lesstutrey

My sub is getting burried right now too. Upwards of 2' of snow. A lot for this area. I'm gonna have fun just driving around my block snowdro-plaining the whole way

it's all rusted in the fender, why not trim it? Even if you aren't taking if off road you might still run into a situation where you get high compression on one or more of the wheels from a hard turn, and you don't want your wheels to lock then. Just trim that rust off. New fender wells are easily made from semi-tractor sized mud flaps and cable ties

It is a shame most 15" wheels don't fit around the brakes on the MY02+ OBWs. Running a lug adapter to 4.5, aka the wheel of the TJ, would only have like 3" of backspace.. but that's probably sticking out of the fender too much since they are 8" wheels, in my calculations about 3.25". 1" from adapter, 1.5" from wheel size increase with ~1" less backspace.. minus the +12 offset.. I live in illinois and they don't harass those with giant wheels and what not, unless they are speeding. Cops are more looking out for people driving 20-30mph over or are a dui. For no good reason if your truck isn't lifted you aren't normal round these parts, and cops don't seem to harass the jeep owners with 325mm wide 37" swampers (the TJ is absurdly popular around here). Maybe i need to be in a jeep brand jeep to not get harassed though? I'll obviously go higher if i want more than a 28" wheel.. probably lift it up to 4" If anyone found a 15" wheel that fit the 2002 OBW it would be really useful, since there are A LOT of jeep drivers with 15" wheels, and thus those AT/MTs are cheaper.... And is a spacer on a 5x100 dropping down to like 4.7" back space going to help at all for clearing the strut top perch?

very nice bumper indeed, looks like you could use bigger flaps lol

Alright, so that means the 215/70R16 will be my choice. That leaves open BFGs, Geolanders, AT2s, Falken A/Ts. For a midwestern daily driver who is gonna have his biggest problems with snow, and the occasional trip to the OHV parks that have easy to really hard trails, i want to hear the tire arguments. BFG's seemed to be the preferred tire for daily drivers/trail riders, with AT2s also seeming really liked. Based on tread life would that would lean me toward the BFG, but i'll be cycling 5 tires (just got a 5th wheel for my set, might refinish them without the gold...) so tread life is SLIGHTLY less of an issue, and as AT2's can cost me roughly half it makes me lean toward them, as the price of 5 is less than the price of 4 BFG KO's. Falkens and Yoko's don't seem to be as well liked for offroad, but that will be little of my driving.. but cost in the ballpark of at2s. The only problem with the 215/70R16 AT2s is that they do not have the snowflake rating that the BFG has. So.. what would you guys run? As to the wheel, the +38mm offset wheels don't help at all with the strut top rubbing, like a celica 16x6.5's (fairly easy to find cheap, same bolt pattern)? That's the one tire i've considered. I never measured the backspacing on the OEMs but unique brand steelies are like 5.7" backspace with +50 offset.. My guess is that's real similar to OEM. My only other thought has been adapter spacers. Like to a 5x4.5 with 25mm spacer, then a lot of small truck tires open up, and they have low back space, but this generally is something seems to be frowned on, despite all the 4 to 6 lug conversions i've seen that have spacers...

As well, think i can fit 28" of tire after this lift, or do i need to go bigger for that, since the TA is gonna move forward a bit (or does it not on the G3 OBs?). Was told i could fit a 235x65R16.. but i can't find people who've done this lift on this gen of car. Basically i'm in a tossup on tire size. I know i'll be able to fit a 235x60r16, that's 27.1" so 1/2" over stock. Dunno if there is any benefit in going up to 235 from 225, aside the half inch of tire vertically. Only AT in this size i can find is Geolander AT/S's. Since i do 95% highway it's a pretty reasonable tire. One person told me i can fit a 235x65r16 with 2" lift, that is like 28" on the nose, but there are really no good AT tires for that size...just goodyear fortera's that are great for highway driving. Again, 95% of my driving is paved, somewhat maintained flat straight country roads. I run on gravel a lot as well, or oiled gravel. If i can fit 235x65r16's i can fit any tire under 28" then, i'd assume, as long as it's not too wide. So that leads me to 215x70R16's, lots of choices in tires, geolanders, at2s, bfgs, falkens. This seems like my best bet, since i live in a land where 12" is a big snow storm, the narrow tread would dig through the snow better than 235s, in theory. So anyone who has done a 2" lift on this generation know what size tires i can fit on my 02 outback? If i can fit the 28's then the 215's are my best bet, and that's what i'd LIKE to run. That or the 235x60R16 that OBW's can run without lift...

Does anyone know (i know you do gloyale) the proper orientation for the front blocks? They are slightly lower at one corner, and i'm sure that means there has to be a proper orientation. Edit: the proper orientation on my blocks at least, had the arrows facing to the front of the car, doy. This is important on this lift as it's geometrically corrected for the camber issues the lift can create

Anyone think a 215x70R16 would fit with just the 2" lift?

