Subaru Crew - Modifications II

outback_97 · February 2003

When I got a set of four new tires, I just had the shop mount the best tire from the old set on an inexpensive steel wheel, nothing fancy, just a normal wheel. I feel better having the full size spare rather than the donut, having taken the OB to some pretty remote locations in the mountains and desert. I got the tires and rim from Discount Tire, a regional tire and wheel store, but you should be able to find one at your local tire shop.

-utahsteve

bigfrank3 · February 2003

Are you putting a very thin layer of silicone grease on the inside of the boot before sliding over the plug? This not only stops the boot from sticking to the plug but also helps get tight boots all the way on. (Also helps the electrical seal.)

I have had boots that fit so tightly that they trapped air while installing, forcing the boot to pop loose of the plug. I had to "burp" the boots with a small hook while I pushed the boot all the way on to get them to stop popping off.

I have only found this to happen with what I consider to be high quality performance wires.

Regards,
Frank

stevek · February 2003

I did not try them with the plug out of the car, since theyt worked on my other car with the same plugs. The gel maybe a good idea. "Burping" the boots would be very difficult because they are long and it is a tight fit.
I did sent the wires back to them and waiting to see what they say

bkaiser1 · February 2003

If you're considering a Load Warrior (or similar) purchase for your Outback, I'll tell you that it's one of the best purchases I've ever made for a car! I've had a Load Warrior for the past few years (first on my 99 Civic, now on my 01 Outback) and I love it. It's extremely sturdy and holds a TON of stuff...plus the bike/ski/whatever attachments mount directly to the frame and the entire rack mounts directly to the factory bars (flat or round).

I've been considering a full size tire, too, but haven't gone there yet...maybe when I hit the lotto...

Brian

originalbitman · February 2003

I got a full size spare last year. Great peace of mind if nothing else.

bit

bluesubie · February 2003

Not to mention that a spare tire on the roof looks more rugged/off-roady/rally-esque. :-)

-Dennis

oregonboy · February 2003

I had a space saver spare on my previous Nissan. I used it once. Then it was replaced with a used wheel and tire from the tire store that fixed my flat. Zero cost on the spare. (I'm a good customer).

I would never again own a space saver spare if my vehicle had room for a full sized spare, BUT... the roof is the last place I would want to put it. Up there it is subject to the elements (lots of UV) and it raises the center of gravity of the vehicle.

The worst of it is that it would look silly. Why not mount it on the hood like an old Land Rover?

-james

locke2c · February 2003

um, or under the hood on top of the intake manifold like an old Subaru?

:-D

-Colin

ateixeira · February 2003

Yes, I still have 3 of the 15"x6" rims that should fit just about any Subaru with 15" wheels standard, including that Outback.

Sam: if you are interested, e-mail me (just add @ifc.org to the end of my handle). My wife would love to see me clean out the shed.

-juice

bluesubie · February 2003

"..or under the hood on top of the intake manifold like an old Subaru? ..."

ateixeira · February 2003

My mom's old Fiat Uno had that. They still make those in Brazil, new!

-juice

locke2c · February 2003

Patti and Kate know what I'm talking about...

those old carbureted EA82 1.8L OHV engines had the spare sitting right there...

first time I saw one I was like 12... had already been wrenching on motorcycles and cars for a while, helping my dad... and a friend of his had an GL Wagon. popped the hood for some reason and another guy spots the spare and says "wow! there's your problem, if you replace that restrictive air cleaner you're sure to get more power and better gas mileage!"

I couldn't stop laughing. I still think about that whenever I see an old Subaru on the street...

-Colin

ateixeira · February 2003

I cracked up when I saw the one on that Uno.

I guess a small engine leaves enough room up there, why not? The spare was filthy, though.

-juice

bluesubie · February 2003

oregonboy · February 2003

I think that the low (boxer) engine makes it possible. My '65 Corvair Turbo had the spare in the engine compartment also.

-james

hondafriek · February 2003

The old Renault 5 had the spare on top of the motor also.

Cheers Pat.

rsholland · February 2003

I've often wondered if having the spare under the hood, causes any long-term damage to the spare, because of all the heat the tire is subject to?

