Official Lowered Outback Thread V2

Some glamour shots of my new wheel/tire setup, featuring typical midwest April weather. "Will it be 50° or 20° tomorrow? Nobody Knows!"

O.Z. Superturismo LM 18x8 +45 with 245/40/18 tires.

Did you consider a lower offset, for a more flush look? With a +45, you should have very little rub, if any. Right?

^Also curious if there's rub with the mild offset

One of my requirements for mods to this car is that they are capable of lasting through salty, wet, Midwest winters without being destructive. I also fully consider function over form (as we all know at this point ). So that narrows me down to wheels that look nice, but also will not rub under any circumstances, while also allowing me to retain a decent alignment and not perform any fender work whether it be rolling/pulling/cutting. I stuck with a 8" wheel because that's about as wide as I can go in the back without rubbing the inner fender liner during hard cornering and about as close to the strut as I am comfortable with in the front with a 245 tire, and stuck with a +48 offset as that allows me to keep my alignment flatter all around to make use of those 245's without rubbing the wheel arches and destroying my tires and creating bare metal spots to rust.

Could I have gone with a +45 offset wheel and had "minimal" rub? yes. In fact, I'm sure for daily driving, I'd have none as it's only 3mm difference. But on the autocross track, issues would surely show. I am the type that goes crazy if something I built is not working properly, and rub falls under "isn't working properly" in my book. I know, I'm prissy about it.

Looks soooo good, I can't get enough!

Thank you! I love it!

One of my requirements for mods to this car is that they are capable of lasting through salty, wet, Midwest winters without being destructive. I also fully consider function over form (as we all know at this point ). So that narrows me down to wheels that look nice, but also will not rub under any circumstances, while also allowing me to retain a decent alignment and not perform any fender work whether it be rolling/pulling/cutting. I stuck with a 8" wheel because that's about as wide as I can go in the back without rubbing the inner fender liner during hard cornering and about as close to the strut as I am comfortable with in the front with a 245 tire, and stuck with a +48 offset as that allows me to keep my alignment flatter all around to make use of those 245's without rubbing the wheel arches and destroying my tires and creating bare metal spots to rust.

 

Could I have gone with a +45 offset wheel and had "minimal" rub? yes. In fact, I'm sure for daily driving, I'd have none as it's only 3mm difference. But on the autocross track, issues would surely show. I am the type that goes crazy if something I built is not working properly, and rub falls under "isn't working properly" in my book. I know, I'm prissy about it.

 

 

 

 

I get it. IIRC, you had to resurrect this car after engine failure, right? Or maybe I have you confused with another red OBXT owner.

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I get it. IIRC, you had to resurrect this car after engine failure, right? Or maybe I have you confused with another red OBXT owner.

Correctamundo. Twice within a year, actually, because the person I trusted to build the first motor(due to my in confidence) didn't build it very well.

Then I literally did it all over again, fully by myself, and it worked out fantastic. I should've did it that way the first time.

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18x8 Ultraleggras with 225/50 snow tires

Lowered OBXT on O.Z. wheels club?

Wow, those actually look really nice! I was almost set on those but I'm not a fan of the back color with my red paint and I couldn't really find them in any other color with the offset I wanted. I was thinking about what you were saying about the rub, and I remembered something: A long while back(on here) in the wheels/tires forum sticky I read that when you go +1 on rim diameter, you should drop down 10 on profile. So=, essentially, a stock 225/55/17 would be replaced by a 225/45/18. Makes sense to me, as the 245/45/17 summer tires I had last year were ~1" smaller in diameter than my stockers.

Now get some LGT brakes to fill in those wheels

Lowered OBXT on O.Z. wheels club?

 

Wow, those actually look really nice! I was almost set on those but I'm not a fan of the back color with my red paint and I couldn't really find them in any other color with the offset I wanted. I was thinking about what you were saying about the rub, and I remembered something: A long while back(on here) in the wheels/tires forum sticky I read that when you go +1 on rim diameter, you should drop down 10 on profile. So=, essentially, a stock 225/55/17 would be replaced by a 225/45/18. Makes sense to me, as the 245/45/17 summer tires I had last year were ~1" smaller in diameter than my stockers.

 

Now get some LGT brakes to fill in those wheels

Nah, when you go up +1 on rim, you go down 5 profile. But, since profile is a ratio of the width, going wider tires with the same profile number, actually increases sidewall/circumference. Plop some numbers in here and it will make sense. Of course all tires are slightly different.

https://tiresize.com/comparison/ 225/55/17 =225/50/18 = 245/45/18

I was doing a brake job last year and my front pistons were seized so I ran to the local parts store and got remanu calipers.... Little did I know that they weren't coated, hence the classy patina look. I can't afford the downtime to take them off , clean, and paint, so I was going to replace them, then clean these up and sell. I have considered doing an LGT upgrade.

I also have a set of 18x7.5 OZ prodrive P1s... Both sets of these rims I picked up local for a great price. The P1s were dirt cheap, spray painted black but chipped to heck. I wish I knew a way to remove the spray paint back to their original silver.

