MilesA Posted November 5, 2017 Share Posted November 5, 2017 I always enjoy seeing what you've done. I've been thinking about building a junkyard dog Outback or Forester for outdoor excursions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swcolegacyl Posted November 6, 2017 Author Share Posted November 6, 2017 I never had a grand plan for the Subaru, it's just kinda evolved into an off road beast by trial and error and lots of research. I've learned a lot from this site and other Subaru forums. At this point I probably could have bought a new Jeep or Truck with the time, energy and money that i've put into the '96 and '99, but to me the Subaru is perfect for what i like to do and my mechanical abilities. My car drives as well at 75 on the highway as it does rock crawling. It's agile, stable, reliably, efficient getting 26+ mpg and lots of fun to drive. I've enjoyed maintaining this thread and getting feedback from other Subaru enthusiast. Not quite sure where this Subaru Outback is going, but i'm thinking about putting in a limited-slip rear diff and i've been researching installing a supercharger and of course maybe a bit more lift. We'll see. Thanks everyone for you support, questions and comments. http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/Outback.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark_Horse Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 Hey swcolegacyl got a question, just got done reading all of your thread adn started searching around web about the 4WD/AWD/FWD switch and others are using resisters to make it work. Did you do this also or just cutting power to solenoid C? Great documentation on you journey of builds. I just bought a 1998 Legacy GT Wagon and you got my gears turning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swcolegacyl Posted December 6, 2017 Author Share Posted December 6, 2017 Hi Dark_Horse, Thanks for checking in. First off, i'm sure you know, it's not exactly 4WD it's more like 50/50 power split front to rear. I believe that most Legacy's from '95 -'99 range from 70/30 front/rear to 55/45. I did not use a resister in the circuit at all. AWD was no change to factory wiring, FWD i bridged the FWD fuse holder under the hood. And 4WD mode i cut power to duty solenoid C making the drive train 50/50 power split. I never had any problems with the system. I only used FWD a couple times when i tested it. But 50/50 was used often. I only did this mod on the '96 Legacy, this is not necessary on the '99 Outback witch has 55/45 power split and excellent traction control. From what i've found, the '99 Outback transmission was used until 2014. 92,000 views, always surprises that anyone is checking out this thread. It's been fun maintaining this blog. Hopefully lots more to come. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark_Horse Posted December 9, 2017 Share Posted December 9, 2017 where is the solenoid located on the tranny, or where did you locate the wire to break circuit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swcolegacyl Posted December 10, 2017 Author Share Posted December 10, 2017 (edited) Hi Dark_Horse, Duty Solenoid C is at the back of the transmission you should find the wires you need there. On the 1st page of this thread there is a download link of PDF files that I've collected while researching Subaru's. check out: AUTO_TRANS_DIAGNOSIS_4_SPEE.PDF (page 3) Duty Solenoid "C" regulates hydraulic pressure of transfer clutch and controls driving force to rear drive shaft. Duty ratio of solenoid is controlled by TCM. Solenoid is mounted to transfer control valve on side of extension case. Edited December 10, 2017 by swcolegacyl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark_Horse Posted December 13, 2017 Share Posted December 13, 2017 yep got that all downloaded when i first found this thread. I found another thread where there cutting wire under dash where the Duty C meets controler. Is this where you spliced in or at duty c? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swcolegacyl Posted December 16, 2017 Author Share Posted December 16, 2017 Dark_Horse, this mod was done on my 1996 Legacy (witch had a 70/30 front/rear power split) and it was about 5 years ago. Honestly I cant remember where I spliced into the circuit. Pretty sure it was under the dash near the TCU. My 1999 Outback has a 55/45 front/rear power split, so this mod is not necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swcolegacyl Posted December 30, 2017 Author Share Posted December 30, 2017 Being that it's been in the 50's in Colorado, I figured i'd get another little project done on the car. New rear differential skid plate: http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/RearDiffSkidplate1.jpg I found this one on eBay (used) for $30.00. 1/8" steel, it's actually meant for a 2000-2003 Outback, but with a little mod it fit perfectly. Primitive makes a nice skid plate that i almost bought for $100.00 but it's made of aluminum. http://get-primitive.com/skidplates/58-standard-316-aluminum-rear-differential-cover.html Installed: http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/RearDiffSkidplate2.jpg http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/RearDiffSkidplate3.