'01 outback 2.5AT, VDC offroad/ overlanding build

[scalman]

i was thinking maybe noone using hi lifts on subarus but they do. thats good old forester in good old lithuania forest

[scalman]

bought hi lift jack . it was 48'' model. little too long to fit in trunk as i need it to fit so i just cut some from it . and made some add on metal tube so it could reach under car easily. so from 100mm original i made 200mm with tube. now i can reach all spots for lifting car easily. 

 

 

could bought shorter version of it but it would be more shorter then this and i wanted it to just fit in trunk and not move to sides 

 

end result its now reaching under car easily and lifting sides of car without any problem

 

i would mod that flat surface of tube still to something more grippy. but it works as it is too. car was lifted and didin't even moved or slided anywhere

 

and lifting from front car i can do as well same as those jeeps with heavy massive bull bars. again will add something there to make it stronger place and that it would lock that tube better and have more grip there. still as i lifted car used just Parking and handbrake car didint moved or slided nowhere.

[pontoontodd]

I assume you will make a larger platform to attach to the bottom.

 

One thought I had if I got one was to put specific lifting points for it on both sides and front/rear of the car.  Since I already have 1.25" square receivers in front and rear, I would attach a 1.25" tube to the lifting arm of the jack.  That way the jack is less likely to tip over.

[scalman]

at first i though so too. but then i dont wanna  tubes where under my car as they would stick out a lot. do they ? i was thinking to cut like a gap into that tube so it would sit right. or put rubber on it for better grip. like make it so i could put it more in front or rear car or just in middle. like anywhere on side and then make something better in front. 

[pontoontodd]

Front and rear it would be easy to have receivers that wouldn't hang down.

On the sides you could put them right where you're lifting the car in the pictures, the stamped "frame rail" hangs down a few inches there.  You would have to notch the pinch weld.

[scalman]

hi lift jack still not working so well for rear wheel lifting. problem is when you put jack to lift side of car jack itself goes to car and bends into door. no matter you push it more to car or taking more far away. so thats need to be solved. like change angle or add some stuff onto that tube adapter, something must be done so that jack wont go into car but stand where i want it. at first i thought its not dangerous because its touching just door plastic but when i tried to pull it off and saw with how much power it pushing to door thats not good thing at all. that jack pad that it stands on yh so its flat but front is little bit on angle. so when i try lift side of car jack goes on that front part pad and rear pad is lifting from ground. thats bad. thinking its because that tube arm is going little down when its on lots presure. maybe thats reason . 

my problem is this 

 

 

 

and snow time at last. one of my best times with car. i can just spend hrs driving donuts and in narrow fores tracks when its lots snow there. just amazing thing, turn off VDC and put into 1st gear for snow donuts or just go with D but with VDC off to have more fun. and car just slides so much but not too much or not too dangerous. and if you in open field area... just go crazy in 1st gear. 

 

 

 

 

Dakar 2018 in car

Edited January 20, 2018 by scalman

[Gloyale]

Build robust bumpers with lift points built in on each corner.

 

Don't bother highlifting of the sides.  the rockers are a weak point anyhow, and you will end up crushing up into rust prone areas behind the wheels.

[scalman]

well my rocker are remade and i will work on them more later so i would like to lift it on sides as well. my rear is weak and rusted duno where i could lift car in rear.

so my thought is does those points in rear are strong enough to be used as for lifting car.

but noone knows that answer i guess better then me because i saw how it looks and well i can make it stronger in places where rust still didint made all bad there. my recovery points in rear no good anymore.

and i don't need heavy bumpers to be able to lift car with hi lift. i just need to know points that i could make small lift points there. and i will do that.
all i need is some ideas what people using and i will think of whats better for me from that simpliest ways allways best







those small tubes they using for front runner and lift points so simple lighter and better then my beast

 

i could make something like that for sides maybe and front and rear as well. looks simple small and light

Edited January 20, 2018 by scalman

[scalman]

relocated leds into bumper

 

[pontoontodd]

I really think you want some kind of square tube lifting part that goes on the hi lift, square tube receivers in the frame, and maybe even a locking pin that goes through them.  Like a trailer hitch.  I would just use those, you could always mount a winch or something to them later.  The square tubing will keep the jack from tipping over and the pin will keep it from sliding out.  If you put one near each bumper frame mount that would probably suffice.  You could put them on the sides of the car too, if you do I'd get them as close to the suspension mounts as you can and notch the pinch welds so they don't hang down.

[scalman]

yes pin or just make it lock somehow. but they use those tubes  for land rover and they work fine i guess for them. i think i just need to make that lift point so then it wont move anywhere. if those tubes will go one inside another for at least 10cm then it wont go anywhere from there.

relocated those LED's so i could have space for lift points there. and it wont hit or brake my LED's

Edited January 21, 2018 by scalman

[scalman]

me having fun in snow in dark in field . VDC off and 1st gear on 4eat. 

