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Febreze Mee's 2.5i Limited Wagon Build Thread


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Howdy all! I have been lurking around the forum for years, and I decided it's about time to start a build thread of my own.

 

I am the 3rd owner of this 2006 Champagne Gold Opal Outback 2.5i Limited. Picked her up in March of 2018 with 159,XXX on the clock. I didn't have a lot of time to look for a car and this one fell in my hands in a timely manner. I am no stranger to OB's for I owned an 2006 Garnet Red Pearl 3.0R back in 2015, so I picked this up without hesitation. Here she is:

 

Lighting:

- DIY Custom Headlight Housings

- 65-watt 2100-lumen Ultra High Output Vosla (H9 burner on H7 base, race and special-purpose) from Daniel Stern

- Diode Dynamic 80mm LED Universal Halo Ring (Switchback)

- Diode Dynamic 6in LED Strips (Switchback)

- 08+ Taillights

- Diode Dynamic Rear Taillight LEDs

- Diode Dynamic Rear Turn Signal LEDs

- Diode Dynamic Reverse Light LEDs

 

Suspension:

- Whiteline Roll Centre/Bump Steer Correction Kit (KCA313)

- Energy Suspension complete bushing kit (162004) (176K)

- Energy Suspension rear control arm bushing set (19.3105R) (176K)

- Whiteline Steering Rack Bushings (KSR207)

- BP5 STi front strut tower bar

- LGT UCAs

- Whiteline Camber Correction Kit (KCA399) (176K)

- Whiteline 20mm rear sway bar (BSR39Z) (171K)

- BC Racing BR Series Coilovers (Outback Specific) + Swift Springs with a custom spring rate of 7K front, 8K rear, and the rear extenders. (171K)

 

Brakes

- LGT calipers w/speed bleeders

- Centric LGT rotors (blanks)

- Technafit SS braided lines

- Titanium brake shims

- Project Mu B-Spec pads

 

Wheels & Tires

- 18x8 +35 Gunmetal RPF1s (175K)

- 235/40/18 Michelin Pilot Sport 4Ss (175K)

 

Miscellaneous:

- Custom Fiber Glass LGT Mesh Grille

- 500series Hella Stone Shield Covers

- Perrin Steering Dampener (PSP-SUS-565) (171K)

- Rally Armor UR Mudflaps Black Urethane Grey Logo

- JDM (BP9) Power Folding Mirrors

- JDM Double Din

- Madrig FG Extended Spoiler

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Edited by Febreze Mee
Adding to the list

MILKRUN  - Click Here

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These came in on Monday.

Whiteline Roll-Center/Bump Steer Correction Kit (KCA313)

 

I also put in an order for:

 

- BC Racing BR Series Coilovers (Outback Specific) + Swift Springs with a custom spring rate of 7K front, 8K rear, and the rear extenders.

- Whiteline Camber Correction Kit (KCA399)

- Whiteline 20mm rear sway bar (BSR39Z)

- Perrin Steering Dampener (PSP-SUS-565)

- MOOG rear sway bar end links (k750023)

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Edited by Febreze Mee
Figured out how to compress photos

MILKRUN  - Click Here

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Do you have any output shots of your headlights? I've never heard of that set up. Why'd you do that over an hid retrofit?

 

Unfortunately, I don't have any output photos. I will have to go snatch some in a couple of weeks when I get back to the car.

 

I didn't go with the HID retrofit at the time was because the task was daunting for the little money and time I had. My alternative was looking for a super quality halogen bulb with decent output. I came across Daniel Stern's website and had him put me down on a waiting list for a limited production run of the bulbs that are in now. They are based off of the Osram 65w bulb that was discontinued in late 2015/early 2016.

 

I can't give a fair review of them yet because I have put in less than an hour of night-driving with the new bulbs. Otherwise, I am coming from a 55w (don't recall the lumens), and these new 65w are much better on paper.

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So this just came in today...

 

Whiteline 20mm rear sway bar (BSR39Z)

 

I'm also excited to announce that I ordered a replacement mudflap from Rally Armor today to use in place of the missing one in the front right corner of the car. It was lost in a car wash several months ago. My dad just wanted to clean the car quickly for my return home. Learn from the mistake and never take your car through an automated car wash. Anyway Rally Armor had awesome customer service and I am thankful for how smooth they made the process. Whoop!

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  • 4 weeks later...

I was fortunate enough to make it home for the Christmas and New Years, and attempted to get some work done on the car. Here are pictures documenting my adventures:

 

- coilovers

&

- a rear sway bar

 

Done in two separate days.

 

Coilovers

 

I have put about 700 miles on this set up and have loved almost every mile. I cannot give them a fair review because nothing is broken in yet, but here is what I can tell you after 700 miles of driving in less than a week:

 

The car previously had blown shocks and struts before I put the 7K/8K BC Racing coilovers. I have the settings of the coils at 7 clicks from hard all around. They sit at the height the BC built them (measured them with a digital caliper tool, but don't recall the measurements). The car is not by any means slammed. The car is a ton more stiff. I am running a stock wheel and tire set up, and I can really feel major disparities in road surfaces. I've taken two road trips and I was mostly comfortable. I have had two middle-aged individuals and one young guy, who have been for a ride in the car, enjoyed the ride, and complimented me on the tightened up suspension. Only one was a car enthusiast. I would like to play around with the dampening a little more, and see what a little softer adjustment has to offer.

