i just bought the bar and skid plate. i will be using your video to help me install it. thank you for spending time to make these videos. youre the number one person i go to for information or tips with my 2018 crosstrek.
Thanks. My wife just drove slowly into a snow window and did $5000 of damage on underside of her 2017 CRV. Its in the mechanic shop right now. I will be buying the plate and the bar.
Oh wow! Sorry to hear that. The bar and plate are awesome, but they do add weight and you will loose some ground clearance. I love the set up, but had to change shocks to handle the weight up front.
I appreciate your vids/feedback as you modify the XTREK. I have a ‘18 Limited & would really like to either lift or do the same wheel/tire mod that you did. And I’ll admit, it’s more for aesthetics than anything else. Come springtime, I hope to use the vehicle to transport a canoe/gear. It’s been great for accommodating a dog crate/puppy. Definitely enjoy the ride! 👍🏼
Thank you so much! Sincerely appreciate it the feedback and glad you are enjoying your Crosstrek. They really are great little versatile cars. The Methods and KO2's really change the look of the car for sure, but I always like to warn people about the added road noise from the tires. It isn't horrible, but worth mentioning. I am really loving them on my car and off road they have helped a ton. Best of luck with the car and let me know what you decide to do. Cheers man.
Hi Rick, I have a 2018 Crosstrek 2.0i with full Primitive racing under body skid plates, the 1.5'' lift, yokohama all-terrain tires, charcoal filter delete and thanks to you, a Curt hitch. I highly recommend you get a lift kit! I got the Subtle Solutions 1.5'' Lift and it is great. Honestly, the LP adventure would be a much easier install though, especially because they supply brake line extensions, which are pretty much a requirement (I ordered mine from LP separately). The lift caused almost no change in the handling characteristics of the car! I was honestly shocked at how well it handled after the lift. Anything over 2'' of lift destroys the lifespan of our CV joints, so I recommend that you go with a 1.5'' body lift over a spring lift or combination of both if you want to retain the good handling characteristics of the Crosstrek. I driven my Crosstrek offroad to its limits on mountains passes from Alaska to Colorado so feel free to bounce any questions off me. Side note, my rear sway bar managed to pop out too while I was offroading, caused no damage and I have had no problems since i screwed it back in with some lock tite.
Hey bro thank you so much for the awesome info! Very cool. Sounds like you have yourself a really nice set up going with lots of experience. At this point my biggest question is if doing the lift will counteract the extra weight up front? Or if I will still need to address that at some point? It isn't like the car is sagging up front at all, I can just feel the weight. Excellent food for though and I will hit you up with questions when I sort this all out. Thank you again!
@@AZdroptop Most lift kits are offered to us are just spacers, so that wont help out with feeling the extra weight up front. Primative racing has a spring based lift or you could try rallitek springs but you will give up factory ride. Cant wait to see what you do! Good luck.
I highly recommend the Rallitek sport springs I put on my 18 Forester 2.5. I know we have different vehicles. No negatives whatsoever. Car handles better. Mainly less body roll when cornering
Rick, take some time and stop by the local Jeep dealer and drive the new JLUR... night and day from the JKUR... at least it felt that way to me. Not persuading you to switch vehicles, but my wife had the same reaction when we test drove the JKU Rubicon and was against us buying one... The JLU Rubicon was so much better in the interior, handling, electronics, and the drive that she actually liked it... It took some convincing just to get her to go again with me to test drive a Jeep... but it was worth it just to see her change her perception on them... Anyway, all that because unless I get her on the good side of the Jeep, I ain't getting one, lol... So now, when the time is right, I might jump into one... Thank you for the video and review of the changes you made to your Subaru. Straight and honest evaluation. That is great.
Hey Jaime, thanks for the info brother. To be honest my Rubicon was an 05 so I can imagine they have really improved things! Do you think you could drive it comfortably everyday? Having the 4 doors is helpful I bet and I know the v6 they are using now gives better mileage and more torque. You are a smart man getting the wife onboard. :) A man with marriage experience. Love it. :)
@@AZdroptop - Yes, it is that good that you can drive it as a daily car. The huge difference is the 8-speed auto transmission they now have in it... perfectly matched to the V6. Everything about it in terms of the interior is so much better than the JK... Like I said, not trying to convince you to change, but you at least need to go drive one... And yeah, happy wife, happy life... nothing happens if the wife is not onboard... well, only if I want peace at home, lol Go drive one and report back :)
Very cool. I will have to check one out here soon. Sounds like they are pretty sweet these days. I lol'd at your wife comments. :) Have a great weekend.
I went on a fairly technical off-road trip this past weekend. Scraped an awful lot (there was a lot of large puddles, potholes, rocks, hill climbs/descends, & a river crossing.) Without the skid plates, I would've been SoL with something broken. I currently don't have a lift at the moment so the scraping was expected & I've become used to it since I've had this same LP Aventure setup since December. Thanks to the skid plates I was able to pass a very rough patch & slide off a boulder that I ended up being briefly high centered on (was a tight space to pass around). I too feel a lift will offset the issues & I definitely advise being a little more careful until it is lifted. I'm in the same boat, looking at also getting springs with a lift.
Emilio, thanks so much for the input. Love hearing about your experience with the LP stuff. I do figure I will be scraping a bit more, but like you said, the protection is worth it. Where were you off road? Thanks again.
@@AZdroptop I live in Washington. This past weekend I was in Darrington, WA. I've been up & down Snoqualmie Pass, WA (been through plenty of snow this winter) & to trails in Greenwater, WA since I've had the LP gear installed.
I have the subtle 1.5 spacers. No ra kit. Rallittek 1 inch lift springs. Car empty actually about 3 inches not 2.5. so yeah. And I didn't use ra kit. For alignment I used the ready lift 2 inch lift alignment specs off there site. No tire wear and it all landed in green. Those springs are amazing.
Appreciate the info man. Lp just released the skid plate and front bumper for the 19 foresters and I was wondering the same thing about losing ground clearance. Not sure the specs would be the same but I am going to go under the assumption they are pretty close.
Thanks for this vid and the many other, very informative ones you've done. I'm working with a 2020 Forester and am working the mods incrementally as you have done. So far I have done 235x65x17 (29") on LP Aventure wheels. Followed that with the LP 2" lift. So far so good and I do really like the LP stuff (plus, they have been very helpful). However, after seeing this, I think I'll pass on their bumper/plate combo as I'm not keen on losing the 1 1/2" of front clearance. I may just do the skidder from Primitive or Anderson or (other?) and pass on the bumper as so far, I haven't seen a bumper that I like. Thanks again for all your info. I do follow your posts even though I have a Forester. I find your posts to be honest and practical. I'm subbing so that I don't miss anything good........;-)
Thank you very much for all of the nice things you said about the videos and I really appreciate your watching along. The LP mods are really great and I agree, the customer service is excellent, good folks over there. I have been waiting to install my lift since January...crazy busy of late, but I am excited to get it on the car. As far as the skid and front bar go I completely understand your not wanting to loose the clearance. It was a bit of a bummer, but I was scraping my front end so much I needed to try something. Hoping the lift will get me back up and out of the way! Have fun and keep me posted on your mods. I really like the LP wheels.
