superu

Hello nurse!! I bet that was nice when she scrubbed off the strawberry with that alcohol pad

Any estimate on weight difference from pulling off the sheet metal then beefing up with the supporting steel?

Nice work Gregg!! and if the price is right for Zap's tires you'd be a happy man!

I did not use any kit. I just went to an exhaust/muffler shop and said, "i want 2.25" pipe from the rear cat back through a magnaflow muffler. And put in a small cherry bomb in-line where the factory resonator was (this i figured would be good after the NO cats 2.25" pipe and magnaflow alone). Sounds good! I don't think that applies to muffler core size. I'm sure my muffler's core size is larger than the exhaust pipe's diameter. That's what allows the muffler to flow the exhaust out with less retriction, i.e. high flow. My magnaflow is a 14" by 9" (external diameter) satin stainless oval, offset (input) center (output) with 2.25" in and out pipe diameter. Nope. I am with you and wanting it to be right. It's good to get as much info as possible about and for your rig, so keep digging up the right information!! As such it still peeves me a bit when I think about it, that they did not do EXACTLY what I asked, namely building the catback from the flange after the last cat, so I could bolt on the factory piping if I were to sell the ar or something. Although this was all before I was ENTIRELY sold on Subaru.. But now (that iI've owned it for 5.5 years), I doubt i'm ever going to sell this car. :lol: nice!

sounds like you're narrowing in to your goal.. Subarus breath and flow pretty well stock, so if cost and a wearyness of messing up something for sound alone, I'd support your idea of just replacing the mufflers. keeping all the pipe stock, consider replacing the cat for a high flow, replace the mufflers with magnaflows and maybe replace the intake piping between the air filter box and the engine intake. This way you'll get a little better flow directly into the engine, you'll keep the exhaust back pressure, increase fluididty of flow through the cat and keep the minor resonator in the stock exhaust but increase flow through the mufflers resulting in a nice mellow, but deep tone. If you DO increase pipe diameter through a cat back, that will help with the deep note at higher revs (WOT) and keep it DEEP. BUT if you go the cat back route, I'd consider installing a small charry bomb in-line as a resonator to keep it mellow, but deep and not loud! Other than that, doing the exhaust mods you hear on sweet wrxs and rally cars, unfortuately you'll just need a new car The 2.5 block is good and produces a nice tone, but you sure get a better rumble with a turbo or twin turbo:slobber: I hope my experience and opinion helps with some ideas.. Good luck and figure out how to do a video online with the sound whenever you get it all done, and share share share Ciao, -mw-

Hey Blondy, I can appreciate your want for good advice and helpful tips from the wealth of folks here that have done it all. I'll share what I did in my NA, EJ22 95 legacy, and what I'd do again if I had the chance. This is my daily driver, but I have done some slight off road modification for more ground clearance and a rougher appearance and functionality. Its not a true off roader since I do not have the gearing, but i get it sideways in dirt/gravel and snow. I go off road for recreation (mt. biking, hiking, backpacking, climbing, etc.) and can go on LOTS more trails than a stock Legacy L or impreza, because of clearance alone. Anyhoo, my rig (while 10 years older than yours) has a lot of the same or similar plumbing, so this may not be too off the base for your situation. First, I removed the snorkus from the fender and replaced the box air filter with a high flow re-usable one (i used K&N, but there are others). Then I did a complete 2.25 inch piping replacement removing the cats (there are 2 in my car) running it through a magnaflow high flow muffler. The outcome of this was, complete LOSS of all low end torque and WICKED, CRAZY loud! Think something similar to stock or indy car racing, drag racing, etc. Open exhaust like Went back and had both cats reinstalled and added a 12 inch cherry bomb (hot dog, whatever you want to call it) installed in line where the factory resonator sits in the factory piping. After reinstalling the cats, I regained the back pressure that I'm told these motors like and need, and gave me the low end again. There is a coupling in the exhaust after the second cat, so the muffler shop SHOULD have done the 2.25 cat back from that coupling (AS I ASKED) so that I could just bolt up the factory piping if I wanted to. Anyway, they hacked it up and gave me the factory piping in pieces, but I digress. The 2.25 cat back through a cherry bomb resonator and a magnaflow muffler gives me a nice deep rumble, but the cherry bomb and cats do the muffling, so its not a ricey rocket, chainsaw, or a stock car noise machine. If I did it again, I would leave the snorkus in the fender and modify the intake between the filter box and the intake manifold (read: cold air intake). My rig is a MAP system yours I believe is a MAV or MAT? Whatever it is, its a different sensoring system and dictates a little different action between the air filter box and the actual intake manifold junction. (I admit I do not know all the correct terms of the parts I am talking about, but others here do) Check this link for LOTS of good intake info: http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=477393&highlight=snorkus+intake+cold+air If this isn't the one I'm thinking of that I read a couple months ago, it has good info and definitions. Anyway, yes modifying the intake changes the exhaust tone. Deleting the snorkus give you a deeper and a bit louder note.. I've deleted the snorkus and stock box filter setup for a cone filter in my wife's EJ18 '93 impreza, and JUST that mod makes it a bit deeper and you get a bit of air sucking up front too. BUT this killed the fuel economy, mostly cuz it sounded cool, so i spent a lot of time with my right foot pushing the peddle down. (shrug) So in summary for my EJ22 NA 95 legacy, i deleted the snorkus and replaced the filter with a K&N box filter replacement (If i did this again i would leave the snorkus and modify the piping AFTER the filter box). I did 2.25 inch AFTER the catS, LEAVING the factory exhaust header and critical "Y" pipe (if I did it again, i would change for a higher flow cat, and MAYBE true headers). I went 2.25 inch back through a 12 inch cherry bomb and magnaflow muffler, NOT dyna flow, those have a tinny whiney note at high revs (read: WOT . (I like the cherry bomb acting like a resonator to quiet the tone, as is factory). I think your twin pipe is an artifact of appearance. If I'm wrong someone will chime in, but i think your factory exhaust (like mine) leaves the engine through paired exhaust headers, joins through a "Y" pipe, goes through the cat(s), continues back through a resonator as ONE pipe, then (different from mine) splits up again to pair off into bilateral mufflers and tips. People here do different things and get different results. Opinions are many and advice usually is too, so keep asking and maybe try other forum threads here too. Might be you get a larger audience by going into other USMB forums. I know i used to ONLY look at the off road forum, but there's good info elsewhere too. Good luck and keep everyone updated. Everyone LOVES pictures too These pix show the factory Y pipe with cats, the beginning of the 2.25", the entire exhaust hanging under the car, a close-er up shot of the cherry bomb, and the magna flow. I had the shop "tuck" the system up tight to the body for additional ground clearance, and they did a great job at that! cheers, -mark-

