Subaru Crew - Modifications II

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Comments

  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Take it to mike for the install, he's done lots of suspension swaps.

    -juice
  • zorzor Member Posts: 24
    Mike,

      Your shop is Summit? Is that in Silver Spring, MD?

    Zor
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    No, he's up in NY.

    Hey mike, come down for a remote Installfest, I'll host it if you bring your tint guy he can do my wife's Legacy and I'd put new shocks on my Miata, plus zor's suspension.

    -juice
  • hypovhypov Member Posts: 3,068
    CG-Lock

    -Dave
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    We could do suspensions out at Slummit Point. Have to see if we have the impact working on the inverter yet. :)

    -mike
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    OK, lemme know. I'll bring all the hardware.

    -juice
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Well looks like for the Legacy So far...

    JVC MP3/CD/AM/FM Head Unit
    Cobra CB Radio
    K40 Antenna
    Koni Sport Strut-inserts (adjustable)
    SS Lines
    WRX front Rotors from Racingbrake.com
    Hawk HP+ Pads

    -mike
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    16" rims for $125 each. tempting. Mostly I'm just tired of fretting over all the options. I gotta make my mind up soon or my hormone-engorged wife WILL kill me. :-))

    actually she's not changed a bit. yet.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I wouldn't call that cheap, but they are few and far between.

    Do you like those rims, though? I don't particularly care for their styling.

    -juice
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    if she doesn't kill you, lucien, I will. nah just teasing, always glad to provide input. :-P

    ~c
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    Yea I guess I lit your inbox up like a pinball machine this month. That's the price you pay for having experience, pal!

    :-D
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Yeah, don't disappear, we know where you live! LOL

    -juice
  • hondafriekhondafriek Member Posts: 2,984
    Colin you especially might know the answer to this question. I have an autometer electrical oil pressure gauge.

    Because the oil pressure switch is located under the alternator the sender for the oil pressure gauge is to big to fit in place of the oil pressure switch. So I have to mount the sender in a remote location and pipe the oil supply to it, but because of vibration the supply line has now cracked for the second time.
    BTW. the second line was plastic, the first one was copper. Now to my question, does any aftermarket gauge have a sender that is roughly the same size as the OEM oil pressure switch?I have tried phoning the few aftermarket suppliers we have here but they don't know.

      Cheers Pat.
  • hondafriekhondafriek Member Posts: 2,984
    Well after searching through the net, it would appear that there is a rear plug in the oil gallery that I can use to install the gauge.

     Subaru have the adaptor which I use to replace the plug. Wish I had done this search in the first place it would have saved me some grief.
    Even after shampooing the engine that bloody burning oil smell lasts for weeks.
    Ordered the adaptor, apparently there is some degree of difficulty installing it, so what else is new?

      Cheers Pat.
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    sounds like fun. :)

    ~c
  • hondafriekhondafriek Member Posts: 2,984
    that what we call it now Colin:-)

     Cheers Pat.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Should have asked. We've installed at least oh 20-30 sets of gauges... Would have told you about the $8-10 part :)

    -mike
  • hondafriekhondafriek Member Posts: 2,984
    Mike hindsight is always twenty twenty, anyway oils well that ends well.

      Cheers Pat.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    At least you have the electronic one. We've had customers come to us with mechanical gauges and they just simply are HORRIBLE to install. After the first few we decided we wouldn't do em anymore mostly due to the install issues, but we use the liability issue as our excuse. (hot oil in the cabin = bad)

    -mike
  • hondafriekhondafriek Member Posts: 2,984
    know why anybody would want a mechanical gauge these days as the electronic is just as good or better.

      Cheers Pat.
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    Loosh,

    Are you STILL debating on wheels!!!?

    FWIW, I like the standard Forester wheels (the ones with the circular pattern) better than the stock FXT ones.

    As for the hormones, just wait until post-partum depression kicks in.

    Ken
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    buy some for yourself for your birthday, Lucien! :)

    ~c
  • bluesubiebluesubie Member Posts: 3,497
    Still debating here too.