Cool man, thank you! I have been hearing the same for the most part. One lift owner mentioned you can feel it is the turns a bit, but not bad. Thanks for watching along...
I have a Rav4....I was thinking of putting that on but now I won't... I did go with the eibach spring lift and love it! Thanks for the honest opinion. Btw I did order the skid plate for the bottom and I guess it is 15lbs so hopefully that does not make it sag
If you’re interested in testing out an Ironman 4x4 2in on an ‘18 ‘Trek, got mine installed a couple weeks back. I’m in town, happy to meet up on a weekend if you wanted to give her a spin.
Very cool. Thank you! That would be awesome. I am crazy busy it seems these days, but shoot me an email and we can try to find a day where it would work. azdroptopyt@cox.net
Rick I could not have said it any better, So far I have the same CT Limited with the same Wheel/tire combo and I too feel the same way about not going too far with changing the vehicle dynamics as I think the car as designed is all around perfect for what it is. The Ko'2s give me the peace of mind knowing I can take the car down almost any road I need to while still not being too aggressive on the highway. As far as the suspension issues, I've always thought that the car could definitely use better damping as it seems to bottom out easily. So maybe look into some after market shocks as well? Also another Thought is a set of Coil overs, a lot more expensive but worth the investment as you get the better damping and rebound as well as being able to adjust the ride height all around. Just a thought.
Awesome Mike, thank you and very well said. I am definitely looking at some heavier springs at the moment. Coil overs would be sweet, but I imagine pretty pricey? Worth looking into though for sure.
wow your crosstrek is growing up and nice new mods! i wonder if there is a 2inch spring lift and shocks that can accomodate the quicker shock rebound. also, i think the skid plate mounting points helped stiffen the front a little so think of it like a big sway bar lol. it definitely sounds like it helps with steering.
Thank you sir! It has been fun! Was out playing in the snow today, video coming tomorrow....That is a good question and worth a look. Something I was reading today about a lift and springs cause the Crosstrek to run out of camber? So they could not align completely? I need to research it more, but it was something along those lines. How are things with you?
Rick Hutton I was there with my other half for about two weeks. Haven’t been back in 4 years. Felt good to see the beauty and people again. And family lol.
@rickhutton If you just had the bumper bar and front plate, would it still be very heavy weight in the front? I feel like without the skid plate, the weight would be cut by half. Thank you for doing these great vids! Big fan of your channel.
Believe it or not the Bar is the heavier of the 2 at about 26 lbs. Together they are about 45 lbs. The RalliTEK springs helped a bit, but I still did not get back the full height in front. Probably going to do either 3/4 or 1 inch spacers at some point.
Thanks for the info. Think I will get tryes first, then lift kit, then front bar and then the 3 skid plates at one time. Engine, Cvt and rear diff. Then a v8 to power it all lol
I have been hemhawing back in forth about getting it but I will likely wait to see the Ford bronco (if Ford ever release it to the public) and make my decision then lol
Yes! The are pretty cool, but a bit on the heavy side. They are on my possibility list. :) My list keeps getting longer. LOL. Thanks brother. Are you thinking of getting some?
@@AZdroptop I will if I start getting serious about doing some offroad work. But first are tyres and a lift. I still have a 4wd van which is my main travelling and off roader.
So far I have just added the RalliTEK 1" springs to bring the front up a little and get rid of the heavy feeling from the additional weight up there.. Down the road I am still thinking 1.5" lift, but I'm not sure yet when it will happed.
Rick I would think the 1 1/2 inch lift kit would be good for you with the off road obstacles. Not too drastic. And just be very careful with your off road adventures. I like the skid plate but I don't go off road. The only thing I dislike about it is the lack of portal for oil changes. Too much hassle to take it off for each oil change. They should either have a hole or trap door!
Thanks Dave. With the extra weight up there I am thinking the lift might not "correct" the bit of say I have now? Not sure though. Too many options. :) I hear you on the oil drain hole and think it would be a pain if I changed my oil a ton. Currently just about every 6 months or so. Have a good week my friend.
Maybe just get a 1"lift in the front and 1.5" in the rear before you end up changing the springs. It seems you are just having 2nd thoughts as you were already used to the original handling of the car. In 2weeks you might not feel any difference. The front bar is epic by the way. Thanks for all the insights on the Xtrek😊
Saw the Magnetic Go pro mount,,no way!! ,You should consider the Racseng tow mount which just screws into the factory mounts already on the vehicle.Looks way more snazzy and with allen key secure attachment plus being mulitifunctional.Not expensive at all.5 minute job.
Oscar, cool! I have not heard of this mount before now. I will check it out. Sounds awesome. One thing I am finding out with the GoPro app connection and the new location on the bar...it tends to drop out pretty quickly. I think it is just a bit too far and too much car in the way? Thanks again kind sir!
Another informative video - thanks! Just to chime in what about KING springs? Then decide if you want to lift with a kit from Subtle Solutions or maker of your choice... :)
Thank you John. I watched something the other day about King springs...I will have to check them out as well. I know they have been around for a long time. Cheers brother.
How would it effect my warrantys? Does it effect fuel milage as I have more road miles than anything? Did you install or did you have it done professionally.
Hi John, I can not think of any reason it would affect the warranty. You are just adding more protection over the stock skid plate. I did not notice any change at all regarding fuel economy and it is a very straight forward install that I did at home. You will find a bunch of info in the videos below, but the one takeaway is you will loose some ground clearance because of the way the bar and skid plate mount..about 1.5 inches or so. Bar install video. ruclips.net/video/U-8AdoNHEmc/видео.html Skid plate install video. ruclips.net/video/jkDcNVz3Ls0/видео.html
I did not put it back on. I called LP and they said it is unnecessary to do so, but I don't think it would hurt anything if you wanted to put it back on. The directions are a bit ambiguous, but I think they show putting it back on when just installing the front bar.
Great informative vid as always rick. Been watching your vids for a while and if I remember correctly you own an older version of crosstrek before getting the 2018, as a new upcoming driver I'm leaning towards crosstrek since I live at Canada im just wondering is it worth it getting the newer version meaning 18 and 19 or do you think older would be just as good? Looking forward on your advise, thanks a lot!
