nepbug's 01 Outback - 1/22/17 Eff Me! Gut check time!

[nepbug]

Come to think of it, I swapped the H6 logo from my 04 beige console to the 03 black console.. The large and small logo inserts were interchangeable within the same console type. I guess I assumed that the 01 console logo was the same as well.

So a little more info on this front. My console is from an 03, I pulled an AWD badge from an 02 double-cup center console and it was the same style badge as my 01. Thus it seems there are two different style badges and they don't correspond with single vs double cupholder, but instead are 00-02 and 03/04.

[nepbug]

17mm Baja Turbo Rear Sway Bar Upgrade

I further upgraded my rear sway bar today. I started with a 14mm, then moved to a 16mm and now I have a 17mm (out of an 05 Baja Turbo).



While I was at it I also replaced one of my dying endlinks, so that's quieter, and I also installed the rear passenger mudflap I was missing.

The 17mm bar is a noticeable improvement over the 16mm, I highly recommend it.

Looking at the stiffness calculations. 17mm means I am 27% stiffer than with the 16mm and 117% stiffer than I was with the 14mm.



If anyone is interested in a 14mm or 16mm sway bar for their 00-04, let me know I've got one of each extra now.

[nepbug]

High Flow Cat Wrap, Paint and Port and Polish

I had some old header wrap that was not totally unusable so I decided to use it to wrap my high flow cat section.

First the HFC was painted. Then I wrapped it. Then I sprayed the wrap with DEI Black High Temp Silicone Coating. It looks a bit ratty, but should serve it's purpose.



Then I did a little port and polish on the inlet. Carbide burr, 80 grit, 120 grit and then 240 grit; I didn't feel the need to go finer than that. While doing the PNP I stuffed a rag in the tubing to prevent debris from getting into the cat.



I'll let the paint cure for at least a week before installing it, I've heard that DEI paint can smoke quite a bit during curing.

One note, I really didn't care for the spray nozzle on the DEI paint, I much prefer the Duplicolor and VHT style nozzle.

July 19, 2015 Edit:
I decided that I wanted the cat wrapped, so i did that and hit it with some paint again. I'll be looking to install this in a few weeks from now.

[nepbug]

Well, I've been inspired by @still_alive (https://sl-i.net/FORUM/showthread.ph...le-Port-Header) and @LeggyxPower (https://sl-i.net/FORUM/showthread.ph...188#post264188) to make my own set of UEL headers. I ordered the bends I need tonight. In my 20 minutes of looking I only found Jegs and Summit as having the necessary bends, and Jegs had the better price.

Here's what I bought.:
Jegs P/N 555-319213 (1 5/8" tubing with a 4" center-line radius)
Jegs P/N 555-319310 (1 5/8" tubing with a 6" center-line radius)

Cost came to ~$38 shipped to my door.

Now I just need to pick up an OEM header and get my welder and the garage wired for it and this project will be a go. I could always take it in to work and weld it, but it's kind of a big awkward thing to bring in to do, but if I run into snags getting my welder setup, then that is what I will do.

I'm not a big fan of the way the two sides join up, so I might splurge and buy a 2 into 1 collector here:
http://www.coneeng.com/pdf/3-1%20&%2...ctor%20PDF.pdf
I need to take some measurements first though.

[LeggyxPower]

Never thought i would be an inspiration! best of luck . you gotta love something you've made more then something just bought done for you. Best part is its mad cheap!

[shoguy]

what is stock diameter for sway bars? what was the 16mm bar sourced from?

[LeggyxPower]

what is stock diameter for sway bars? what was the 16mm bar sourced from?

THE ULTIMATE SWAY BAR THREAD This should answer you.

[nepbug]

what is stock diameter for sway bars? what was the 16mm bar sourced from?

00-01 have the 14mm bar, 02-04 got the 16mm


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[shoguy]

00-01 have the 14mm bar, 02-04 got the 16mm

Thanks! I have the 04, so the only upgrade then except for aftermarket is to go to the Baja bar, I didn't know they changed between 02 and 03, that would be another reason why the 01 outback I had felt like a pig and this one is more planted

[nepbug]

Thanks! I have the 04, so the only upgrade then except for aftermarket is to go to the Baja bar, I didn't know they changed between 02 and 03, that would be another reason why the 01 outback I had felt like a pig and this one is more planted

Yeah, once I went to the 16mm from the 14mm, the difference was night and day. The rear springs are pretty soft, so a soft sway bar just exaggerates the problem.

