New member introduction

[dennisblass]

I am from Birmingham, Alabama. Christian, conservative, husband, father, grandfather, retired.

I enjoy driving. Since retiring last summer I driven to the Pacific Coast, Blue Ridge, Northern Kentucky and Cape Canaveral. I've also driven to Maine, Big Bend and Key West. I have a 2017 Chevy van and 2017 Subaru Outback. Both do well on the Interstates. However, I need and want to slow down and see America from the inside out. So far, I'm failing at that. My next trip, planned for this summer, is Route 66. Following that, the Trans America Trail.

I have not made any modifications to the Subaru yet. I know some are needed. I'll be watching to see what other Subie owners have done and how it worked out for them. I don't plan on doing any rock crawling but I would like to feel equally capable of driving both highways and forest roads.

So far my experience Overlanding is watching YouTube Videos and reading books on Forrest Bathing, which I enjoy very much.

 

[Jerryg1973]

If your mainly highways and forest roads, stock is all you need on the Subaru. I have gotten into and out of some pretty nasty and deep mud with both my Legacy and now my Outback when we went hunting this past year. The Legacy was a few years ago when we went to a corn maze for Halloween... corn maze, with parking on a farm field that was wet and muddy. As I pulled in to park I felt the car literally sink right into the mud almost up to the frame. I figured I’d be stuck and just deal with it after. I came out and got in, put the car in Reverse and it backed right out.
The Outback was on a forest rd and trying to go around the deep mud puddles not knowing how deep they were, mud on the shoulder pulled me the other direction off the road and sucked the whole right side of the Outback into mud up to the centerline of the wheels. Once again, reverse (with Xmode), and it backed right out. Both of these cars were with the crappy factory Avid GT tires.
So if your really concerned, maybe a good pair of Wildpeaks (which were designed in cooperation with Toyota specifically for the off-road version of the Toyota RAV4. They are an all terrain (AT) tire specifically designed for crossovers instead of trucks. People are having amazing results with them.
Only other thing you might want to pack is a couple good traction boards or look up videos on “off road self recovery”.... using rocks, branches along with shovels and such.
Hope this helps.

 

[dennisblass]

If your mainly highways and forest roads, stock is all you need on the Subaru. I have gotten into and out of some pretty nasty and deep mud with both my Legacy and now my Outback when we went hunting this past year. The Legacy was a few years ago when we went to a corn maze for Halloween... corn maze, with parking on a farm field that was wet and muddy. As I pulled in to park I felt the car literally sink right into the mud almost up to the frame. I figured I’d be stuck and just deal with it after. I came out and got in, put the car in Reverse and it backed right out.
The Outback was on a forest rd and trying to go around the deep mud puddles not knowing how deep they were, mud on the shoulder pulled me the other direction off the road and sucked the whole right side of the Outback into mud up to the centerline of the wheels. Once again, reverse (with Xmode), and it backed right out. Both of these cars were with the crappy factory Avid GT tires.
So if your really concerned, maybe a good pair of Wildpeaks (which were designed in cooperation with Toyota specifically for the off-road version of the Toyota RAV4. They are an all terrain (AT) tire specifically designed for crossovers instead of trucks. People are having amazing results with them.
Only other thing you might want to pack is a couple good traction boards or look up videos on “off road self recovery”.... using rocks, branches along with shovels and such.
Hope this helps.

 

[dennisblass]

Thanks for your advice. I will be buying AT tires soon. I'll save the advice on Wildpeaks. I'm also considering a brush bumper and skid plate.

I ride on forest roads near my home and my OB has never really strained itself. Ground clearance has been fine and I've never needed X mode even though I use it from time to time just to play.

I hope to go deeper in the woods. I'm looking for a rally that is easy to moderate and relatively close.

Thanks again for the advice on Wildpeaks.

 

[Jerryg1973]

The skid plates are a good idea as there are the occasional large rocks and such. The other thing is if I’m areas with little to no cell service, get an In-Reach gps communicator. The larger when can do two way text messages in addition to sending pre programmed text and SOS text to emergency services. I wish we had more trails here in Western NY. Western states seem to have the best trails and groups to ride and camp with. Most of the guys around here in Overland Bound are either guest that aren’t really active or members that haven’t looked at their accounts in 1 to 3 years.
Good luck on your rides and rally.

