ezapar

Can't argue with you there. You're kinda close to Seattle aren't you? They can be had for 3-4 grand for the 96's, Austin payed less than a grand for his 93. . . Should you go on a mission to get one, I'll help you find one local to me.

These are rugged little cars. The Older Gen folks tend to doubt and dislike them because they are unfamiliar with them. Once you own one, you realize it's still a Soob, but with more bugs ironed out. The suspension is pretty tough compared to an ea81 or 82. Good for you Andy, sweet pic.

Lates all go to Reiter's Pit. A day trip would be perfect.

Most likely cause of the knock. . . The new struts may be a bit bigger in circumference. Pull a tire off and go take a look with a light. You'll probably find that the struts are rubbing on the inner wall. Look for the shiny spot. You're gonna have to pull both assemblies off and pund the shiny spot in with a BFH. How do I know this? It happened to me too. And. . . I don't believe that legacy struts will lift your car much at all if any. Legacy Outback struts do that.

The vid showed up today!! Just finished watching it. You guys definitely had more fun wheeling than I did! Thanks a bunch. EZ

Welcome. Appreciated. If you can't find the answer, we can probably help.

That'll do it.

mmmmm. . . Video. Can't wait Rollie.

Snow Submitted by zyewdall Just a quick writeup of my experience Offroading in the winter often means snow. Which means you have issues with ground clearance, traction, and visibility. Visibility: You can't see what is under the snow. Sometimes what looks like a bump is actually a hole, the edge of the road cut -- or even an iced over stream. What looks flat could be a basketball sized rock to take out your oil pan, or a buried tree across the trail that will smash the front alighnment up. It's best if you've seen the area without snow, and know what's under there. Ground clearance: In snow, you are often not only dealing with low traction, but also dragging parts of the car through snow plowing a trench. If you've got enough traction, this can be hard on clutches and engines because they are working alot harder. If you don't have enough traction, you can end up stuck, sometime without enough weight on the wheels to move. See types of snow below. Ground clearance is usually what stops my subaru in the snow, not traction per se. Traction: In general, narrower tires are better in snow. Higher ground pressure packs down soft snow, and can allow you to dig through to dirt or gravel underneath. However, certain conditions (spring drifts) are better with wide tires. In driving in snow, be prepared to suddenly have the car do strange things -- slide sideways, turn by itself, etc, depending on which particular wheels have traction and which don't, and which way the underlying ground is sloping. Type of snow: Fresh cold powder. The easiest type of snow to drive in. If you've got good snowtires, the car may not even feel the snow. But watch out for buried obstacles. It's easy to be blasting along through a foot of powder like it's nothing, and run into a rock or tree stump that you didn't see. Old windblown power. This type of snow acts more like sand, being rather heavy, and flowing like a pile of sand. It's not hard enough to drive on, but too hard to easily go thorugh, and it won't pack. You'll often be driving along perfectly fine, then encounter a deeper drift on a corner, and grind to a to a stop. Spinning the wheels and digging/churning your way through can work if you don't get high centered. It can be hard to get a good track established in this, because the wheels just churn the powder from front to back, rather than pushing it aside or packing it down. Fresh wet snow. This type isn't too bad, but is quite a bit slipperier than fresh powder. Keep speed up. Often this type of snow brings alot of small trees and brush down on the trail when it falls, so watch out for that. If this stuff is deep enough, it can high center you (especially with uneven terrain underneath), and it's so slippery, that it doesn't require too much weight taken off the wheels to start them spinning. Spinning the wheels in this type of snow is usually not good -- it gives good lubrication so they'll happily spin with no movement of the car, unless you can dig through to dirt with agressive tires or chains. Old wet snow. Heavy dense stuff that is like driving through pineapple jello. Often has layers of ice in it too. Often the way to get through this is to have chains and a low crawling gear, in order to slowly crunch through layers and pack them down into a useable track (and if it's too deep, watch the ground clearance). Spring drifts. This is what the old windblow powder turns into by April or June when all but the deepest drifts have melted away. These drifts are often frozen solid at night (or in the early morning when you head up a trail), and you may be able to drive right over them. During the day, they thaw, and turn into the wet version of old windblown powder. Still a heavy unstable substance, but really slippery now too. These drifts are often off camber, and the top will thaw first, so you may be able to drive up onto a drift, then slide off the side. Or it may be frozen just enough to drive up on top, then break through and sit on the frame with the wheels in soft holes -- these can be suprisingly deep too -- sometimes what looks like a short section of snow is actually 4 feet deep in the middle. Multiple vehicals with winches are usually needed for these. ATV'ers like these conditions, because they can run over the top of many of these, being lighter with large tires. Ice mixed with snow. Often you'll encounter snow with iced over tracks in the bottom from where someone who drove through in the slush which then froze. A light covering of snow can disguise this ice, but will make great lubrication. You may think you can spin the wheels a little and dig down to dirt, only to find a layer of glazed ice at the bottom. Chains can dig in and let you still move. You can also encounter snow with an ice layer on top -- if it rained then refroze. This is nasty, as the ice layer is exactly where you are dragging your undercarriage and can grab on and stop you. Streams combined with snow are a challenge. Often they are still flowing underneath, but are frozen on top. Is it strong enough to hold the car up, or will you break through into little water filled holes? If it's still open flowing water across the trail for a while (a stream fording for example), it often has ice shelfs at the edges, which can blow out tires, or just be too high an obstable to climb back out of the open stream. And of course, it's cold -- what may have been fun squishy sounding shoes from having to do a water recovery in the summer, may be more like frostbitten frozen feet in the winter. Streams can also flow across a road and freeze into a glazed ice layer which gives zero traction (especially if it's still got a little liquid water on top) And one fun aspect of snow is that if you abandon a stuck vehical with ideas of coming back tomorrow, it may snow another foot over night, and it may be permanently stuck till spring. Keep this in mind if you head out without sufficient recovery capability. Winter driving equipment that you should carry. In addition to normal stuff. Big scoop shovel Chains cross country skiis (they are pretty fast to get back out if you need to, compared to walking) Down sleeping bag.