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[nepbug]

Window Tint

I finally got the Outback tinted. Always one of the best mods, functional and aesthetically pleasing in one swoop. I especially appreciate the front windshield strip, once you get used to having that it's frustrating to have a car without it. 3M 20% tint all around.

[nepbug]

I've acquired an OEM exhaust manifold from an 02 Forester for $10. DIY UEL headers parts are coming together.

[nepbug]

Heated Seat Install

I did this a while ago, but never got around to writing it up. My Outback was a bare bones base model and came with non-heated cloth. In this scenario, the wiring isn't even there for the seat heaters. Through some scrounging I came up with a set of 01 LL Bean Heated leather seats and the wiring harness from an 03. The 03 harness falls a little short when using the 00-01 single-cup center console, so I had to extend the switch wires there.
The start, bleh.


First I started with the salvaged harness. I chopped out from the passenger foot well to the driver's seat. That looked like this:


That is much more than you need. I pared it down to what was needed for heated seats only, this is what that looks like:


Finally, tidy it up with some electrical tape.


Now everything is ready to install.
Pull out the seats, center console and door sill trim on the passenger side. You might need to pull out the b-pillar trim too, you need to get under the carpet.


Your power and illumination hookup is in the passenger foot well, look for these connectors. The white connector with fewer wires (2 rows) will have the power, the white connector with more wires (3 rows) will be where you get illumination.


See the two vacant pins at the far left of the middle row, those are for illumination.


Insert the extracted pins on the backside of the connector (the other side of the connector is already populated with illumination wires.


For the power, the connector is already populated, the light blue wire is what you want. I removed the sheath in a section and soldered-spliced in the heated seat harness.




Hard part done. Run the wires under the carpet, don't forget to attach your ground for your new harness under the passenger seat, and poke the connectors out in the appropriate places.


Put the interior back in and plug in the heater elements. Turn on car and power them up, enjoy.


Power tilt from LL Bean seats, oh yeah!

[nepbug]

Easter morning oil change.

Odometer: 186,357 miles.
Changed using an OEM filter and Valvoline NextGen plus one full can of LubroMoly MoS2

[98legwag]

I would love to have heated seats in my wagon, since its mostly a winter/work/drive to hockey car now. Buts its on its 3rd and probably last set of seats.

[nepbug]

I would love to have heated seats in my wagon, since its mostly a winter/work/drive to hockey car now. Buts its on its 3rd and probably last set of seats.

I've installed heated seats in 5 Subarus, only once did I install new seats. It's totally possible to retrofit just the heater elements to your current seats.

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Here's a link to the write up for me adding them to my Forester, that's a little more detailed into how to go about it (I link to another post that goes into the element install part, but talk the wiring part).
http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulle...8/#post2616794

Also, the FSM does a really good job telling you how to disassemble a seat.

[98legwag]

Yeah, I am much too lazy for that. Thanks though.

[dna]

After my engine is finished, this will be my next interior project.

[nepbug]

Well, I've been in Moab for the last 5 days, but I managed to bleed the clutch while I was out there. And put in some work on two other legacies too.

The Outback performed flawlessly on the 6 hour each way drives.

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[nepbug]

I decided to do something about my rusting ugly battery tie down.

Start:


Media Blasted:


Powder Coated:

[superu]

Well, I've been in Moab for the last 5 days, but I managed to bleed the clutch while I was out there. And put in some work on two other legacies too.

The Outback performed flawlessly on the 6 hour each way drives.

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@nepbug i can only imagine how much better it could have performmed while baking the EL headers

[nepbug]

@nepbug i can only imagine how much better it could have performmed while baking the EL headers

LOL, I think the EL headers will only ever live on the Impreza, but I do have that high-flow cat earmarked for the OB.

[nepbug]

Well, I just purchased some new KYB dampers for the car. I went with the 04 Outback version as they have a higher damping rate than the 01 version.


I went through RockAuto, used a 5% off coupon code, and there is a $40 mail-in rebate right now, so it came out to under $60 per strut shipped to my door. Score.

These will be paired with some 05 Baja turbo springs for a lift of ~1.5 inches. I didn't want to use the Baja struts as that would give me even more lift and that is more than I am looking for. So, I will eventually have my Baja turbo struts for sale.

