MountainBiker

I'm interested. I think that the Big Bear trails will have too much snow though. How about a high desert location, with the potential for forays up into the mountains as snow permits?

Yep, the SG rear struts have more tire clearance, but they have less travel than the SF struts. Without a locker or even a decent LSD, articulation (or lack thereof) is what limits my Forester's trail-ability. So I opted for more articulation!

NICE! I wish I could fit tires that big on my Forester!

Huh? What is that?

I still haven't done this yet. I do have the material though. If someone comes up with a decent way to mount to a crossmember, I'd sure like to see how it is done!

This one too, Fluid Additive: http://www.drivetrain.com/subaru_dt.htm#Fluid%20Additive

Good find! This kit sounds interesting: -K85944 Shift Enchancemt Kit Forester 1998 F 4WD 4 Speed Transmission Code 4EAT -This kit addresses: planetary failure (burnup), 3rd clutch failure, forward clutch burn=up, soft 1-2 shift, band burnup and low lube flow.. Installation of this kit can improve performance and life of the transmission.

Yes, this sometimes works. It definitely increases the torque delivered to the spinning wheel, which in turn increase the torque delivered to the stationary wheel. Unfortunately, the parking brake is also applied to the other wheel, so this doesn't always get you unstuck.

I don't think anyone is splitting hairs here in this side discussion, which is about the definition or torque and torque split. It matters in this context because Subaru claims a 50/50 Torque split, or 60/40 or 90/10 in various situations. A 50/50 torque split means that both wheels have equal torque applied to them. So if one is zero, the other is zero. BTW, torque has no direct relation to wheel speed, so equal torque can be applied if one wheel is spinning and the other wheel is stationary. In this case, whatever torque is needed to spin the wheel (say 30 ft-lbs just for discussion), then the stationary wheel also has 30 ft-lbs applied to it. This 30 ft-lbs may or may not be enough to actually turn that wheel or move the vehicle. A true 50/50 TORQUE split can (and often does) make one wheel spin and the other remain motionless (and the car remains motionless).

What are you talking about? A locked 50/50 transfer will still send power to each axle. Be it a hydraulic lock like the automatics, or a mechanical diff lock or the selective 4wd like the old ones. One wheel slips and you lose torque at other wheel on that axle(unless you have a LSD diff on that axle) but not at the other axle. An open center diff goes from being 50/50 to practically 0/0 when there no traction at one wheel. Subies with the Viscous center diff will still transfer some torque. But that is not an open diff, it is limited slip. Mountainbiker please read up on differential types and theory. open center diffs will leave you with no torque. a locked 50/50 will give you torque to both axles no matter what. The key word in what you say above is TRANSFER. When the VLSD engages, it transfers torque, which is no longer a 50/50 torque distribution. An open diff never goes to 0/0, it is always 50/50. So when one wheel spins or is in the air, it has equal torque applied to it as the other the other wheel, and both will have near zero torque. This is what you get with 50/50 TORQUE distribution.

Excellent! I look forward to seem your results. Which is exactly my point! After one wheel slips, torque is still evenly distributed 50/50, and you are still stuck. That is why I always mention open diffs when somebody claims the 50/50 torque distribution is actually a good thing in poor traction conditions. I think we need a tongue in cheek smilie, which would help to show why I always bring up the open diff!

Yeah, 50/50 torque distribution always gets you unstuck. Open diffs give you 50/50 torque split... If you don't feel the need for the mod, then you don't need the mod, it's that simple. Seems that most of those that have used it enjoy the benefits.

From California DOT http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/traffops/trucks/trucksize/chains.htm#axle: And for my Forester at least, according to Subaru, chains must be put on the front wheels only!

Nipper keeps forgetting about me and my 3 years of successful use! He must have me on ignore! Look at post 17 of this thread, and a few other threads where I posted my results. I don't recall if I posted in Andyjo's long thread, because I wasn't on the board at that time, and I had already done the mod.

I'm anal, so I rotate tires every 3750 miles, and change the synthetic oil every 7500 miles. But I only check the alignment when something feels wrong or I buy new tires.