Edited January 21, 2018 by scalman

[Gloyale]

so my thought is does those points in rear are strong enough to be used as for lifting car.

 

 

Yes it's strong enough.  If it isn't you've got big trouble since the rear subframe bolts to those box sections.

 

Overthinking this here.

 

Bolt on a bumper that is robust enough to not bend.  Forget about lifting from sides.  Nothing but trouble waiting to happen there.  As you pointed out, the jack presses against the door.  you're asking for bent door frame or broken window.

 

If you don't want advice, don't ask.  But many of us here have been building lifted subarus much bigger than yours for years and we are telling you what works.

[scalman]

Good to hear that. Just one thing that all 4wd cars with hi lift have that i dont its lift points so i will make those points and then test again and all should work. If its works for land rovers with long 35cm tube adapters it should work here too. Much lighter car means it needs less power to lift it so its must be easier for jack and lift points.

 

and yes i have some problem with rust on rear frame parts. i already welded one part where rear subframe bolts on. 

Edited January 22, 2018 by scalman

[scalman]

still too cold outside to go do something with car in garage. i think i have some bad points about offroading as my skid plate is not lowest part in front, well in front it is but after shirt engine skid plate my exhaust tubes hanging little lower still then skid plate and if i hang on something first thing what will be damaged is exhaust. And maybe it would be only thing too. i saw others just make skid plate lower then exhaust and hide exhaust with skid plate.  I would loose some clearance with that but maybe that is thing that must be done. i cant change exhaust it doesn't have any other place to go .

So i'm thinking do something with exhaust. as i broke it when was stuck. Because it was lowest part from gearbox to rear diff it was damaged and it damaged some other parts with that too. On one place it was pushed hard into driveshaft and then it it was pressed into rear CV boot so while i tried to drive it was scratching driveshaft and broke CV boot. Engine skid plate and front skid plate for radiotor survived very well and secured everything under it. 

[pontoontodd]

It looks like you should make your skidplate wider to cover the exhaust if you're worried about it.  You could probably just add a piece on each side to cover each exhaust pipe.  Attach the outer ends to the old swaybar mount brackets.  I have heard the European market Outbacks have the exhaust going over the passenger side of the engine crossmember like the turbo cars.  If you can get one of those manifolds or something from a WRX (a lot of people upgrade their exhaust, you might be able to get a stock one cheap) it would help.

 

The part of the exhaust that runs along the trans and driveshaft is probably going to be one of the lowest parts of your car no matter what you do.  I wound up replacing the section of mine from the cat to the rear diff with 2.5" .095" 4130.  Kind of overkill, but more practical than trying to make some kind of skidplate for it.  Only one dent so far.

[scalman]

about exhaust i think i remember someone was like putting that exhaust pipe more inside that tunel where driveshaft goes i mean there is space there maybe not like totaly hide it but some at least. Its not getting so hot in that area anyway even if you would keep it closer to car body. 

 

what i mean is put exhaust pipe close to driveshaft and more inside that tunel . of course it would need redone all that thing from catalyst. change angles and stuff. ant near rear diff i wonder could that exhaust go maybe inside sub frame part not outside it. sub frame is lifted on outbacks so there are some space there for pipe to fit at least how i see it.

 

 

or just make that part from stronger pipe as i made my UEL header from house water pipes. i mean i could lift car maybe now on my header because they just so strong. haha

 

actualy my engine skid plate ends lower then headers go. so where my skid plate ends , those headers sticks lower , im not covering them with skidplate ,i mean i do until gearbox but then exhaust goes lower to catalyst and that part is lower then my engine skidplate.

i saw your skidplate somewhere and its was like covering everything. maybe i don't need that huge skidplate but if i could it lower then it would level with exhaust at least. 

Edited January 23, 2018 by scalman

[scalman]

made some modification other day to my hi lift jack adapter , still not happy with it. maybe i should use smaller tube 30x30mm . instead of 40x40mm and make that 40x40m as lift point that 30x30m tube would go inside . because now my adapter arm is 40x40 so for lift point if i wanna make it go inside i need use 50x50 and thats overkill. too large tubes i guess. 

 

if they making so small ones for heavy land rovers, why i make mine so large.

 

i mean if that small tube is enough and its short and it goes into rock slider and lift all side of car , means its strong enough

and i make mine as for some tractor . so smaller adapter you need smaller lift points.

 

 think i will make other smaller version for myself and test it. and i almost made it work for side lifting . well its not touching doors now at all when i made that cut on it. still will diff lift point for sides . i want them as small as they can be same time strong enough to lift car and hold.