Well i have a 2" lift kit that arrived today. Was produced by High Guys and i like it, though it isn't not installed yet. I purchased new KYB GR2 struts all around. i'm still waiting on my rears, so once they get here i'll probably do the lift (so next weekend). So right now all i have is this picture, but this thread has to start somewhere. Lifts and struts by High Guys

tightened up the springs a bit more with an extra hand, and yeah.. was the problem. One side of the cover now seems about 1" longer than the other, though.

I got into an accident, and my cargo cover got beat up pretty good. It won't retract now. I got a new one and the ******* who sold it me didn't package it well enough and one of the ends shattered, so ya know, rendered it fairly useless. I want to take the old cover and the bar it's on, and the old end caps/connectors and put them into the new covers sheet metal body (really wishing i didn't buy this now that i realize the fix, gonna end up doing stuff i don't want to on ebay and paypal) So i got the cover and stuff together and i got it to kind of retract, it just won't finish retracting, it's only going about half way. I think what i need to do is just get the springs that make the retracting bar pull in the cover in into a tight enough wind that they will do that. Just want to make sure i'm not missing anything other than get the spring tight enough.

Yeah, i mean the piece that connects to the battery terminal. Newest car for myself as well. Had a 1990 dakota, 1992 grand caravan, 1992 acura legend and now the OBW. This negative terminal problem is probably because i disconnected it when installing the new headlamp assemblies, and just never got it on very well, after a little driving it got loose, and did this crap. Really all the jumper box did was give it a better negative connection, the jumper clip forcing it on to the negative terminal more, so i don't think it strained my alternator much. With the 20-30 times i've jumped my old 92 acura legend the alternator still kicks butt so i'm not too woried, despite the legend having 20 more amps... However i am thinking of fixing up the serpentine with a rebuilt 90a alternator, new tensioner and rebuild the idle, or whatever the heck is squeaking in the serpentine setup. Maybe i just need a new belt, i just rolled over 81k today.

I'm looking at a pair of a lug adapters for my 5x100 wheels that take them to a truck size, 5x4.5" or something in that ball park that have a 1"-1.5" spacers as part of the construction. I am not looking at using these truck wheels and tires full time,i will probably run some 235x60R16 Geolander AT/S when i get new tires for daily driving (if i can run ~1" more tire with 2" lift). However if this 2" lift kit is convincing enough i'm gonna take the wagon up 4" or 6" and rock some truck rims and tires when i take her wheeling (for someone in illinois i got lucky, there is a decent sized OHV park an hour away that accepts SUVs) That is when i'd wanna be using these adapters. So i'd rarely have them on for long, probably a day of driving or so, because i can get small/mid-sized truck and suv rims or something along those lines cheap as heck on craigslist or at one of the local auto-yards. I live in farmland, so lots of truck and SUV parts are for sale, on the cheap (a lot of wranglers use the 5x4.5, and a lot of wrangler owners want to ditch their stock wheels, looking at a set of 4 for 60$). There just aren't really any 5x100 wheels i can find with small backspacing and low to no offset. Best i can muster is OEM style steels with 5.7" of backspace. What problems is this gonna create? Will it kill my wheel bearings, or present camber issues? Destroy the whole hub? I know i see a lot of the old GL's and what not with obvious truck wheels that are offset well below where they are supposed to be factory wise, and they are running 4 to 6 lug adapters that have to have spacing around 25mm and an increase in lug spacing... So, what problems will i be looking at, even if i'm only using them a few times a year, after all they'll be periods of heavy stress, just not very prolonged periods of heavy stress. And yes yes, i'll have ABS killed and diff locked via mods on switches in this setup. I may even get hitch cargo carrier so if i go for a longer trip, i can lug along my truck wheels for planed destination driving (i'll bring a cordless impact drill to increase the change speed.. cause i realize that's 20 lugs to loosen, then 40 lugs to tighten. then 40 lugs to loosen and 20 more to tighten in the switch to swap them completely in and out. So 120 lugs ) Won't be as bad at home with air tools. Or can some point me in a better direction?

Can't wait to see it. Hope you are still considering bullbars too... but depending on how things look and cost....maybe i go full bumper.

Well, i may replace the alternator in the future as i have a sub i want to wire in, and then some driving and fog lights, and probably some reverse lights too, so i'll need a well running or beefier one.

