dragonwingsubaru Posted February 21, 2005 Share Posted February 21, 2005 man the clearance on these stock height soobs while offroading seems to suck a little. i was just going through this little mud spot checking out how good the 4wd worked and was going through a 3 foot wide and about foot deep creek and dented in the lower part of the front bumper and ripped off the rear bumper cover and crunched the exhaust tip almost completely closed. funny part is on the rear bumper is if i had made it up the too steep to go up spot to get out i would have made it all the way home before i noticed the back bumper wasnt there. when i turned around and came back had to stop dead in the deep mud and get out and go into the creek to get the bumper cover and then walk around to the back to toss the bumper in the back. at least the soob didnt get stuck at all. think when i put my turbo 2 muffler im gonna make it a side exit or get a good heavy duty rolled end tip that maybe wont crush as easy. any of you other guys run into the prob of bumper clearences in ur soobs. yes im planning on lifting it later on gotta save up the money for it first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qman Posted February 21, 2005 Share Posted February 21, 2005 The bumper is only about 10" off the ground. In stock form it is a bit close to the ground. I see many bumper covers get ripped off of the EA82 wagons. Lift it and forget about it. Or leave it stock and on the street. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudduck Posted February 21, 2005 Share Posted February 21, 2005 I would still rip off the bumper cover even if I were lifted I riped my tail pipe off on one off my first off pavement runs in my loyale, but it was rusted out any wat. a side exit wouldn't be a bad idea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonwingsubaru Posted February 22, 2005 Author Share Posted February 22, 2005 qman i didnt measure it but after i got the back bumper on today it looked a bit higher than 10 inches. of course i dont really have anything in the back of it except fluids and the stock soob tool kit( found it in mint condition in the back lol) and if i wanted to keep my car on the road i wouldnt have bought a d/r 4x4 soob, because streetwise power on this is a real sleepy time car lol. this time i heavy duty zip tied every da$% hole on the bottom of the bumper so maybe it will stay on a little better this time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archemitis Posted February 22, 2005 Share Posted February 22, 2005 a lift is not a necessity for offroading. i have had tons of fun offroading a stock ea82 wagon and brat. you did say you didnt get stuck, thats the big deal. i think any muffler tip will crush under the awesome force of the wagon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subie94 Posted February 22, 2005 Share Posted February 22, 2005 a lift is not a necessity for offroading. i have had tons of fun offroading a stock ea82 wagon and brat. you did say you didnt get stuck, thats the big deal. i think any muffler tip will crush under the awesome force of the wagon! true indeed,i use to off-road were some trucks would get stuck cuz of their height an all.never got stuck(well to the point were i needed help getting out) unlike my 94 legacy which in counting have been beached acouple times in the snow(combination af snow an ice) found out you should always keep momentum going:rolleyes: / i do plan on lift though.will know this march Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganM Posted February 22, 2005 Share Posted February 22, 2005 Stock bumpers are expendible and definatly should be upgraded for any seriouse offroading. Especially if you want to pass tech inspection for ORV Parks and Events. Ya'll have prolly heard me preach it before and I sure aint stopping now about tech inspections. They are there for good reasons; modify your rig to pass tech and you will have capable, trail ready, Subaru. Sick of ripping off stock bumpers? Getting hung up on them? Now that you have rippped them up offroading are you ready to take the next step in upgrading your offroad Subaru? Time for custom bumpers. I'm very happy with mine, they pass tech, I've used them with a winch, and have yet to even scrape one offroading as they are so tight to the body now. I also feel safer behind some seemless steel tubing and 1/2" grade 8 steel bolts VS. the stock foam, plastic, and stamped sheet metal bumpers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudduck Posted February 23, 2005 Share Posted February 23, 2005 Stock bumpers are expendible and definatly should be upgraded for any seriouse offroading. Especially if you want to pass tech inspection for ORV Parks and Events. Ya'll have prolly heard me preach it before and I sure aint stopping now about tech inspections. They are there for good reasons; modify your rig to pass tech and you will have capable, trail ready, Subaru. Sick of ripping off stock bumpers? Getting hung up on them? Now that you have rippped them up offroading are you ready to take the next step in upgrading your offroad Subaru? Time for custom bumpers. I'm very happy with mine, they pass tech, I've used them with a winch, and have yet to even scrape one offroading as they are so tight to the body now. I also feel safer behind some seemless steel tubing and 1/2" grade 8 steel bolts VS. the stock foam, plastic, and stamped sheet metal bumpers You have to run bumpers out there? Man, I always though you just had to have good tow hooks sucrly mounted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganM Posted February 23, 2005 Share Posted February 23, 2005 You have to run bumpers out there? Man, I always though you just had to have good tow hooks sucrly mounted Nothing about bumpers persay; "tow hooks must be bolted on using 1/2" grade 8 bolts or better". While you could get away with no bumpers on the trail; you wouldnt be street legal.... so it would be a trailer queen The bumpers I have kill both birds with one stone. Bumpers to make me street legal and tow points are bolted on with 1/2" grade 8 bolts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudduck Posted February 23, 2005 Share Posted February 23, 2005 Nothing about bumpers persay; "tow hooks must be bolted on using 1/2" grade 8 bolts or better". While you could get away with no bumpers on the trail; you wouldnt be street legal.... so it would be a trailer queen The bumpers I have