swcolegacyl

Quite possibly the only 1999 Subaru Outback with built in Wireless Inductive Charging. I just got the iPhone SE 2020, witch happens to have the ability to charge by induction. I usually have my iPhone in the cubby under the radio, now my phone charges while i drive. Tested and it works perfectly: Cant even tell it's installed http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/InductiveCharging3.jpg Gutted a AT&T Inductive Charger: http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/Black-hero-zoom.jpg Cut out hole for the charge coil: http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/InductiveCharging1.jpg Hot glued the charger to the bottom and wired the USB cable to a 12v to USB adapter behind the radio: http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/InductiveCharging2.jpg

It's been a year since installing the Torq-Masters Locker and a little over 15,000 miles on it. This has been my first full Colorado winter with the locker. So far on every road condition and every weather condition, highways and snow covered/muddy roads, i can feel the locker giving the car traction. Absolutely worth the cost the the upgrade. It's also helps with acceleration, handling and braking. Just put on a new set summer tires: General Grabber ATx, 205 75r15 Slightly different tread design then the AT2's, cant wait to get them dirty. http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/GeneralGrabberATx.jpg

First time i've ever drifted....it's fun in a Subaru with a rear diff locker. http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/SubaruSnowDrift2.jpg Youtube.com Video:

Over the past 2 years i've noticed a couple weird issues with my car. Although it has been running well, It's been burning a bit of oil, gas millage had gone down, occasional ruff idle, on the highway i'd feel momentarily losses of power. I could never quite figure out what all the symptoms could be caused by. A few weeks ago, I stated the car and got a Check Engine light. The code referred to the Idle Control Circuit. So I started researching the Idle Control Valve, a very expensive (about $300.00) and difficult part to replace. All the forums and blogs I visited all seemed to point to a bad valve. I called two mechanics and they both declined to diagnose the problem for me. So I had to investigate myself...there is a vent/vacuum tube running from the block to a plastic 'T' fitting to the cold air intake and to the intake manifold. I needed to remove that hose in order to access the Idle Control Valve. The upper hose was literally petrified, rock hard. And the 'T' fitting broke-off in my hand. That 'T' fitting has probably been cracked for years, causing a vacuum leak, which contributed to all the issues I was having with the car. The problems are now all gone for $40.00 in parts. And the car is running great again, gas millage is way up and it stopped burning oil. Oh yeah, the idle is now perfect also. http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/VacuumBreather3.jpg http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/VacuumBreather1.jpg http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/VacuumBreather2.jpg http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/VacuumBreather4.jpg

The desert, the perfect place for a Subaru with an attitude. Out in Paradox camping again this weekend. Off-roading thought i've been feeling a bit of movement under my left foot. The lower control arm (rear) bushings have 251,000 miles on them and they are shot. As well the rear trailing arm (front) bushings, time to change them as well. http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/RiverRoad1.jpg Paradox, Co River Rd. Hanging flume: https://westernmininghistory.com/2252/an-engineering-marvel-colorados-hanging-flume/ http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/RiverRoad2.jpg White line Trailing Arm Bushings: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N9GU0P2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Front lower control arm bushings (left and right) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DMA76D4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00R97HJNS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/Bushings.jpg

The brakes have been getting a little sticky and I could feel a bit of pulsing when coming to a stop. The front brakes are in decent condition, so I don't think they were the problem. I picked up a set of Bosch rear discs from Amazon.com for $36.00 a piece and ceramic pads from O'Reilly auto parts for $50.00ish. The job takes about a 1/2 hour per side. After a test drive, the car brakes perfectly smooth now. http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/RearBrakes1.jpg The pads were not badly worn maybe a little over 50% left, the discs had about 3+ mm difference between the new and old ones. http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/RearBrakes2.jpg Some Rust-Oleum UntraCover X2 Gloss Marigold on the calipers, the color seems to match the King Springs pretty well. I'll have to repaint the front calipers next. http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/RearBrakes3.jpg http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/RearBrakes4.jpg

Out in Paradox again this weekend, think this makes 7 out of the last 8 weekends that i've been camping in the Subaru. The weather has been beautiful out here, perfect for camping. The picture below is of the Bedrock Store in Paradox valley featured in the 1991 movie Thelma & Louise. At about 1:40 minutes in, they stop at the store to make a phone call. Still no cell service out there. https://www.google.com/maps/@38.3140571,-108.8904627,45m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/BedrockStore.jpg twisty, your car sounds cool. I highly recommend the locker if you can pull it off. Absolutely the best upgrade i've put on this car, but it did wind up costing about $900.00. Having more clearance is not even a factor anymore. Now i can pic harder lines with less clearance. I don't currently have schematics for the 2 harnesses. Usually i'll design a circuit in my head and just build it. But maybe i can come up with something. Funny thing is that the 4x4 switch is still not spliced in, I haven't needed it. The FWD switch gets used every time i drive.