    One hold-up for me for tires is that I'm thinking that I'll want something that I can use for soft-roading (dirt, sand at the beach, etc.).

    I would love a UHP summer's grip, but it might not be versatile enough for my needs.

    Has anyone see the FXT boost gauge that mo-boost on nabisco is working on? It replaces the factory clock and looks sweet!

    -Dennis
  • subearusubearu Member Posts: 3,613
    the one that he has in the dash pod? I saw the pics, it is a cool mod.

    -Brian
  • bluesubiebluesubie Member Posts: 3,497
    Been lurking in the Forester forums already? :-)

    -Dennis
  • subearusubearu Member Posts: 3,613
    I prefer a more static gauge, something that doesn't cycle through like he has. Plus, is it easy to see while driving (and keeping your eyes on the road)? Seems a bit narrow and in the corner portion of your natural viewing area.

    Just let me get use to the gauges I (will) have first! ;-)

    -Brian
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    Ken- YES I'm still debating.. wot's it to ya!? :-D Post Partum depression? Oh great. Screaming baby, screaming wife, I can't wait. Actually she's been great so far, so I get the feeling she'll be on a relatively even keel.

    Colin- OT much? :lol: Anyways I did make a couple of offers on some bronze 17" Rotas, but no one wants to seperate tires; 225/45 no worky. At this point I would mount either 225/50 ZIEX (if they ever are available in that size again. Stupid Maxima owners :p ) or 225/55/17 S-03PP. The first is -1.1% and the second +2.2%

    I also bid on ebay for some 16" Forester steelies as an option, but I've been outbid to $100 (figure $60 or so to ship) and I dunno how badly I want them. A cheap alternative though. Put the OEM tires on those, and 225/55/16 summers on the stockers.
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    there's also the Kumho KH11 or whatever. COmes in a 235/50/17, which is only .04% different than stock. But it is only a GT summer tire, so I don't know if I'd really be satisfied. Reviews are good in any case.
  • lark6lark6 Member Posts: 2,565
    I was parked next to a Cadillac CTS (not CTS-V) at work today. OEM tires are Goodyear Eagle RS-A in size 225/50-17. It may be worthwhile to see if there are any CTS boards just to see what they're shopping...not that a Forester and a CTS are so dynamically similar, mind you. ;-P

    Ed
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    I just took Ed's advice....oww my eyes.

    1) the main CTS forum out there in cyberspace is not searchable

    2) It wouldn't matter, since most tire related posts are about the looks of chromed vs painted rims, and a tire recall, not about finding good replacement tires.

    Reminded me just how performace oriented this gang is. Not absolute performance mind you, just getting into the guts of performance parameters and actually posting numbers.
  • bluesubiebluesubie Member Posts: 3,497
    I might have to take RidinLow (nabisco) up on his offer to try his parent's OB with the KH11's.

    -Dennis
  • p0926p0926 Member Posts: 4,423
    Do 235/50-17s fit on the Forester? I thought I recalled someone saying that they rub.

    -Frank P.
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    Garrick is a really cool dude, Dennis.

    ~c

    ps, loosh... um duh, I live in OT.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    KH11s. They are fine for a beater tire. I supplied them to G. I wouldn't buy em personally for myself. A bit too non-performance for me.

    -mike
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    Something like the SP5000 is, in my opinion, a far better use of resources. I'd rather have those on the stockers than the KH11 just for the sake of having blingin' 17s.

    and Colin- I knew that; 'coz everytime I log in there's ColinL at the top of the browsing list!
  • bluesubiebluesubie Member Posts: 3,497
    Buy 17" Rota's and install a UHP A/S and run them year 'round.

