Melkor Posted February 11, 2017 Share Posted February 11, 2017 Hey Everyone. So I finally got my hands on a 2014 Subaru Legacy 2.5i, 6-spd Manual. I have read a ton of the sticky threads and I'm not new to Forums in general but I admit that my knowledge of both automobiles and specifically Subarus is lacking. I have no intention (as of now) of modifying the engine at all because the car is under warranty. I would however, like to give this car a new pair of shoes, and I'd like them to be 18". Is there any minimum dimensions I should be aware of? Offsets, wheel widths to avoid rubbing, etc.? I am interested in eventually doing a brake upgrade - not because I need the brakes to be diesel on a 174 hp car, but because I just like the way a big brake system looks on a Legacy. I also would like to know if there is any seriously glaring issue with our cars that I should pre-emptively and actively look out for - I have read about chickens in glove boxes, and some massive acronym about something or another "incoming" where the owner says his block is fried - I'm just lookin' for some good ole fashioned "plain speak" for a n00b. Thanks in advance, and thanks for this great forum! -Melkor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Humble Rumble Posted February 11, 2017 Share Posted February 11, 2017 Welcome! Glad to have you. Since you've got a 2014, most of the issues in previous years have been ironed out: you've got the thicker front sway bar, stiffer springs and struts, and the nice looking facelift front end. As for wheels, 18's would be fine, 19's can also look great with easy fitment. Minimum dimensions, I wouldn't go thinner than 8" wide wheels since most of us are 7.5" wide stock, and wider than 9" could be tough to fit depending on the other dimensions, though I've seen a few pull 9.5" wide. 10" wide start getting into fitments that need to address camber and fender rolling and pulling, not many members now or past that I've seen have run 10" wide. Look through the two aftermarket wheels threads for ideas on fitments and how they look with various suspension set ups. Here's the most recently active one: http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/aftermarket-rims-2010-legacy-119663.html and here's the older thread that resides in the picture forum: http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/show-off-your-5th-gens-aftermarket-wheels-192431.html 2012 Legacy 3.6R Build Thread 5th Gen Legacy BM/BR Body Kit Compendium Thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow_419 Posted February 11, 2017 Share Posted February 11, 2017 Ynansb, no but seriously welcome. I haven't upgraded my factory wheels, but if you're going 18" iirc it's +55 to +35 offset should be ok for 18x7,18x7.5,18x8 I think most of the basic suspension suckieness was improved with the '13&'14 models. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBPeik Posted February 11, 2017 Share Posted February 11, 2017 Willtheyfit.com will help you a lot in figuring the wheels. Welcome to the forum. My someday I will be done with it thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellesedil Posted February 11, 2017 Share Posted February 11, 2017 If you decide to go with larger calipers, you're looking at two options: STI Brembos (bolt right in front and rear), or some Brembos from one or two specific Cadillacs (fronts only, requires bracket). Here's a good thread in the 5th gen section about installing STI Brembos: http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/brembo-upgrade-parts-list-223533.html Here's a thread about installing Cadillac ATS front Brembos. Most everyone posting has a 4th gen, but it should apply to 5th gens too: http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/cadillac-ats-brembo-caliper-upgrade-your-subaru-251912.html I've also seen it mentioned on Facebook that a particular Covertte Brembo could also fit, but I have no specific information on it. Someone else in the know might be able to provide details. Another thing to consider if you do decide to upgrade your calipers is that you'll have additional fitment considerations to account for when selecting wheels. For instance, the stock LGT wheels (18x7.5 +55) do not clear the face of the calipers without wheel spacers. So, when doing some wheel shopping, be mindful that wheels that would normally fit on the Legacy might not fit around Brembos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgoodhue Posted February 11, 2017 Share Posted February 11, 2017 You will want to check your oil consumption. The 2014 6MT fell into the range of vehicles that could be affected. Subaru did at least extend the warranty for oil consumption up to 100k miles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melkor Posted February 11, 2017 Author Share Posted February 11, 2017 What a royal welcome! I really appreciate the advice, guys. Thank you. If I am planning on doing STI/Brembos, is the issue with fitting wheels over them related to the offset of the wheel or just the concave/convex nature of the wheel I choose? Do you recommend a vendor that I should buy the brakes from that supports the forum? Is there a "one stop shop" where I can get all the parts I need for the brake upgrade? Melkor Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YeuEmMaiMai Posted February 11, 2017 Share Posted February 11, 2017 welcome to the forum and the only thing I would say is don't let them inflate your tires over 32psi. Discount Tire likes to do 35 in the winter and I have to tell them no more than 32PSI otherwise the car starts to wander a bit... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Humble Rumble Posted February 11, 2017 Share Posted February 11, 2017 Everything I've read on here has said KNS is fantastic for helping you figure out exactly what you need for brakes. I think they have a thread or two in a couple of the vendor sections. 2012 Legacy 3.6R Build Thread 5th Gen Legacy BM/BR Body Kit Compendium Thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellesedil Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 Everything I've read on here has said KNS is fantastic for helping you figure out exactly what you need for brakes. I think they have a thread or two in a couple of the vendor sections. I'm not sure if you can buy the calipers from them, though. If I am planning on doing STI/Brembos, is the issue with fitting wheels over them related to the offset of the wheel or just the concave/convex nature of the wheel I choose? Well, how concave a wheel is would be primarily dependent on the offset. The lower the offset, the more concave the wheel has to be. But even then, it's not as simple as "find the correct offset" since the offset only tells you about the hub's position from the center of the wheel, and the center of the wheel only tells you how far away the *face* of the wheel is. The other part of the equation isn't something that's usually advertised because there's no real way to represent it other than "Hey, these wheels fit big brakes". And that something is the inside of the spoke design. If some wheels have spokes that are "deeper" then others, that could affect their fitment with Brembos since the calipers could interfere with the deeper spokes. Or maybe the concave curve is too gradual. Or perhaps there's some other considerations that I can't think of right now. For this reason is why I've been looking at RavSpec's (http://www.ravspec.com) wheels a lot. RavSpec used to be a forum vendor on here (they're still a vendor on NASIOC) and they are pretty good about mentioning if a Legacy fitment wheel will clear Brembos. It takes a lot of the guesswork out of it. Other options is to go wheel shopping for an STI the same year as the calipers you get, and then try to find that wheel's specs with a 5x100 bolt pattern. That's a difficult path to navigate though, because there will often be an offset difference between the two wheels for some reason that I cannot fathom. The easiest, but most limiting path is to just read or talk to people who have installed Brembos and ask them what wheels they are running. I've started asking everyone who posts about their Brembo install about their wheels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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