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregsplett Posted December 31, 2017 Share Posted December 31, 2017 Nice!Your car just keeps getting better and heavier.Any idea what the current weight is?I went the opposite with mine and stripped it down to the minimum.[i have stock suspension].everything from the ac to back seats and seat belts.Everything to help it when loaded for the hills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swcolegacyl Posted December 31, 2017 Author Share Posted December 31, 2017 Hi gregsplett, really I'm far less concerned about weight then cracking the rear diff on a rock. My car is not setup for rally racing, it's used mainly for camping in remote places. The steel skid plate added about 6Lbs to the car. To answer your question, I have know idea how much my car weights. But it probably has 100+Lbs of equipment in it now. Shovels, jack, rope, emergency stuff, extra gas... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stenben Posted January 10, 2018 Share Posted January 10, 2018 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stenben Posted January 10, 2018 Share Posted January 10, 2018 my new front bumper and wheels Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swcolegacyl Posted January 11, 2018 Author Share Posted January 11, 2018 Hey stenben, pretty clean car, looks good. Any other mods? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datdookie Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 Sweet! I've always wanted to see an outback bumper painted red to match the entire car. Your car is nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stenben Posted January 13, 2018 Share Posted January 13, 2018 Hi swcolegacyl, yes i also have a new comfortable seats from legacy gt twin turbo,now driving is a pleasure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stenben Posted January 13, 2018 Share Posted January 13, 2018 https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1951035788243343&id=100000108226135 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swcolegacyl Posted February 8, 2018 Author Share Posted February 8, 2018 (edited) Time to replace the rear struts and springs. New KYB 2002 Forster rear struts and new King Springs: http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/RearSprings1.jpg 1.4" lift over stock http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/RearSprings2.jpg Rear camber adjuster: They are not stock, but i can't remember where I got them. I had to buy the adjusters to get the '96 Legacy rear alignment to work out. http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/RearSprings3.jpg Rear struts were shot. But to be fair, I did get a lot of miles out of them. And all the suspension on the '99 Outback was moved from my '96 Legacy. http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/RearSprings4.jpg I kept the top strut mounts because they were good condition and they already have 1" Subtle Solutions lift spacers on them. http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/RearSprings5.jpg http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/RearSprings6.jpg http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/RearSprings7.jpg Edited February 8, 2018 by swcolegacyl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derp Posted February 8, 2018 Share Posted February 8, 2018 Nice! I could suck start a snow blower. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swcolegacyl Posted February 12, 2018 Author Share Posted February 12, 2018 (edited) Hey derp, thanks as all always. Spent the weekend in one of my favorite ski towns, Crested Butte, Co. I had to test out the new suspension and new studded General Grabber AT2s. The car drove fantastic, the skiing was fantastic too! Stayed at the haunted Forest Queen Hotel: https://travelcrestedbutte.com/crested-butte-haunted-hotel/ http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/CrestedButte1.jpg Crested Butte's Main st (Elk Ave): Looking East early Sunday morning: http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/CrestedButte3.jpg Looking West: http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/CrestedButte4.jpg http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/CrestedButte5.jpg The studded Grabber 205/75R15 tires are amazing in snow and great on the highway too. http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/CrestedButte6.jpeg North side of Black Canyon Reservoir near Gunnison, Co: http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/CrestedButte2.jpg Edited February 13, 2018 by swcolegacyl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swcolegacyl Posted March 26, 2018 Author Share Posted March 26, 2018 (edited) This all started because I had 2 bent rims. (off-road casualties) Both of the bent rims were on the back of the car, but I could still feel a vibration at higher speeds. So i tracked down the identical rims on eBay.com and bought 2 replacements. Turns out there off a 2000 