Heck yea! Looks aight, yo!

Did some later model OBs come with them also?

Ahh the problems of a race-speced car with HIGH HP! I think you'd be psyched to have the low range gearing of an EA82, for better "crawling" than 1st gear of your EJ tranny. Though the Auzzies have DR AWD cars (with suky low range gearing). And with some modding, their DR trannis can be swapped out for the 1.59:1 low range of an EA82, compared to their 1.18:1 (found in 3.90 final drive legacies). BUT, their forester boxes are 4.11 final drive qand stock with 1.44:1 crawl ratio (also modifiable to 1.59:1). I'm not sure about 4.44 foresters (I assume in later year turbos) and OBs. I'd assume they got 4.44 too, and if they did, I'm not sure what their crawl ratio would be (assume still 1.44:1 low range)... Anyway, fun ideas!! But for crawling, I'm sure you'd be more psyched with lower crawling gearing, BUT your turbo's still going to kick in at higher RPMs, and deliver the torque and HP probably above 3000 RPM,probably closer to 4,000...

PM sent. I've compiled a spreadsheet with a bunch of tranny gearing info.

I had questions for same springs for my 95 legacy on 97 OB struts. i was interested in Scorpion springs (stiffer) or Scorpion raised springs (stiffer and taller). This thread shares that info. http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=93542&page=2 via email correspondance with Scorpion and getting costs and shipping info... Hope this helps..

For speed for sure a downgrade, but with the low gearing and lower end torque, BACKED by horsepower, think of the climbing ability But i wonder how fast he'd burn through those older 3.90 trannies with the WRX torque and HP...

Yeah, i second. You should consider an EA82 DR 5 spd...

DUDE!! Seriously?!! SICK!! HOLY-FREAKIN"-COW! :eek::eek::slobber::slobber: LOVE IT! Your work is freakin' sick man! Awesome welds, good fabbing, great ideas, nice finish work, great reinforcements.. Lemme know next time you come to UT, if you make it to moab!

Props dude, p-r-o-p-s! Not enough cool stuff to say for cutting into and beefing up the WRX! I like the suspension flex, sweet tires! Sick work on the cross-bracing and front undercarriage armor! +1 interested guy for the build thread and photo history of your rig! (oops, here it is [http://ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=97168] Welcome to your new home in the off road forum of USMB!

Really? I thought for sure the final drive gearing played a big part in the speedo. When I went with taller tires my speedo and odo went off (with OBs as 4.11 and running taller tires than my stock 3.90 and 185x70x14s)... There was a tire size calculator on BFG (tires) website (many others available on the net) that tell you gearing ratios and how RPMs and speed changed withh tire size. I thought I could regain my lost power from taller tires by changing final drive tranny gearing, which would also recompensate my speedo. So I too could get an OB TCU to recorrect my speedo and odo? That'd be nice (but tranny gearing, would still give better power and performance by recompensating for tires right?) OOPS, sorry. Not hijacking, really... Nice work on the tranny swap! Car looks good with the strut lift! Good call on not modifying the exhaust and intake.

