"Here's what I did, and this is why I did it." Such a simple format that I wish more people would follow! I'm not super knowledgeable about cars but I feel like I learned a bit through this video
I don’t have any intention on modding my Forester, but I really enjoyed this video. I like how you include your thought process and explain concepts with math and visuals
It feels fine even at highway speed because it has such a low center of mass. The shape of the boxer engine allows it to be mounted really low, that’s why Porsche uses it. Also, it’s a unibody car, so the center of mass is lower than a body on frame vehicle. You can delete the rear sway bar with any sacrifice, but deleting the front one makes a bit of difference. Luckily, you can just remove the endlinks and go for a test drive. A lot of people just delete the rear one, but you can test it and reconnect them if you don’t like it.
Absolutely. Without a doubt. THE best Subaru off road build video on the web. I wish someone had a video EXACTLY like yours, for an SH Forester!! FANTASTIC work brother.
Hey i know this video is 2 years old but thought I'd let you know Subaru now has an OEM 2" hitch for the Forester Wilderness, but it will fit the other trims. And it comes with the OEM wiring harness and template to trim the bumper cover. Great build, thanks for making this video. I've already got my skid plates, Ironman lift is ordered, and I'm planning for rock sliders, and designing a winch bumper for my FW.
I also really, really wish someone would make a snorkel kit for the 2019+ Foresters. Down here in Houston, the streets in my neighborhood regularly flood 2 feet deep.
Hands down best Forester build out there and this guy knows his shit. Slowly building up my Forester Wilderness to match this level. Excellent work and inspiring to the Forester off-road community. Keep posting!
Mathew, great video. Been a Subaru fan forever, used to have 1998 GT Wagon, sold it with 350K miles on it, they need to bring that car back. We just traded in a 2016 Chevy Loaded Tahoe this past weekend for 2021 Subaru Touring Outback. My wife has had hip replacement and knee surgery and has trouble getting the higher Tahoe. We made a fair deal. The Outback only had 14,500 miles on it and it was a swap on car values and she paid a few dealership add on fees, to my dismay, but she is happy. I am looking forward to getting back into a Subaru and having some fun. Alrerady have 2007 Tundra Crew max. 2000 Isuzu Trooper and 1994 Landrover Discovery. Looking forward to getting out in her car and showing her what it can do just in case she finds herself in a challenging situation she can approach it with confidence.
That’s awesome! Glad to hear that she’ll be more comfortable and in a surprisingly capable vehicle. Glad to hear that you’ll show her what’s what too. Practically everyone underestimate Subaru AWD.
Very impressed by your details of each mod. No over the top brags on how much stuff costs or video of just the mods. Just got me a 3rd gen forester and these mods are perfect. Thanks for the video. You earned a new sub.
This is a FANTASTIC video! Super informative and a great resource! Great work and thanks for the shout out too :) Your editing, storyboarding and content layout is really great! Videos like this set the bar nice and high and give me something to aspire to myself. Keep up the good work!
Game changer right, right?! You'll have to do it again if you ever disconnect the battery and reset the car's computer. Hey, did you know that there is a similar process to disable the keyless entry beeps? Just google it if you want to do that too.
Yoooo, this was such an informational video, and you threw us the free mod adjustment on the seat and seatbelt noise, cooler than sh1t yo, i think a lot of us appreciate it! Thanks man
Hello ... so open air filter has one disadvantage ... engine compartment generates warm air and sucks in warm air ... no power. Build a crate and snorkel up there. Snorkel not only serves deep water, but also better air for the engine. means more pressure in the engine while driving and brings some power. My Jimny FJ also has a snorkel and makes a nice sound. It sounds like open weavers :D Greetings from Germany :)
Hello! Yeah, you’re right cold air makes more power than warm air, but I monitor my intake air temp while driving with my scan gauge 2 and it averages about 15-20F higher than ambient. I might add a snorkel in the future. You vehicle sounds awesome!
I used the Curt trailer light kit on my outback and it's pretty great. Works as it should. I just wish there was the option for amber turning lights on a trailer in north america. Then you wouldn't even need the converter box.
I know, right? 😄 I also disabled the remote entry beeps. It still honks if you hit lock three times, and the light still flash like normal, but it is quieter. The instructions are ridiculously funny: 1) Sit in the driver's seat and shut all doors 2) Press the unlock door button 3) Insert the key into the ignition 4) While holding down the unlock button, pull the key out and re-insert it into the ignition switch at least 5 times within 10 seconds after performing step 2. 5) Open and close the driver's door within 10 seconds after performing step 4. 6) If you did it correctly the turn signal lights will flash 3 times.
this actually works! while i was doing it I was thinking this must be a joke lol. I noticed it turns the seatbelt warning light off as well. do you know if it affects anything else?
