superu

Has anyone put forester or OB struts on an older impreza? I've got a '93 IMP that's got a dead strut tower mount and lazy struts. I think stock "L" models are practically low-riders (since I've done the outback strut swap on my legacy), so if I'm replacing stuts might as well get lift too! Sso my question is this, is there a preference for forester over outback struts on an Impreza? And in doing this lift, how would the 1.8 do with 15inch rims and like 195x75 tires? I don't want to kill the fuel economy, but i would like more clearance... I think old rims from a forester would be fine, and a good set of something like an all weather 195 vs, an all terrain 205 wouldn't be too heavy... Thoughts?

Deffintely powdercoat it.. Spraypaint comes of too easily.. I think they can colo-code match paint in powdercoating...

I was in a wreck with my Mudrat Baja bumper... T-boned a tracker while going about 25-30... No airbag deploy... The framerail where the airbag senesor is mounted didn't buckle enought to register EXTREME decelleration. The bumper ate the tracker, and I got away with barely a scratch... Slightly bucked fender and about a half-inch buckle in the hood.. The bumper took the impact, sponging into the tracker... The plate (1/2 inch steel) where the bumper attaches to the mounts in the frame rail, got a little bend. I think they would deploy at higher speed impact, but they need to register the extreme decelleration, usually amplified by crumple zones.. If you unclip the plastic fenderguard and pull it down and back from the front part (attaching near the rear of the bumper skin), you can look up in the fender well and see the airbag sensor (with bright yellow wire shroud) mounted on a little frame on the unibody... If looking at the passenger side, while you're there, unbolt and rip out that big plastic box, its an annoying intake resonator/air slower-downer... You'll get better flow and performance w/o spending money... That's my recent story on tube bumpers and airbags... (in the offroad forum, The thread was hijacked for Trackers and Sidekicks, LAME!!) The bump looks good Andy!! I'm psyched to see one on an Imp...

'95 legacy on Outback struts rolling 205x75 Cooper ATs.. I've got a gen 1 brat too, but no lift there... -Flagstaff-

Has anyone lifted an older (i.e. '93) impreza? I wonder how the 1.8 would do rolling 15" rims and like 195x70 rubber, you know gas milage and all... The body looks the same as more recent Imps, so i assume the forester or OW stuts would just bolt up as Andyjo's excellent write-up illustrates (Forester strut swap on an IMP). I've done it with my legacy from OB struts, so i just wonder if there's a preference for forester v/s outback struts on an impreza... Thanks crew!

Yeah, I recall seeing them on earlier cars, but its true my point for asking is what'll bolt on my 95... So it sounds like 97-99 outback or legacy gt hoods will fit.. That's what I'm after, thanks...

I was in an accident with my '95 legacy and am wondering if i could swap hoods for one with with a scoop. What year did they begin? and would it bolt on to my '95 legacy L? I am thinking they didn't have them on the '96 outback, and I wonder if the 97 outback would fit my car... Thanks,

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Yeah dude, you're REALLY going to want a real bumper if you go that big! Contact John (mudrat79), I know he's working on lifts for new rigs like ours right now... I would be impressed if you could get any real power out of a 2.2 with 31x10.5s though... I've been toying with a simple 2 inches more, but you go for it man, pioneer the way!! I would follow your lead on this one... I like the idea too!! Another take, I've been puzzling over this pic for a couple years..

So I was in an accident saturday morning, driving my '95 legacy. A 17yr. old girl whipped across my lane, following her frined into a parking lot, NEVER seeing me. Her friend made me take my foot off the gas, but she never had a chance, following so closely. I was doing about 35, left 50 ft. of skid marks, and broadsided her about as sqare as one could hope for (under the circumstances). First thing and most important thing, NO injuries, just a shaken and scared girl. Next thing and most fun thing, I promoted her Geo tracker to undrivable, but luckily didn't flip her over. My legacy sustained, get this, a bearly nudged fender and about a half inch buckle in the hood. Ooh yes, a cracked wind fairing, but no broken or even cracked headlight assembly. It did tear off my license plate. I pushed in her passenger door at least a foot, bent the heck out of her rear axle, buckled the door inoperably, and left her vehicle undrivable. So I've joined the small list of mudrat bumper carnage, and fully support and promote his designs! Good work John!!

I SECOND!

Right on! So what's the story on your 96 OBS? It looks higher than a forester strut swap... Do you have some blocks on the struts too? I'm toying with doing another 2 inches or so, but also a tob bar, KCs, rear tube bumper.. you know how these things snowball!! I was just in a wreck a couple hours ago, so I'm stoked on my tube bumper right now!! I'll post pix somewhere, but main thing is noone was hurt, next main thing is her Suzuki's totaled and I lost my front license plate.... Anyhoo, I'm curious about the lift on your OBS...