Just PM'd you my #, please call me. EZ

If you've got something to add that I neglected to mention, please send me a PM, we'll figure out how to add it in. Thanks, EZ

I've had all of the following on our 97 L. They will all mount up, but it will depend on the offset of your wheels. Go with a Soob wheel, you'll be fine. Craigslist is an awesome place to find used wheels for your ride. 185/70/14 195/60/15 205/55/16 215/45/17 With the Outback struts added to my OBS, 205/70/15 225/60/16 27/8.50/14

Start off in the Dirt To get comfortable with your Soob off-road you need to start off easy. So find a dirt road. The Buddy System is very important off-road, so don't even think about wheeling without bringing a friend's 4X4 too. A lot of the time four wheeling is about driving around the obstacles rather than over them. Look for a trail that's a mix of mild hills, ruts, and gravel so you can get a feel for how your Soob operates. Shift your tranny into 4 lo to get the best traction and keep the speed under 5 mph. Drive forward slowly, choosing the smoothest course you can take, and place each tire precislely where you think it will get the best grip. This is called picking your line, and it usually means looking for, and then driving over, the easiest path you can find. Rockcrawling Rockcrawling is arguably the most technical form of off-road driving. For best traction, deflate your tires to roughly half the pressure you usually use for street driving. (this will vary with the size of tire you have on your Soob.) Take a second to note if anything under your Soob looks vulnerable to damage so you can avoid dragging those parts over rocks. (Y-pipes and exaust especially) While you're out of your Soob, walk over the section of rocks you plan to drive. You want to look for the smoothest path you can take and you also want to find anything hazardous that might damage your tires. After you've picked your line, get back into your Soob and shift your tranny into 4-Lo and into 1rst gear. Roll down your windows (so you can see and hear better) and begin to creep forward following the mental line you've scouted out. Listen for tires scraping and rocks hitting your undercarriage. If the rocks are too big to straddle, you'll want to place your tires on top of them and attemp to drive over them. Be smooth and move slowely over each rock like you were picking your way thru a mine field. If you lose traction, back up and find a new line that may be easier. Mud Bogging Mud is the scariest terrain on the planet, cuz it's always changing. The best advice is to drive around as much of it as possible. When you have to drive through it, pick a line that looks as shallow as possible. Most drivers will shift the tranny into 4-Lo (to keep the engine from bogging down) and use 2nd gear to keep the tires spinning pretty fast. Vehicle speed is important. Drive fast enought to keep your momentum up, but slow enough that you're still in control. You'll want to avoid standing water cuz if you blast thru it you could suck water into your engine. If you go thru it too slow, you could get stuck in the soft mud underneath. When you do get stuck (and trust me you will) try backing out the way you came in, while sawing the steering wheel back and forth to fling mud out of the tires. If that doesn't work, give up and start digging. Stuff anything you can under the tires to get traction. Jacking the rig up and out of the mud can help, but if the mud is deep, most jacks will just sink. If the mud is really soupy, your stuck vehicle will tend to sink. So the faster you can get your rig out, the easier it's going to be.

