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Rhitter / OB2.5XT

 

I figured it's about time I documented everything I have done to my car in one place. I am sure I am forgetting many things, but here is a good starting point.

http://i.imgur.com/iOVTMpU.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/QevaCk5.jpg

ELECTRONICS/TUNING

Cryotune Performance Opensource E-tune

 

 

TURBO/INDUCTION/EXHAUST

VF52 – Pure Turbos

PTP Turbo Blanket

Grimmspeed catted ceramic coated downpipe

Grimmspeed heat shield

OEM TMIC w/BP mod

Grimmspeed Electronic Boost Control Solenoid

Nameless performance 5 inch Outback mufflers w/ 12 inch Vibrant resonator added in-line to OEM resonator

Grimmspeed TMIC

Tomei ELh and 3 bolt up-pipe

 

 

DRIVETRAIN/ENGINE/FUEL

KDT903 Rear Differential Bushing Inserts (rear/upper mount only)

Kartboy short throw shifter

Kartboy front shifter bushings

Kartboy rear shifter stay bushing

Fumoto F105 Quick Oil Drain Valve

DW65c Fuel Pump

Group N Transmission Mount

Group N Motor Mounts

Group N Pitch stop Mount

KillerB Oil Pan, Pickup, and Baffle

CP Pistons 99.75

King Main Bearings

King Rod Bearings

ARP head studs

11mm STI oil pump

SouthBend Stage 2 daily

KoyoRad Hyper-V

Grimmspeed LWCP

 

 

SUSPENSION/BRAKES

Bilsten HDs

Front JDM SPEC.B springs, Rear KSRS-29 springs

Front LGT calipers with Centric Premium rotors and Stoptech Street pads

Rear LGT calipers with Stoptech drilled rotors and Stoptech Street pads

Technafit Stainless Steel Brake Lines

Whiteline Roll-Center/Bump Steer Kit (KCA313)

Whiteline LCA Bushings (KCA334)

Whiteline Camber and Toe arms (KTA124)

LGT Rear Upper Control Arms with Whiteline Camber Bushings (KCA399)

Grimmspeed Master Cylinder Brace

Eibach Front (25mm) and Whiteline Rear (20mm) adjustable Sway Bars

Kartboy Front Endlinks

AVO RSB Reinforcement Brackets

Whiteline universal greaseless Front Sway Bar

Alignment: -1.6* Camber up front, -1.1* Camber in the rear, zero toe at all four corners

 

Steering

Whiteline Steering rack bushings

Perrin steering knuckle lockdown

2015 STI steering rack

 

 

WHEELS/TIRES

OEM rims. Plasti-Dip Black DWS 225/55/17 tires

 

 

EXTERIOR/INTERIOR

Diode Dynamics Cool white interior LEDS

GrimmSpeed License Plate Relocation Kit

Plasti-dip grill surround

Hidden Hitch 2 inch

LaminX fog covers yellow

Sound deadening (doors and floorpan)

SRP Pedals

Redline eBrake, shift, and center armrest cover

 

 

 

PENDING INSTALLATION

Whiteline rear subframe bushings

Moog endlinks (rear)

Edited by Rhitter
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This will be a massive picture dump, will try and document a lot of what I have done over the years:

I bought the car mostly because I got sick of snow cables and I wanted something that would be fun to work on. This is the first car I have really modified. I had a 2002 mustang V6 that I did suspension + RSB + wheels and tires. That was essentially my experience with modifying prior to this car.

Brand new to me at 67k miles: Subaru certified preowned

http://i.imgur.com/Rt3UpwI.jpg

 

Stock height

http://i.imgur.com/JtHI7Nd.jpg

 

Through discussions with primary BAC5.2 I lowered the car a few months after I bought it. I think I was one of the few OBXTs to be lower on this board in 2011 (a lot has changed since then) Bilsten HDs with JDM Spec.B wagon springs. .75 inch spacer in the front and 1.5 inch spacer in the rear. I still wanted some extra height for carrying around three downhill bikes.

 

Original thread for lowering

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/obxt-bilstein-xt-167299.html

 

Lowered + fun with plasti dip

http://i.imgur.com/NiDwgAq.jpg

 

In it's element (but not really, I had to buy chains to get out of there)

http://i.imgur.com/O95AXXh.jpg

 

My brother in law 3d printed me a cup holder

http://i.imgur.com/VhLGKen.jpg

 

Adding sound deadening to the doors. I did all 4 and the hatch area. RAAmat and PS Ensolite. This made the stock speakers sound A LOT better and reduced on throttle noise from the OEM exhaust.

http://i.imgur.com/KXrbXVt.jpg

 

Decided to do a track day for a LegacyGT.com bay area meet. But in order for me to do that, I had to put on better brakes!