 

Sway Bar

 

The sway bar is adjustable and is on the softest setting - the hole further from the bar. The bar is significantly thicker than stock and I do not track the car, so I found it unnecessary for what is supposed to be a daily driver that I can enjoy on some twisties. Maybe I'll see what the stiffest setting is like in the future. I'm not worried about it now.

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Edited by Febreze Mee

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A few other things I was able to do whilst home was pick up my vanity plates, and properly clean up my headlights. I also adjusted my headlights so they point down the road more. I am happy with my output and I can see much better than I could when the headlights were improperly aimed, naturally.

 

I cleaned my headlights using Thomistopheles guide found here: https://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/headlight-restoration-guide-201687.html

 

Very much worth spending the money on the supplies for the results. I did not deviate at all from his guide, and as a result my headlights look like glass. Check out his headlight restoration guide.

 

The photo of my headlight in the dark is not entirely helpful for how clean they look at night (sorry for the potato quality), but maybe someone who is considering doing an 80mm LED halo ring and 6-inch LED strip will be able to use it for reference.

 

Bonus photos with the homie.

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Edited by Febreze Mee

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Hey per our other discussions. What are your current reverse lights? Just diode dynamics 921 size led or something else? Do you feel they made a pretty noticeable difference to what you can see backing up? I'll be doing this for now.

 

 

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Hey per our other discussions. What are your current reverse lights? Just diode dynamics 921 size led or something else? Do you feel they made a pretty noticeable difference to what you can see backing up? I'll be doing this for now.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

The bulb model I bought was the HP36 (210lumens), the $40 option:

 

https://www.diodedynamics.com/backup-leds-for-2005-2019-subaru-outback-pair.html

 

They put out more light than the factory 921s, but had I another $50 to spend at the time, I would have opted for the $90 XP50s, especially considering it is almost double the lumen count.

 

But if it's anything to you, I can see better when reversing at night, even with my window tint ("medium," I have no idea what % the tint is).

 

Let me know what you end up going with. I really want to see the XP50's in your wagon.

 

Orrrrrrrrr, I would be willing to sell the HP36s to you $40 shipped and just get some XP50s for myself. I put the reverse lights in on Christmas Eve so, they are still brand new. If you're interested in doing this, the only caveat is I do not have my car with me, so if you can wait till the end of the month when I should have the car, then I'm game if you are.

 

Either way, I'm happy with my reverse lights, not in a rush to upgrade, as there was already a significant difference from what I can see.

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I'm thinking I'll do the xp50. That picture you posted on the other thread looks like a substantial difference. There's a nice wall near my apartment and I'm planning to get some output shots of headlights after polishing, after bulb upgrade, after upgrading fogs and things like that so we can try to get some good comparisons of same car same camera same lighting. I'm also thinking I'm going to smoke the reverse lights so I want to go as bright as possible without damaging anything.

 

That helps a lot thanks.

 

 

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Great choice! Post up pics of everything on your thread as you go (or when it's done) -- I want to see it all.

 

I like comparisons haha. Definitely curious to see the differences of stock vs. yours vs. mine once you get it all buttoned-up.

 

Reuploading those images here in case anyone wants them for reference.

 

OEM (left) vs. LED (right):

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Why thank you! After a few years of contemplating what an appropriate vanity plate would be for one of my Subaru wagons, it was decided, in less than 5 mins of thinking it over that this was most appropriate. I laid restless in bed and it came to me, and I just started laughing maniacally...like this...BWAHAHAHA, and then I got up and purchased the plates :lol:

 

Other Outback-Specific ideas I had:

- N FRONT ("Look Honey, it's an Outback...N FRONT.")

- WAYGON (an oronym of the words "wagon" & "way gone")

- ONROAD (this would make more sense if you saw the car in final form, for it is imagined to sit as a lowered rally car)

- OXYMRON/XYMORON ("oxymoron" [lowered rally car])

 

More info than anyone could ever car about you say. I say someone out there wants to know. Looking forward to your write-up.

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  • 1 month later...

Been meaning to update the thread with the new shoes I got for the wagon two weeks ago. I purchased a set of RPF1s (yes, two are silver, and two are gunmetal). I purchased the last two gunmetal in the dimensions I desired and I now need to figure out how I'm going to get the silver ones to match. Until then, I will be gathering thoughts and opinions on which color the community likes better on the car. I've already made up my mind, but I'm still curious.

 

 

18x8 +35 all around wrapped in 235/40/18 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S

 

The car already felt like it was on rails with the Dunlop Signature HPs mounted to OEM wheels, but this new wheel/tire combo exceeds that!

 

 

The new setup left more wheel gap then the OEM wheels and tires did, so I ended up lowering the car a little more. The rear coilovers are close to the maximum lowering capacity. The fronts have another inch worth of threads.

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Looking good man!

 

Thank you very much!

 

I'm hoping to scoop up a fibre glass extended spoiler from Madrig next week.

Soon after that, I'd like to get some real pictures of the car taken. With summer right around the corner I see now better time to do so (maybe fall when the leaves change color).

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...
  • 10 months later...
  • 2 months later...
Quality build! Will have to keep an eye on this one. I haven't installed my coilovers yet but it's getting closer on the list... Was planning to try to minimize the drop but this makes me think twice about not lowering.
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