Subaru Forester (up to 2005)

lfdal

Nope - the 20mm bar does have its own clamps.

Actually, the full up install of the 20 mm Sti bar also includes new mounts for the clamps. The Sti clamps won't fit on the stock clamp mounts, at least not on the 2004XT.

The parts list is something like this - actually it is this:

Stabilizer bar - p/n 20451FE100
Rubber bushing (2) p/n 20464AE050
Bracket - Stabilizer p/n 20540FE210 and 20540FE200 - left and right
Clamp, stabilizer (2) - p/n 20466FE00
Nut -(2) - 902350013

Just took those numbers off my invoice.

When you put the bar in with the right clamps and mounts, you may find it necessary to shorten one of the hoses connected to the evaporative canister, so that the bar doesn't rub the hose.

Search some of the other Subaru sites for the install - there's some excellent illustrated step by step instructions out there. Some posted by a fellow named Peaty. Google Peaty and Scooby. Also remember to pay attention to the torque, especially for the mounts. Some folks have overtorqued them and that's no fun at all.

HTH

Larry

204meca

Hypov: the wheels were on the ground, car on ramps.

It seems that some have used the original bushings clamps and others have gone to the larger clamps, which apparently also requires replacement the stabilizer bracket. I was hoping for the easy-squeezy 4 bolts/nuts job rather than having to replace the brackets (al-la peaty) . I like the KISS approach to my wrenching.

Peaty's description looks like it may require a couple of tools that that I don't have. I would still prefer the easier route - perhaps some one can suggest how ya get those big bushings in the small 17mm clamps. :confuse: . Would a couple of longer 12mm bolts for the clamp might make it easier?

I am open to suggestions and tips from those with experience (Bluesubie are you there)? "Just be careful not to overtighten the nut on the brackets (the bolt is made into the bracket). I snapped mine on the first try and removed it and ordered a new one.". What did you break -- the bolt or the clamp? Did you use the 17mm clamp on the 20mm bushing?

I did not intend to torque the nut & bolts, just get them nice & snuggle. How important is the torqueing?
Thanks everyone for your help!

bluesubie

:confuse:
If you bought the "kit" from allsubaru, doesn't it come with everything including the STi sedan bushings and brackets? I have heard of folks not being able to squeeze the Forester OEM bushings and brackets around the STi swaybar (makes sense because the STi bar is bigger).

Assuming you're looking at Peaty's site, I broke the bolt sticking out of the bracket that is in picture #10. My torque wrench may not have been set properly on the first try.

-Dennis

ateixeira

The new cloth is the same stuff on the Tribeca, I like it too.

-juice

rdbandkab

I guess it probably needs tweeking from the garage, but I would rather just disable the hill holder. It's like starting with the emergency brake on.... I think it's harder to start on a hill with it!

rich :mad:

speterson1

I'm going to need a new air filter soon for my 2001 Forester L. What's the best place these days to order a part? I will check with my local Subaru dealer to see their price as well. I searched the Subaru forums for "air filter" and Juice, I saw that you had ordered one for your '98 that didn't fit. If you've still got it and it would fit in an '01 I'd buy it from you!

ateixeira

But let's make sure it would fit first.

Lemme see if I can get the part number. I think it's two filters, one is smaller, is that what yours is like?

-juice

rdbandkab

does anyone know how to disable the hill holder?

mckeown

Not disable it, but adjust it. Look below the Master cylinder under the hood. You will see a valve with brake lines and a cable running to it. Loosen the locking nut on the cable, then back off the adjusting nut 3 or 4 turns. Then tighten the locking nut again. Retry your HillHolder. Usually 3-4 turns STOPS it from engaging on the flat, but keeps it active on a hill.

rdbandkab

cool! I'll give it a look.

Thanks!

rich

ateixeira

We should bookmark that very useful tip!

-juice

p0926

Funny, I was adamantly against the hill holder feature when it first came out and swore I would never use it but after having my 04 Forester for a while, it quickly grew on me Do I need it? No but it is nice to have a foot free when I'm stopped on a hill. There have been several reported instances of the clutch being to set too sensitive from the factory so your's probably just needs adjusting.

-Frank

rdbandkab

Did some adjusting during lunch.... I gave the adjuster about 3 turns. This little bit of adjustment helped a lot, but I'll be giving her one more turn after work.

Thanks for the tip!

rich

liame

Hi jlk, have u visited Subie service ctr regarding to ur vibration problem? What they told you? I bought a 2005 X auto 3 weeks ago and faced exact same problem you had. Please post your experience. Thanks advance! :confuse:

speterson1

I'm not sure, I haven't tried taking it out yet. Almost to 60,000 miles and still have the original in there, I imagine it's going to be quite filthy!