Hi Ric, thank you very much! I appreciate your watching the videos. I did have a 2014 and while it was noisier, had some rattles and felt a bit slower, I honestly loved that little car. For me it did everything I needed it to do and I didn't have any issues with it. The big difference with the 18, 19, is how refined it is in comparison. How quiet the new car was on the road, the quality of the interior, the bit more power, slightly better MPG, made it worth the change for me. The new Crosstrek really is a better car overall, but I like all of the Crosstrek's and think you would be happy in either. If you can afford a new one with out it being a financial strain, I would go with an 18. If you get the change drive an older version and a newer version one right after the other and see what you think. I know that Subaru improved the glass and sound deadening a little in 15, 16, 17, so the difference might not be as stark when compared to my 14. Hope this helps Ric. Feel free to email me if you come up with other questions. azdroptopyt@cox.net
I think you sold me on the Primitive plates, no one offers a real lift kit yet for the Crosstrek and spacer/puck lifts really aren't a good long term solution. As far as weight over the front wheels, you haven't lived until you've had 200+LBS of winch and bumper hanging over them, and slide sideways every time you slam on the brakes lol...
Ha ha. :) You are right about not having that kind of weight. Losing the clearance is a bummer for sure and you should be safe with the Primitive set up.
Rick, I'll be in Phoenix the weekend of the 14th. Can you recommend any cool places to take the rental car into the desert south of Phoenix to film with the drone?
Hey man that is a good question. I have been sitting here trying to think of some interring stuff to check out but I am drawing a blank South of town. Where are you staying in Phoenix? If you can get out more East, North East, you can check out the lakes. Canyon and Saguaro have some beautiful rocks. Picacho Peak has some cool hiking and is an interesting place, but it is about an hour South I bet. Here is a post from the DJI forum that might help.forum.dji.com/thread-79121-1-1.html Sorry I am not much help, but I haven't flown up in Phoenix at all and normally just drive through.
A very interesting project, but for me the ground clearance of the stock car was one of the main reasons I purchased the car. However, I do see the value of protecting the underside of the car. Would that be possible with a lighter skidplate, possibly aluminum or carbon fiber, thus reducing weight and height loss?
I know that Primitive makes a thinner gauge plate along with their thicker one, but my main issue with other plates was how they mount in the stock location. LP's solution while causes a loss of clearance, seems a better idea for protection. I do however completely get your liking the stock clearance...it was one of the reason's I bought the car as well. We shall see what happens next. Thank you for you comment brother.
@@AZdroptop Just seen the primitive racing skid plate install on Blake's Garage v log. I see what you mean about direct to original attachments. The car had also had a suspension lift. It looked quite good. What stopped contact with the skid plate though was something I had not considered, the approach angle was too low!
Did you get the starlink recall notice? I’m bringing mine in next week to get the update to 2019 software. Mine is getting worse and not related to CarPlay again.
Maybe you got lucky you don’t have the HK. It’s recently started with the not booting when I open the door so maybe it’s crapping out again. I saw lawsuits about it tho where they are massively backordered because they are replacing so many units.
I don't have the navi and factory HK so I am probably safe. I have heard of complete cars getting returned because after changing the head unit more than once they could not fix the problems. Crazy. Honestly makes to sense to me. Hope they can get it fixed for you.
Great video! I was thinking about picking one up for my '15 crosstrek. I realize yours is on a second gen, but I did have one question: Did you notice a reduction in gas milage? I do a lot of highway driving and am trying to retain as much gas milage as possible while still making it safer and more capable off road.
Thank you very much. Honestly, with all of the mods I have done I really haven't noticed anything significant mpg wise. I figured with the tires I would have lost some mpg, but if I drive "carefully" I can get the same or better mpg than when the car was stock. Biggest issue was the loss of about 1.5 inches of ground clearance.
I am not familiar with the Rival skid plates, but if they bolt in at the same location as the stock plastic skid plate then I believe so yes. I would call LP just in case and ask them, but I don't see why it wouldn't fit if it does mount in the stock location. One thing to consider with the LP front bar is the loss of some clearance do to the design of the bar and how it mounts to the car.
Hey Rick I've been watching your progress I'm just waiting for my tax money to come in before I do my mods why not go to maybe a taller Tire I think the next size up is 235 is anybody thought about that. Also I have another question is anybody experienced problem with the driver seat belt mine seems not to want it extract it's always getting caught in the door I'm about ready to take it in for its 12000 mile check-up just seeing if anybody else is experienced the same problem other than that the car's been perfect thanks
Thank you for watching along! I have seen a few guys to to a 235 tire and they do seem to fit the car with out a lift, but are a bit heavier and will rub if you have aftermarket mud flaps...unless you have a lift as well. I have not had any seatbelt issues so far! Let me know how it goes at the dealer. Cheers Alvino!
Got my 18 Crosstrek on August 15, 2017. Ordered in June of that year. Have over 17,000 miles on it. My opinion, if it is just yourself, or you and other person, the power is fine. But I had a situation where I had three kids in the back (2 are mine), and the back had a full load. 4 chairs, a cooler that holds 60 cans, so the cooler was heavy, blankets, duffle bags with clothes, etc. Basically it was loaded up. Pulled away from a stop sign, it felt like something was wrong with the engine / transmission briefly. Put the pedal to the floor, and the Crosstrek was finally moving slowly, took time to build speed. In situations like that, it is definitely underpowered, but my everyday driving the power is fine. Also found out that you can accelerate faster when you slowly push down the gas pedal and keep pushing down. If you slam on the pedal from a stop right to the floor, there is a bigger delay and takes longer to get moving more quickly.
Hi Jeff, all of the posts from the guys are right on track and pretty much what I will tell you. On a daily basis there really isn't a time when I am wanting more power from the car. I can pull into traffic, pass, merge etc with no real effort. The Crosstrek isn't fast by any means, but there is enough power to get the job done. Even when I tow with the car I have not had any issues with power. Freeway travel you can cruise at 80 mpg with no problem. The only place you can run into trouble is with weight in the car and going up long 6 to 7% grades. Don't get me wrong the car would be better with another 30 HP, but then you are losing mpg and some of the car's character so I am good with it. If you want a good daily driver that is also exciting and fun to drive the Crosstrek probably will not tick all of your boxes. But, if you are looking for a comfortable, quiet, do anything daily driver its just about perfect. Are you looking at buying one?
I have a Toyota Tacoma once u go down the road of doing a lift on any car or truck u change gas mileage handing less power if I was u I would the best lift kit u can afford. I hate doing things twice.
