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'01 outback 2.5AT, VDC offroad/ overlanding build


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

i made them from video. its more in there. and yes i like to test myself how VDC works . and im impressed very much. as most people told me that VDC is not for offroad that you need momentum allways. well not allways and sometimes its not possible have momentum at all. then this helps. or lockers.

i see straight youtube links dont work , but copy adress from screen works.

 

and when you want to have fun VDC off and 1st gear. 1st gear lets you rev higher then D gear. but maybe it makes gearbox more hot too. but for short time its ok. this was on D gear and i was flooring pedal. not so high revs as my other video where i was going same donuts on 1st gear. so again there is something to learn.

 

this on 1st gear. higher revs could be heard 

Edited by scalman
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my "short" travel suspension  :D

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all wheels  still had traction there, maybe some 3-4cm more. rear without sway bar so seems like both front and rear suspension travels almost same way.

 

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so i guess in rear at least that would leave me with this amount of real life travel . with sway bar disconnected

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Edited by scalman
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those appraoch and departure angles could be better but well its outback, not forester , it has long nose and long body in rear that could hang easily if angle is too steep. here i was hanging on my exhaust little. well its even longer then rear bumper so its kinda understanding still its not much that could be done with this model, other then extra body lift maybe. but still my car must be peoples car, not offroad only purpose car . it must still be comfy to ride for 4 extra people and 5 or more bags in trunk. so on that thing in front in pic i was touching front skid plate some and then rear just exhaust , no bumper thou. still not bad for wagon to do that and go places.

Edited by scalman
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changed rear driver side cv axle and looked how close that exhaust tube goes to that rubber on full drop, or if something will push that exhaust up it will brake that rubber boot as well, as happened to me before.

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but where else that exhaust could go ? not much space for it there, and dont wanna hang it lower as its just worse on trails.

Edited by scalman
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made better hi lift adapter and lift point in front. now all is solid and  hold in front pretty well . not sure yet what to do for sides or rear, where is better safer.

 

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rear mudflaps diy just cut them from some soft but strong rubber . drilled new holes in bumper . for now its no space in front to put there mudflap as i turn wheel its not enough space there for this kind of mudlflap. but i could redone front strut spacer to make them with caster and camber offset so wheel would go little forward.

 

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Edited by scalman
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  • 2 weeks later...

changed front lift spacers. i had 4cm only spacers without any kind offset, and with that problem i was using smaller bolts on strut bottom holes to make camber about ok . so now i redone front spacers myself to 5.1cm height now and with camber offset 7mm. now i can use oem strut bolts with that . 

 

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with that much lift front sway bar must be disconnected to have enough space to remove strut, with sway bar is no enough travel down to remove strut.

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from my last forest visit

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now without exhaust long tubes sticking in rear i can be more sure that if i scratch anything that would be just plastic bumper . 

thinking still add another 1cm lift to rear. suspension could take 2.5'' in rear , and now i have just 5cm lift spacers in rear. i could go for 6,3cm spacers there.

Edited by scalman
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i always looking for something interesting to drive onto , test AWD , test traction control , test tires. that was interesting to try. it was just about fiting under to not damage something in process. then i let traction control do the job , it was driving onto about half way i think but then lost traction on 2 wheels. still was nice try

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started to make my roof basket. used 25x25 tube . bought 5 x 2m peaces . its just for the flat part. i want to make it modular so later i will make sides and they will be removable. payed just 14 euros for those . pretty happy for result. its 1x1.80m . still need to make mountings brackets

 

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im happy that it sits so low. thats what i wanted as low as possible and as big as possible for roof area. 

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started to make my roof basket. used 25x25 tube . bought 5 x 2m peaces . its just for the flat part. i want to make it modular so later i will make sides and they will be removable. payed just 14 euros for those . pretty happy for result. its 1x1.80m . still need to make mountings brackets

 

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im happy that it sits so low. thats what i wanted as low as possible and as big as possible for roof area. 

 

 

 

Looks really good.  I would recommend some gussets to that notch in the middle rail.  You've taken ALL the strength from that area.  Any weight there will be hanging off that tiny tab.  Don't want yer spare tire or tools falling through and breaking the sunroof!!!

 

Also I love the bumper mods for the hi lift.  Might have to add that to the My Lovely Wife's wagon.