Is it easy to DIY? I'm no mechanic but if I have some directions I can usually do fine.

Steve

bluesubie

You have to take some pics because I think it'll be really dirty.

If you order an OEM filter it comes with directions. I was a little nervous because I have never taken anything apart around the dash. There are several screws and it's pretty easy. I think I did it in 30 minutes being very cautious.

-Dennis

toasterpilot

I am ready for my next 105K, having replaced the timing belt on my '01L. I replaced the drive belts as well, water pump, thermostat and had a hose replaced (probably because the radiator needed to be removed to put the belts in). Price:$527.

Some of the rattling noises previously reported were traced to worn heat shields--I will be replacing those as soon as they come in.

The miles on my car (108,000+) are probably not typical, but those of you currently drooling over the new '06 model can rest assured that your Forester will run like new in 2010. I am your future.

ateixeira

What year is yours, Dennis?

Mine is a '98 and I know it's different, that's why I could not use the filter - it did not fit!

I don't even remember where I bought it now, what are some common vendors to try to refresh my memory? I think they were on the west coast.

-juice

98in_cuse

I drove the 2006 manual (X premium) and it is a definite improvement over my '98. It's much smoother and responsive. It took me a while to get used to the power in 1st gear, as I have very little. I still plan on getting my '98 fixed (timing belt and valve guide repair) next week, but it's tempting. The transmission/shifting action feels a lot more like my old Toyota Celica (previous car). FYI - I've got over 113,000 miles now and the check engine light went off again!

Kathy

leo2633

I have a 2001 Forester S that now has 120 K miles. Except for clutch and head gasket issues (covered under warranty), a wheel bearing and a coil pack, it has been a great car. I'm figuring on about another 80-100 K miles or so before replacing it with an '08 or '09 Forester.

Len

toasterpilot

Len--I'll have to plan on a few more roadtrips to catch up with you.

Speaking of head gasket issues, A couple of months ago I had the dealer install the radiator treatment . Since my mechanic (who is not a Subaru dealer) replaced my belt, and probably drained and removed the radiator, do I need to put more gasket protector in my coolant?

deepdrop

Hi,
I want to buy the Subaru Gold Plus, 7 yr/100K mile 0 deductible warranty for my 2003 Forester. I remember that someone on the Edmund's forums had mentioned buying this for $1000. Maybe it was at the time of the new car purchase. I've spoken to local dealers and the lowest price I can find is $1430 (it lists at $2460).
Are there any other sources where you can buy this warranty? Does this seem like a good price? Thanks for any suggestions.

204meca

Goggle Subara gold plus plan & check the 1st 4-5 sites that come up. There is a Subie dealer in Maine that sells these for about 20% below book. If you go back about 1 month in the Forester postings you will find info there also.

deepdrop

------

ezshift5

....hopefully you can share MPG lore for the Forester X?

all the best, ez

kavoom

I bought a camper and for those of you considering towing I was amazed at how well the Forester towed including 75 mph across South Dakota and up into the black hills. I have a Flagstaff 176ltd (same as a Rockwood 640ltd) popup coming in loaded at around 1700 lbs.

First, I saved around a hundred bucks on my hitch because it was tow ready. The mechanics were surprised that the tow harness and pop outs were right there ready for them. I explained that apparently in Australia a lot of people tow with them and maybe it is just cheaper for Subaru to make em all the same. I put the brakes on the trailer in line with Subaru "requirements" for towing anything over 1000 lbs.

Second, the gearing (manual transmission) is perfect for towing with third and fourth able to do everything I needed...at speed. I wonder how intentional that was. Subaru obviously considered towing when engineering these things...

Third, I had around a 150 to 170 hitch weight and it only took the rear of the Forester down around an inch and a half...

Now I am investigating this "load leveling" rear suspension in the LL Bean. So far it appears it is all in the struts. If anyone knows let me know. If it is just the struts, I may consider them in the future. The dealer parts manager is now trying to figure it out himself. They were all intrigued at my "experiment" and helping me out. Figgs Subaru in Topeka Kansas is a rare dealership.

Now if I can just keep from running into very large pheasants while tooling down the road at 75 mph, everything will be perfect... grills and headlights are not cheap.