I Had a 2017 Toyota Tacoma that I had a love/hate relationship with. I %100 agree once you go down that road it changes everything about the vehicle's driving characteristics... Gas mileage, Tire wear, Transmission shifting and highway performance/comfort ect... I ended up putting thousands into the Tacoma wheels tires and suspension only to end up sick of driving it and trading it up for a Subaru crosstrek with absolutely no regrets.
Thanks Mike..I definitely do not want to kill the daily joy of the Crosstrek just to have a car that can go a little further...So, I am going to continue slowly from here and really make sure I do it right.
I have a crosstrek as well it’s a limited I keep getting flat tires and this is getting old is there any 1 else out there that has this problem the tire r pretty new I hate 2 chuck em
Hi Jeff honestly I have been very surprised that the car is still nice and quiet. The only rattle that I have is when my passenger seat is in one certain position otherwise the car is still good. My 14 had lots of rattles so I am really happy so far.
Rick Hutton , thanks for the quick response and good info. Glad to hear it. I had some rattles in my 13 Impreza which I only owned for 1.5 years before trading it for my 14 Forester XT.
Yes it has been great overall. I put 93 octane gas in it so paying extra at the pump is getting old but I do appreciate the effortless acceleration to 40 while the rpms don’t go past 2500. Just had an exhaust hanger and fog light replaced recently. Gas mileage in warmer months averages 24 to 26.
I hear you on the 93...It isn't a huge difference each time compared to 87, but it sure adds up overtime. My wife has to do the same in the WRX..thought we don't have 93, just 91. What do you think of the new Forester? I am hoping they put the 2.4 turbo from the Ascent in there at some point, but I have my doubts. Nice to see it in the Legacy though. Thanks much for the info.
so let me see, Rick. now you have to lift your crosstrek and add heavier springs to get the same clearance and hopefully the same handling you had before added the skid plate and front bar? throwing more money at it sound like a government solution, man :-)
I ripped out half of the mud shroud on the drivers side in the snow and replaced it yesterday. the water bottle for the windshield washers was dangling freely and like you my aftermarket tires are the same size as OEM. I can imagine the guys who have gone to larger tires and wheels who actually drive their crosstreks offroad have more problems!
Oops! :) Thank you for joining my destruction club. It has been lonely around here. Knock on wood I have not harmed my car of late. I bet you are right about the bigger wheel/tire combos! I can't imagine driving around on 235's
silvers-na.com/product/silvers-neomax-coilover-kit-subaru-xv-crosstrek-2013-2018/ Rick Check this out.... This is the Route I would go. I'm not saying these specifically but just to give you an idea, this way you have Full adjustability of driving characteristics in all situations. If you just went with springs, your stuck with that ride height. With Coil-overs you can adjust as needed and if you add weight say a trailer on the back or extra cargo you can compensate for sag and increase compression damping as needed.
So need help have a stock trek and don’t really want to get a hole full lift kit will just the springs you where talking about be fine ? Gonna be doing soft roading noting to crazy ?
Hello, are you planning wheels and tires at all? My personal suggestion would be to start there and see what you think. Getting a set of 15" wheels and AT tires will do wonders especially for protecting against pinch flats, wheel damage etc. Unless you have really big rocks and such that you will have to worry about I think doing the wheels/tires or wheels/tires and the springs would be great. From what it sounds like you will get about an extra inch of clearance with the springs which would put up over 9.5 inches of clearance which should be more than enough for soft off roading. The big reason I was looking at the springs and or a lift is to get back some of the clearance I lost with the skid plate and front bar. If you plan on really loading your Trek up with gear they will help to keep you from sagging as well. Sorry for the rambling. :) Short answer is I think just the springs would work great.
Rick Hutton yes wheels and tires pretty much ur exact wheel set up. Yeah the springs sound a little more reliable and easy lol. And don’t worry I enjoy the rambling I’m new to the trek so any info helps :) thank you !
ha ha. That's good.. Very cool, I think you will love the wheels/tires and you should be good to go with just them if you are not getting into anything crazy.
i just bought the bar and skid plate. i will be using your video to help me install it. thank you for spending time to make these videos. youre the number one person i go to for information or tips with my 2018 crosstrek.
Glad I could help Jordan. Nice talking with you and have fun with the car!
Thanks. My wife just drove slowly into a snow window and did $5000 of damage on underside of her 2017 CRV. Its in the mechanic shop right now. I will be buying the plate and the bar.
Oh wow! Sorry to hear that. The bar and plate are awesome, but they do add weight and you will loose some ground clearance. I love the set up, but had to change shocks to handle the weight up front.
Great review Rick. I agree, the safety aspect is the most important out there off road.
Thank you my friend.
Looks like stiffer springs is the way to go, your Crosstrek looks badass. Thanks for your honest opinion!
Thank you very much Mick! Cheers
Get you a primitive lift with the stiffer springs that come with it and it comes with the alignment kit for the rear and you wont look back
I appreciate your vids/feedback as you modify the XTREK. I have a ‘18 Limited & would really like to either lift or do the same wheel/tire mod that you did. And I’ll admit, it’s more for aesthetics than anything else. Come springtime, I hope to use the vehicle to transport a canoe/gear. It’s been great for accommodating a dog crate/puppy. Definitely enjoy the ride! 👍🏼
Thank you so much! Sincerely appreciate it the feedback and glad you are enjoying your Crosstrek. They really are great little versatile cars. The Methods and KO2's really change the look of the car for sure, but I always like to warn people about the added road noise from the tires. It isn't horrible, but worth mentioning. I am really loving them on my car and off road they have helped a ton. Best of luck with the car and let me know what you decide to do. Cheers man.
Hi Rick, I have a 2018 Crosstrek 2.0i with full Primitive racing under body skid plates, the 1.5'' lift, yokohama all-terrain tires, charcoal filter delete and thanks to you, a Curt hitch. I highly recommend you get a lift kit! I got the Subtle Solutions 1.5'' Lift and it is great. Honestly, the LP adventure would be a much easier install though, especially because they supply brake line extensions, which are pretty much a requirement (I ordered mine from LP separately). The lift caused almost no change in the handling characteristics of the car! I was honestly shocked at how well it handled after the lift. Anything over 2'' of lift destroys the lifespan of our CV joints, so I recommend that you go with a 1.5'' body lift over a spring lift or combination of both if you want to retain the good handling characteristics of the Crosstrek. I driven my Crosstrek offroad to its limits on mountains passes from Alaska to Colorado so feel free to bounce any questions off me. Side note, my rear sway bar managed to pop out too while I was offroading, caused no damage and I have had no problems since i screwed it back in with some lock tite.