2nd!

Are you running a 4.11 final drive or 4.44 in your forester? Both are findable in Suby LSD, they'll vary on LSD or VLSD though. Someone else help me out here, but can't you get an 02 WRX (probly a 3.90 final drive?) auto (I've read that's the one you want) and pull the LSD unit then replace it in his rear diff with his correct outer ring gear (not sure what its called), or a similar deal with another factory clutch pak LSD? Scoobyclimbs has a 4.44 LSD in his 03 OB, I think its Suby... Anyway, I'm interested in this mod too, either creating your LSD from another Suby diff or doing the phantom grip install

Yeah agreed. That's where I am now. OB struts and springs on legacy subframe stuff. Yeah, that's what I'm considering, taller springs with the stock OB strut swap. So with the taller springs I think i want the other subframe stuff too. This is good. You're reaffirming what I think I've consolidated from other peeps here. Now to just get all those little parts together if I go the raised spring route. Also good to see if anyone State-side has a set rather than dealing direct with scorpion...

You should run a couple tanks of gas on stock tires and get an average mileage calculation (I assume you have a good handle on stock tires and suspension milage) there before you do bigger tires. its good to have a reference and also some calculations on whatever size tire you get so you can do the conversion and know how far off your speedo and odo get with larger tires... I'm sitting around 5% off, i.e. my odo is under milage and my speedo is slower than actual ground speed on BFG 27.5x8" 14s. Its good info to have about your rig. Also if you consider intake or exhaust modifications, its good to know what base stock is... Have fun and looking forward to new meats!

I've heard good things about the phantom grip used in offroad applications. A friend regularly puts them into his built up rigs (EJ swaps into EAs and DR swaps into new gen cars), but he's not on this forum, so i appologize for a second hand report. One of his rigs is run by freerange I think in Montana [(an 98 OB) has phantom grip front (i think) and rear with a DR 5spd from an EA] is smetimes on this board but more on legacycentral.org. He likes it well enough. He reports, "it's possible to burn off the front tires(phantom LSD) but axle hop and torque steering comewith it." I too have been weighing the phantom grip vs. a stock suby lsd (not vlsd) for a rear LSD in my minor-lifted legacy, for use in snow and minor off-road applications. But I've come to expect the PG would be better for off-raod but good in snow and the suby LSD primarily good in snow. I am considering it ONLY for the rear, as it is my daily driver. Anyhoo, I don't know if this helps but it is second hand reporting of Phantom grip being pretty good for offroad application in a suby.

heck yeah! nice catch

Heck yeah!! The only problem with OB lifts on legacies, BIG wheel wells dictat spending more money to fill them in with taller tires I too am a big fan of the OB strut swap lift! But, I've been am getting info from other folks about swapping over more of the OB lift blocks, trailing arms, etc. if i go for lift springs (to help push up my heavy bumper and skid plate). I've been told without the OB lift blocks and other OB suspension parts, but JUST the strut lift, that the axles can't handle the added geometry of lift springs. Lift blocks may negate that though, so just OB struts and lift blocks would be fine. ANYHOO, looks good, nice work, clean car!! WOOp WOOp!!

Yeah, wear items are wear items, but i thought that a clutch speced for racing would be overkill for a daily driver and occasional light offroading and pulling (i.e. pulling cars out of the snow I guess i was sold by the SPEC specs indicated extra long life, and by the guy at clutchexpress. I was under the impression it would be an excellent choice for long life (as a daily driver) but MUCH stonger than stock when applied for pulling, and light offroading. So if i got 60K out of it, and that's long for a stage 2, though not used in a racing application, i guess i feel a touch better about it... Still nearly 5 bills for a clutch gone in 4 years... Hopefully the "OEM" exedy will outlast the original Suby clutch (which went 110K) But, ya live and ya learn! :-\

Note to self. Live and learn. After mechanic installs new racing clutch.... DO NOT ADJUST IT YOURSELF, EVER! The SPEC stage 2 was to be, but will not be the last clutch I buy. After less than 60,000 miles this one is DUN! Racing clutches are touchy, BUT strong. They don't last long when out of adjustment though. Once its installed and adjusted by the pro, leave it alone, no matter how much you want to learn and fiddle with things.... Lesson learned. Now, with the need for another flywheel to go with my Exedy replacement, I will be back on the road tomorrow... AND I WILL NOT TOUCH CLUTCH OR HILL-HOLDER ADJUSTMENTS AGAIN