kill both birds with one stone. Bumpers to make me street legal and tow points are bolted on with 1/2" grade 8 bolts. Ok, that makes nore sence. I have seen your bumpers in your pics. They look pretty stout Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonwingsubaru Posted February 23, 2005 Author Share Posted February 23, 2005 well i havent heard the preaching about the bumpers till now since im still fairly new to this site, but a bumper upgrade sounds like a little better thing than the stock ones. wish i still had the one from the back of my toyota it would have looked good on the soob, it waas a duel steel tube bumper where the the top tube was a little shorter than the bottom one so it would have prob cleared the light area perfectly. well i took my crappy stock muffler off today and put on the cherry bomb muffler and decided not to do the side exit just ran it to even with the bumper and positioned it right in the exhaust groove in the bumper so maybe it will be a little better than the weak stock one since the metal for the tube is like twice as thick as the stock pipe was so now running a 2inch muffler with 2 in the rest of the way out. and as for being streetlegal it doesnt matter here as long as something is there, it is literally legal to bolt on a piece of 2x4 as a bumper here lol these stock bumpers are really weak on the metal part that is for sure i literally bent it back the way it was supposed to be by hand so i would imagine they would be pretty uselass in any type of a hit. a lift kit is planned but need to get the money first and also i gotta keep it a little pratical since it will be my daily driver as well as the family fun vehicle, my kids have missed going mudding so much since i got rid of my astrovan, they are so happy again lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hank Roberts Posted April 7, 2005 Share Posted April 7, 2005 ...Time for custom bumpers. I'm very happy with mine, they pass tech, I've used them with a winch, and have yet to even scrape one offroading as they are so tight to the body now. I also feel safer behind some seemless steel tubing and 1/2" grade 8 steel bolts VS. the stock foam, plastic, and stamped sheet metal bumpers Where do you get these? I have a new-to-me 1988 GL 4wd wagon, and sure have been envying the brush bars on the front of similar Subarus. Hadn't come across them available anywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganM Posted April 7, 2005 Share Posted April 7, 2005 Where do you get these? I have a new-to-me 1988 GL 4wd wagon, and sure have been envying the brush bars on the front of similar Subarus. Hadn't come across them available anywhere. I bought the steel, 1/2" grade 8 bolts, l and drew up the plans. Archemitis chopped and welded it all up out of his shopt; Straight Custom Send him a PM if you want to talk to him about getting some built. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonwingsubaru Posted April 7, 2005 Author Share Posted April 7, 2005 man i had forgotten about this post! yeah im really needing to get some bumpers made, as well as a skidplate, that stock 1 sucks, too much mud gets packed in between it and the oilpan. i have finally managed to keep my bumper cover from falling off but now the prob is the whole think is sitting outta wack now because i broke the bottom welds on the bumper bracket. think ill design a few ideas and see what the local weldign shop would want to make them up for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pyromanic Posted April 8, 2005 Share Posted April 8, 2005 Speaking of bumpers, my rear bumper plastic had come loose in enough spots to cause it flap in the wind and rattle and rumble and drive me nuts! Love how easy it was to take those four bolts out of the sides inside of the tool area and remove the whole pos. My welding buddy is, as we speak. fabricating two stubs that will slide in to those mounting areas, with the four threaded holes. Out from there flat iron will drop down in like a half circle to accomodate my "disposable" bumper. I made the first "disposable" bumper today. A 8" chunk of peeled lodgepole pine, with a few coats of linseed oil. I'll just drop it into the "cradle" and lag screw it in on both sides from underneath. For a more finished "street" apearance, I'll just drop in a 5 foot chunk of 8" thin-wall tubing. Well, this is the plan anyway, if I don't like it or it don't work I'll change it! Pyro BYB Lift on order! I can't wait!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonwingsubaru Posted April 10, 2005 Author Share Posted April 10, 2005 well looks like im gonna have to get at least a rear bumper sooner than later, last night when i was out doing some wheeling, and broke the top weld on the pass side do now the only thing holding on the bumper is the top weld on the pass side. so guess im gonna need to figure out something sooner than later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganM Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 Disposable wooden bumper? That's down right scary man... have that 'welder buddy' get to work and build you something thats safe! Maybe I'm getting the wrong idea of what you are really doing by your post; which is quite possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pyromanic Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 Disposable wooden bumper? That's down right scary man... have that 'welder buddy' get to work and build you something thats safe! Maybe I'm getting the wrong idea of what you are really doing by your post; which is quite possible. Jeeze I'm lousy with computors. Been trying to get pics up of the cusom/disposable bumper for hours. I can't do it. Keeps telling me the file is too large, and I don't seem to get how to shrink it. But I think I some pics up in the boards gallery. I'm trying to post the link now: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos/showgallery.php?cat=500 Hope it works. If it does, tell me what you think. I think it will work out fine. Will look better when I get the PK lift too. Pretty beefy? The log should break before any body damage, and used soft bolts in the tool compartment so hope they would shear befor I bent any thing down in the unibody. (hope!) Tell me what you think? Not all will like it, but I think it's kinda cool. Pyro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustyrider Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 Jeeze I'm lousy with