Hey bro thank you so much for the awesome info! Very cool. Sounds like you have yourself a really nice set up going with lots of experience. At this point my biggest question is if doing the lift will counteract the extra weight up front? Or if I will still need to address that at some point? It isn't like the car is sagging up front at all, I can just feel the weight. Excellent food for though and I will hit you up with questions when I sort this all out. Thank you again!
@@AZdroptop Most lift kits are offered to us are just spacers, so that wont help out with feeling the extra weight up front. Primative racing has a spring based lift or you could try rallitek springs but you will give up factory ride. Cant wait to see what you do! Good luck.
Thank you again for the good info!
I highly recommend the Rallitek sport springs I put on my 18 Forester 2.5. I know we have different vehicles. No negatives whatsoever. Car handles better. Mainly less body roll when cornering
Thank you for the input Scott! Much appreciated.
Rick, take some time and stop by the local Jeep dealer and drive the new JLUR... night and day from the JKUR... at least it felt that way to me. Not persuading you to switch vehicles, but my wife had the same reaction when we test drove the JKU Rubicon and was against us buying one... The JLU Rubicon was so much better in the interior, handling, electronics, and the drive that she actually liked it... It took some convincing just to get her to go again with me to test drive a Jeep... but it was worth it just to see her change her perception on them... Anyway, all that because unless I get her on the good side of the Jeep, I ain't getting one, lol... So now, when the time is right, I might jump into one...
Thank you for the video and review of the changes you made to your Subaru. Straight and honest evaluation. That is great.
Hey Jaime, thanks for the info brother. To be honest my Rubicon was an 05 so I can imagine they have really improved things! Do you think you could drive it comfortably everyday? Having the 4 doors is helpful I bet and I know the v6 they are using now gives better mileage and more torque. You are a smart man getting the wife onboard. :) A man with marriage experience. Love it. :)
@@AZdroptop - Yes, it is that good that you can drive it as a daily car. The huge difference is the 8-speed auto transmission they now have in it... perfectly matched to the V6. Everything about it in terms of the interior is so much better than the JK... Like I said, not trying to convince you to change, but you at least need to go drive one...
And yeah, happy wife, happy life... nothing happens if the wife is not onboard... well, only if I want peace at home, lol
Go drive one and report back :)
Very cool. I will have to check one out here soon. Sounds like they are pretty sweet these days. I lol'd at your wife comments. :) Have a great weekend.
I went on a fairly technical off-road trip this past weekend. Scraped an awful lot (there was a lot of large puddles, potholes, rocks, hill climbs/descends, & a river crossing.) Without the skid plates, I would've been SoL with something broken. I currently don't have a lift at the moment so the scraping was expected & I've become used to it since I've had this same LP Aventure setup since December. Thanks to the skid plates I was able to pass a very rough patch & slide off a boulder that I ended up being briefly high centered on (was a tight space to pass around). I too feel a lift will offset the issues & I definitely advise being a little more careful until it is lifted. I'm in the same boat, looking at also getting springs with a lift.
Emilio, thanks so much for the input. Love hearing about your experience with the LP stuff. I do figure I will be scraping a bit more, but like you said, the protection is worth it. Where were you off road? Thanks again.
@@AZdroptop I live in Washington. This past weekend I was in Darrington, WA. I've been up & down Snoqualmie Pass, WA (been through plenty of snow this winter) & to trails in Greenwater, WA since I've had the LP gear installed.
Sounds like fun! Washington is a state I have not been to as of yet, but looks beautiful. Thank you again brother.
Thanks for the update Rick, sure gives me some stuff to think about before doing it to my Crosstrek.
My pleasure Carl, thank you for watching along.
I have the subtle 1.5 spacers. No ra kit. Rallittek 1 inch lift springs. Car empty actually about 3 inches not 2.5. so yeah. And I didn't use ra kit. For alignment I used the ready lift 2 inch lift alignment specs off there site. No tire wear and it all landed in green. Those springs are amazing.
Chris, that's great info! Thank you. Sounds like it worked out awesome. I am still considering the Rallittek springs.
Appreciate the info man. Lp just released the skid plate and front bumper for the 19 foresters and I was wondering the same thing about losing ground clearance. Not sure the specs would be the same but I am going to go under the assumption they are pretty close.
Hi Justin, glad it was helpful and I bet you are correct. Best of luck!
Thanks for this vid and the many other, very informative ones you've done. I'm working with a 2020 Forester and am working the mods incrementally as you have done. So far I have done 235x65x17 (29") on LP Aventure wheels. Followed that with the LP 2" lift. So far so good and I do really like the LP stuff (plus, they have been very helpful). However, after seeing this, I think I'll pass on their bumper/plate combo as I'm not keen on losing the 1 1/2" of front clearance. I may just do the skidder from Primitive or Anderson or (other?) and pass on the bumper as so far, I haven't seen a bumper that I like. Thanks again for all your info. I do follow your posts even though I have a Forester. I find your posts to be honest and practical. I'm subbing so that I don't miss anything good........;-)
Thank you very much for all of the nice things you said about the videos and I really appreciate your watching along. The LP mods are really great and I agree, the customer service is excellent, good folks over there. I have been waiting to install my lift since January...crazy busy of late, but I am excited to get it on the car.
As far as the skid and front bar go I completely understand your not wanting to loose the clearance. It was a bit of a bummer, but I was scraping my front end so much I needed to try something. Hoping the lift will get me back up and out of the way! Have fun and keep me posted on your mods. I really like the LP wheels.
Thanks for the update!!! The car look really nice and don't forget just to enjoy it.
Thank you Miguel! Much appreciated.
Springs will definitely help. I heard body lifts don't affect daily driving. I'm looking forward to the next episode.
Cool man, thank you! I have been hearing the same for the most part. One lift owner mentioned you can feel it is the turns a bit, but not bad. Thanks for watching along...
Thanks for the vid. We picked up a trd trim and looking at doing some stuff to it
Thank you for watching and best of luck!
Great videos! You have my roadmap laid out for my 19 Limited crosstrek!!
Awesome! And thank you very much!
I have a Rav4....I was thinking of putting that on but now I won't... I did go with the eibach spring lift and love it! Thanks for the honest opinion. Btw I did order the skid plate for the bottom and I guess it is 15lbs so hopefully that does not make it sag
Glad I was helpful. Loosing the bit of clearance is Definitely a bummer. Best of luck with the skid plate and hope it works out good for you!
If you’re interested in testing out an Ironman 4x4 2in on an ‘18 ‘Trek, got mine installed a couple weeks back. I’m in town, happy to meet up on a weekend if you wanted to give her a spin.
Very cool. Thank you! That would be awesome. I am crazy busy it seems these days, but shoot me an email and we can try to find a day where it would work. azdroptopyt@cox.net
Nice video as always Rick!
