Lifting Subaru Forester

[farmerpug]

I want to raise the suspension on my 1997 forester as its too low for the off roading i have planned for it

Apparently according to the previous owner it has STI suspension in it, i dont even know if there was an STi forester. all i know is it cant get over a kerb.

 

What is the best way to raise a forester, any particular type of springs, would the shocks need replaced aswell?

[Gambit]

I'm not 100% sure but I know a guy who take's his off road for shooting and he has King spring's. And yes there is STI version's 

They look great doing this. Like a ferry power boat :)

 

Not sure about the shock's 

[farmerpug]

I took it into the field for the first time i was very impressed by how well the thing goes, even on road tyres it got across very mucky parts and could handle properly in the corners, it seems to do a bit of lift off oversteer which was great, need to fix the handbrake though it doesnt seem to do much. 

Going this speed in the suzuki would have put it on its roof.

 

I think ill leave raising it for a while i reckon it will cost at least £300 to do, and i need to change the timing belt on my pug soon.

[Gambit]

That's what the bloke said who goes shooting near me. said there is noting it can't handle and fast off road as it is on road. I've never driven one just got speaking to him when he see my car. And I would leave the pug sell it to do up the Forest :D

[farmerpug]

My dad wants to use it for getting a few rabbits round the farm, the big sunroof is fantastic for that. Im more interested in rallying it :D

 

 

I wouldnt really want to sell the 406 though i need something economical and comfy for the daily drives, plus i also have bought a few wrote off 406s in the past dissected them and now my attic is full with spare parts which is a big plus with a car of this age, here it is:

[Jay762]

looks tidy thats for sure

[Gambit]

We don't want to see any picture's of french car's even if it does look well looked after and clean ;) Get some of the Forester on here :D

 

And it's all I would want it for too rallying :D

[farmerpug]

We don't want to see any picture's of french car's even if it does look well looked after and clean ;) Get some of the Forester on here :D

 

And it's all I would want it for too rallying :D

 

Apologies for no forester picture in this thread

a tight squeeze to get it in the garage

and its predecessor, a 1991 suzuki samurai with a vitara 1.6

 

on the subject of the suspension again, i think ill look out for a set of standard shocks and springs and whack them into the forester.

[Gambit]

I was only messing about the Pug mate no need to be sorry. Made me feel bad now ;) 

 

Look's nice think I would colour code the front bumper myself just for something to play with really :D

I would do the same with the shock's cost a bit when you start getting the mod stuff put on and would be better for off road anyway then STI spring's :D

The Samurai looked like it had seen some good off road action in it's time take it died now :(

[farmerpug]

I was only messing about the Pug mate no need to be sorry. Made me feel bad now ;)

 

Look's nice think I would colour code the front bumper myself just for something to play with really :D

I would do the same with the shock's cost a bit when you start getting the mod stuff put on and would be better for off road anyway then STI spring's :D

The Samurai looked like it had seen some good off road action in it's time take it died now :(

 

I like the 2 tone colour scheme with the grey bumper, its very 90's retro :D It matches the grey wheels, or the wheels match it.

There is bits of rust here and there but ive got a big tub of P38 Isopon to attack it with, and the scuff near the headlight washer will get painted.

 

As for the samurai, it was a great wee jeep, very fast and went anywhere, it served a few good years doing this:

But between removing the 1.3 engine and getting a replacement 1.6 it sat outside for a while in the wet and the body got rusty, there was too much rust, and the brake servo failed and i crashed it hence no front end

It wasnt dead, i left it parked in my garage for over a year, got fed up with it taking up the space, it started first push of the button, i parked it out in the garden that day to change the gearbox oil in my mums clio, i sold it on gumtree for £220, so it paid for the forester. 

 

Back to the forester i removed the front spring as i might get a replacement set of used struts off eBay, but how do i measure the height of this strut so it can be compared to what some eBay seller is selling them for:

[Jay762]

Measuring as you are doing will give a rough idea if you are comparing a like for like measurement with an assembled unit on eBay

 

The length of the spring will be a big contributor to the ride height - you can have a damper with two different springs and one will sit lower if the spring is shorter.

 

The strut you have doesn't look like a higher spec coil over setup so wont have adjustable ride heights to worry about.

 

If you separate the spring from the damper then you will be able to see just how much it was compressed by the damper / or not as the case may be.

 

Doing that you will also be able to see how much the damper extends so you may be able to get away with just changing the springs instead of the whole unit 

[Gambit]

Yep look's like it did do some good off roading. I take it, it's your land and your not using the local school playing fields :)

 

Nice quick sale and new toy to boot. Good choice too :)

 

And as Jay has said I would have done it the same way your doing it.

[farmerpug]

Thanks Jay for the advice.

 

I see some foresters being broken on eBay and in the pictures the ground clearance looks much higher than mine (ive got no room between the front wheel and arch, its wore the inner wheelarch liner through to the metal) 

 

Gambit, yep its my uncles land down on the farm.

 

I have to say the springs in the forester were a doddle to remove, compared to the same job on the 406, where the hub clamps around the strut and trying to seperate the hub was something which did cause many bad words to be said.

In comparison the foresters strut just came out with no fuss, didnt even need wd40.

