have always been able to get unstuck alone.
 
jf1sf5 said:
treuils-a-cable-passant-tirfor-06t508-t516-t532_6_.jpg

I have a similar one, 1,6 ton (3.2 tons with a pulley), 20m of cable and 2 straps. Have always been able to get unstuck alone.
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you mean this 1,6 t is enough for you ? well use pulley is always smart move.
because i will buy one tomorrow. so i need to pick best and cheap same time.
so you not carrying hi-lift with you ?just that. its kinda heavy no ? with all that cable and stuff . does that better one compare to come-along ?
and can you show in pic what straps you use ? so just those tools and noting else ? no extra cable or stuff ? like something to hold around tree and such
 
thanks i found those too.just not for sale locally. would you think this would be enough too ? i need to make that rescue mission tomorrow. cant wait any longer.
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my car is stuck there now ...waiting.

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in this pic its not stuck. i drove there like 10 times back and forward. then i thought its too easy and went more to left side. and it sunk down.
 
On another forum, everybody says to stay away from them because they can break easily but I have never tested myself, so I don't know...
 
yh and someone in other forum tells me to try it . so . just i cant find now fast nothing else. well hi-lift i could maybe in city near my but that heavy stuff and its pulls so slow
 
and you used yours a lot ? like from heavy stuck places like mud and such ?
and yes i believe that those come-along could brake because i see 4t ones cost like 15 euros and other similar looking 4t as well is 45 euros. so if price different must be strenght too.
 
I used it in mud, snow and on steep rocky climbs where it was not possible to go backwards. I bought it 19 years ago when I first had a '63 Series 2 Land Rover ! Can't remember how many times I had to use it though but it helps you be a better offroad driver...:biggrin:

The advantage over a winch is that you can use it everywhere, front, rear, sides, to help other people and many more purposes and you can pull the whole length of the cable (20m) at once...
 
jf1sf5 said:
I have a similar one, 1,6 ton (3.2 tons with a pulley), 20m of cable and 2 straps. Have always been able to get unstuck alone.
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This is what I'm looking for. There's a million cheap ones on the net, less than AU$50, or better looking ones at around AU$400.00
Any idea what the one you have would be worth new now?
(sorry for the Hijack scalman!)
 
So tried to pull out car today with come along 4t . and ohh boy fridt thing was cable released itself from end . then i made hook with it so its holds but then i tried to oull out car and 4t strap snaped. Just snaped in middle. One that was holding around tree. It was used badly too but point that caf dont move an inch. Without lifting car and releasing that middle of car where it sits on exhaust it wont move.
So i need hi lift . i need lift car and put some trees under that side that is sinked.
Left car again in forest for second night. Tommorow with uncle with more shovels and planks and more cables straps we wilm try to pull it out. But i need lift ir. No otherr way. And simple car lifter is not high enough to lift car so much that i could put somethinf under wheels.
I have space under rear diff so that would be good place to lift rear and in front. I could lift front too. Cant lift sides they are too much buried and its going up hill.
Mud sti soft in place where wheels burried outside is like -5 celcious now. But because there is running water mud soft there.
So now i need to think how to lift car . i cant put lifter in mud and lift because its just sinks down.
Need some small lifter to put under rear diff too. But main thing and first is to lift front not rear because car goes down hill and all that weight is on front.
 
Ben Up North said:
This is what I'm looking for. There's a million cheap ones on the net, less than AU$50, or better looking ones at around AU$400.00
Any idea what the one you have would be worth new now?
(sorry for the Hijack scalman!)
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Its worth about 1'000 CHF new from factory but can be bought around 500/600 CHF on sale.

A french company named "Tirfor", inventor of these cable hoists also sells a 1,6 ton model, probably cheaper. A chinese company is also sold here, Tmax, most people are happy with their stuff.
 
i would take for 40-60 euros if i would found one here. but then sometimes you need good lifter too.to lift car from deep mud and put some trees under wheels.
at least i cant pull my car now after cold night half mud frozen and half stayed soft so its terrible. car sits on belly from rear diff to engine. can't just pull like that by force i will brake something. need good lifter. doesn't have one that i could use there.
payed today 34 euros for come along 4t and well its looks strong kinda . well 4t strap snapped and come along is still in one peace so its not bad just not enough.
 
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