Have a super evening! Andre
Thank you Andre! Have a great weekend brother.
Rick I could not have said it any better, So far I have the same CT Limited with the same Wheel/tire combo and I too feel the same way about not going too far with changing the vehicle dynamics as I think the car as designed is all around perfect for what it is. The Ko'2s give me the peace of mind knowing I can take the car down almost any road I need to while still not being too aggressive on the highway. As far as the suspension issues, I've always thought that the car could definitely use better damping as it seems to bottom out easily. So maybe look into some after market shocks as well? Also another Thought is a set of Coil overs, a lot more expensive but worth the investment as you get the better damping and rebound as well as being able to adjust the ride height all around. Just a thought.
Awesome Mike, thank you and very well said. I am definitely looking at some heavier springs at the moment. Coil overs would be sweet, but I imagine pretty pricey? Worth looking into though for sure.
I gotta get those springs for my Crosstrek. When I throw just a couple suitcases in the back of my car feels like it wants to bottom out
Kevin, they offer an "OEM height" spring also that is a .5 inch lift for stock cars also if you don't want to go with the 1"
wow your crosstrek is growing up and nice new mods! i wonder if there is a 2inch spring lift and shocks that can accomodate the quicker shock rebound. also, i think the skid plate mounting points helped stiffen the front a little so think of it like a big sway bar lol. it definitely sounds like it helps with steering.
Thank you sir! It has been fun! Was out playing in the snow today, video coming tomorrow....That is a good question and worth a look. Something I was reading today about a lift and springs cause the Crosstrek to run out of camber? So they could not align completely? I need to research it more, but it was something along those lines. How are things with you?
Love that hat man. Was in the islands just two weeks ago. Felt good to be home. Great video btw.
Thank you John...Man I love it there too and hope to go back in August. How long were you home for?
Rick Hutton I was there with my other half for about two weeks. Haven’t been back in 4 years. Felt good to see the beauty and people again. And family lol.
Very nice! Glad you got to spend some good time there.
Afternoon Rick! Cheers
Howdy Stanley. :)
@rickhutton If you just had the bumper bar and front plate, would it still be very heavy weight in the front? I feel like without the skid plate, the weight would be cut by half. Thank you for doing these great vids! Big fan of your channel.
Believe it or not the Bar is the heavier of the 2 at about 26 lbs. Together they are about 45 lbs. The RalliTEK springs helped a bit, but I still did not get back the full height in front. Probably going to do either 3/4 or 1 inch spacers at some point.
I have a LP 1 1/2" lift with a SSD strut bar and the car handles great
Very cool! Thank you for the input..this is the info I am looking for. Cheers
Thanks for the info. Think I will get tryes first, then lift kit, then front bar and then the 3 skid plates at one time. Engine, Cvt and rear diff. Then a v8 to power it all lol
LOL! So far she can still move ok, but I'm not sure if we add everything she will be able to. :)
I have been hemhawing back in forth about getting it but I will likely wait to see the Ford bronco (if Ford ever release it to the public) and make my decision then lol
The Bronco they have shown looks like it has serious potential to be awesome!
Hey Rick. I just found out that LP have rocksliders for the crosstrek. Even found a pic
Yes! The are pretty cool, but a bit on the heavy side. They are on my possibility list. :) My list keeps getting longer. LOL. Thanks brother. Are you thinking of getting some?
@@AZdroptop I will if I start getting serious about doing some offroad work. But first are tyres and a lift. I still have a 4wd van which is my main travelling and off roader.
Very good! 4x4 van! That is awesome! Rolling campsite. :)
I watched the install; figured I'd watch the follow-up... What's next? What's available? Time to make it lighter...with 1 of those 11lb batteries.
So far I have just added the RalliTEK 1" springs to bring the front up a little and get rid of the heavy feeling from the additional weight up there.. Down the road I am still thinking 1.5" lift, but I'm not sure yet when it will happed.
Rick I would think the 1 1/2 inch lift kit would be good for you with the off road obstacles. Not too drastic. And just be very careful with your off road adventures. I like the skid plate but I don't go off road. The only thing I dislike about it is the lack of portal for oil changes. Too much hassle to take it off for each oil change. They should either have a hole or trap door!
Dave McGuigan He has damaged parts that can’t be raised with a lift kit, so the only solution is to be more careful.
Thanks Dave. With the extra weight up there I am thinking the lift might not "correct" the bit of say I have now? Not sure though. Too many options. :) I hear you on the oil drain hole and think it would be a pain if I changed my oil a ton. Currently just about every 6 months or so. Have a good week my friend.
This is true! The lift will not keep me from hitting my trailing arms.
Maybe just get a 1"lift in the front and 1.5" in the rear before you end up changing the springs. It seems you are just having 2nd thoughts as you were already used to the original handling of the car. In 2weeks you might not feel any difference. The front bar is epic by the way. Thanks for all the insights on the Xtrek😊
Hey brother thank you very much! Sincerely appreciate your thoughts and comment. Hope you are enjoying your car!
@@AZdroptop yes, all good. Love the wheels and tyres. Performing well in snow. Thinking of installing the Subtle lift kit this summer.
Great to hear and the lift would be cool! Nice to hear she is handling the snow well.
Saw the Magnetic Go pro mount,,no way!! ,You should consider the Racseng tow mount which just screws into the factory mounts already on the vehicle.Looks way more snazzy and with allen key secure attachment plus being mulitifunctional.Not expensive at all.5 minute job.
Oscar, cool! I have not heard of this mount before now. I will check it out. Sounds awesome. One thing I am finding out with the GoPro app connection and the new location on the bar...it tends to drop out pretty quickly. I think it is just a bit too far and too much car in the way? Thanks again kind sir!
Another informative video - thanks! Just to chime in what about KING springs? Then decide if you want to lift with a kit from Subtle Solutions or maker of your choice... :)
Thank you John. I watched something the other day about King springs...I will have to check them out as well. I know they have been around for a long time. Cheers brother.
How would it effect my warrantys? Does it effect fuel milage as I have more road miles than anything? Did you install or did you have it done professionally.
Hi John, I can not think of any reason it would affect the warranty. You are just adding more protection over the stock skid plate. I did not notice any change at all regarding fuel economy and it is a very straight forward install that I did at home.
You will find a bunch of info in the videos below, but the one takeaway is you will loose some ground clearance because of the way the bar and skid plate mount..about 1.5 inches or so.
Bar install video. ruclips.net/video/U-8AdoNHEmc/видео.html Skid plate install video. ruclips.net/video/jkDcNVz3Ls0/видео.html
Rick, did you end up putting the splash guard back on? Do you recommend having it on along with the skid plate and bar?