Bob

hondafriek · February 2003

I would imagine it would eventually dry out the rubber in the tire.

Cheers Pat.

hammersley · February 2003

My 78 GL 1.6 had the underhood spare, as well. Generated a few chuckles, but that car had a huge trunk for its size!

Cheers!
Paul

p0926 · February 2003

Yugos had them also ;-(

-Frank P.

ateixeira · February 2003

Paul: that may be why the Loyale had such amazing cargo capacity for its size. It just about matches the much larger Forester.

-juice

rsholland · February 2003

I've always like the idea if...

 A full-size tire can be fitted.

 It can be protected from the heat and grime. Perhaps putting it in an insulated plastic box?

It will raise the center of gravity ever so slightly, as well as adversely affect the front-to-rear weight distribution, again, only slightly; but the space gain in the trunk area are well worth it IMO.

Bob

ateixeira · February 2003

The space gain is excellent - you can have a low load floor because there's no spare underneath it.

Modern engine bays are crammed so I doubt we'll see it often.

Look at how spares can get in the way - like in the Hummer H2. And rear mounted spares create blind spots.

-juice

hondafriek · February 2003

I carry the spare in a can and have done for years.

Cheers Pat.

ateixeira · February 2003

What if the side wall is cut somehow? You can't patch all flats.

-juice

rsholland · February 2003

might fit in the upcoming 7-passenger crossoverif it has a high tapered minivan-type hood. There may(?) be enough vertical space to accommodate it.

Again, I want to see a full-size spare, and to have it sealed and protected from engine heat and engine/road grime.

Another possibility is to stack it vertically between the engine and radiator, or in front of the radiator. The problem with this solution is that you are adding extra front overhang, which is not desired, as Subies already have a lot of front overhang.

Bob

ateixeira · February 2003

I dunno, Subaru engines bays are packed. You have to remove things to change spark plugs. It'll be hard to find that kind of room. The tires will probably be 225/60R16 at least.

-juice

rsholland · February 2003

1) You don't have to empty the cargo hold/trunk to get at the tire.

2) It might be able to be engineered so that it becomes part of the front-end crash resistance. If the tire were laid flat (or on an angle to reduce front overhang), under the radiator, but behind the front bumper, it could be done. Again, it may add some extra front overhang, and accessing a tire that's under the radiator might be tricky.

Of course the radiator could be relocated or you could have two small radiators off to each side, which would eliminate accessing the spare. I think it could be done, but it would require re-engineering the whole front end.

Bob

ateixeira · February 2003

Won't that make the usual 60/40 weight distribution worse, though?

For the Miata to get to 50/50, they put the spare and even the battery in the trunk!

-juice

rsholland · February 2003

Radiators don't have to be under the hood. They could be relocated to the fenders, either front or rear. It would require fender scoops for cooling and extra plumbing, but it could be done. Maybe the radiator could be mounted flat under the floor, with a protective skid plate? I just think some creative thinking would solve the problem.

If that were done, the spare could be mounted vertically, and take up the space that the radiator now occupies.

Bob

ateixeira · February 2003

Hmm, I don't see that happening. Subaru is already unique enough. I'm sure they drive GM CRAZY trying to figure out how on earth to share parts. The last thing they want to see is creative radiator placement.

The spare in the Forester is perfect. It's clean and easy to access. Sure, you have to remove the cargo, but so what, you have to remove cargo to reach the tools anyway.

I'm not sure they'd want a big steel or alloy wheel in the engine bay for safety reasons. They already design motor mounts to break so that the engine dives under the passenger compartment, now they'd have another thing to worry about.

-juice

p0926 · February 2003

Bob- Wake up! You're venturing way too far into lala land! Seriously though, any of your proposed alternate locations create problems of their own equal to or greater than just leaving the spare where it is. For instance, how would you cool a horizontally mounted radiator?

-Frank P.

rsholland · February 2003

but if the spare in the Forester were up front, you would have an additional huge hidden storage area under the floorwhich you don't have now.

Too unique? "Unique" is what makes a Subarua "Subaru." I wouldn't want to think that GM will kill that uniqueness. Maybe it will happen. I know paisan thinks GM will smother Subaru's creative impulses eventually. I hope he's wrong.

