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Subaru vibration issue hits NY Times


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A while back our neighbors were debating a new car purchase, asked me for an opinion and received the inevitable Subaru sales pitch. They took a test drive of the Forester and Outback (2010s) and I had suggested the Forester because it has a regular 4EAT, next year would be the first year of the FB engine and the Outback came with a CVT... They went for the Outback...

 

Forwarded.

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I have personally fixed several of these vehicles.

 

The "kit" doesnt fix it.

 

The "road force balance" doesnt fix it (makes it worse in most cases).

 

Replacing the tires with the same tires again doesnt fix it.

 

Replacing the tires with DIFFERENT tires other than what comes on it, FIXES it.

 

What else fixes it? Balance the OE tires to less than 0.10 oz and put 44psi in them. BUTTER.

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What upsets me the most is that the tires that come on them are actually GOOD tires and I have no complaints other than the fact that SOA bid too low and thats what they got: the lowest bidder supply of tires. A fine tire it is, it just vibrates at anything less than ~40psi in it.

 

When they scrapped the 12 or so tires we replaced under warranty, I got them and I mounted/balanced and run 44psi in them. Smooth as butter on 96 Legacy Outback (barely fits) and 05 Baja Turbo.

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So the stock Continental tires just suck? I'm assuming Subaru chose the Continental as the tires supplier so that the Outback could get the best fuel efficiency.

 

Like I said, they dont "suck" in the normal sense that tires would suck. They just have a vibration issue at below 40psi.

 

Conti was the lowest bidder for the specified tires SUBARU was looking for. Plain and simple.

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Like I said, they dont "suck" in the normal sense that tires would suck. They just have a vibration issue at below 40psi.

 

Conti was the lowest bidder for the specified tires SUBARU was looking for. Plain and simple.

 

Hmmm, odd.

 

40 PSI isn't a tire pressure I would run on the outdoor-oriented Outback, especially in sand or other terrain.

 

Bah that's lame. I think Subaru should just have Pirelli supply some Scorpion ATR tires or maybe even have Yokohama supply the Geolandar since some people actually take their Subies off-road.

 

 

Bah I guess cheaper = more sales :-\

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Why not? I have much better traction out of my Michelins on my F-150 at 50psi than I do at the "recommended" 20psi for sand use.

 

Every single tire I've ever used has better performance, all across the board, when running near or at its maximum rated pressure.

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The only problem with running the tires at that high of pressure is the uneven wear. The tires tend to wear out in the center. This then leads to other issues. Once you wear the centers out due to too high a pressure then go back to the "correct" pressure the tire then tends to wander. Instead of a uniformed smooth suface, the tire is now basicly two tires (the two outside not worn out ridges).

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The only problem with running the tires at that high of pressure is the uneven wear. The tires tend to wear out in the center. This then leads to other issues. Once you wear the centers out due to too high a pressure then go back to the "correct" pressure the tire then tends to wander. Instead of a uniformed smooth suface, the tire is now basicly two tires (the two outside not worn out ridges).

 

That only applied when you are past the max rated pressure.

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G'day fella's, I haven't been here for a long, long, long while, I feel like a Newbie. :lol: Just checked my log in = 03-20-2006 :eek: :eek: :eek:

 

I wonder if this vibration (shudder?) problem is what is also plaguing the Diesel Forester here in Australia, although some of their problems appear to be slight incline related but some are starting to get the problem on the flat as well.

 

I have read of one guy already bailing out of his Diesel and got himself into an XT Forester instead.

 

http://www.ausubaru.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18766

 

The Diesel Forester out here is also having DPF problems.

Edited by subyroo
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