http://i.imgur.com/wWwdhEi.jpg

12 hours later SS lines, Stoptech pads, and LGT calipers. From the track (because a the Corvette is an honorary Subaru)

http://i.imgur.com/Bp4sB0l.jpg

 

Where I did most of my work. Painted silver grill to match the body and wings black (most of it is plasti-dip) also added yellow fog covers.

http://i.imgur.com/FH1Qcyi.jpg

 

The back sagged a lot when loaded with gear and people and dogs. Installed KSRS-29 springs to fix that. They do a great job. I was able to remove the 1 inch spacer, so know I just have 1/2 inch spacer in the rear.

http://i.imgur.com/8IHHKnJ.jpg

 

Decided to go Stage 2. This was my attempt to protect my CV boot.

http://i.imgur.com/Wykqosq.jpg

 

This is where it gets expensive. I had finished tuning Stage 2. In December 2014 I started I got a misfire CEL once when it was really cold. Started monitoring it. Misfire on #4. Compression and leakdown test revealed the ringland was broken. Refer to Magnuson's thread where he tests my pistons. http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/wants-see-some-tests-done-material-properties-oem-subaru-pistonsi-245371.html

 

I decided to ship my car from the bay area to Infamous performance for the rebuild. Picked it up after 3 weeks.

http://i.imgur.com/c2y9nzE.jpg

 

Gutted the interior to add sound deadening to the floor pan (honestly probably wasn't worth it, the doors totally were though)

http://i.imgur.com/v9lO47n.jpg

 

Moved into a house and got a garage to work in!

http://i.imgur.com/beEI4kR.jpg

 

Then had to reboot my CV joint (I guess my heat wrap and bolt on heat shield didn't work) and whiteline tierod boot.

Edited by Rhitter
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Look who jumped on the build thread wagon! :lol: Glad to see you're finally documenting everything, I had no idea you were running forged internals. Props to you, sir.

 

Still really liking your suspension. Any rub as it sits now? That looks really close to where mine sits, maybe .5" lower.

MTBwrench's Stage 3 5EAT #racewagon 266awhp/255awtq @17.5psi, Tuned By Graham of Boosted Performance

 

Everyone knows what I taste like.
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Yep, when #4 went I followed M Sprank's advice and he rebuilt with forged.

 

Tiniest bit of rub on the front inner fender liner at full lock. Debating pulling out the spacers and going more low. I was at that height mostly because of fire roads for Mountain biking and everyone I was biking with has sort of lost interest.

Edited by Rhitter
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  • 3 weeks later...
Now you need a set of aftermarket wheels!

 

My plan is to get winter tires, which will force me to get new wheels (cause can't run winter tires in the summer)

 

From all the pictures I have seen I want to run something like

245/45/18 18x8(8.5) +35 (30).

 

I have a 3/4inch spacer in front and a 1/2inch in back. I want to remove those for more low. It will require fender work in the rear to fit. I am having a lot of issues finding wheels I actually like though. Your Rota's look awesome and are high on my list (but a little heavy) I also really like the enkei rajin which come in 18x8+35. Not sure if 245 would look too bubbly on that.

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I'd suggest a 245/40 or even 245/35 if you remove your spacers. I rubbed with 235/40 on stock struts and springs as well as the Koni set up until I rolled my fenders. You'll definitely have to do some work on the fronts to make them fit but I think it should look good.

 

And yes my wheels are extremely heavy!

2005 Vader Wagon

Material Tests on Ringland Failure Piston

I should have held off and purchased a wagon instead of the spec.B
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  • 1 month later...
  • 1 month later...

Half way installed my STI steering rack. Everything is out of the car. I need to put it all back slowly now. Unfortunately I destroyed my Whiteline tirerods. Do not hit the top with a hammer to knock them out. It bends the threads.

 

My rack seems to be at 58 inches, the shortest the STI rack goes (with the thinner jam nuts) is 57.5 inches, so I think plenty without cutting any off.

 

Here is the order I should have done:

1. Pull car onto ramp

2. Undo swaybar

3. Get off ramps / jack up car.

4. Remove center jack point (forgt it's real name)

5. Remove swaybar.

6. remove steering rack bolts / tie rod ends)

7. I undid the three 10 mm bolts to loosen the power steering reservoir which allowed me to drop the whole rack before I undid the hard lines. This made sure all the mess is in my catch can.

 

To Do.

1. Remove old steering rack bushings from old rack, put them in new one.

2. figure out what centered in the rack is.

3. Install hardlines.

4 fight the rack into place.

5. redo the steps above to bolt it back into place.

5. Remove

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Half way installed my STI steering rack. Everything is out of the car. I need to put it all back slowly now. Unfortunately I destroyed my Whiteline tirerods. Do not hit the top with a hammer to knock them out. It bends the threads.

