-
Posts
1180 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
11
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Gallery
Store
Everything posted by forester2002s
-
If replacing studs is your plan, you may want to consider replacing all 5 studs. I wonder how the 2 studs failed. Was the wheel subject to an excessive sideways force, e.g. by hitting a kerb? And did this cause damage to one or more of the remaining 3 studs? A visual inspection won't tell you enough; there may be hidden cracks in the studs.
-
And not just snow, ice and slush either. The softer rubber in snow tires has a higher coefficient-of-friction than all-seasons (especially at low-temperatures). That means a shorter braking distance on dry pavement too. As for handling, I do notice a deterioration in handling with my snow-tires fitted. I find that at freeway speeds, the car doesn't track as well when fitted with snows. Instead of the usual rock-steady straight-line handling, the car will drift a little to the left and right. It's not much, my wife doesn't notice it. Maybe I need a front-end alignment, but I'm not sure because the handling is fine with the all-seasons.
-
I agree. And, if the drain plug has a magnet, make sure to clean off all the furry stuff from the magnet. And, for new car owners: My practice is to change the transmission and diff oils soon after the gears have been run-in (within a few 1000 km), and after that at the recommended intervals. From my industrial experience with gears, I know how important clean oil is to the longevity of gears.
-
My 2002 Forester's OEM spare-wheel (steel-rim) has a 48 mm offset, and a bore of 56.1 mm (BTW anything with a smaller bore would not fit on the hub). A year ago, I bought 4 new steel-rims with 42 mm offset and 57.2 mm bore. They fit just fine, and the car handles well, even with the slightly non-standard 42 mm offset.
-
This is text from the FSM for a 2002 Forester. Your car may or may not be similar (there is also a sketch of the nozzle, but I know not how to post it): 11. Rear Washer Nozzle S902789 A: REMOVAL S902789A18 1) Remove the high-mount stop light. <Ref. to LI-23, REMOVAL, High-mount Stop Light.> 2) Remove the washer hose from the washer nozzle. 3) Open the clips on the underside of the hood with a thin screwdriver or other tool, and remove the washer nozzle.
-
I used to think that All-season tires were OK, until I got stuck on a hill packed with wet hard-packed snow/ice. My new (last year) snow tires are awesome, and make a huge difference to traction and braking. Below about 5C (40F), the rubber compound on all-seasons gets rock-hard! Do the fingernail-test, and you'll see how much softer the rubber on snow tires is.
-
I live in a semi-rural area in Canada, and I love my Forester. I do my own servicing (I agree with nipper's comments about preventative maintenance). I usually get my parts from an independent parts store; I've also bought parts online from www.autopartsway.ca . I'll go to the Subaru dealer for parts as a last resort. The only repair that I did not do myself was to have the clutch replaced; I had that done at an independent shop. Subaru's AWD are fantastic for Canadian snow. Just get some good snow tires; they make all the difference; don't be fooled by so-called 'All-season' tires, the rubber is far too hard at cold temperatures. Go for it! Get a Subaru! Eh!
-
And if RF might be the problem, try: - removing the new relay from the car altogether; does the offending 15" wire still cause no-start? - looping the offending wire back, and touching it to the +ve terminal of the battery; does the car start? - try pointing the offending wire in a different direction; does the car start? - try coiling the offending wire into a tight coil; does the car start?
-
Fuel filter: Yes, those rubber-hoses tend to get glued on to the filter pipes. Try rotating the rubber-hoses around the pipe instead of pulling them off. Use a pair of pliers to grip the rubber, and rotate back and forth a bit; try squirting some WD-40 into the ends of the rubber - it may help. Once free, just pull the hoses off.