[Gambit]

Subaru's mate I've only had the Impreza but there a great car to work on, if you like to play around with car's. I've never had a car so easy to work on, if I could moan about anything that could have been easy to change would be the sparkplugs :D

But everything else seems to be made to be taken off and put back on like a swatch car :D

 

once you get them on post some picture's up of the STI and the standard spring's on be nice to see how much more it lift's. I'm guessing a lot buy what you have said.

[farmerpug]

Got the front struts in today, no back ones yet. eBay sellers who break cars, i dont know why they bother lisiting the stuff none of the feckers ever reply to any emails asking for parts.

 

With the car in the air i got some brake calliper paint and painted them red, the only thing was i forgot i had compressed the front callipers and near drove into the gatepost.

Before with the apparently STI springs the front of the car from the ground to the wheel arch was 26 inches, now with the standard springs its 29 inches which makes a huge difference, it can go over kerbs.

 

Before:

and after:

[Gambit]

Dam fine job mate. And can see massive rise with them new spring's, be off roading before long.

 

And I'm glad you said about the breakers. I thought it was just me I just ring the buggers now normally to get a women who has no clue. telling me I need to ring back as the guy I need to speak to is busy :)

 

Callipers look nice too. And I think we have seen enough Subaru's crashed this week :D But I know how easy it is to forget to pump the pedal if your doing a few thing's at once.

[Jay762]

Wow thats a huge difference - no problem with clearance now!!

[farmerpug]

Still looking for rear shocks all week and gambit your right, the phone is always awnsered by some woman with a very nice telephone manner but who couldnt tell the difference between a steering wheel and gearstick, some prices for rear shocks out of used cars have been more than brand new shocks when they quote a price.

Still a load of feckers on eBay who just dont reply, there is a really mint looking red forester being broken for parts but they never reply

 

I almost got a pair of shocks paid for them, the next day the man said he took them out and they were leaking at least he was honest so he refunded me.

I might end up buying a pair of standard springs and put them into the current shocks, to save any waiting about.

[Gambit]

Wow I'm shocked (Pun not intended) your having so much trouble getting rear shocks :(

I would have thought you would get some easy for the age of the car. And I know wen I have had tried before emailing people on eBay that break car's, unless there a breakers business never got a reply so its not just you. Unless they don't like either of us ;)

And I would rather have a guy tell me they was leaking then try pull a fast one, like one guy did with me :( but risk's you take I guess.

 

If I get chance will see if I can find any for you tomorrow. I have an easy day so might help me kill sometime while I'm looking for a four wheel drive Jag. Don't ask lol :D

 

And not an easy job but might be quicker to replace the springs. and by the sound's of it cheaper. But see what I can turn up tomorrow if anything.

[farmerpug]

I find this to be the problem with most of the breakers on eBay, for all makes and models of cars. I dont know why the messaging thing comes through as an email i broke a clio and a 406 in the past and was able to get emails asking me for parts fine.

Its hard to beat the old fashoned local scrapyard, im going to take a run over to a place tommorow which breaks subaru's hopefully they might have a forester. But if you see any let me know that would be great thanks.

Although a price of springs for the back are only £50 it might work out cheaper just to put new springs on the shocks.

 

A 4 wheel drive jag, that would be an x type, they are a nice car. Did they ever offer the 4x4 version with a diesel engine?

[Gambit]

You are right its Xtype and yes they do a diesel 4X4. And that's exactly what I'm looking for :D

I asked at my 2 local scrap yards. The Greek guy looked at me as if I had just spat in his face when I asked if they had a Forester in :D And very polite said "NO!"

 

So went to the other one there only small yards. Asked there said they don't get many in at all as people buy them to break :(

 

But I'm still looking for a Jag. So will try a few other places for you why I'm at it. After I've finished in the garage 1st :)

[farmerpug]

Is there many about that are both 4x4 and diesel, they did the v6 with 4x4 but i never seen a diesel one. Although every time i go on the internet looking for a sensible x type jag i always end up looking at XJ-R's and trying to justify buying one :D

 

Thanks anyhow for asking, i didnt get to the breakers today with the snow on the roads, but looking at the shocks i have right now on the back they are in good nick so i might just whack in new springs and leave it alone.

[Gambit]

Might be a better plan if you can get the springs on with a bit of hard work. If the people not reply back to you :( 

And not a problem I was around the area so not gone out my way.

 

No there's not many about one of the reason's I'm having a problem finding one want rid of a V6 front wheel drive for the 4X4 Darkside. But local to me there is not many at the right price. But I like the challenge :D

[farmerpug]

It seems to be hard to find diesel 4x4 estates that are about 5 years old, audi made a few, most of the older 4x4 estates are petrols. Like my forester its a good car, the last owner he does very little driving so didnt mind the fuel economy.

 

I seen a 405 estate on eBay a while back, it had the 1.9 xud and a 4x4 system i think from the mi16, and citroen rear suspension it was a collection of bits and pieces from rare cars. finding spares would be a nightmare. it seemed like a good idea and them old xud engines will run on biodiesel.

[Jay762]

correct me if i'm wrong but I thought all diesel engines would run on cooking oil or biodiesel as long as there was an appropriate thinner and the stuff had been filtered?