 

My rack seems to be at 58 inches, the shortest the STI rack goes (with the thinner jam nuts) is 57.5 inches, so I think plenty without cutting any off.

 

 

But did you verify that the outer tie rod can seat against the jam nut at 57.5"? If the inner tie rod bottoms out inside the outer tie rod then your adjustment range is limited. A little extra adjustment range can't hurt, but I understand it can be scary to cut a few threads if you aren't used to it.

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But did you verify that the outer tie rod can seat against the jam nut at 57.5"? If the inner tie rod bottoms out inside the outer tie rod then your adjustment range is limited. A little extra adjustment range can't hurt, but I understand it can be scary to cut a few threads if you aren't used to it.

 

That's what is currently happening at 57.5inches the outer tie rod is bottomed out on the inner tie rod. I guess I'll use a dremel to remove a few threads.

Edited by Rhitter
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Thread two nuts on to the inner tie rod and use the outer nut as a guide for your cut-off wheel. After you make the cut spin the nuts on a bit more and file/debur the cut ends. Then when you remove both nuts they will clean up and reshape the threads.

 

Thanks! just cut and reinstalled the rack. Need to reattach tie rod ends and attach the hard lines.

 

Unfortunately I wasn't able to attach the hard lines a d get the rack into place. Just not enough movement. The driver side hardlines were contacting the engine crossmember when I tried to push it into place.

 

Time to reconnect the passenger side lines. Hopefully I can do it without dropping my downpipe. There is very little room there.

 

Thoughts on using KCA313 balljoints with OEM STI tie tod ends? I assume it's fine. I guess I could do what I just did and cut off the damaged threads on the KCA313 kit. Hmm....

Edited by Rhitter
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Some notes from my installation (cross post with Underdog's thread).

STI steering rack ready to go in. I damaged my whiteline tie rods on removing them. Don't use a hammer on the upper portion, it squashed the threads.

 

http://i.imgur.com/kVF19Uy.jpg?1

 

I removed the power steering reservoir from it's mount (three 10 mm bolts) this allowed me to drop the OEM rack down and undo the hardlines. There was no way I could get them undone without dropping the rack.

 

http://i.imgur.com/iGbecSr.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Blvf0RK.jpg

 

 

Also cut the tie rod ends to allow for a little more adjustment

 

http://i.imgur.com/Xhs2lV8.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/tEZSBiD.jpg

 

Screwing the hardlines back on was very difficult. I couldn't lever the rack into position with them attached. Hardlines on the other side made contact. So I had get the rack up and then tighten them down. I was only able to hand tighten them using a crow's foot wrench head, but I haven't seen any leaks in 2 days, so it appears to have worked.

 

http://i.imgur.com/k1dQvfj.jpg

 

And this is where I can reliably get VDC to kick on in both directions. There is something about going down that seems to activate it more than going up. Turning it off does make a difference.

 

http://i.imgur.com/dSHxiY7.jpg

 

I am really enjoying the steering feel. My steering feel mods are: whiteline LCA inner and outer poly pushing, perrin steering dampener lockdown, and DAMD wheel. Adding the STI rack on top of that was perfect. The steering is a little heavier, but just feels right. This does not feel like a quick rack, it feels like how all Subaru's should come from the factory.

Edited by Rhitter
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Some notes from my installation (cross post with Underdog's thread).

STI steering rack ready to go in....

 

And this is where I can reliably get VDC to kick on in both directions. There is something about going down that seems to activate it more than going up. Turning it off does make a difference....

 

I am really enjoying the steering feel.

 

That's pretty awesome OB, and thanks for being the first in here to try it out!

 

When you turn the vdc "off" can you still feel the power cut? Have you tried pulling the vdc fuse yet? There must be something that can be done to remedy this.

 

This and the bts kit are my dream mods at the moment but if the car won't let you drive the way you want to then maybe I'll try an LGT rack.

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It's not a power cut-off, it's dragging the brakes. The system thinks I am sliding. and drags one of the brakes hard. Using the VDC off button seems to help. However, the system isn't fully defeatable (as far as I have been able to figure out)

 

I won't pull the fuse because unfortunately, ABS, VDC, and EDC (the brake bias) is all connected to the same fuse.

 

Getting an alignment now. Will see if that helps with the system kicking in when VDC is turned on.

 

Normal sedate driving it does not kick in. It's taking that section of road pretty quick that causes it to kick in, and only on the downhill sides.

 

Underdog linked someone using an Arduino to scale up the signal when they went from a forester rack to this one. So, there are workarounds....

Edited by Rhitter
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I removed the upper coolant reservoir from it's mount (three 10 mm bolts) this allowed me to drop the OEM rack down and undo the hardlines. There was no way I could get them undone without dropping the rack.

 

Don't you mean "power steering reservoir"?

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  • 4 weeks later...

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