Here's the situation for which I'd like your imput... '93 impreza sitting for over a year, maybe more like 2. I'm going to flat-tow it tomorrow, but don't think its a good Idea to just try to jump it and go. I think draining the gas, or at least supplimenting it with new fresh would be prudent. i can see draining oil and power flushing tranny fluid and coolant as suggested steps to take before trying to crank it. The mechanic familiar with this particular car suggests just adding new gas to the tank and jumping it... I'd like to get some beta and oppinions from the croud here too. any other suggestions, ideas, thoughts on steps to take before trying to fire it up? Its got a couple other stories but I'm okay with where those are at now... Thanks!

I've got a '95 legacy 2.2. I cut the cats off and had the O2 sensor (from the cat) ported into the stright pipe. I replaced stock pipe with 2.25 all the way back removing BOTH cats, and piped through a magnaflow. Outcome? STUPID, WICKED LOUD!! I lost all low-end power and nearly stalled around corners, downshifting into second, trying to goose out of traffic ALL THE TIME. I wanted low end torque for my application, so I had the cats reinstalled and am now on 2.25 pipe from the second cat out the rear, through a small cherry bonb as a resonator, finishing thorugh a magnaflow. It sounds Great, I have a low mellow, NOT loud exhaust signature, the cherry bomb helps with noise, the cats keep the backpressure early in the system, keeping the low end, but the larger pipe thorugh the magna flow, dumps the exhaust out the rear fast. I have gained power and kept the low end. I would't recommend 2.5 of larger, 2.25 is a step above stock and all the wider you want. High flow muffler (magnaflow preferred over flowmaster), and keep the cats. I'm not sure on Imps but if you have 2 you might get away with ditching the rear and keeping the fore, but I'd just stick with both and do a cat back system. The engine will not be harmed w/o backpressure, but it actually needs some. If you deleate the cats, plug theOs snesor(s) into the new pipe at their approximate locations (e.g same distance from the manifold and same side of the pipe, etc.). Your exhaust shop will be able to weld them into a new. If you deleate the cat(s) you will lose low end. I'm not sure of the Imps, but my legacy has 2 cats. The second could be deleated keeping some backpressure, but they also muffle sound too... There's no need to go larger than 2.5 in fact I wouldn't recommend larger than 2.25, especially on a 2.2... They're not tuner motors, and you won't gain anything by that large of pipe. The 2.25 is a step up from stock and allows the exhaust to flow faster and escape better. Keeping the cat(s) keepe the initial backpressure in the engine, but wider pipe cat back allows it to escape better and faster... Good luck and hope this helps, as the other posts are doing.

Thanks Yo!! I don't mind giving credit, I think your rig was the second mounted mudrat, after the baja... Climb on!!

The Don's got it right, Mudrat designs, I think it was number 4 or 5 out of his shop, third mounted I believe...

Hmmm, they seem to show up on my screen.. let's try something else for you... http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=3641&d=1142397373 http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=3643&d=1142397373 http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=3642&d=1142397373

O.K. here's another angled shot... I'll try to get out while we've got some snow now... I love the rump roast-whipping avitar!!!!

and I need to find a better way to attach my license plate-instead of zip ties! Nice clearance yo!! Forester struts and blocks? I've got the plate bolted to a piano hinge on my tube (swings up for winch access) Nice to see a really tweeked gen II, i like the snorkle too (thought of it for my leg, but din't do it yet

Hmm, yeah I spent an hour at the dealer quizing their 36 year master mechanic... He "remembers" there being a 3.9 LSD, but for the life of him couldn't rememebr where other than they were only on a couple cars.. So finding an LS 4.11 pumpkin and gutting its viscera would likely be way easier than searching the world over? Which vehicles (95 and up) had them, I guess it was optional or would there be a blanket model/trim I could look for, like 99 outbacks, or '03 feresters, etc? Thanks for the beta. . .

Not yet, but easy to do... I plan on a thin pai b/t the tubes on either side of the license plate, and a pair of KC slimlites on top (like where off roaders are mounted...) Andyjo, heh heh heh, nice thought...

I second... With the outback swap and 205x75 14s i love the clearance, but don't have the gearing for steep... I can get out from the pavement but am limited up ups.. I got a stage II exedy clutch which is uber tight and WAY stronger than my motor, but though it can hold i don't have the gearing to apply the torque for steep... Higher is easy with struts, and I think on newer than 95s you can get an additional lift (back yard boys or scorpion) which ammounts to a block mounted on the strut mounts to drop the strut further from the unibody mounts... The struts give you 2.5 and tires (that fit in the qwell) can give you another inch EASILY... beyond that you're looking at real lifts... Its fun!!! http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=2466&d=1114457179

Right on Imprezas!! I'm working on lights, http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=2466&d=1114457179

I'd like to put an LSD in my 95 legacy (has 3.9) but don't want the hastle of swapping out front and rear diffs for 4.11. So which vehicles came with factory 3.90 LSD rear that i should search for for the bolt in rear LSD?