Smash

Yeah but the price of the labor to install is too much to warrant unfortunately. For my pocket atleast!

Thanks numbchux! Cool to know it can be done, but I'm no mechanic so it looks like having to pay someone else to do this puts it out of my reach. Bugger.

A bugger, yeah a grand is far more than I want to put into this car. Thanks for the help! I'll keep the Foz as is for now unless someone else pipes up.

Just trying to determine if this is even going to be worth it. Anybody have an idea of cost of parts? If it's gonna be really pricey, or require a lot of fabbing, I'll hold off and stick to the plan: I have 113k on the Foz now, want to get 200k out of him. At that point I hope to be in a position to invest in a "true" 4x4 with low range.

Hmmm. I did find this.... http://alliedarmament.homestead.com/EAEJ.html

Mods please move thread if it isn't in the right place!

The biggest limiting factor on my 5 speed forester is having no low range. That 5 speed hates steep hills, or even not so steep hills that are really long. It's terrible out here as most of our trails are steep at some point or another. A friend's basically stock Outback (auto trans) will walk right past me on a hill. FRUSTRATING. So. If I managed to come up with some money, is it possible to take one of the older (EA82?) dual range transmissions and get it to work on my '03 Forester? If so, any idea of cost for parts? I would not be able to do the swap, but have a mechanic that I trust to do it. Thanks guys!

Will do as soon as I find some confounded time!!

That's alright, didn't see you up by the cemetery so figured you weren't able to make it. Would've been nice to meet you! We had a good time, had some offroad newbs with us with basically stock Foresters with skid plates, so you probably would've been bored. Report is here if you want to check it out: http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f102/trip-report-i-found-friends-55653/

Looking forward to meeting you tomorrow Bigo. Will probably hangout at the meet spot at the base of central city parkway until 11:30, then head up to the cemetery to hook up with you.

Alrighty, I'm headed out in the morning for a motorcycle trip to Virginia, I'm planning to be back on the 22nd, but might be back on the 23rd. There is a rafting outfitter at the base of the Central City Parkway with a nice big dirt parking lot. It'll be on the right as you come under I-70 on the Central City exit. I'll be there from 11-11:15am, then will head up to the cemetery. Bigo, I figure we'll meet you there. Looks like probably an Outback, and Outback Sport, maybe a SF Forester, a Nissan Frontier, you and me. IF YOU HAVE 2 WAY RADIOS PLEASE BRING THEM!! Will make this much easier. Bigo - pm coming your way with my phone number.

Only areas I've tried near Denver so far have been off the Campground Road above Central City, and up a Forest Road off the main pass road above Georgetown (didn't get far up there cause of snow). Lol I need to start learning all these names!

Roll up thru apex? We've been up there, but was earlier last month and everything was still snowed in. I'm definitely down for some new trails for those that know the area. I'm running an '03 XS Forester, 2 inch lift, no sways, AT tires and front/rear skid plates. Only trouble I get into is that my car is a manual, so without low range I have trouble doing tricky steep slopes where I can't get a run at it. My buddy's Frontier, if he comes, can handle more than my Foz can, so I'm probably the weakest link.

You and your girlfriend might be the only subies besides us, another friend with a Frontier might be joining us too. I'm thinking the cemetery is a perfect meetup if everyone knows where that is. Not familiar with mammoth gulch (new to the Denver area), you'll have to show me.

First thread for me! Pretty active over at subaruforester.org and ORS.org as well, figured I'd throw this up here. Planning a get together via SF.org if anyone is interested in attending. I don't usually have anyone show up, but hey it's still fun for me! Will be hitting trails suitable for a stock Forester, offroad tires would be helpful but not required. There are plenty of offshoots if those more capable want to have some more challenging fun. I don't recommend anyone go out in a stock height vehicle without underbelly protection, but I will leave that up to the attendees. Some good spotting and we will keep your belly safe if you don't have skid plates. Date: Saturday, June 27th Location: Central City Time: 11am Eat breakfast before you come and bring a lunch. If you plan on bringing dogs, let me know so I can leave mine at home (I have one that is pretty dog aggressive). I will update this thread the week before with an exact meetup location. I need to go wander around Central City to find a good spot for us to group up.

damnit guys, sorry i'm out. totally forgot the 2nd is the toys for tots poker run in denver. i'm already committed to doing that. have fun! i'll hook up with y'all next time.

sweet. so... when/where are we meeting?

oh, and i'm running an '03 forester stock besides a set of AT2s on steelies (no skidplate, yet). so let me know if i won't be able to get back where you guys are planning on going.

hey, new member. got directed over here from AWDpirates. was gonna do an offroad day on the 2nd, but was informed you guys were planning a christmas tree run. i don't need a tree, but would be down for some fun in the snow. trick is i work on the 1st. any chance we could do the 2nd? and what are the details? place? time? route? i'll throw on the A/Ts and hopefully we'll find some snow.