[scalman]

[scalman]

Still waiting for weather to become warmer to start hi lift modification points on car and wanna make roof rack have some ideas to make it like so i sould add components to it like first make it just flat surface roof rack then if needed add sides on it like removable sides. Thinking for daily driving flat roof rack would make less noise and be maybe more efficient on petrol usage.

So then sort out things with hi lift. Would redo that adapter arm its too big tube so i would go for smaller size i think. Im not some 4ton truck that i would need that massive lift points for hi lift.

Then my driver side car sits higher on 1cm . well more diff on rear even. So passenger side rear wheel have lowest clearance now i wonder why , like did spring broke or something. Driver side both wheels are 43mm from fender to wheel center and passenger side rear is 42 and front is 42.5 so something made that rear sink down on almost 1cm.

Then need to put those wheel spacers and redo front lift spacers on shocks. Need to do camber and coaster offset on lift spacer itself so i could left original bolts on front struts. Now im using smaller bolts to keep those wheels align.

If i would find money i would change front shocks for new KYB's as they feel kinda rough as i drive or bad roads.

Amd still have that lag in power and acceleration so maybe catalyst sensors should be changed at last. Did most things that could make that power loss and lag ftom start and nothing helped, so as i understand one thing is left to change catalyst front o2 sensor.would just change both of them .

HG gaskets kinda stopped leaked at least for winter they where no oil leaks on ground. Those need to be done at somenpoint.

All that if my car wont just rust off on me and fall appart. As on last year rust was eating car like crazy. I dont even want to think of it too much. It still holds thou. Well rear is holding as where i found worse rust there. On subframe and other places. And not everything could be fixed or changed or welded. But ill try my best there.

 

Other day tested more of VDC capabilitys

 

 

Its simple to test awd systems or rollers as most do noe but in real life you no drive on rollers.

 

In reverse VDC works pretty good too

Im just impressed how VDC tries to spin separate wheels to find traction and then stops wheels that doesnt have traction. Its great to feel that inside car but its even better to look how it works from outside.

Edited March 13, 2018 by scalman

[pontoontodd]

Have you ever tried riding the brakes a little to see if the ABS does the same thing?  Neither of the cars I take off road have ABS but I keep meaning to try that with my friend's Forester.  We rarely get into those situations though, going slow with one or two wheels off the ground.

The VDC seems great but I have heard it's much harder to swap a manual transmission in due to the extra wiring.

[scalman]

i heard of that trick with brakes or more with handbrake even , i heard some with older subarus with active AWD using handbrake . not sure if thats helps. 

never tried myself with just brakes. you mean VDC off and then try brakes when wheels spin ?i might try , just i no need that. and it could not be same thing as VDC still. 

no more snow , spring came i guess so now will try some stuff on mud i guess. well when i plug all rust holes that appeared after winter. i already see im getting mud inside trunk from outside meaning more holes there. i mean in those pockets on sides. inside them i got fresh dirt . and i found hole from rear wheel arch that goes inside trunk. 

yeah swap manual it must be hard. 

about traction i feel like some of it tires helps too. even with VDC off i tried climb some snow hills from stop in middle of hill and i could still move but just if i press pedal very slowly , if i put too much gas its just digs in . vs with VDC you just dont care really , you just press pedal as you want and its decides how to find traction for that. well if its possible. if i would have worse tires would be diff story again. they would spin more so VDC should work more too and VDC off would be spinning like crazy. so tires is like first thing to help on any offroad track light or more hard.

 

any advice how to plug holes that maybe not so simple to weld . in past i did some that with rivets. drill holes and secure new metal sheet with rivets but later some of them just fell off. maybe too small rivets or too mad metal that i was riveting on . 

what other ways ? some kind of sealant. i know people doing cheap fixed with sealant that is used on buildings . at least its fills up empty space there. then you could do something on top and then spray some rubber protective stuff. 

not sure i could weld inside those arches there. if i start scratch all bad stuff there i might bring more problems . 

Edited March 14, 2018 by scalman

[scalman]

so  what eats more fuel ? some say catalyst front sensor , some say not that. im still thinking to change that or not . im getting really bad like 16l / 100km kinda stuff there. so ok tires i get it they take some . but do i need to change those damn catalyst sensors and they will make all difference or i will pay like 120 euros for tiny thing and it will change nothing and then i will be pissed off that it was for nothing. i read what people say about that , i read what people say about P0420 error, which i got. its coming on on hot days in summer more and less on winter as its cold. still its used lots fuel. if i drive in forest roads in city only i could go even to like 20l to 100km and thats terrible. i cleaned all stuff that people say to check and clean. changed plug wiresm spark plugs and cleaned other sensors changed fuel filter and stuff. nothing changed fuel usage. i made UEL myself . could that make something to the mix. ?  still not that much . things are left are those catalyst O2 sensors. front most important i guess. but i would change both. but if its for nothing then why ?  so only thing i have to my torque app on android is that P0420 error. which can mean catalyst sensor or many other stuff too. and then again its comes more rare in cold days, and more often in summer as its hot.  