@@fuzzymcfurface7289 I doubt it... I’ve tried a few times since watching and haven’t gotten it to work yet. Guess I’ll keep trying Bc forums say it’s not super scientific
@@fuzzymcfurface7289 Yeah, the instructions are funny! Do you mean the safety stuff like airbags? All of that should still be enabled. I don't think that Subaru can legally disable that stuff.
Holy crap, the only thing that makes me curse... is the seat belt chimes. Thank you so much for telling me how to turn that off- I hope it works on my Gen 3.🤞
Haha, same here! You might have to try a couple times. As a last resort you can unplug the wires that go to the seatbelt receptacle. That will either make it think the seatbelt is always plugged in, or never plugged in. Depends on how Subaru wired it.
Great video dude! Love to hear other peoples mods. I didn't realize these newer foresters needed so much work for a bumper to work. Makes me glad I got an older one haha. Looks great though you did fantastic on the bumper!
This is Mika from the Facebook group that was very informative. Since my forester is a lease I can’t do none of that stuff. Once my lease is up I will probably upgrade to the wilderness edition since I am a bit nervous of messing something up. Who knows what will happen in 2 years. Anyways great video.
Cool! That’s a good plan! In my opinion, the most important change included in the wilderness package is the new lower gearing. Ironman still offers more ground clearance and more travel/articulation than the wilderness suspension, but changing both of the differential’s gearing is really a factor only improvement. I’m a big fan of the wilderness version! It is awesome that Subaru is listening to their drivers!
I upgraded the tires on my 2010 Forester last year to the Falken Wildpeaks you mentioned, and am very happy with them. They have great traction on dry or wet pavement, and perform well in mud and snow as well. At the same time I upsized from the stock 225-55R17s to 235-60R17s. They are about as big as I think you can go on the SH chassis without a significant lift, but do not rub.
Eventually, once I get a second. Better Subaru outback then the one I have now. I'm definitely looking to do some upgrades. This is a perfect guide for starters such as myself. Thank you!
Wow did you do your homework! I'm sure a lot of trial and error too. Really, really cool that you shared your set up, reasoning, tips, prices, part numbers, etc. Amazing. Wish you did a RAV4, lol, that's how I stumbled on this, searching.
You did amazing work hacking away at that approach angle. I was all onboard, this is a dope build until I saw the three letters of death C V T. I forgot they don't even offer the manual anymore.
Yeah, a lot of people hate the CVTs too. They got a bad reputation because the early ones were crappy, but in 2014 they switch to a stronger, more reliable version. I've been thrashing mine pretty hard and it is holding up well. I just wish the lowest ratio was a little lower. But I always have my winch as a backup to get me moving again.
Yes cvt is dumb for off or on road. Especially for anyone that actually likes driving. Weird this all the Subaru in Brazil all seem to be automatic...very strange because most cars here are manual. I miss my Baja 5speed turbo
Jeez! Young man, your video is on point and super helpful, thank you for this. I'm looking at getting the 2022 Wilderness Edition Forester in Black and then slowly building up my mods from there. I've saved this video for reference. Thanks again, you really hit this video out of the park!!
Thanks Fred! I really appreciate you taking the time to write this nice message! That would be an excellent vehicle choice! I would suggest that you upsize the tires to 245/65R17 all terrains and add all three Primitive Racing skidplates and you’re good to go! Maybe a 1” spacer lift too. You can get one of those for Sub $200 from ADF. Technically the Ironman suspension is better than the upgraded Wilderness suspension, but not enough to justify the cost. The Wilderness already has a transmission cooler. It also has exclusive lower gearing in the front and rear diffs, sooo helpful off road. Don’t let Subaru deceive you, that metal factory skid plate is a joke. Super thin. Let me know if you have any questions as you go! Oh! One last thing! Have you considered waiting for the Crosstrek Wilderness? I’ve heard awesome rumors about it! Cheers!
That fire extinguisher sitting in your door pocket becomes a ballistic weapon that can kill you in an accident. This is also true of extinguishers mounted anywhere else in the inside of a car. Other than that. Great video.
Yeah, I'm kinda torn about it after hearing a few negative stories. I have air bags down there that should trap it in the event of a crash. I'll look into a way to mount it more securely or add some straps to it. Thanks!
My dad had a older forester. We tested it in the mud with his Tacoma 2010, and my Nissan hardbody 93. The forester was the only vehicle that had 4 tires all spinning at the same time, both our trucks had 1 spinning in front and 1 in back. I’d be down if Subaru made a mid size truck. I don’t do any off-roading in mud or sand, I mostly need ground clearance and low gearing, for what I do.
