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Official Lowered Outback Thread V2


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Quick question. With BC Racing coilovers while doing a height adjustment with the car on a lift. Should any of the suspension parts be loosened and re-tightened and torqued to spec on the ground? Or can everything be left as is when changing height?
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Quick question. With BC Racing coilovers while doing a height adjustment with the car on a lift. Should any of the suspension parts be loosened and re-tightened and torqued to spec on the ground? Or can everything be left as is when changing height?

I can't think of anything. Definitely bounce the car and roll it forward and back to help the tires unbind from letting it back down on it's own weight before taking measurements between adjustments. The springs will settle over time. You may want to err on the side of higher than lower. Always a good idea to get an alignment after adjusting height as it can affect toe and camber.

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bilstein B6's + kingspring STD+ are also good for towing

the rear end is firm and does not collapse with 85kg [190 lbs] on the tow hook

 

http://www.lacaravane.com/forum/download/file.php?id=45917&mode=view

Edited by alain59
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Where can I get the silver piece on the bottom of the front bumper? Is that an accessory or does it com with certain MY front bumpers?

 

 

 

 

 

I put the stock wheels/tires back on and attempted to make it look good... results were meh. I still love the way it looks in person though. :wub: I see a set of white Sparco Terras in my future.

 

37215324571_7d0da38cd3_b.jpg

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Where can I get the silver piece on the bottom of the front bumper? Is that an accessory or does it com with certain MY front bumpers?

 

It's for 05 06 I believe. Added one to my 06. Was questioned about it as it's not a factory option on the XT. Ordered from Heuberger.

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They were not offered for the XT and was a red flag for my order but after confirmation they shipped it. Told me there is no warranty since it's not a part offered for my car... Whatever dude send it. Make sure you get the mount parts and clips to make your life easy installing.

 

https://parts.bestbuysubaru.com/a/Subaru_2006_Outback-30L-5AT-LLBean/_51505_6024786/FRONT-BUMPER-05MY-07MY/B13-590-02.html

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After researching for ages, I finally decided to lower my OB. I bought a set of StrutTek quick struts, and I've replaced the bump stops. Still waiting on legacy UCAs, but so far everything seems to clear.

 

Wheels are OZ Superleggera 17x8 +35, on a 225/55. I had to roll the rear fenders a bit, but the fronts clear.

20201003_153318_HDR.thumb.jpg.11859f7cd1f4b8bddbfd8522c6ecee0c.jpg

Edited by saam.monjezi
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After researching for ages, I finally decided to lower my OB. I bought a set of StrutTek quick struts, and I've replaced the bump stops. Still waiting on legacy UCAs, but so far everything seems to clear.

 

Wheels are OZ Superleggera 17x8 +35, on a 225/55. I had to roll the rear fenders a bit, but the fronts clear.

 

You also need to remove the rear subframe spacers, front subframe spacers, and replaced the transmission cradle, steering u-joint, driveshaft, front control arm brackets, rear trailing arm brackets (and associated bolts) with the Legacy counterparts. This way you will have proper suspension geometry as if the car is a Legacy.

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You also need to remove the rear subframe spacers, front subframe spacers, and replaced the transmission cradle, steering u-joint, driveshaft, front control arm brackets, rear trailing arm brackets (and associated bolts) with the Legacy counterparts. This way you will have proper suspension geometry as if the car is a Legacy.

 

+1 this.

although 99.99% of the people out there dont. But to have 100% reliability and longevity you should.

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You also need to remove the rear subframe spacers, front subframe spacers, and replaced the transmission cradle, steering u-joint, driveshaft, front control arm brackets, rear trailing arm brackets (and associated bolts) with the Legacy counterparts. This way you will have proper suspension geometry as if the car is a Legacy.

 

You don't actually. Many many many have not done this and been beyond fine for basically ever.

 

That's the way to "turn your outback into a legacy for real." But it will get you basically nothing as a benefit.

 

+1 this.

although 99.99% of the people out there dont. But to have 100% reliability and longevity you should.

 

They don't do it because they have 100% reliability and longevity without doing that. The CV axle boots are going to go sort of no matter what you do just with age.

 

You can get the whiteline bumbsteer kit to correct the front end and the whiteline KTA124 kit to get your rear alignment to wherever you need to be.

Edited by Rhitter
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mine "lowered" only about 1inch. Took this pic the day after. Might have settled since then. Will do another photoshoot later.

 

Compiled details here as it was super hard for me to piece together info when researching myself: https://www.subaruoutback.org/threads/outback-2-5xt-on-legacygt-koni-shocks-and-rallitek-springs.524189/#post-6012383

 

Koni LGT and rallitek OB OE height springs. Stock tires wheels 225/55/17 for now but moving to a 225/50/18 in the near future. Currently researching if 245/45/18 can clear LGT front spring perches. If someone knows that answer let me know and the minimum offset needed to do so (me thinks its ~et33)...or if someone in the bay area has a wheel i can try on for a minute in that size lol.

 

dscf8262-jpg.494110

Edited by kaitanium
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They don't do it because they have 100% reliability and longevity without doing that. The CV axle boots are going to go sort of no matter what you do just with age.