VW Jetta. I originally bought them off of Craigslist years ago for the green Legacy. Now I had a matching spare rim, the best of the 2 bent rims, and I have 2 sets of the General Grabber AT2s, 1 set is studded. The 205/75r15s won't fit in the spare tire well of the '99 Outback, so now it's on the roof: http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/OutbackSpareTire1.jpg Old Spare 195/75r15 just barely fit the spare tire well. http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/OutbackSpareTire2.jpg http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/OutbackSpareTire3.jpg So i decided to get rid of the hump and make this space more usable: http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/OutbackSpareTire4.jpg http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/OutbackSpareTire5.jpg http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/OutbackSpareTire8.jpg A friend gave me a nice piece of stainless steel for the project. I glued and screwed it down with 3/4" self-tapping screws. http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/OutbackSpareTire6.jpg http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/OutbackSpareTire7.jpg I sprayed everything with 2 coats of Rust-Oleum LeakSeal top and bottom. http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/OutbackSpareTire9.jpg http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/OutbackSpareTire10.jpg Edited March 28, 2018 by swcolegacyl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabbott126 Posted April 10, 2018 Share Posted April 10, 2018 what all do you have done for a lift then swcolegacyl? I read through most of the build but i got a bit confused once you got the new car. how many inches of lift are you running? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swcolegacyl Posted April 10, 2018 Author Share Posted April 10, 2018 Hi Jabbott126, the clearance under the green Legacy and the Outback are about the same. The header pipes sit a bit lower because of the DOHC engine. All the suspension was moved from the from the Legacy to the Outback. The only difference is that the Outback already has factory lift blocks, about 1.5". I added them to the Legacy. So really it's the same lift as the Legacy. It amounts to about 3.5" of total lift, just about 9" in the front and about 13" at the rear with the King springs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swcolegacyl Posted July 24, 2018 Author Share Posted July 24, 2018 (edited) Hi All, I just completed a 6000 mile road trip from Colorado to Massachusetts and around New England and back to Colorado. An amazing journey in a Subaru Outback. Most nights of the 45 day trip, I camped in the car. The Subaru kept me warm, dry and safe. And it ran exceptionally well on the trip, not even a flat tire. I went all the way to Cape Cod, Ma Sea Level and getting back to Co I knocked off one of my 'bucket list' items: A drive to the top of Pikes Peak 14,115 feet above Sea Level. Wow, an epic trip even to the end! continental divide Monarch Pass heading East: http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/MonarchPass.jpg First night Camping in Kansas: http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/CampingInKS.jpg Dennisport, Cape Cod, Ma: Sea Level http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/CapeCodMa1.jpg Provincetown, Ma Boardwalk http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/CapeCodMa2.jpg My dogs in the Atlantic Ocean, bay side of the Cape. http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/CapeCodMa3.jpg She's having fun: http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/CapeCodMa4.jpg Pikes Peak Hill Climb: Start at 7,800 above sea level http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/PikesPeak1.jpg http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/PikesPeak2.jpg http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/PikesPeak3.jpg http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/PikesPeak4.jpg http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/PikesPeak5.jpg And a little mod: For the trip I only had 1 USB charge port in car. The front lighter port I had replaced with a USB adapter with only 1 USB port and battery voltage. So i just added 2 more USB charge ports and the lighter port back in the car. On the trip i was charging all of my devices with that one port. http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/newusb4.jpg http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/newusb1.jpg http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/newusb2.jpg The accessory and USB outlets as well as the CB radio are powered directly to the battery through the switch. http://srvtelluride.dyndns.org/Subaru/newusb3.jpg Edited August 9, 2018 by swcolegacyl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derp Posted July 24, 2018 Share Posted July 24, 2018 Awesome trip. I've been up Pike's a couple of times, it's a gorgeous drive isn't it? I could suck start a snow blower. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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