---- 1999 Subaru Legacy Outback 2.5L H4 AWD Automatic ----

Hey all!!

 

So I'm painfully aware of how little power the EJ25D has and I want to lift the car to have  at least 8.5" of ground clearance, 9-9.5" would be awesome however I'm worried about losing torque and power with bigger tires. 

I've mostly seen good lifts regarding the H6 or other slightly more powerful engines and they've gone up to 29"or 32" tires with no problem.

I'm not rock crawling with this thing, I just want to get to some cool off the beaten trail camping spots, and my buddies stock 2017 wrangler had 8.3" of clearance, which handled very well on the trail I'm using as a gauge for the lift. but obviously the jeep has amazing approach, break over and departure angles and ill fix that issue later.

 

I just want to know what my sweet spot is regarding things like spacers, struts, bigger tires and ground clearance as it relates to me having the clearance to get over obstacles and enough power to get over it without having to take a huge running start and redline my engine. I don't want to have to winch myself through a trail.

 

should i be worried or is my engine powerful enough to take 29" tires?

 

 

others will respond with better info, but everything I've read across 2-3 forums for years indicates, 2" lift is the threshold. That or less is not too difficult, more calls for some more 'intense'(as in $$$) work with axles and suspension and alignment.

"Power" is relative.  No one can tell you what you'll be doing with the car, how much weight you'll be carrying, or what your expectations are.  It works fine for many people. 

Tires aren't permanent and can be changed.  Go buy cheaper used larger tires.  If you don't like them, just drive them until they're ready to be replaced. Then replace with the same size if you liked them, or smaller if they didn't scratch your itch. 

If you're worried about it - load it with a ton of weight and drive it up some road or trail and see how it does on the current tires.  If it's intolerable to you then you probably won't like larger tires. 

Your previous thread is here:

 

The EJ25D will be fine in the dirt moving those tyres no worries. The Auto will do all the work, upgrade the external cooler if in a warm climate. 

On the road at cruise is where you’ll feel the power loss - general acceleration and in the hills/inclines. Going slow over rough stuff won’t be an issue. 

There were guys on here turning 29 inch tyres in the L series with the piddly little EA82 1.8L carb fed engine! The EJ25D will do just fine. 

Also, you can’t compare a Jeep’s lift to a Subaru’s lift. They’re completely different and if you follow your mate’s lines on the track you’ll get stuck very quickly. Subarus need to be driven very differently. 

Pretty much the only advantage to lifting and off-roading a Subaru is the fact that the diffs stay tucked up under the vehicle, effectively keeping them up higher relative to wheel hub/solid axle height. This is where the Jeep almost needs bigger wheels to create more clearance under the diff pumpkin. 

If you want to get really involved, a 2 inch subframe drop with a 4 inch strut top block will give you an extra 4 inches height. Use some stiffer springs (not necessarily higher springs otherwise you start to enter dangerous suspension setup territory - unless you’re carrying a heavy load ALL the time!). The add the tyre size you want to use, trim the guards/fenders to make them work properly. Go off-roading!

Cheers 

Bennie