 

me thinks most of those people dont keep the car for that long after theyve lowered to report any major wear issues. although i have no proof. Thats just what ive read here and there on the proper way to do things.

Edited by kaitanium
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My car has been lowered (not slammed, but lowered) to an inch above Legacy GT height for almost 100k miles and a decent amount of miles at lower than Legacy GT height. The only issues I have had were both CV boots going. But that was mostly heat / age. Nothing to do with my suspension angles. The axles have been fine - and Subaru's sort of just go through axles on their own.

 

I did get the parts needed to get my alignment exactly where I wanted it through. I would need to look it up, but I think the drive train drop is only an inch and a Legacy GT is something like 3 inches lower than an Outback. So an Outback is pretty much at the extreme end for suspension geometry anyway.

 

If you lower your car 2 inches you are basically at stock legacy "angles". If you slam it you will probably encounter problems, just like slammed legacies will. If you want your rear wheels centered more in the wheel well, the Legacy GT brackets help with that (see Dead.Mrs thread)

 

 

So, it's for sure a consideration, but it's not something that "has to be done", unlike adding rear aftermarket camber /toe control, which "has" to be done, or you will eat tires like crazy.

 

This guy - he has a thread here forgot what it's called has one of the most consistently rebuilt (all engines) Track focused Outbacks out there. He hasn't removed his body spacers. And this is literally a no holds barred Outback that has been rebuilt 3-4 times.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JxnmjggqB40--i4kAZi4VOQyceTxzPM5F8cOr_88ZX8/edit

Edited by Rhitter
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me thinks most of those people dont keep the car for that long after theyve lowered to report any major wear issues. although i have no proof. Thats just what ive read here and there on the proper way to do things.

Had mine dumped on its arse for 5 years and cannot report any major issues. At all.

 

I didn't use any legacy parts apart from bumpstops (which I modified so I could go lower). I eventually got legacy UCAs but still haven't installed them. Haven't even used a whiteline correction kit...

 

Can confirm my cv's and axles are mint.

 

OpU4Zn1.jpg

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You don't actually. Many many many have not done this and been beyond fine for basically ever.

 

That's the way to "turn your outback into a legacy for real." But it will get you basically nothing as a benefit.

 

You can't say "you will get basically nothing as a benefit" to someone who has lowered their Outback using both methods. There is a benefit. A big one. I first lowered mine with just struts and springs and chased so many problems with bump steer and roll center issues. The car didn't handle awful, but didn't handle correctly either. Dozens of alignments and adjustments didn't help, and participating in autocross events only magnified the handling deficiencies. I did a ton of research on this very site, and changed all the necessary components to their Legacy counterparts. The issues I was chasing all but disappeared, and fine tuning it further was a breeze. An Outback is just a lifted Legacy. Lowering an Outback without removing part of the "lift" is just a half-ass way of doing it in my opinion.

Edited by Blue Fox
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That makes sense that doing it the "right way" gave you a performance improvement in high performance driving / autocross situations. Did you notice a difference at the track or only in autocross?

 

I noticed the improvement for everyday driving almost immediately. Car just felt "right" if that makes sense. Planted, no weird feelings in the suspension, no weird loading/unloading of the steering feel while going through a corner, nothing. Just felt like I expected it to, like a Spec B that a couple of my friends have. Which I was I was trying to emulate with mine. I live in a mountainous area, so curvy roads and spirited driving is a daily thing for me.

 

I never had it on the track lowered with just the struts and springs since I never liked how it handled. Had it to a track once after the Legacy conversion and it handled like my friends' Spec B, though with a little more oversteer, which I preferred.

 

Autocross, I took it to about 3 events (6 total race days) prior to Legacy conversion and absolutely hated how it handled when really pushing it. A few people there said it was an "uncompetitive car" and I was wasting my time with it. Another person said my problems were "classic Subaru". Once I did research, changed out all the bits to Legacy counterparts, it was like a light switch. I started shaving seconds off my times, and now in my 4th year of autocross, I'm usually winning Street Touring class (was STX, now STH with the new class rules) and currently have 18 first place event finishes. Often they get on the intercom systems between run groups to tell everyone that they're being beat by a station wagon in PAX time. :lol:

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not going to argue whats the right or wrong way. if it were me and i was going to LGT height or below, id do a proper full swap.

 

I'm not meaning to argue with anyone either, I just have strong opinions on the matter since I spent months chasing issues that the Legacy swap solved. Just trying to save people some headaches that I went through.

 

But yes, if anyone is looking to lowering their Outback to stock Legacy height or lower, I would say the Legacy conversion is a 100% must to get the best ride and handling out of it.

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Huh. I need to test drive a Spec B then. I have a lowered OBXT with the Bilstein HD struts and STI pink springs. Been 6 years now. That thing is a blast to drive in canyon and stuff. BUT, I have never done autocross and the like. So I cannot comment. But I do push my car in corners and I love it. I can definitely tell the difference in handling compared to my other ~10" ground clearance OBXT.
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