Project Overbite - '16 Subaru Crosstrek build log.

[thebeardedboomer]

Oct. 22 2016 - First Off Roading trip - Hungry Valley OHV - Gorman, CA
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I got the Crosstrek knowing that she would be taken off road on fire trails and perhaps some light stuff. However after my first venture down to Hungry Valley OHV in Southern California, I knew I wanted to do some modifications but didn’t really have the nerve or total drive to do so until….

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Welp, my first time truly encountering mud. While she didn’t get stuck, there was wounds done to the car that I am sure still remain in that mud pit. Namely lost underbody panels and a blow out passenger side bumper cover pin. So with this, I decided to do something inspired by a few other Crosstrek owners, and cut the bumpers.

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The plan for the project was namely to give myself additional clearance both in front and in the rear. The rear has its own issues as I had gotten a trailer hitch with the car, and am currently planning another project to be detailed below. However right now, it is all working out well. I saved the original bumper covers by ordering unpainted OEM replacements which allowed the preservation of the stock ones should I over decide to return back to the stock look. The front bumper was done several weeks prior to the back.

The modification had be, by choice, remove the washer fluid reservoir that I’ve yet to find something to replace it with that would allow me to keep the same approach angle on the driver side tire, without being the first thing to meet said obstacle. I also required the significant removal of the underbody panels and plastic liners around the front of the wheel wells. However the most important area, the engine and transmission, are protected by 3/18ths rally-spec skid plates by Primitive Racing. This also allowed me room and time to install a SSD Performance light bar mount that bolts to the OEM metal bumper.

However I didn’t want the unpainted bumper look, so I had looked at doing a vinyl wrap. However costs were prohibitively expensive. I only got one call back on a quote, and it was for 800 bucks, for the front bumper cover. Nope! F- it! I’m doing it my way!

 

[thebeardedboomer]

So with the more aggressive front end, it lead me to doing more off-roading…..which lead to me having a pinch flat, on stock tires, on the trail without a full sized spare. Having already planned new rims I jumped on the opportunity when a buddy of mine was selling his Method Racing MR501 VT-Spec rims from his Crosstrek. They came with General Tire Grabber AT/2s. But I didn’t want the stock black color, or have to try and paint over the yellow inlay he had done on the rims to match his car. Thus, I decided to get them powder coated!

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It was during this time as well, that she underwent surgery again for a butt-lift.

When the rims were done, they were quickly remounted with the Grabber and bolted on.

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I would get to doing the rear bumper cover in the same hexagon camo pattern to complete the look. This is it so far. Right now, I am thinking if doing a small cargo area cabinet setup, so that I could organize things a bit better beyond the repurposing of MOLLE pouches on the back of the rear seats.

 

[thebeardedboomer]

How she is Currently, plus shenanigans:

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And she's still jumping into puddles.

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[thebeardedboomer]

Build 'To Do" List:

Tube Bumper with light mount tabs and bush platefor front.
Tube Bumper with Tire, gas can, and trailer hitch mount for rear.
1.5" lift kit (Currently thinking Anderson Design and Fabrication)
Cargo area cabinet system

 

[Wawa Skittletits]

Welcome and congrats on joining the dirtier side of Subaruing! Please feel free to check in with some of your fellow Subaru members.

https://www.overlandbound.com/forums/threads/subaru-owners-registry.3450/

 

[thebeardedboomer]

Welcome and congrats on joining the dirtier side of Subaruing! Please feel free to check in with some of your fellow Subaru members.

https://www.overlandbound.com/forums/threads/subaru-owners-registry.3450/

Awesome! I just posted over there.

 

[Terry Pickens]

ADF lifts are great, I have a 2" front and 2 3/8" rear on my '17 Outback and it has been great. I just installed some 30% stiffer OEM height King springs to carry the rear tire carrier and camping gear weight. Then I removed the rear sway bar. Still rides like a champ. Love it with this setup for the suspension. Any questions just ask, my build thread is linked in my sig. And WAWA is great source of info. You can find some videos of my latest run on my Instagram page @sled_rider.
Following your build.

Saw a fabricator in Sacramento that makes tube front bumpers for CrossTreks named Stellar. Their bumpers look sweet on a CrossTrek and it looks like they are going into production with it. I found them on Instagram at @stellarbuilt. There are some photos there of the bumper.