    Sell OEM 16's to me at a great price.
    Problem solved. :-D

    -Dennis
    p.s. - Yes, I've read of 235's rubbing.
  • p0926p0926 Member Posts: 4,423
    It appears to me that either 235/55-16 or 235/50-17 are definitely the best sizes for upgrading the stock tires/wheels and still keep the rolling circumference as similar as possible. They also offer an excellent compromise between better handling (with their increased contact patch and stiffer sidewalls) and ride comfort (sidewalls are still adequate enough to absorb most road bumps/potholes). Sure would be nice if they fit ;-)

    -Frank P.
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    I had different opinions, but Loosh can probably quote them. If not Dennis can. :)

    ~c
  • hondafriekhondafriek Member Posts: 2,984
    make a gawdamn decision already or your wife won't have to beat you:-)

      Cheers Pat.
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    ...no one makes a tire like that. :-(

    :-D Colin is an advocate for 235/45/17. He feels that the difference is rotational diameter (-3.2%) and its impact on speedo and odo readings are more than made up for by the performance gains AND good availability in a range of tire choices.

    He makes no mention of the additional inch of wheel gap you'll get, so there's STi springs to figure into the math as a hidden cost LOL

    It's OK Pat, I'm verrrrrryyyyyy close. And I stopped talking to her about it 2 weeks ago. Colin wasn't so lucky.
  • hypovhypov Member Posts: 3,068
    loosh-
    not that your options would be any better, but have thought of 18s?

    How 'bout Hankook [UHP] HRII H405 225/50-17? H-rated though.
    http://www.hankooktireusa.com/pdf/uploads/H405.pdf

    Nitto NT450 http://www.nittotire.com/tires_450.asp

    Flaken ZEIX... I think you'd mentioned that.

    -Dave
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    yikes...no, the potholes around here probably rule out 45/17,never mind 18s! Most of my driving is in this type of environ, so it will probably be 225/55/16 UHP A/S like SP5000 or Kumho ASX.
  • hypovhypov Member Posts: 3,068
    loosh-
    actually 225/45-18 sidewall [4.0"] is only 1.1" leaner than 215/60-16 [5.1"] and 0.4" compared to the WRX 205/55-16 [4.4"]. I think it'll survive... you got juicier tires to trim from.

    -Dave
  • bluesubiebluesubie Member Posts: 3,497
    At the moment, I'm thinking of getting a UHP A/S in 225/55-16.
    Doesn't it look like the ContiExtremeContact tread might be able to handle sand/dirt duties (Pine Barrens, beach, dirt roads)?

    http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Continental&- - - - tireModel=ContiExtremeContact

    Yes, I want to have my cake and eat it too. :)

    -Dennis
  • p0926p0926 Member Posts: 4,423
    Okay there's not much selection in the 235/55-16 size (Eagle GT-HR & Sumitomo SRIXON4) but there's a good range of tires in the 235/55-17 size (PZero, Pontenza RE040, Pilot Sport to name a few).

    -Frank P.
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    unless I go for some schmokin' RE92s!

    In all seriousness though, I have to keep budget in mind. A set of rims plus those tires is a $1400+ proposition. A more balanced, budget-conscious approach to tuning might be to use stock rims and UHP A/S tires, then upgrade the sways and perhaps lower the CoG slightly with the STi springs (1" drop). That works out to:
    $400-$500 UHP A/S tires
    $370 Cobb front and rear bars, all hardware included
    $380 STi springs (possible)

    I don't have enough real world experience to know if the performance parameters of the former choice (blowing the whole wad on just rims and super tires) trump the latter.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    You're nuts Loosh!

    Spend the money on a couple of track days. You gotta drive a Subie slideways...

    -juice
  • bluesubiebluesubie Member Posts: 3,497
    Loosh - Do you have STS auto there? They're having a deal on Toyo's, buy 3 get 1 free.

    Maybe I'll get the Proxes 4 for now and the T1S for the future. :-D

    -Dennis
  • hypovhypov Member Posts: 3,068
    Grassroot had nice thing to say of the Proxes 4s, and Toyo lets you try the tire for 30 [or is it 45] days/500miles.

    -Dave
  • subearusubearu Member Posts: 3,613
    I haven't even gotten mine yet and Loosh is almost tearing apart the springs LOL ;)

    I probably will only grab a set of snows this winter for both vehicles.

    -Brian
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