Numbchux

Yea, I rebuild my own calipers/cylinders almost always. But I've never had any luck extracting bleeders. It's basically the only time I'll buy a caliper/cylinder.

Yea, I've seen stuff like that done a 2 or 3 times. Obviously an enormous amount of custom fab work, and usually requires a considerable body lift to make room for upper control arm mounts. Pretty awesome stuff, but hardly a feasible option for a typical street car.

Here's a sweet hint about LMGTFY, check the results to make sure it actually supports your own point. Not so in this case, it continues to stack evidence that this is not a thing. Add quotes to it so that google searches it as a phrase, and there's some mention of a Polaris Ranger with a ridiculous lift but no details, and quickly devolves to modifying hellcat airdams, and hatch strut deletes.... I'll admit, I'm far from perfect and definitely don't know everything, so maybe you'll teach me something. But Parts has been my career for about 10 years, some of which at a Subaru dealership, and I've driven almost exclusively neglected Subarus for much longer. If something like this existed, I think I'd know. And you come across as such a lazy, condescending ***, I don't mind calling you out on it. Don't like it? Change it.

I'm still waiting for info on this "strut delete", lol

Yea, when you bottom out the coils against each other, it's called coil bind, and is VERY hard on things. Cutting some of the spring off, would make it easier to bottom out the assembly, but since the travel is limited by the strut, it should be less likely to coil bind at the same point in the strut travel.

There are many many different variations (different part numbers, anyway). I don't know any lengths, but here's what I do know. From my notes (honestly, not sure of the source), an Outback wagon rear is 190 lb/in. Rallitek is 355 lb/in, which is supposedly about 20% softer than King. Baja is stiffer/taller than Outback, as people use that as a lift. Auto transmission usually gets stiffer springs, front and rear, than a manual. Spring rates are probably similar between the same body styles, regardless of height (Legacy sedan vs Outback sedan, Legacy wagon vs Outback wagon). Obviously Outback stuff is taller than Legacy. When I run out of things to do (:eyeroll:), I have Tacoma Offroad bilsteins that I want to test fit in the rear of my '01 OBW parts car, and I plan to take some measurements. But it's fairly low on the list right now.

I just did a KYB warranty exchange through RockAuto. Ended up being out return shipping, and about a 2 week process (luckily I have an extra car). And they only warrant the failed one, not the pair, so now I have a new strut across from a ~50k mile strut. No, not likely to be in stock, but you can typically order in to your local store for free (AutoZone ONLY ships next day air to their stores, so if they can get it, it'll be there in a business day or 2, no shipping charge). And with a friendly store manager, and a nice conversation, you could probably get the pair warranteed. I still order through RockAuto all the time, it's just something to be aware of that is not as transparent up front. If I'm likely to need to warranty something, I almost always buy from a local store.

2005 only on the turbo and H6 models, and trickled into the rest until 07 or 08 Truth is, I don't know where people got the keys they brought in. I just know that we had some frustrated/pissed mechanics with keys that wouldn't program.

Yep, definitely need all the keys there (any keys not present will no longer start the car, so in the event of a stolen key doesn't turn into a stolen car). The dealership I worked at only charged one cutting/programming fee, regardless of how many keys were programmed. We had many customers bring in aftermarket keys. I'd guess we had about a 50% success rate. And in order to find out, the key has to be cut, and all the steps taken towards programming, so you'll be on the hold for the charge, they'd probably let you grab an OEM one (assuming they have one in stock) without charging you the extra programming fee. So just be aware of the gamble, and communicate with the service department up front. You could also try an aftermarket locksmith. They might have other options, and will almost certainly not charge you if it doesn't work. I avoid immobilizer cars personally, and my professional experience was just at the dealership. FYI. DON'T. LOOSE. YOUR. LAST. KEY. In the name of anti-theft, Subaru has designed these systems so that you can't add a new key, without a working key present. The car will have to be towed to a dealer, engine computer and gauge cluster removed, and mailed to Subaru to be reset, sent back, reinstalled, and then keys purchased. This process can easily cost over $1000.

I wonder why all the posts lately about loaded struts/shocks....very strange. These are not available from reputable sources for Subarus. Spring compressors are not scary, or hard to get (most auto parts stores will rent you a set for a completely-refundable deposit). KYB are the best for aftermarket struts/springs, but I've had mediocre luck with them (lifetime warranty. IMO worth spending extra to get from a local source to simplify that warranty process. RockAuto is good about warranty, but you'll still be paying shipping).

These statements SCREAM u-joints. I know you said you swapped shafts, did you replace the joints yourself? Were you careful to maintain the orientation remained the same from the old joints? The FWD fuse basically eliminates any problems in the front end, and almost everything in the transmission. I've never heard a bearing noise (diff or wheel) that I would describe as a vibration, at all. Maybe a rear axle joint, but those fail so infrequently (I don't think I've ever seen one, and they're definitely not common, if available at all, in the aftermarket).

H6s rarely fail externally. So you'll want to give it a good hard drive (A/C on, freeway speeds, up hill) and see if it gets hot. I don't even inspect for an external leak, and that wouldn't give me the slightest pause if I were buying it.