[pontoontodd]

I like your VDC gifs, I don't think I've seen good videos showing that in action before.

 

i heard of that trick with brakes or more with handbrake even , i heard some with older subarus with active AWD using handbrake . not sure if thats helps. 

never tried myself with just brakes. you mean VDC off and then try brakes when wheels spin ?i might try , just i no need that. and it could not be same thing as VDC still. 

no more snow , spring came i guess so now will try some stuff on mud i guess. well when i plug all rust holes that appeared after winter. i already see im getting mud inside trunk from outside meaning more holes there. i mean in those pockets on sides. inside them i got fresh dirt . and i found hole from rear wheel arch that goes inside trunk. 

yeah swap manual it must be hard. 

about traction i feel like some of it tires helps too. even with VDC off i tried climb some snow hills from stop in middle of hill and i could still move but just if i press pedal very slowly , if i put too much gas its just digs in . vs with VDC you just dont care really , you just press pedal as you want and its decides how to find traction for that. well if its possible. if i would have worse tires would be diff story again. they would spin more so VDC should work more too and VDC off would be spinning like crazy. so tires is like first thing to help on any offroad track light or more hard.

 

any advice how to plug holes that maybe not so simple to weld . in past i did some that with rivets. drill holes and secure new metal sheet with rivets but later some of them just fell off. maybe too small rivets or too mad metal that i was riveting on . 

what other ways ? some kind of sealant. i know people doing cheap fixed with sealant that is used on buildings . at least its fills up empty space there. then you could do something on top and then spray some rubber protective stuff. 

not sure i could weld inside those arches there. if i start scratch all bad stuff there i might bring more problems . 

 

The cheap and easy way is to fill the holes with expanding foam and spray the outside with undercoating.  That might make it rust faster but at least it won't fill up with mud.  You really need to save up for a rust free Subaru, there must be some way to get something over there for a few grand that's still clean even if it has a lot of miles on it.

 

 

so  what eats more fuel ? some say catalyst front sensor , some say not that. im still thinking to change that or not . im getting really bad like 16l / 100km kinda stuff there. so ok tires i get it they take some . but do i need to change those damn catalyst sensors and they will make all difference or i will pay like 120 euros for tiny thing and it will change nothing and then i will be pissed off that it was for nothing. i read what people say about that , i read what people say about P0420 error, which i got. its coming on on hot days in summer more and less on winter as its cold. still its used lots fuel. if i drive in forest roads in city only i could go even to like 20l to 100km and thats terrible. i cleaned all stuff that people say to check and clean. changed plug wiresm spark plugs and cleaned other sensors changed fuel filter and stuff. nothing changed fuel usage. i made UEL myself . could that make something to the mix. ?  still not that much . things are left are those catalyst O2 sensors. front most important i guess. but i would change both. but if its for nothing then why ?  so only thing i have to my torque app on android is that P0420 error. which can mean catalyst sensor or many other stuff too. and then again its comes more rare in cold days, and more often in summer as its hot.  

 

I think that works out to about 12-15mpg for those of us still using the fractional system.  That is definitely worse than you should be getting.  I would expect 15-25mpg with your car depending on where and how you drive it.  Have you tried simply unplugging the O2 sensor(s)?  Sometimes that will actually make it run better, not sure about fuel economy.  If it's better unplugged than plugged in you should probably replace it!

[scalman]

I will try stuff when its warmed up. Should be spring but still freezing outside. At least its dry for now.

Rust free car is very hard to find here. Only if its exported from some rust free country and never driven localy. But then it would cost not cheap and would be petrol only. Lpg conversion alone would cost about 1k euros. Anf i dont think i could afford drive only on petrol with this salary and prices. Or drive less, but that my point that to drive a lot.

Still i should get better mpg as most ppl with same cars and lpg here getting. Duno whats wrong with mine but one time i drove 150km with 20l lpg and then other time just 110km with same 20l. Well sometimes car sits long time on idle just and im in car wonder how much it drinks then. Like if just car on idle for 1,2 hrs. Still i should get better mpg or in my case km per l.

One day i wanna buy those O2 sensors and other day im not sure if thats fault.

I get p0420 error codes for second year now and still driving with it.

I should just try to dissconnect it and then drive. Thats pretty simple. So i should get more power that way ? How i know if anything changed?

Edited March 20, 2018 by scalman