I did not put it back on. I called LP and they said it is unnecessary to do so, but I don't think it would hurt anything if you wanted to put it back on. The directions are a bit ambiguous, but I think they show putting it back on when just installing the front bar.
Great informative vid as always rick. Been watching your vids for a while and if I remember correctly you own an older version of crosstrek before getting the 2018, as a new upcoming driver I'm leaning towards crosstrek since I live at Canada im just wondering is it worth it getting the newer version meaning 18 and 19 or do you think older would be just as good? Looking forward on your advise, thanks a lot!
Hi Ric, thank you very much! I appreciate your watching the videos. I did have a 2014 and while it was noisier, had some rattles and felt a bit slower, I honestly loved that little car. For me it did everything I needed it to do and I didn't have any issues with it. The big difference with the 18, 19, is how refined it is in comparison. How quiet the new car was on the road, the quality of the interior, the bit more power, slightly better MPG, made it worth the change for me. The new Crosstrek really is a better car overall, but I like all of the Crosstrek's and think you would be happy in either. If you can afford a new one with out it being a financial strain, I would go with an 18. If you get the change drive an older version and a newer version one right after the other and see what you think. I know that Subaru improved the glass and sound deadening a little in 15, 16, 17, so the difference might not be as stark when compared to my 14. Hope this helps Ric. Feel free to email me if you come up with other questions. azdroptopyt@cox.net
@@AZdroptop Thanks alot for replying rick, i really appreciate your insight since your drive both.
My pleasure Ric, Happy to help out.
I think you sold me on the Primitive plates, no one offers a real lift kit yet for the Crosstrek and spacer/puck lifts really aren't a good long term solution. As far as weight over the front wheels, you haven't lived until you've had 200+LBS of winch and bumper hanging over them, and slide sideways every time you slam on the brakes lol...
Ha ha. :) You are right about not having that kind of weight. Losing the clearance is a bummer for sure and you should be safe with the Primitive set up.
Rick, I'll be in Phoenix the weekend of the 14th. Can you recommend any cool places to take the rental car into the desert south of Phoenix to film with the drone?
Hey man that is a good question. I have been sitting here trying to think of some interring stuff to check out but I am drawing a blank South of town. Where are you staying in Phoenix? If you can get out more East, North East, you can check out the lakes. Canyon and Saguaro have some beautiful rocks. Picacho Peak has some cool hiking and is an interesting place, but it is about an hour South I bet. Here is a post from the DJI forum that might help.forum.dji.com/thread-79121-1-1.html Sorry I am not much help, but I haven't flown up in Phoenix at all and normally just drive through.
Possibly Florence area would have some cool stuff. Mountains, old mines etc over in that area.
@@AZdroptop A mile or so from the air port. I'll in Prescott for a couple of days first visiting my Dad. I'll start looking ay
Florence, thanks a lot!
My pleasure. If I can come up with some other ideas I will let you know. Hope you have a great trip!
A very interesting project, but for me the ground clearance of the stock car was one of the main reasons I purchased the car. However, I do see the value of protecting the underside of the car. Would that be possible with a lighter skidplate, possibly aluminum or carbon fiber, thus reducing weight and height loss?
I know that Primitive makes a thinner gauge plate along with their thicker one, but my main issue with other plates was how they mount in the stock location. LP's solution while causes a loss of clearance, seems a better idea for protection. I do however completely get your liking the stock clearance...it was one of the reason's I bought the car as well. We shall see what happens next. Thank you for you comment brother.
@@AZdroptop Just seen the primitive racing skid plate install on Blake's Garage v log. I see what you mean about direct to original attachments. The car had also had a suspension lift. It looked quite good. What stopped contact with the skid plate though was something I had not considered, the approach angle was too low!
Interesting. With the lift the approach angle is low? They have that car looking good over there.
Did you get the starlink recall notice? I’m bringing mine in next week to get the update to 2019 software. Mine is getting worse and not related to CarPlay again.
Hey Edward, I did get a message about it, but have not been in yet. So far all is good with my head unit after the last one.
Maybe you got lucky you don’t have the HK. It’s recently started with the not booting when I open the door so maybe it’s crapping out again. I saw lawsuits about it tho where they are massively backordered because they are replacing so many units.
I don't have the navi and factory HK so I am probably safe. I have heard of complete cars getting returned because after changing the head unit more than once they could not fix the problems. Crazy. Honestly makes to sense to me. Hope they can get it fixed for you.
Great video! I was thinking about picking one up for my '15 crosstrek. I realize yours is on a second gen, but I did have one question: Did you notice a reduction in gas milage? I do a lot of highway driving and am trying to retain as much gas milage as possible while still making it safer and more capable off road.
Thank you very much. Honestly, with all of the mods I have done I really haven't noticed anything significant mpg wise. I figured with the tires I would have lost some mpg, but if I drive "carefully" I can get the same or better mpg than when the car was stock. Biggest issue was the loss of about 1.5 inches of ground clearance.
@@AZdroptop Thanks! That's definitely going to help determine if I get one or not!
Hello, can i install the front bumper with rival skidplates?
I am not familiar with the Rival skid plates, but if they bolt in at the same location as the stock plastic skid plate then I believe so yes. I would call LP just in case and ask them, but I don't see why it wouldn't fit if it does mount in the stock location. One thing to consider with the LP front bar is the loss of some clearance do to the design of the bar and how it mounts to the car.
Thanks Rick for your response, it makes sense.
Hey Rick I've been watching your progress I'm just waiting for my tax money to come in before I do my mods why not go to maybe a taller Tire I think the next size up is 235 is anybody thought about that. Also I have another question is anybody experienced problem with the driver seat belt mine seems not to want it extract it's always getting caught in the door I'm about ready to take it in for its 12000 mile check-up just seeing if anybody else is experienced the same problem other than that the car's been perfect thanks
Thank you for watching along! I have seen a few guys to to a 235 tire and they do seem to fit the car with out a lift, but are a bit heavier and will rub if you have aftermarket mud flaps...unless you have a lift as well.
I have not had any seatbelt issues so far! Let me know how it goes at the dealer. Cheers Alvino!
Rick I was wondering are you still on stock ride height and if so do you rub at all with your wheel set up????
Hey Tanner, stock height and no rubbing. I have 215/75/15's, but some of the guys with 235/75/15's rub their aftermarket mud flaps.
That’s what I’ve been gathering thanks
No Worries...good luck!
I just noticed your top trim in the us doesn’t have a moon roof. Weird.
It was an option along with Navigation. I didn't want either of them so it worked out well.
Rick since you have had the crosstrek for awhile now do you feel like it has enough power
I'm happy with the power in mine. When you think about it a lot of new awd's have even less. Around 105 to 110 kw
Jeff - I have a 19 MT6 and it has plenty of power... I have no problem at all, but I really enjoy grinding the gears...