Here's a list of Stuff to have with you on any given day for wheeling. I took it from what's probably the highest authority when it comes to Off Road. B-4 U GO. Check these items so you may avoid making repairs on the trail. Engine oil/oil filter Tranny Fluid (90 wieght gear oil) Brake Fluid Belts All lights and turn signals Windshield fluid Radiator coolant Tire pressure and condition Tow hooks, front and rear Loose parts, ie: lugnuts, drive shaft bolts, engine and tranny mounts BARE NECESSITIES Bring this stuff and some ingenuity and you will get out of many trail mishaps. A buddy with either a history in long-distance running to go get help, or his own 4X4 Duct tape (fixes everything) Baling wire (prehistoric duct tape) Zip-ties (modern day duct tape) WD-40 (spraying under the disty cap helps start trucks that have been splashing thru water) Ratchet strap (reseat tires, helps hold gear in place) Tow strap (useful if you get stuck or need to be towed home) Leatherman type utility tool and or swiss army pocket knife Warm jacket (being cold makes being stuck and broke worse) First aid kit Jug of water Granola bar or candy bar (food is important to survival, helps you think straight) Fire extiguisher (tough stuff to watch the rig burn to the ground before you walk home) Flash light (hard to walk home in the dark after you watch your rig burn to the ground) Matches/lighter WHAT WE ALWAYS BRING If going wheeling for the day this is a good list of tools to bring Tool bag containing: Screw drivers Pliers (dikes, needle-nose, channel locks, vice grips) Hammer Wrenches Adjustable wrench Socket set and wrench Spark plug socket Test light Prybar Jack of some sort (high lift, bottle, floor- depending on the terrain and size of vehicle) Tire repair kit Electrical tape Allen wrenches Hack Saw PERSONAL STUFF These will make the trip more enjoyable Toilet paper Sunscreen Bug Spray Food and water (no, beer doess not qualify as water) Extra jacket Rags/towels SPARE PARTS These begin to add weight, but it's better than the long walk home Engine belts Axles, front and rear Spare tire Spare nuts and bolts that are common on your rig Fuses Radiator Hoses Hose clamps Electrical crimp kit Lug nuts LUBES Different goo to help you go Oil Brake fluid Gear oil Gas gasket seal or silicone Water WD-40 CAMPING GEAR Basic stuff for staying in the dirt Warm Clothing and rain gear Tent or good tarp Camping stove and fuel Sleeping bag and pad Cooler BONUS STUFF TO HAVE ALONG You can get along without these, but they are plenty useful for trailside repairs Air compressor or CO2 tank Impact gun and sockets Underhood welder Bottle torch for freeing up sticky axles (checking them before hand doesn't hurt either) GET OUT OF STUCK SITUATION STUFF Bring more of these the farther you'll be from civilization Winch or good come-a-long Shackle or two Spare cable Chain (grade 70) Snatch block Tow Strap Tree protector Shovel Ax Gloves Winch bag to put over the cable should it snap 2X12 or small piece of plywood for footing for the jack NAVIGATION If you don't like asking directions Maps GPS Compass CB Cell phone

Sweet pics Scott. More? Stories? I'll have pics of my adventure in a couple of days. Me pulling a Heep outa the mud.

The WHOLE thing? #3 11-19-2004, 09:52 AM Zapar vbmenu_register("postmenu_201892", true); Deicidal Maniac Join Date: Apr 2000 City: Seattle State: Washington Age: 37 Posts: 5,482 Feedback: (35) Re: Frequently Asked Questions (help compiling answers needed) Quote: Originally Posted by 4RnrRick How about a lift req'd vs wheel size chart.....? and then use an (*) to show fender trimming.... Make sence.... That's a tough one. I've squeezed 28s under a non lifted soob. Subarubrat has 33s under a 12 inch lift. So the range is somewhere in between. . .

Due to weather, $ and another reason, I won't be making the trip to Walker. Maybe later on this year.

Actually, 10k is about what you need, hardly more than you need. It is recommended that you have 3X the strength of the vehicle you'll be towing with it.I have 16k straps, they don't weigh very much either. 20ft and 40ft lengths.

Didn't you follow the link I sent? That was a great buy. . .

Ken's gonna be riding with me. I'll make sure he takes lots of photos. Weather permitting, I'll bring my video cam too.

I would be one of those members. It's a West Coast club, but Jared is from the Marysville area when he's not in the Marine Corps.

I think I talked him out of it. He needs a 2wd XT like he needs a hole in the head. I broke it down to him like this: 'Dude. Here's you in the morning. "What should I drive? The Turbo Legacy Wagon, Impreza Rally Car, Built Street Brat, Built XT6, or the fwd xt?" ' That's all it took. Sorry Geoffry, had to look after my bro. He needs to get cars out of his yard. Ask his Wife.

I took this pic along the side of the trail.

I for one am planning on some crazy trails. I dont' think there's too many easy ways thru WV. The last time I went I was wtih a group of Soobs, varying in size and capability. We all broke or dented something, it was enough to make me wanna write off wheeling Soobs. We patched up our wounds and our pride and now it's 3-4 years later. Made for some pretty entertaining video. Weld up your rear, you'll be fine. Don't let a little body damage intimidate you. Send me a pm with your address, I'll mail you a free vhs copy of one of my Soob vids to let you see them in action.

Oh. And John Mudrat did that to his AT tranny in the Beast for the Subarubicon. He needed it to run the transfer case out of the rear only. So, it's been done, about 3 and a half years ago.