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Billet knuckle vs stock knuckle Stock knuckle with wheel bearing weighs 14#. Billet knuckle with wheel bearing weighs 19#. Bare billet knuckle weighs 13#. We kinda knew this up front but after seeing them in person compared to the stock knuckles, aluminum would almost certainly be strong enough with this boxed design. Would require steel sleeves for the strut bolts and long bolt but the machining would go a lot faster. The brakes will probably be heavier than stock and CV axle will definitely be heavier but I think a ~10# unsprung weight increase per rear corner will be worth it.

I've swapped many of them on 96-99 Outbacks. They just lay on top of the foam.

The OEM tires are pretty stiff. The height you will gain by going up a size isn't really going to make a difference. Buy a premium tire and it will. I run Continental TrueContact on all of my Subarus. They perform very well in the snow (if that's an issue for you) and handle pretty well for a touring tire. They are, in my opinion, the best all season tire around. Our Forester spends a lot of time off-road on rocky trails, in the mud, etc. The tires have never failed us (on our third set on that vehicle). They ride very well and are very quiet. Check your tire pressure as well, shops are notorious for over inflating. A couple PSI will make a huge difference.

tirerack.com has some good tools and options for sizes that will work.