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it looks worse then it is actually. and i will still mod that part so it would sit on my rails . but my 3 tubes will sit on rails so it will be better then just 2 as it is in those that are sold. still thinking what kind of mounting brackets make for that. 

i would still put some mesh on top if i will find light one here localy. i think mesh its just ultimate thing for roof rack as then you can just hook up your stuff in any place and small peaces wont fall on your roof or sun roof even worse. 

for hi lift points in front its really good place .  and one side lifts all front not just one side so its even better . as in that test when i did hang on that tree , i was lifting all front in minute and car was free. simple. 

Edited by scalman
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  • 2 weeks later...

made sides for my roof basket. sides are from 15x15 tube. and some metal plates for sides. its bolt on so its removable .

 

 

 

 

 

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i saw many roof  backets that are just baskets. or flat roof racks that have no sides so i wanted to have both at same time. and i do. if i need carry bags boxes and stuff i will put sides on. if not i couls just drive normaly daily with that flat part on. it makes no sound at all. at least not that is louder then mirrors wind noise or tires. 

Edited by scalman
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put mesh on roof rack . with sides now it looks almost complete thing. 

 

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must redo mounting bolts. i cant bolt them from bottom anymore it took me like half hr yesterday to just bolt on roof rack as it sits so low there is almost no space for me to slide there my fingers and bolt screws on. so must find different bolts and make so i could just tight  them from top easily. 

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Roof rack looking good and ready for camping trips. Made that red tone to it i think it fits to car color nice

 

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Sun roof opens with it no problem too.

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Just testing it on one night trip.

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Nee sleeping platform on air mattress was super comfy, better then on foam mattress but takes more space

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  • 1 month later...

some more sand hill testing and water crossing in nearby forest

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couldnt go much farther up with VDC on , went little farther with VDC off as more momentum , but via those large holes i loose momentum fast and shocks allready maxing they travel and gets lots beating there if going faster

thats hill from top and from car in middle of it. very soft sand too. and i didint aired down psi. was going on 21 psi there. 

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found fun place to cross . at some points water was allready about door

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changed driver side wheel bearing and both sides ball joints in front. all now well just that steering rack got loose. its loose inside rack. thinking of trying that bolt on rack maybe tightening it more, but not sure it will help.  those ball joints where shot so bad. bearing as well. holded about a year because used aftermarket one. for 30 euros. 

 

and getting used to driving car without sway bars. would be nice to found some like 5-10 cm longer struts from other car that would fit in front for even more travel. that arm could still go more like 10 cm more travel down then oem struts . i just droped my strut from top mounting and looked when it will bottom something but it was still going down about 10 cm more from oem point. 

Edited by scalman
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did some easy and cheap mountings for hi lift . it would be on top because less stress on roof rack frame and because frame is not that heavy and solid in wouldnt hold well on side , but on top no prob. just with sides it would go more inside rack then. 

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Edited by scalman
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so i guess i was driving all this time with slightly wrong timing belt markings. after i redone it its now drives as new car nothing like it was before. now it jumps from place and no more slugish feeling. amazing that its so simple to fix yourself. more easier because i have SOHC there and not DOHC

had great time in forest exploring some long forgotten paths and found some fallen trees there

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  • 2 weeks later...

was in local forester metting but they took other subarus as well. was me in obk and other impreza. all others different gens forester. was fun times just no mud as its very dry and hot summer for now . still we found some cool places.

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now i know how good my front bumper is that is cut. just rear is getting in the way on more angles . but point is to have as much stock looking car as its possible. 

but you can do lots mods under those plastic bumpers 

Edited by scalman
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took pic of my catalytic how it looks from that small tube in front . doesnt look like broken or baldy black as i saw on some cars, but does it looks like clogged here or its supposed to be like that ?

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it looks like boat front front as it enters water in high speed and takes it like boat haha. as just half front bumper and under bumper is covered so no water going straight to radiator, and im not making wave in front so thats good thing i guess. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

again changing way to sleep in car. air mattress was cool and soft but it took more space so less is left for people and it was moving all time like on water bed. so back to foam mattresses again. this time cut them to just fit on sides. and put 4 layers. super comfy and more space for you to move there even sit. will be going again for 2 days on beach. and sleeping in car again. its way faster and better then in tent. its safe and its no matter weather you save and dry in car at all times, as now weather changing here so fast.

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even with folded rear seats foam is not taking too much space, still you cant put plenty stuff on top of it , not too heavy ones.

Edited by scalman
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cutting rear bumper. just testing how it will look and what it would give. looks ok for me . mudflaps will go on still and maybe some black line to make it look more interesting

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Edited by scalman
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testing that rear bumper. amazing how much that changes things. i can now reverse into places that was not possible before

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and some fun Solo recovery with hi lift . again it saves the day. no way i could recover myself from there. 

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