Kavoom

mckeown

LL Bean edition load leveling IS just in the Struts (internal shock design). Similiar to what I've seen on Caravans the past 5-7 yrs. On the Caravans, the replacement load leveling shocks are $400 us a piece. (right up there with replacement Air shocks of Subaru's from the 90's). I feel certain, the LL bean struts will be right up there also in price also. But from the service manual, they just bolt in the same as a standard rear strut.

lsterne

Thanks, Ateixeira. The wiper problem was a loose bolt deep in the assembly. Took the dealer quite a while to find it. I

ateixeira

do I need to put more gasket protector in my coolant?

Yes. I would.

Kavoom: good to hear another good towing experience. I've had luck as well.

lsterne: you're welcome. :-)

-juice

sonyc

Hi,

I recently purchased my first Subie, Forester X. I was examining the maintenance schedule and am a bit puzzled. Subaru, in its manual and on its site, recommends that I change oil every 7500 miles. They also have a 'dealer specified' schedule on the site, which brings down this number to ~ 3000 miles. Subaru says that the dealer, in his/her wisdom, knows the conditions of the local roads etc and can suggest the optimum schedule to follow.
Which begs the question, which schedule to follow? How to make a fair determination? What do many of you do for your cars? (I'm in the NY/NJ area).
Thanks for your time.

Regards,
Sony.

ateixeira

They're going to recommend the shorter interval, which is what it best for most people - short trips, lots of idling, dusty conditions, heavy loads, etc. We all fall into one of those types of use.

-juice

rambo5

How does that light beige leather LL Bean interior hold up after a couple of years of Happy Meals and Northeast winters? Thanks

p0926

I disagree. While there may be a respectable number of owners who only drive around in stop-and-go city traffic all day, I doubt many people routninely have to deal with dusty conditions (which I consider driving down an arid dirt road) and even fewer haul heavy loads on any but rare occasions.

IMO, the dealer will invariably recommend the shorter interval just so he can make twice the amount of money servicing your vehicle. If you want to change your oil more often just to be on the safe side then go ahead but there's zero evidence that you really need to.

-Frank

ateixeira

Not all, just one of those. I think most people would qualify for at least one, probably the short trips for errands and grocery store visits.

-juice

sonyc

The reason I ask this question is that on my Integra , Acura recommends that the normal schedule be followed if you go on a few short trips etc a week, as long as the car is not used predominantly for these short trips.
Subaru leaves this recommendation to the discretion of the dealership, which I find to be interesting.
Now, will Subaru give me issues with the warranty if I follow their recommended schedule rather than the dealer's?

Regards,
Sony.

toasterpilot

EZ--I've always thought so, but perhaps not clever enough this time to understand what you are talking about. :confuse: I have an "L" (and an L of a lot of fun with it) that is getting 20-22 on the highway. I'm driving from Chicago to Fort Collinsin a couple of weeks--I'll give you the uphill and downhill averages for a 2001 L with new belts when I get back.

Juice-- I'll get the conditioner into my radiator before I make this trip. Gerald Subaru in North Aurora, IL keeps it in stock.

ezshift5

204meca

I finally spoke to a live person at Allsubaru.com Turns out you can use 20mm bushings in 17mm clamps, but it is a tough squeeze. I decided to not jerry rig mine, so I am getting the larger clamps & mounts. I will probably pay a mechanic for an hour of labor & not mess with the more detailed install.

I did install an interior air filter, that went EZ & smoothly.

My new clutch still seems to shudder a bit (when warm not cold) from a dead stop and when down shifting -- dealer told me to bring it in -- will do soon.

Also took a hint from Frank & have loosened the Hill Holder as I have find seems to make starting a on a slight incline a bit more cumbersome -- sounds like it may need some tinkering, but is easy enough.

I want to install a quick drain valve. Have used the Fram SD 2 in other cars -- works well and is about #10 less than Fumoto one. Anyone know what the thread diameter is on the oil pan bolt?

Got 28.7 MPG on my last tank 45% freeway, 55% city -- I'm pleased

Finally, do splash guards significantly reduce to dirt build up on the lower front door rocker panel area? Can they be installed without removal of wheels?

Thanks

p0926

Sony- On one hand it seems to make sense that Subaru would advise customers to follow the recommendations of a dealership since they would have a better grasp of local driving conditions. However in practice, it seems that every dealership has decided that all drivers qualify for the shorter service interval. To me that can mean only one thing... there's a profit motive involved. Had the dealer's service rep discussed your driving habits with you prior to making a recommendation that would be something else but in pratice that never happens.

So bottom line, if you follow Subaru's normal service schedule, you'll have no problems ever filing a warranty claim. I believe that all major manufacturers have the same general guidelines regarding service intervals and yes, just a few short trips etc a week would still fall within the paramaters of the normal service schedule.