That's because you missed my answer.

 

 

 

But, after a little more research you're looking for Subaru part# 57734AG00B. Should run you about $100 if you can find a dealer that has one.

Just ordered the bumper guard for my car from hegenberger subaru (along with a bunch of other bits). Got a call it didn't match my VIN check. Told them to ship it and all the other parts needed to install that I ordered. It's mot than 100 bucks after two brackets and all the clips are in your cart.

kzr750r1 Can't wait to see the new bumper! I want one as well.

Check out this orange Leggy that I ran into last night in Brooklyn as well as another Legacy earlier in this year.

I also have a set of 18x7.5 OZ prodrive P1s... Both sets of these rims I picked up local for a great price. The P1s were dirt cheap, spray painted black but chipped to heck. I wish I knew a way to remove the spray paint back to their original silver.

Sadly, your best bet is probably media blasting of some sort and a fresh coat of paint/powdercoat.

I've only seen it a few times at night. I can tell that the owner has gone through at least 2 plastidip/vinyl jobs.

The first time I saw it was a horrible matte orange and it looked cheap. Although after viewing it last night, I noticed it changed and had a nice/rich metallic orange. I haven't seen it in the day time, but it looked really good in person at night. I was surprised as well.

I wish my Outback had the exhaust cut outs on the bumper. Unfortunately, it seems I will have to settle for the turn-down style muffler deletes from Nameless on my 3.0r Outback since I'm not willing to dish out almost $1000 for the Legacy bumper, nor do I want the exhaust hanging below the bumper. Has anyone tried cutting out the bumper to fit a Legacy styled exhaust? I've never seen it done.

https://shop.namelessperformance.com/subaru-outback-xt-turn-down-axleback-exhaust/

It's difficult. The bumper beam is in the way. Or something metal is.

Those, don't hang below the bumper. Although, I had to pull mine off because they were too loud as the only road trip car we have.

Did you have no muffler, the 4” or the 5” muffler?

I also read that having the vibrant bottle neck resonator helps with highway drone. I’m glad I brought this up!

I have the 5 inch muffler and a vibrant bottle next resonator and it made a huge difference.

But it of course is not as quiet as the OEM mufflers (sort of the point). It was just starting to wear on me by like hour 3 of my 6 hour drive to see my family. They are easy enough to take on and off though and a I keep doing that.

i wish there was an OEM style single muffler with 2.5" in and out. nothing since the old STI days and it's too long and tall to fit where ours belong.

beginning to think about a custom muffler...

i'll add it to the list of things i need and want to do but never get around to.

I've only seen it a few times at night. I can tell that the owner has gone through at least 2 plastidip/vinyl jobs.

 

The first time I saw it was a horrible matte orange and it looked cheap. Although after viewing it last night, I noticed it changed and had a nice/rich metallic orange. I haven't seen it in the day time, but it looked really good in person at night. I was surprised as well.

 

I wish my Outback had the exhaust cut outs on the bumper. Unfortunately, it seems I will have to settle for the turn-down style muffler deletes from Nameless on my 3.0r Outback since I'm not willing to dish out almost $1000 for the Legacy bumper, nor do I want the exhaust hanging below the bumper. Has anyone tried cutting out the bumper to fit a Legacy styled exhaust? I've never seen it done.

 

https://shop.namelessperformance.com/subaru-outback-xt-turn-down-axleback-exhaust/

The Nameless deletes are insanely loud while highway driving. You have to remember, the Outback is essentially one giant bass tube. I started out with the deletes....my neighbors hated me, and my wife refused to ride in the car. Then I went to the 5" muffs, and they were amazing. Nice smooth sound from the EZ30. Then I went too far, and got the car ready for a supercharger, and put on Raptor headers, with a full custom header back exhaust with high flow cats. The rasp was so unbearable, that it shook the headliner......so I switched over to a set of AVO mufflers. Deep tone, but anything over 20mph was like death. Finally, I threw on a set of new OEM muffs, and welded in a Vibrant ultra quiet resonator. Nice and quiet, with a little blurble if I get on it. If I could do it all over again, I'd go with the Nameless 5", and do some major sound deadening. A nice set of OEM STI quads would look great, but that would require a lot of work making them fit. @imprezkid did it, and it looks great, but alot of work.

Nothing better than lowered Outbacks. If any 2010-2013 Outbacks are interested I have stock 2011 Legacy GT struts with Swift Springs hanging out in my garage.

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Any of you just do a downpipe? How much that that change the sound? I loved the sound of my Cobb on my WRX, but I keep hearing horror stories about the exhausts on our wagons........ combined with dealing with the turn downs.

I love Rhitters comment "They are easy enough to take on and off though and a I keep doing that." I really need to leave NY. I have never done an exhaust job that didn't involve cutting.

The first time I had to cut the bolts off. After that if you take them off once every six months it's not too difficult

I have done just the downpipe, I put one in with a high flow cat, I didn't notice any difference in sound. Once tuned though a lot more difference in power.