That's really cool! Subarus are really easy to underestimate. Just a couple mods will open a lot of doors. Ground clearance and low gearing huh, you're not driving a Subaru. Is that your Nissan?
I've seen this car a dozen times and never noticed the hail damage. Mine has a bunch too that I haven't got around to fixing. It's most noticeable on the roof and hood. Never thought about pocketing the diminished value. HMMMMM
Please consider adding a retention strap or bracket. I had an extinguisher stuffed in a door pocket and during a collision and partial rollover the extinguisher went airborne and nearly struck a passenger. Fortunately everyone emerged without major injury but I would have felt real bad if it was my fire extinguisher that was the cause of an injury.
Thanks for the inspirational mods. I also have a 2019 Forester Premium. I haven't done offroading yet but i have been doing a lot of long distance highway driving. Here in Australia it is a must to have frontal protection against collisions with large animals...thus the only mod I made is installing a "roo bar" from East Coast Bullbars ($1200). The bar has already paid off because it saved my Forester from being towed after a kangaroo strike on my recent holiday road trip. Im not sure i would make anymore future mods apart from AT tyres because it would invalidate my 7 year vehicle warranty. Are you worried about your Forester warranty given your extensive mods ?
Oh cool! I’m glad to hear that you got the roo bar BEFORE the hit! If I have a catastrophic engine or transmission failure, I’ll put most of the things back to stock before taking it to the dealership 😄
Though I'm not really into offroading per-se, I do love my 2023 Forester Premium (except for how they did the instrument panel). They got it correct on their other cars (including the temp guard in the main gauge) and I HATE how they did the center rear seatbelt coming down from the roof instead of up the seat backrest, under the trim like everyone else. That and how the seat goes forward as it lifts higher. I'm 6'1" and built like a spider (all legs). The fire extinguisher will also fit under the driver seat between the seat and door.
I'm 6'4" and my favorite comfort mod is the seat jackers. You would likely love them too. I made a video about them: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-DX9vgGGfx1I.htmlsi=LcxyyPH6XTEOnoG4
This is all good info. My outback just went out of warranty so time to start messing around. 😁 I don't plan a lot of mods, it will still be a daily driver but probably will start with the coilovers, skid plates, wheels, and tires. That should make camping and towing better. I think I will do Wildpeak AT Trail so I get a sturdier and grippier tire with snow rating but not too heavy so MPG doesn't suffer too much. Gas prices and inflation are starting to pinch. I won't be doing jeep trails so small to moderate increase in capability is all I need.
I've been looking at getting an Outback and doing something similar. Videos like these make me reconsider and get the Forester. The only thing I'm picky about it cargo space between the two.
Back in 2018 I bought an Outback specifically for the cargo capacity. Overall height is a bit lower than the Forester (not the ground clearance), but I think the offroad capability is pretty much the same. Seems to have a longer wheelbase, which may make it more comfortable overall. I'm using mine now for more overlanding and offroad camping, I just installed Flatout Suspension coilovers, which provide 2-3" of lift. I have mine set at 2.5" now, which is more than enough for the 245/65-17 Toyo Open Country tires. I've had BFG's before on several Jeeps, going back 40 years, but wanted something lighter and quieter this time. About 10 lbs lighter per tire. The Flatout coilovers can be ordered with custom spring rates and they are fully adjustable for ride height, preload and rebound. With a rooftop tent, hitch-mount bike carrier with 2 Mtn bikes, and a week's camping gear for 2 people, the suspension upgrade has made a huge difference.
Great video i just got a 21 forester ..you did everything i want to do. Im sticking with stock size tires but did get new conti A/T tires .. I only do 25% light off road but i do pull a trailer with kayaks and camping gear. So the ironman kit looks perfect .
@@MatthewHeiskell im trying to keep my mpg do you think the lift will hurt my highway miles ..we have a bunch of road trips coming up. And some lite trails im in SC so nothing extremely crazy
@@MatthewHeiskell yes. I own an Outback and had an XJ in the past. No way any Subaru, modified or stock, would make it over certain obstacles. But all modified/customized vehicles are awesome.
Great vid.. glad I stumbled upon it.. thanks for all the info and detailed explanations.. been looking to get the iron man suspension lift kit for a year now, but been hesitant about it and been tryin to do a lot of research on what would be best for off road build.. your vid got locked in for the iron man now.. haha.. all the build mods you discussed greatly.. thanks again
Very cool, I have a a 2019 sport and have been batting the idea of the 2" lift kit around. I'm worried it's going to become an obsession and I'll end up pumping 10k into my vehicle. I have 2 kids and reeeeeally don't need to do that. It's fun to just dream
Thank you so much for your information. I'm modifying a 2016 Forezter XT and I really appreciate your experience. Currently sits on a 2"lift and allterains. Treating me very well
Great vid ... seriously... for heaps of reasons! I've considered a newer Forester plenty of times in recent years. But I want a manual and the low range box in my 07 SG, or nothing. And there are gears available to drop the range into real crawler territory. It seems like 2012 is the youngest car that keeps the 2.5L with the manual and low range shifter. And mine is going strong so meh. You're laying this out in a great way.