[nepbug]

BH vs BP vs Baja Turbo Strut Comparison

Alright, a few comparison pics of different struts. I'll add some measurements later, but I wanted to get the pictures up and annotated.

Front Struts. Left is new KYB 04 Outback, Right is 05 Baja Turbo.


Bottom bolt to spring perch is the same, the strut tube above the spring perch is 3/4" longer on the Baja strut, strut stroke length is the same. So overall the Baja strut is 3/4" taller.


Rear struts. Left is an 06 outback, middle is 04 Outback, right is 05 Baja turbo.


The 05-09 OB struts has a sping perch that is lower than the others, but has the longest strut tube of the bunch. 04 Outback has the same spring perch height as the 05 Baja, but the Baja has a slightly longer strut tube (3/4"). The 04 OB and the 05 Baja have the same stroke as well, the 06 OB has a shorter stroke.

[superu]

BH vs BP vs Baja Turbo Strut Comparison

Alright, a few comparison pics of different struts. I'll add some measurements later, but I wanted to get the pictures up and annotated.

Front Struts. Left is new KYB 04 Outback, Right is 05 Baja Turbo.


Bottom bolt to spring perch is the same, the strut tube above the spring perch is 3/4" longer on the Baja strut, strut stroke length is the same. So overall the Baja strut is 3/4" taller.


Rear struts. Left is an 06 outback, middle is 04 Outback, right is 05 Baja turbo.


The 05-09 OB struts has a sping perch that is lower than the others, but has the longest strut tube of the bunch. 04 Outback has the same spring perch height as the 05 Baja, but the Baja has a slightly longer strut tube (3/4"). The 04 OB and the 05 Baja have the same stroke as well, the 06 OB has a shorter stroke.

@nepbug hmm, this is good info. It's reported the Baja swap lifts third gen OBs, but this indicates the OB's longer strut makes for a more cushioned ride in the third gens. This speaks highly for Baja springs alone. I'm awaiting THAT report! :glasses7:

More fuel for my suspecting OBs are trending more towards the luxery side of the crossover market. The 4th and 5th gens fueled that fire substantially as well.



Ooh and my 1000th post goes riiiiiiight here!

[nepbug]

I swapped in some new kyb struts with Baja turbo springs. Then this happened on the test drive, stupid aftermarket axle. A used WRX axle goes in tomorrow.



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[nepbug]

Baja Turbo Springs on 04 Outback Struts

I installed some 05 Baja Turbo Springs with some new KYB struts for an 04 Outback, here's the result:


Here's the wheel arch height pictures.

Rear Before:


Rear After:


Front Before:


Front After:



So it looks like 1-1.25" of lift in the rear and 1.75" of lift in the front. The front is likely greater because these were springs out of an 05 Baja Turbo with automatic transmission and I put them in a 5MT Outback.

The ride is stiffer for sure now, reminds me of my Forester XT. So comfort is slightly down, but I've got better handling now and I'm not bottoming out over my neighborhood speed bumps. I like this change.

I'll ponder whether I want to add in some 0.5" spacers in the rear or not in the future to even it out, but it doesn't look that noticeable to me.

Edited to add:
After driving around on them for a little bit now I really like the ride. Handling is improved even at the higher ride height. If I were to do autocross or even rallycross with this car I think these springs with some amount of coil cutoff would be a good choice, you could get back down to stock height and increase the spring rate a little further by doing that, cheap, yet quality stiff springs.

[superu]

I swapped in some new kyb struts with Baja turbo springs. Then this happened on the test drive, stupid aftermarket axle. A used WRX axle goes in tomorrow.



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As Yogi Berra once said, "It's like deja vu all over again."
I've had one of those. . .

[superu]

the lift is impressive for just springs. Expect them to settle with time but you'll probably still be .75-1" in rear and 1-1.25" in front with settling. Maybe just .25" rear spacers. I think coparing front to rear at fender is deceiving b/c of differing fender clearances front-rear.
It looks good t hough, again, i'm impressed with the lift from springs alone. I'd always assumed it was a spring-strut combo but this is good confirmation for Baja springs alone for useful lift in a 2nd gen OB.

I bet it'll ride comparably better when loaded too, this will be a good, loaded, over the road/camping set-up.

[nepbug]

As Yogi Berra once said, "It's like deja vu all over again."
I've had one of those. . .

Except, then I went and took it apart and fixed it, now it's a spare.