Thank you all but...... Before even reading your replies i figured it out when i went to jump it again. I use one of those jump starter boxes, (used to have a problem leaving my lights on in my old car) so i hooked up the clips to the terminals and since i had attempted to crank it, i had accidentally left the key in the ignition in the on position. I noticed the blower fan come on when i just connected it to the negative terminal. Normally i have to flip the jumper box on, and then it allows me to jump. I still had to do that, but it got me thinking about that negative terminal, and how i had bent it. I thought well, despite me cleaning it, i bet it has crap connection. Got home and took a screw driver and a hammer and tapped the clip down on the terminal, hopped in my car and cranked it, vola! Turned it off and tried it again (i did that my girls place and it didn't restart) and again, turned right over and started. Fairly sure i got it taken care of, but replacing the terminal clip seems like a good idea to make sure it doesn't come loose from vibrations, and since the screw it utterly stuck (though i bet i can break it if i pull it off the terminal) Probably need to replace the battery too, almost 9 years of use and it has been COLD lately (hovering around 0F) though it was reading 14.5v. Also didn't test it off, since once i got it running i wanted to get inside. Didn't have anyone crank it, i know that's the real test. I'll do that before i replace it, but the dimming lights and slowing fans is probably a good indication the battery is going.

I went to start my car last night, a 2002 VDC H6 OBW and on the first try all i got was clicks. Tried again and it turned right over. Drove to where i was going, hung out for 20 minutes, left and it started right back up. This afternoon i drove to and from class without incident with starting it. I went to leave my house around 6 tonight and only clicks, and a small poof of smoke that exited the hood near the battery. Lights and stuff work, but both times this has happened i notice the clock/trip odimeters have reset, same for the radio. I jumped it and it started right up. I used a jumper box. I got to my destination and turned it off and went to turn it back on again, just clicks but no smoke or anything. That stopped after a few tries the first time. I just installed new headlights, and in doing so i disconnected my negative terminal on the battery because it needed a cleaning. I used a terminal cleaner on it and hooked it back up. Getting it off was a PITA, i bent the clip trying to break the nut, and eventually trying to break the nut the clip slipped off the terminal. Probably gonna use a small gear puller next time, and fix the nut. If it is not the battery the only thing i can think is that it is getting a crappy connection on the negative since i couldn't really tighten it afterward, but it's on there tight enough i'd need a gear pulled to take it off. I noticed while driving the lights dim when i stop, and the fan for the heat often slows down and then speeds up when i hit the gas. I was having a squeak coming from my tensioner or idle (couldn't tell which) but that has gone away, so was thinking maybe that might have been the culprit. Any opinions aside from my battery is toast, since it starts right up if i jump it?

i like the swap, and your name, as it is mine too Sorry, got no help to offer though...

Just got a pair of GR-2 rears for 88$ shipped for a 2002 OBW. The fronts on my 2002 (before 5/02) are always the more expensive ones, but total set is costing me ~265$ to my door so i can't complain about that. I'll do strut swap when lift goes in... Replacing springs/coils, seems silly to me unless you replace them with aftermarkets that do something different (stiff raliteks or king spring lift springs, or even OEM h6/baja springs for h4 drivers). Springs should last the life of a car, unless the life of your car exceeds 250k miles, in my experience springs have a really long life span, struts not so much. I just rolled over 80k so i figured struts could use a swap.

very nice.. but i'd be painting those wheels Jealous you can run 6 bolts period though.

looks like a horse took a leak in a bucket.

hope you all had fun.

I just wanted to make sure i wasn't gonna end up missing some part in the repair because we didn't order the bumper cladding. Probably just allowing for time to repair it since, as was said, the damage is to the right side, and the clips are broken on the left, so probably just allotting some hours for lining those back up once the new skin goes on.

Ok, i got into a minor front end collision on the 13th (just my day), i need some minor body work, and my insurance estimator came and gave me his estimate. My father delt with him, so forgot to mention the broken cargo cover and missing tow eye cover, no biggie, i'll call the guy and get an extra ~200$ for that stuff. Friend is doing the body work work so i will have a good chunk of the check left afterward, but i was going through the estimators repairs he though i needed, and i notice "Fender Cladding RT" and it's listed as refinish and repair job with like .3 hours of labor. What is the fender cladding? Tops of my fenders are just metal, and all i notice is the bumper cover and it only being supported by one or two screws that are hooked up to a piece of metal that has bent and obviously has a ton of missing plastic pins. What the heck was this guy talking about because most of the damage is on the right side and the only visible damage on the left is these loose bumper connectors What the heck is the left fender cladding? the right side does NOT need this repair, and it's got most of the damage (dent in fender, hole in bumper, tear in bumper, scratch in bumper, minor hood damage just to the right of the grill, torn tow eye cover)

Just a note on electronics and water. Contrary to what a lot of people believe, electronics and water mix just fine, as long as there is no electrical current. The only problem is when a lot of buildup occurs due to the stuff in the water. As long as no electricity is applied while things are wet, they are just fine. For instance i wash my keyboards in the dishwasher. Causes no problems, as long as i wait for them to dry before using them. This is true of all electronics. Drop your phone in water, pull the battery and it might live. An ecu submerged and cleaned should probably work just fine, as long as you cleaned it well enough and didn't apply any power while it was still wet. Clean it up well and i think it should be good... but that's just opinion, never soaked an ECU, only computer related things, but an ECU is a computer...