computors. Been trying to get pics up of the cusom/disposable bumper for hours. I can't do it. Keeps telling me the file is too large, and I don't seem to get how to shrink it. But I think I some pics up in the boards gallery. I'm trying to post the link now: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos/showgallery.php?cat=500 Hope it works. If it does, tell me what you think. I think it will work out fine. Will look better when I get the PK lift too. Pretty beefy? The log should break before any body damage, and used soft bolts in the tool compartment so hope they would shear befor I bent any thing down in the unibody. (hope!) Tell me what you think? Not all will like it, but I think it's kinda cool. Pyro I think a nice thick clear coat of glossy stain would make it look bad! of course you could wait till it goes grey its always nice when the bumper and car match. Have you tried to pull anything? nice work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pyromanic Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 I think a nice thick clear coat of glossy stain would make it look bad! of course you could wait till it goes grey its always nice when the bumper and car match. Have you tried to pull anything? nice work! Its got a few coats of clear gloss spar varnish on it. The light was poor though and it doesn't show. I have a light aluminum boat I take up to the lakes around here. (light trailer too) Will weld a cross piece to the subs behind the log, then tag out from there with a stinger and ball. I THINK the holes in the sides of the tool copartment might be able to take the load, havn't really cheked into that yet. If not, I got a truck for that. And canoe for Yakimas on top of Soob for that matter. We'll see. Think it's safer than that stock sheetmetal and plastic POS? Seems like it to me. Pyro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subie94 Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos/showgallery.php?cat=500 Pyro now that's a bumper an if you get cold.....firewood:brow: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonwingsubaru Posted April 11, 2005 Author Share Posted April 11, 2005 not too bad pyro, but definetally not the route i wanna go, is it just me or does that look like it sticks out way farther than the stock bumper? ide rip that thing off my first time out on the trail!! im going to use the stock bracket pieces and bolt a small plate to it and then probably 2 pieces of 1 1/2 or 2 inch tubing. and im gonna keep it real close up to the body so i dont have that rear clearance issue anymore, because it it doing much better with no bumper at all on it, but i want something there to at least protect from damage a little Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pyromanic Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 not too bad pyro, but definetally not the route i wanna go, is it just me or does that look like it sticks out way farther than the stock bumper? ide rip that thing off my first time out on the trail!! im going to use the stock bracket pieces and bolt a small plate to it and then probably 2 pieces of 1 1/2 or 2 inch tubing. and im gonna keep it real close up to the body so i dont have that rear clearance issue anymore, because it it doing much better with no bumper at all on it, but i want something there to at least protect from damage a little I hear ya dragonwing. For the kind of offroading I guess your doing, the less your custom bumper protrudes out from the body, the better. Stock protrudes 7 and 1/2 inches. The log protrudes 9". I would have tucked in in further to prevent problems like you describe, but then it would interfere with hatch. So I I held it out 2and 1/2 inches from the body. This clearence also gave me the room I wanted so that theoroeticaly (sp) if I crunch the log, it's got somewhere to go before bashing into the body there under the hatch. I may very well dump the log at some point and slide in a piece of 8 inch tubing with tail light protectors/expanded metal or somesuch welded up on each end. It's a work in progress, and always will be I expect. You know what I mean! And wouldn't have it any other way!Gets me out of the house and such, ya know? I love how they engineered the bumper brackets utilizing those four bolts in the tool compartment. It's so easy to just make what we want and experement! Fun! Pyro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonwingsubaru Posted April 11, 2005 Author Share Posted April 11, 2005 yeah that would definetally be too much out for me, i tend to go through alot of extreme angle stuff and since the only lift i have at the moment is the rear suspension up all the way and the front up about 3/4 of the way i hit my bumper way too much right now. yeah i know what you mean on stuff to get you outta the house, im always tinkering with 1 thing or another on both my soobs, probably why they both run perfect now. lol i think if you decide to go with steel you should go with like 4 inch and remake your bracket setup i think it would give it a good clean look. yeah those easy to get to bracket bolts are nice and so easy to get out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pyromanic Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 yeah that would definetally be too much out for me, i tend to go through alot of extreme angle stuff and since the only lift i have at the moment is the rear suspension up all the way and the front up about 3/4 of the way i hit my bumper way too much right now. yeah i know what you mean on stuff to get you outta the house, im always tinkering with 1 thing or another on both my soobs, probably why they both run perfect now. lol i think if you decide to go with steel you should go with like 4 inch and remake your bracket setup i think it would give it a good clean look. yeah those easy to get to bracket bolts are nice and so easy to get out. Yea, and if I were to go to four inch I could either just torch the curved part of the brackets and re-bend them, or cut tem off and weld direct to the tubing. On the other hand, I don't like the way the body looks from the bottom of the hatch on down, one reason I selected somethin with eight inch diameter. Supose that flat ugly part would look better if sprayed flat black. But eight inch covers it nicely. Hmmm. Much to consider. Guess I'll just drive it for now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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