-Frank

speterson1

Sony, regarding maintenance schedules I see the exact same thing - 7500 miles from Subaru and 3000 from the dealer. So I do a compromise, I take my Subie in every 5000 miles for oil changes. That way it's always easy for me to look at the odometer and know how much longer to go till a change.

nickel

Went on today, on the money section. He likes the turbo, as buyers to be cautious on the non turbo. He said that maybe a non production glitch. Check at http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/reviews/healey/2005-06-30-subaru-forester_x.htm">link title

ateixeira

FRAM doesn't list a fitment for Subaru, oddly enough.

I think it's a 17mm drain bolt? Not 100% sure.

The '06 Forester we drove had a very smooth engine and I noted an improvement in brake feel as well, so he probably got an abused press car.

My review was up a couple of weeks before his, too. :P

-juice

lfdal

The last comment of the summary box was "Overall: Nice small SUV, but there are plenty of those and some are much cheaper."

My comment to go with that is "How many of them outperform an XT, and do the other small SUV's really handle that well and have as rich a complement of features compared to a Forester"

I thought that was a little harsh......

Larry

toasterpilot

I can't believe that magazine reviews are totally independent from the influence of advertising dollars. Some publications are more blatant than others, but anyone thinking that a mag or newspaper is reviewing products as a public service for their readers is naive.

"Overall: Nice small SUV, but there are plenty of those and some are much cheaper."

Translation:"We can't find anything wrong with this car but our regular advertisers are not going to like it if we praise it too highly or forget to mention that there are other small SUVs that are cheaper."

Subaru does so little print advertising and I've seen them minimized or ignored many times in reviews and comparison articles.

I bought my first Subie after talking to friends. It would be interesting to poll this site and find out how many of us are here because of word-of-mouth, vs.reading reviews or watching ads on television.

While I think the world would be happier if everyone drove a Subaru, it's nice to be able to find your car right away in a crowded lot.

once_for_all

why I bought my '03 XS Forester over the Element, the RAV, and the CRV:

1) boxer design and AWD layout much better than anyone else.
2) it had real AWD
3) it was a CR recommended vehicle (good resale value)
4) tons of features for the dollars.

In retrospect, it was one of the better choices I have made. I guess the only ones I talked to were those here at Edmunds. But I read every post I could and that also had a big impact. People really, really liked the Forester.

John

njswamplands

now think , drive and scratch and sniff campaign, or whatever it is, does nothing, lance armstrong affiliation did nothing, now WRC that helped.

stever

Hi Solo, your post has been moved to the new 2006+ discussion. Here's the link:

solowalker, "Subaru Forester 2006+" #2, 2 Jul 2005 10:47 am

Let's take the new model talk over there please. And check out our First Drive link there. Thanks,

Steve, Host

sduford

Does anyone know the Canadian invoice price for a 2005 Forester X Special Edition w. Automatic?

My dealer has a demo one w. 8,000 Kms and I want to make sure I get the best deal possible for my wife.

Thanks

Sly

kev_xt_owner

I just got back from spending 7 weeks in Hawaii for the Navy. While Hawaii was nice, there's no place like home [I suppose I could have said that three times while there while clicking my ruby slippers together to return a bit faster to Kansas]. Turns out there's a nice feeling of returning to my Forester XT as well.

I was reading through the posts I've missed and I don't think the EPA/DOE classify SUVs (including the Forester) as cars. Take a look at Fuel Economy Guide for more information. The "introduction" section has a chart that shows SUVs in the same classification as trucks.

I even looked at my window sticker for my 2004 FXT and see that the EPA considers the FXT a "Special Purpose SUV 4WD" but no definite "car" or "truck" label.

Kevin

204meca

I decided if bluesubie could do this, then so could I! I got the 20mm mounts and clamps. The left side is a peice of cake -- with nothing in the way it took about 10 minutes to take off the 17mm mounts and get the new mounts & clamps on.

Peaty was not lying about the right side being tricky! The old mounts came off pretty quick, but getting the new ones on was dicey. After struggling with things about 20 minutes, I finally took the evaporator off entirely which made it somewhat easier. Even then, getting the rear bolt in was a challenge due to the angle & the inmovable gas tank filler tube to get the rear bolt in - cross threaded it the 1st 2 trys :sick: . It finally went in with the help of prayer and lithium grease.

Still wondering about how good the mud flaps are at keeping dirt of the lower rocker panels & doors & whether they can be installed with the wheels on.