Hiya from San Francisco Dogpatch/Potrero Hill. 2020 Subaru outback touring.
2020: added roofnest falcon tent, eezi-awn awning, fabricated diy "pull kitchen" drawer system (see
papadaves post here)
2021 summer: dealer-installed LP Aventure 2" lift, skid plates, BFGoodrich tires, nashfabco ladder
currently trying to find excellent local mechanics who focus on overland mods, fabrication, and work on subarus. There's a couple custom ideas I want to get some help with, and we urgently need to replace our left axle because we somehow destroyed it with our exhaust tube (!? see below). But Serramonte has been giving us a bit of a runaround...
Looking for suggestions and references to Bay Area overland mechanics and subaru outback modders... let me know.
Currently I'm getting good vibes from the community about @stellarbuilt and @shaffersoffroad, both are fairly close. Let me know if you've worked with them! (maybe other local subie overlanders can offer tips?
@Low594 @whoisned @edspecR @jgall64)
Nice to be a part of the local overland scene! thanks for your advice :)
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2021 fall complications:
- cross-country trip MI->SF;
- arrive to find exhaust tube has somehow become wedged against left-axle CV joint and rear driveshaft,
- destroyed CV & left axle, scratched shaft... WTF exhaust hangers!?
- Serramonte quotes $8000 in repairs and denies warranty b/c they claim lift kit was installed "improperly". MI dealer whom we bought the car from and whom installed the kit disagrees.
- ... Serramonte and an independent mechanic they refer me to both claim the lift kit was installed in such a way as to pull the exhaust upwards against the the left axle...
- ... then I discover that with a good yank the entire exhaust assembly rotates about 170 degrees down and around the hangers and hooks the hangers are hanging from under the car.
- somehow we hit something (a big stick?) that dented the exhaust and then it swung up and got stuck against the CV joint and driveshaft
- still trying to figure out if this happened because installer forgot one of the hangers, or the stock hanger design is poorly constrained, or what...
- need to get the left axle replaced ASAP
- and need some stiffer shocks - we're saggy in the back and too heavy
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I posted a bunch of photos on instagram about the diy pull kitchen project