I always inspected and carried spare pullies as well, but I saw plenty of belt failures without pulley failure. I completely blame the tensioner. I'm sure I've driven 50-70k miles on the 2 XT6s I've owned, and never even seen the timing components on either one. As you know (others might not), they share a very similar timing system, but with hydraulic tensioners.

Yea, I never had good luck with EA82 timing belts. I can't count on both hands the number of times I had one break (almost always the LH one, too. You can drive the the RH one broken....) on all the EA82s I ever owned. That why I hate them so much to this day (haven't owned one in more than 10 years...). Didn't seem to matter what parts I used, how it was installed, or anything. I just ran without covers and carried the necessary tools and spares, EVERYWHERE. I actually happened to glance at the clock the last time I changed one on the side of the road, and it was like 18 minutes, including putting coveralls on.

Very interesting project, ambitious but certainly doable. I do want to start with a reality check. I know the Z is an aerodynamic car, which will help on the freeway, and I know that going from the Iron-block V6 VG30DE to an all-aluminum 4 will save you some weight (I'd guess 200 lbs or so), but you'll still have a pretty heavy car (quick google search says curb weight of 3300lbs). I don't think you'll get anywhere near 35mpg with a Subaru engine, even in the best conditions. Subaru engines are not terribly fuel efficient, certainly not in stock tune. Assuming we're looking at a budget-friendly engine swap (I assume that since we're talking about fuel mileage, this is the case) that will probably cost $2-3k depending on the details. Anything newer than 2005-2007 (depending on the exact model/trim) will have an immobilizer, which pretty much puts it completely out of this category unless you're extremely knowledgeable and get some seriously valuable parts for free. Subaru didn't offer a non-turbo 2.0 until 2012. The hard part will be the transmission. Conventional automatic transmissions are not efficient, and modern ones that are require some serious computing power to run them (and Subaru doesn't make in a RWD configuration, so you'll be mixing and matching manufacturers. good luck!). Without fabricating your own engine-transmission adapter, your best bet is probably BRZ/FRS/GT86 transmission, or using one of Bill Hincher's adapters to an older Toyota transmission. The next issue is width. Horizontally-opposed engines do not typically fit well in engine bays not designed for them. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if it wouldn't fit between the upper control arm mounts. Gauges are one of the easiest parts. Tach signal converter to get that to read right. Might have to put the Nissan temperature sender in the Subaru engine. Speedometer might be a challenge depending on the transmission, but still completely doable. If I were to engine swap a Z32, with 35mpg the goal on a budget. It would be a manual transmission. If it had to be gas, I think it would be a Honda engine. But I would be pushing very hard for a VW TDi. I know there are transmission adapters to Toyota longitudinal transmissions (see them all the time in 4WD trucks, bellhousing would be the same for many RWD Toyota transmissions). Stock tune would likely yield 45mpg+, and with some mods 60+ isn't off the table.

Came here to post that link. Still have to cut, weld, smooth, and paint. That's where the expense comes in, and what makes it look nice. I see chunks of scrap sheet, even diamond plate, riveted or screwed over that rust hole on cars all the time in this area. Looks like complete garbage, and introduces more rust points on the original steel. Not worth any of the time, IMHO. Depending how bad it is, you can just hit it with a grinder back to bare metal, and then prep and paint over with POR15 or similar. It won't look great, but it's cheap and easy, and will stop it from getting worse.

As with most death wobble situations, it's likely a combination of things. I've never had anything I would call more than a vibration from a balance/centering problem, but it could be amplified by another component. First thing I'd do, since it's cheap and easy, is rotate the wheels/tires front-to-back. And when you do it, make sure you torque the nuts on the original studs first, then the 4 you added (thus helping separate any accuracy issues with the drilled lugs from the equation). Also take a close look at ball joints, tie rod ends, tie rods, and other suspension bushings. Much less likely to cause this issue, but worth looking at is the rag joint in the steering shaft. What kind of lift? I assume the strut rod/transmission crossmember brackets are spaced down from the body? Individual blocks or tied together?

I have not seen a quick strut in a brand I would use for any model Subaru.

It probably depends considerably on the design of the coilover. Yes, it's best to keep that bushing in there, as the factory geometry will put strain on the shock shaft otherwise. Suberdave has some good info on his website here: http://wordpress.suberdave.com/?page_id=54 It looks like the Tein system has a long enough shaft to maintain the bushing. But you can see he had to adjust those coilovers way down to make up for the mounting modification.

Google search for "strut delete" shows nothing like you describe on the first page. There are no reputable options for quick struts. Your options are: 1. Buy Junk 2. Do work 3. Pay someone else to do work.

04 Forester will have 294mm fronts

Yea, 2018 STi went to a 340mm, which is about 13.4". The listing showing 14 or 15 is to wheel size. Turbos got 15" wheels

In the US, anyway. The Turbo Legacy was the only first gen to get the 276s. All others got the 260s.

I had Borla headers on my '94 EJ22e in my '92 Loyale with a cat pipe from a '98 Legacy, no problem.

All the Legacies/Outbacks/Bajas/Tribecas have been made in Indiana since 1995, and some of them earlier. Impreza/Forester are made in Indiana as of the last couple years. That said, I'm under the impression that the engines are assembled in Japan and shipped over. But I'm not completely sure of that. I'm also under the impression that interference and single port heads were not correlated, and the parts catalog says the pistons changed as of mfg date of 7/96.