I've been trying to figure out how to describe the locker in the fewest number of word possible: Before the locker, I had to pick a line with both clearance and traction. Now I can pick a line that the most fun. The mountains in the background are the La Sal's just over the Utah border, about 25 miles away. http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/isolation3.jpg Pretty remote camp site that before the locker was very difficult to get to. It's a breeze now. http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/isolation1.jpg Dogs are happy. http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/isolation2.jpg

Lots of time to get car projects done these days. 2 things on the car have never worked since i bought it. The cruise-control and the AC. The AC has been recharged a few times and keeps leaking. I don't need the AC and I'm not spending the money again to fix it. So, today it got deleted. I did save all the parts in case i decide to reinstall and fix the system. http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/B4RemoveAC.jpg Much cleaner now and probably dropped 30+ pounds after removing the compressor, condenser, tubing and a couple other parts http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/RemoveAC.jpg

Thanks derp, always nice to get some comments. Finally a nice day in Telluride, sunny and 50's, warm enough to get some wiring done on the car. I've done some testing with the FWD fuse, and found the 'locker' is silent when the fuse is installed. No torque on the rear diff, no clicking. So I installed a FWD switch inside the car. FWD will be much easier on the drive train with U-turns, reverse and in parking lots. I made a wiring harness for the FWD switch. The fuse pulls the circuit to ground. So like the 4x4 circuit I used a lighted switch and a relay to connect the fuse socket to ground: http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/2x4wiringharness.jpg Installed switch: http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/2x4Switch.jpg It works, when the switch is on, the dash light 'FWD' comes on and the clicking stops. http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/FDWon.jpg And i finally got the 4x4 switch installed. The switch is installed and powered, but not cut into the Duty Solenoid C wire yet. Maybe tomorrow i'll get that done. http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/4x4Switch.jpg

I'm not much for writing reviews, but here goes: The TorqMasters Locker has dramatically changed the way the Subaru drives. Paved roads, wet or dry, the grip is amazing and off-road (on dirt) it's absolutely crazy. Feeling the rear wheels lockup and push the car around corners is odd at first, but easy to get use to. Braking had also changed: The car stops much quicker and smoother, without the antilock engaging. Acceleration and gas milage don't seem to be effected by the locker. The clicking from the locker takes a bit of getting use to, especially in parking lots. So far, this is truly the best upgrade I've ever put on a car, it's made this car safer and incredibly fun to drive. In the picture below is an obstacle near one of my favorite came sites. To the right it's loose rubble and you'll have turn to the left quickly, to the left is a pretty big step for my car to navigate and in the middle is about a 18" step with rocks on either side. I've tried maybe 10 or more times to get up this step and only once have I made it up. This road continues for about 3 miles to an abandon copper mine. The one time I got up these rocks, I was able to drive for about another 1/4 mile before getting stopped by another obstacle and had to turn around. Yesterday I tried again: I drove right up the middle of this these rocks effortlessly and made it out to the mine. In my opinion the TorqMasters Locker is a 'must have' if you take your Subaru off-road. http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/ParadoxRocks.jpg

The rest of parts for this 4x4 project showed up today from Amazon. Now I have to wire Duty Solenoid C through the relay to the TCU on the Normally Closed side. The lighted switch gets wired to 12v and activates the relay, cutting off power the Duty Solenoid C. And the Normally Open side of the relay will then connect the TCU through the 100W 50ohm resistor to ground. This should effectively create a 50/50 power split between front and rear wheels. I did this mod on the green Legacy earlier in this thread. http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/switch.jpg (EDIT) Just finished the wiring harness for the Duty Solenoid C control switch: The black spool gets spliced into the wire going from the TCU to Duty Solenoid C, the red wires go to 12V and dash lighting and the black bundle to ground. http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/wiringharness.jpg

Awhile back I mentioned that I might install a VLSD. Plans changed, after doing a few months of research. I decided that the Torqmasters Auto-Locker was a better choice. Just got it installed today. And on my first short drive the car felt great. I'll be testing the locker much more this summer. http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/tmbox.jpg http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/tmmodel.jpg http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/locker1.jpg http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/locker3.jpg http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/locker4.jpg http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/locker2.jpg And a box of spare parts: http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/spidergears.jpg

I picked up a set of MB Wheels from Craigslist for $95.00. Seemed like a good deal. All 4 rims are in great shape, just a couple scuffs. I painted the rims with self-etching primer and a couple coats of flat black Krylon spray paint. I have 2 sets of tires for the Subaru, my studs are now on the steel wheels and the new rims are for summer. From the CL ad: http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/NewRims1.jpg http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/NewRims2.jpg http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/NewRims3.jpg

Beautiful weather and cars for the 5th Annual Telluride Festival of Cars & Colors. https://carsandcolors.com/ http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/CarsColors20191.jpg http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/CarsColors20192.jpg http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/CarsColors20194.jpg The one and only Subaru represented in the festival and one of very few Japanese cars. http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/CarsColors20195.jpg http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/CarsColors20199.jpg http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/CarsColors20196.jpg http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/CarsColors20197.jpg http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/CarsColors20198.jpg http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/CarsColors20193.jpg