 

[thebeardedboomer]

I'm keeping the sways after seeing a friend (his own fault though) roll his Forester on a mountain road. If he had sways, I believe it wouldn't have been so bad if a accident. But because of how well Subaru makes their cars, he was able to walk away from it, have it put back rubber side down, and driven home (only to be told by his insurance it was totaled). He's got a all black Foz now, and was able to transfer most of what he has to the new one.

As for springs, I was fortunate enough to tell out some prototype 20% stiffer OEM height, "Heavy Duty" springs from Mann Engineering here in Santa Clara and I'm still rocking them.

ADF is still gonna be my go to right now, as I'm thinking of going with just a 1.5" lift overall. My dealership already thinks the car is lifted and told me that any further repairs may be voided (Typical Dealership speak), when they warranted my driveshaft replacement. So for now, the lift as a whole is on hold until I get some longevity ideas about how well the Crosstrek does with a modest lift.

When it comes to the bumpers, I know they just recently did a friend of mine's Orange Crosstrek with a front tube bumper that they working on getting the jig completed for production. Would have to wait for that because I can't drop the car off with them for more than a day because Red's my daily driver and only means of travel right now.

 

[Terry Pickens]

I'm keeping the sways after seeing a friend (his own fault though) roll his Forester on a mountain road. If he had sways, I believe it wouldn't have been so bad if a accident. But because of how well Subaru makes their cars, he was able to walk away from it, have it put back rubber side down, and driven home (only to be told by his insurance it was totaled). He's got a all black Foz now, and was able to transfer most of what he has to the new one.

As for springs, I was fortunate enough to tell out some prototype 20% stiffer OEM height, "Heavy Duty" springs from Mann Engineering here in Santa Clara and I'm still rocking them.

ADF is still gonna be my go to right now, as I'm thinking of going with just a 1.5" lift overall. My dealership already thinks the car is lifted and told me that any further repairs may be voided (Typical Dealership speak), when they warranted my driveshaft replacement. So for now, the lift as a whole is on hold until I get some longevity ideas about how well the Crosstrek does with a modest lift.

When it comes to the bumpers, I know they just recently did a friend of mine's Orange Crosstrek with a front tube bumper that they working on getting the jig completed for production. Would have to wait for that because I can't drop the car off with them for more than a day because Red's my daily driver and only means of travel right now.

That was his in the photos, that is a sweet bumper they built for him. I contacted them and they can buld a similar one for my Outback. How does he like it? Does he like the work they did?

 

[thebeardedboomer]

I'd say he likes it.

 

[Terry Pickens]

I'd say he likes it.

Looks good. Would love to see a few shots of this so I can see how it might work on my Outback.

 

[thebeardedboomer]

Looks good. Would love to see a few shots of this so I can see how it might work on my Outback.

Heres the album of his project.
I'm just hoping the final product isn't freakishly expensive. ($300-$400 max...Metal isn't that expensive, and I don't mind the raw metal because I can paint it myself.)

 

[krzyboy2o]

Haha I’ve have spotted you one morning on 280!

Awesome ride! I’m rockin a ‘14 Forester XT

 

[thebeardedboomer]

Dead link

 

[krzyboy2o]

Sorry [emoji19]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[thebeardedboomer]

Sorry [emoji19]

nice!

 

[Terry Pickens]

Heres the album of his project.
I'm just hoping the final product isn't freakishly expensive. ($300-$400 max...Metal isn't that expensive, and I don't mind the raw metal because I can paint it myself.)

That is really nice, thanks for the photos.

 

[Derrek Bowen]

Looking sweet! Bad ass build my friend

Sent from my SM-G955U using OB Talk mobile app

 

[jerb]

Will you be installing that ADF kit yourself? Mine is finished and is about to be shipped to me and I need to find a bay area mechanic who will do it. Ideally I could pay a little extra and shadow them since I'd really love to learn as much as I can about how it's done.

 

[thebeardedboomer]

Will you be installing that ADF kit yourself? Mine is finished and is about to be shipped to me and I need to find a bay area mechanic who will do it. Ideally I could pay a little extra and shadow them since I'd really love to learn as much as I can about how it's done.

If I do the ADF kit, I know someone relatively local who has a lift that can help me install it. However I would likely have a shop do it because a alignment would be needed after the install, and said friend is in the Santa Cruz mountains. I do know that the job can be done in your garage with the car entirely on jack stands.