Bob

rsholland · February 2003

I'm not an engineer. Maybe my ideas won't work. Maybe they will. What I do know is this: If you don't think creatively, what you almost always end up with is mediocrity.

Bob

oregonboy · February 2003

I think that cars that had under-hood spares shared one common trait: small tires. I don't see that happening with any current SUVish vehicle, especially giving the increased underhood complexity of modern cars.

More likely is the demise of the spare entirely. Tires are FAR more dependable than they were in the "good old days". When was the last time that you had a flat... a "blow-out" not just a slow leaker that you can air-up and limp to the tire store on.

Cars don't carry spare engines or transmissions. Why carry a spare tire. The Vette Z-06 has no spare.

By the way... I'm only half serious here.

-james

hypov · February 2003

Wouldn't the Vette be carrying two spares if it did have spare(s).

-Dave

locke2c · February 2003

the C5 Corvette has run-flats, which add considerable weight and cost. no thanks.

and we don't go around running over nails or screws with our engines or transmissions, plus they take more than 10 minutes to swap. *that's* why we don't have spares for those. ;-)

-Colin

rsholland · February 2003

a "Over-the-Hood" spare, like the old Land Rovers?

Bob (running for cover!)

p0926 · February 2003

Bob- There's a difference between thinking that's outside the box and thinking that indicates the need for a straightjacket! :(o)

-Frank P.

rsholland · February 2003

It's Friday, and I'm suffering from and overdose of snow shoveling...

Bob

ateixeira · February 2003

LOL, Frank. It's like the towing tirade all over again! ;-)

Run flats are heavey and usually have very stiff sidewalls. I think the PAX system is a possibility, though. That plus a can of Fix-a-flat, like Pat has.

But in a big SUW, bigger than the Outback, with very likely bigger tires, it won't happen.

-juice

cpoc · February 2003

Alpine headset
Alpine 6-disk changer, plays MP3's WOO HOO!(_8(|)
Alpine 4 channel amp
Alpine speakers all around

Hope to get a woofer with an amp soon, let the neighbors know I'm home.

Oh and tint, 35% upfront and 20% in back.

And finally, large barnicles of snow behind all 4 tires

Mike

samlemay · February 2003

That Yakima Spare Tire Carrier looks really cool.

http://www.yakima.com/products/dynamic/8007076_6.html

I'd like to get the MegaWarrior for the Outback if it will fit... If I end up getting it, I'll post pictures!

bkaiser1 · February 2003

Get one, you'll love it! Mine's been great with my Outback. They also have off road lighting mounts for the rack, which would also be really fun to have. I'd post pics if I had them handy, but I don't...

samlemay · February 2003

will both fit on the Outback, or is the mega too big? They are on sale on ebay too for cheap!

ducktapeguy · February 2003

Can anyone here use one? selling on ebay right now. I wonder if I could shoehorn this into a forester front diff.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item- =2404927243&category=10368

locke2c · February 2003

no. the front differential is inside the transmission case.

the SVX's rear differential is the same as the WRX's-- Hitachi R180.

-Colin

ateixeira · February 2003

So that would probably fit my Forester, actually. Too much labor to bother with it, though.

I bet it would fit a new RS, Outback Sport, TS, or Forester L or X.

-juice

bkaiser1 · February 2003

I haven't checked yakima's website to see the specs for the mega warrior (it wasn't available 3 years ago when I got the load warrior) but if I recall, the only difference between the 2 was in length, not width?

If the Mega is longer by a foot or so, than it should fit with no problem...if it's much wider, it might look funny, but should mount with no problem to the factory rack same as the Load Warrior does.

I know you can buy an extender for the standard Load to make it longer, so I'm guessing the Mega is wider, too, than the Load.

Given the unloaded weight of my Load Warrior, I don't think I'd want anything heavier. The rack alone weighs about 50 pounds with 3 bike mounts attached to the Load Warrior...that's a lot of weight up there before you even start adding fun stuff like bikes and gear...just something to consider.

B

samlemay · February 2003

Thanks B. I'll look into it.

Subaru Crew - Modifications II

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