Hey John, I'm glad that you enjoyed the video! Yeah, low range would be pretty dang nice! If yours is still going strong, keep it! Also, it seems that you can't lift the newer ones past 2". It seems that you can't drop the engine and stuff ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I've seen some older ones with MASSIVE lifts.
@@MatthewHeiskell Yes. I didn’t get the delete since I felt it would be too loud. The current highway drone is just loud enough to feel like I made the right choice. I also have the Raceland 2 inch lift Toyo AT III’s 235/65r17 all the way around, Perrin tow hook (for looks) on the front knockout, and that’s pretty much it. Aside from the tint and black wrap job over all the chrome. Can’t stand chrome.
I like how you've put together this vid, definitely well laid out, you definitely gave your mods a lot of thought on what looks like a pretty strict budget. I admit I'm no fan of the Forester offroad, you don't have low-range, its Independent suspension all around, you can't really mount big tyres and the CVT is a deal breaker for me. So far as the mods go, I don't recommend spacers at all, you're going to cost yourself more in accelerated wear than what you save, especially if you actually put it through its paces offroad. And you don't seem to have added any lights? Is there a reason for that? Here in Australia its one of the 1st things most guys do. Can you get snorkels/raised air takes in the US? Its definitely a big mod for an offroad vehicle, even Safari sells for under $500 AU or $350 US. Whether or not you plan on going through creeks it will protect your intake from mud and dust and extend the life of your engine.
It seems that that you didn’t watch the whole video. It’s actually been a very capable and reliable vehicle for the last 5 years. The fully independent suspension is actually very advantageous. It keeps the diffs nice and high especially with the 30 inch tires. Fully independent suspension also handles better and it’s more comfortable. If you watched more of the video, then you would have seen that I switched from a spacer lift to longer struts that provide more ground clearance and travel/articulation. The unibody construction, low/flat boxer engine, and fully independent suspension keep the car very stable with both swaybars going, which significantly improves off-road articulation, traction, and comfort. I quickly added a transmission cooler to the CVT transmission. This prevents overheating which is the #1 killer of CVT. I’ve done Imogene Pass with it. It’s very reliable, capable, comfortable, safe, efficient, and affordable. Check out some of my other videos, especially the Imogene Pass video!
The best hack you showed is the last one. First thing in the morning I am going to try it. The seat belt chime is just too annoying. Once it starts it won't stop even if you are in park.
@@MatthewHeiskell It took me a few tries but I finally got it to work on my 2018 Forester. I forgot to turn the ignition off within the 30 seconds the first few tries. Now I need to get the fire extinguisher.
Awesome video, everything in one video. No fluff. I have a 2020 Forester and might be doing a few of these things in the future. Will definitely save this video for the info later.
Ok not coming here to criticize or anything lol just wanted to suggest playing with your electronics or finding it in the manual but the top mini display in my 2020 forester sport has a section you turn to that has three square displays that can be changed to the available options I personally have mine set to engine coolant temp,transmission temp, and % of acceleration and use that full time so you don’t need the scanner in order to observe it while driving. I spent the time to read the manual when I bought her cause I didn’t wanna miss a thing! Outside of that tho great video and thanks for the very helpful info it’s hard to find elsewhere
Hello Nicholas, my forester is not a Sport. It is the Premium version, so my top mini-screen is much more basic. It does not have the ability to display the important info that you mentioned. That is why I added the scan gauge.
The wilderness edition is cool, it comes with a transmission cooler and lower gearing, but I think it is getting up there in price. You might have to consider other vehicles in that higher price range.
@@MatthewHeiskell it’s price is actually not so bad. It’s about amid priced for the vehicle. And I love the platform. Currently driving a wrx but it’s getting warranty work. They gave me a loaner that’s the top of the line forester and my wife and I love it. Probably not getting my wrx back. Think we’re trading both my wrx and her car and getting a pair of these. She can have the chrome and bells and whistles, I’ll get the wilderness.
Oh nice haha I was was going to add that you have other vehicles to consider, unless you’ve already been hooked by Subaru haha. I love my Subaru too. They have a special quality that is difficult to describe. Anyway, now is the time to trade in.