 

[Kent R]

Lots of Subi info on the forums, just do a search to find what you are looking for.

 

[dennisblass]

Im finding a lot of Love here. Its what makes a Subaru.

 

[dennisblass]

The skid plates are a good idea as there are the occasional large rocks and such. The other thing is if I’m areas with little to no cell service, get an In-Reach gps communicator. The larger when can do two way text messages in addition to sending pre programmed text and SOS text to emergency services. I wish we had more trails here in Western NY. Western states seem to have the best trails and groups to ride and camp with. Most of the guys around here in Overland Bound are either guest that aren’t really active or members that haven’t looked at their accounts in 1 to 3 years.
Good luck on your rides and rally.

I have the gps communicator. I've tested it a few times but never needed it.

 

[wvuoutback]

Thanks for your advice. I will be buying AT tires soon. I'll save the advice on Wildpeaks. I'm also considering a brush bumper and skid plate.

I ride on forest roads near my home and my OB has never really strained itself. Ground clearance has been fine and I've never needed X mode even though I use it from time to time just to play.

I hope to go deeper in the woods. I'm looking for a rally that is easy to moderate and relatively close.

Thanks again for the advice on Wildpeaks.

A busted oil pan out a forest road is a lot more expensive than a skid plate. Primitive Racing, RalliTek, LP Adventure, and Anderson Design Fabrication all make skid plates for Subaru's. LP Adventure makes bumper guards.You at least need a front skid plate to protect your oil pan and engine. I recommend a full set (front, transmission, rear diff) just for the peace of mind.

If you want more ground clearance look at lift kits from any of the companies I just listed. It's generally agreed you can lift a Subaru 2 inches before running into any real issues. I have installed 1 inch, 1.5 inch, and 2 inch lifts on Outback's without any issues.

Falken Wildpeak A/T Trail are a great tire and tons of people in the Subaru community run them. I would also look at Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015. This is the same tire they are putting on the new Outback Wilderness edition.

Hope this helps.

Best

 

[dennisblass]

I've got the tires. The front skid plate is next. Thanks.

 

[roots66]

Hello Dennis, welcome to the OB family.

 

[konstantinejaquavis]

I wish we had more trails here in Western NY. Western states seem to have the best trails and groups to ride and camp with.
Speed Test

 

[Michael Golden]

I am from Birmingham, Alabama. Christian, conservative, husband, father, grandfather, retired.

I enjoy driving. Since retiring last summer I driven to the Pacific Coast, Blue Ridge, Northern Kentucky and Cape Canaveral. I've also driven to Maine, Big Bend and Key West. I have a 2017 Chevy van and 2017 Subaru Outback. Both do well on the Interstates. However, I need and want to slow down and see America from the inside out. So far, I'm failing at that. My next trip, planned for this summer, is Route 66. Following that, the Trans America Trail.

I have not made any modifications to the Subaru yet. I know some are needed. I'll be watching to see what other Subie owners have done and how it worked out for them. I don't plan on doing any rock crawling but I would like to feel equally capable of driving both highways and forest roads.

So far my experience Overlanding is watching YouTube Videos and reading books on Forrest Bathing, which I enjoy very much.

Welcome to the Overland Bound Community. Glad to have you join us. From Tampa Fl.

 

[Coreymol]

I am from Birmingham, Alabama. Christian, conservative, husband, father, grandfather, retired.

I enjoy driving. Since retiring last summer I driven to the Pacific Coast, Blue Ridge, Northern Kentucky and Cape Canaveral. I've also driven to Maine, Big Bend and Key West. I have a 2017 Chevy van and 2017 Subaru Outback. Both do well on the Interstates. However, I need and want to slow down and see America from the inside out. So far, I'm failing at that. My next trip, planned for this summer, is Route 66. Following that, the Trans America Trail.

I have not made any modifications to the Subaru yet. I know some are needed. I'll be watching to see what other Subie owners have done and how it worked out for them. I don't plan on doing any rock crawling but I would like to feel equally capable of driving both highways and forest roads.

So far my experience Overlanding is watching YouTube Videos and reading books on Forrest Bathing, which I enjoy very much.

welcome. I think we all fail at the slowing down thing but im working on it more and more. Ive done a good part of the route 66 trail i used to live right off part of it.