Got my 18 Crosstrek on August 15, 2017. Ordered in June of that year. Have over 17,000 miles on it. My opinion, if it is just yourself, or you and other person, the power is fine. But I had a situation where I had three kids in the back (2 are mine), and the back had a full load. 4 chairs, a cooler that holds 60 cans, so the cooler was heavy, blankets, duffle bags with clothes, etc. Basically it was loaded up. Pulled away from a stop sign, it felt like something was wrong with the engine / transmission briefly. Put the pedal to the floor, and the Crosstrek was finally moving slowly, took time to build speed. In situations like that, it is definitely underpowered, but my everyday driving the power is fine. Also found out that you can accelerate faster when you slowly push down the gas pedal and keep pushing down. If you slam on the pedal from a stop right to the floor, there is a bigger delay and takes longer to get moving more quickly.
@@jmen8888 yes that's true. I had the same problem. With 2 up it's OK. But 4 or 5 people it does feel it
Hi Jeff, all of the posts from the guys are right on track and pretty much what I will tell you. On a daily basis there really isn't a time when I am wanting more power from the car. I can pull into traffic, pass, merge etc with no real effort. The Crosstrek isn't fast by any means, but there is enough power to get the job done. Even when I tow with the car I have not had any issues with power. Freeway travel you can cruise at 80 mpg with no problem. The only place you can run into trouble is with weight in the car and going up long 6 to 7% grades. Don't get me wrong the car would be better with another 30 HP, but then you are losing mpg and some of the car's character so I am good with it.
If you want a good daily driver that is also exciting and fun to drive the Crosstrek probably will not tick all of your boxes. But, if you are looking for a comfortable, quiet, do anything daily driver its just about perfect. Are you looking at buying one?
I have a Toyota Tacoma once u go down the road of doing a lift on any car or truck u change gas mileage handing less power if I was u I would the best lift kit u can afford. I hate doing things twice.
I Had a 2017 Toyota Tacoma that I had a love/hate relationship with. I %100 agree once you go down that road it changes everything about the vehicle's driving characteristics... Gas mileage, Tire wear, Transmission shifting and highway performance/comfort ect... I ended up putting thousands into the Tacoma wheels tires and suspension only to end up sick of driving it and trading it up for a Subaru crosstrek with absolutely no regrets.
Thanks Mike..I definitely do not want to kill the daily joy of the Crosstrek just to have a car that can go a little further...So, I am going to continue slowly from here and really make sure I do it right.
I hear you Todd. I just need to be sure it will not completely change the daily driving.
And then there the warranty to worrie about. Rick I’m not trying to rain on your parade just trying to help
I have a crosstrek as well it’s a limited I keep getting flat tires and this is getting old is there any 1 else out there that has this problem the tire r pretty new I hate 2 chuck em
Rick, with all the off roading you do, have you had issues with squeaks and rattles?
Hi Jeff honestly I have been very surprised that the car is still nice and quiet. The only rattle that I have is when my passenger seat is in one certain position otherwise the car is still good. My 14 had lots of rattles so I am really happy so far.
Rick Hutton , thanks for the quick response and good info. Glad to hear it. I had some rattles in my 13 Impreza which I only owned for 1.5 years before trading it for my 14 Forester XT.
I like the XT. Cool set up. Has it been good to you?
Yes it has been great overall. I put 93 octane gas in it so paying extra at the pump is getting old but I do appreciate the effortless acceleration to 40 while the rpms don’t go past 2500. Just had an exhaust hanger and fog light replaced recently. Gas mileage in warmer months averages 24 to 26.
I hear you on the 93...It isn't a huge difference each time compared to 87, but it sure adds up overtime. My wife has to do the same in the WRX..thought we don't have 93, just 91. What do you think of the new Forester? I am hoping they put the 2.4 turbo from the Ascent in there at some point, but I have my doubts. Nice to see it in the Legacy though. Thanks much for the info.
so let me see, Rick. now you have to lift your crosstrek and add heavier springs to get the same clearance and hopefully the same handling you had before added the skid plate and front bar? throwing more money at it sound like a government solution, man :-)
LOL. No doubt about that. :) At least its my money and not somebody else's. ha ha. Cheers Ed!
I ripped out half of the mud shroud on the drivers side in the snow and replaced it yesterday. the water bottle for the windshield washers was dangling freely and like you my aftermarket tires are the same size as OEM. I can imagine the guys who have gone to larger tires and wheels who actually drive their crosstreks offroad have more problems!
Oops! :) Thank you for joining my destruction club. It has been lonely around here. Knock on wood I have not harmed my car of late. I bet you are right about the bigger wheel/tire combos! I can't imagine driving around on 235's
silvers-na.com/product/silvers-neomax-coilover-kit-subaru-xv-crosstrek-2013-2018/ Rick Check this out.... This is the Route I would go. I'm not saying these specifically but just to give you an idea, this way you have Full adjustability of driving characteristics in all situations. If you just went with springs, your stuck with that ride height. With Coil-overs you can adjust as needed and if you add weight say a trailer on the back or extra cargo you can compensate for sag and increase compression damping as needed.
NIce. I will check it brother. Thank you.
Mike, those are pretty slick and at just over a grand not as expensive as I though they would be. Definitely worth considering! Thank you again.
MAGA!
So need help have a stock trek and don’t really want to get a hole full lift kit will just the springs you where talking about be fine ? Gonna be doing soft roading noting to crazy ?
Hello, are you planning wheels and tires at all? My personal suggestion would be to start there and see what you think. Getting a set of 15" wheels and AT tires will do wonders especially for protecting against pinch flats, wheel damage etc. Unless you have really big rocks and such that you will have to worry about I think doing the wheels/tires or wheels/tires and the springs would be great. From what it sounds like you will get about an extra inch of clearance with the springs which would put up over 9.5 inches of clearance which should be more than enough for soft off roading.
The big reason I was looking at the springs and or a lift is to get back some of the clearance I lost with the skid plate and front bar. If you plan on really loading your Trek up with gear they will help to keep you from sagging as well. Sorry for the rambling. :) Short answer is I think just the springs would work great.
Rick Hutton yes wheels and tires pretty much ur exact wheel set up. Yeah the springs sound a little more reliable and easy lol.
And don’t worry I enjoy the rambling I’m new to the trek so any info helps :) thank you !
ha ha. That's good.. Very cool, I think you will love the wheels/tires and you should be good to go with just them if you are not getting into anything crazy.
Rick Hutton sounds good ! Also what psi do you run when off roading ?
I have actually just been running street psi...34 to 35 psi.