Blinky the 97 SF forester

Been a little while since I've had to time (or extra $$) to do more work outfitting my forester. But theres some mods and extras in the near future so I've started my thread to keep track of it all.

heres blinky

lakeo.jpg


Rear wheel carrier is in the works atm, and repainting the roof in white plastidip. other than that I'm looking at making a rear storage system and strut lift.
 
Click to expand...
It will be great to see "blinky" going through it's transformation :)

Regards
Mr Turbo
 
First things first is some servicing.

t4og.jpg


new tie rods (still waiting on the outers) and ball joint for the front (d/s already in)

And a volt gauge to go in as well, I'm planning on writting up a diy for the electrical section for this little mod
 
mn6d.jpg


Spent a few minutes putting the volt gauge in the dash today. It's also next to an extra 12vlt constant port for my inverter (the little wiring in the factory port keeps blowing fuses when i put the inverter on)

It's just wired onto the loom out of the uhf being the closest. if your thinking of putting in a gauge check first with a multi meter that the source your tapping off isn't also connected to a voltage regulator.A lot of new cars and 4wds the factory 12vlt ports are regulated to 12 or 12.5 volts, the SF forester isn't and i doubt the sg is as well but its better to check before you end up splicing wires.

All up cost $2 and a bit of chopping board, I'm not worried about cutting up this piece of dash i bought s spare when i was at the wreckers for 10 bucks
 
A few weeks ago i order a $30 action gopro style camera off ebay. its the same as this one jaycar sell https://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=QC8018&form=CAT2&SUBCATID=1052#7

Pretty happy with it to be honest for $30 takes video in 720 at 30fps and vga at 60fps, now just to go out on the tracks and take some video!

08jd.jpg


Came with a waterproof case, tripod mount adapter for the camera body (to charge while filming), a helmet mount, and suction cup mount.
 
the sony action cam takes some really dam good video, I've got a few different still cameras take record video as well so i can't really justify the cost of a sony/gopro for the amount of use it will get. otherwise i'd probably buy the sony

I'll jump on the mountainbike tomorrow and see how the video looks
 
kodj.jpg


Me and Dedman out at the old trestle bridge @ stoney creek

Update wise, besides a pretty full weekend changing a CV joint, tie rod inners/outers and an engine service, I took a good look at how im going to attack making a rear bar.

I should be picking up a mig this month and a rear bar and wheel carrier is the first project comming up. I'm planing on a dual swing out Wheel / bike carrier for my mtb or road bike, on a detachable pivot.
 
I don't think so, tow bar is there already I don't plan on modifying it. I don't trust my welding on heavy plate I'll just have the point go flying off ! My main part of the plan is to get the spare wheel out of the wheel well, I'd hate to need to get to it out on the tracks loaded up, I'll end up with a slightly better departure angle as well, nothing hugely better again as i dont want to modify the towbar and my exhaust has no where to go.
 
Last edited:
Might not look it now but this is going to be a 2" strut lift and trailing arm spacers.

i9h3.jpg


Rear carrier has been put off a little while till my lift is done.


h72s.jpg


Good to get a little muddy.

batc.jpg

This ones from a while back when i just got the king springs in the back, 6 hours for 1 corner. Everything that could be seized was and the allan bolt in the strut piston flared apart when i was unbolting the top hat.


Also since my aerial has decided it'll only go up and down on its own terms I bought a replacement fm aerial to go in the cabin. After thats in I'll be moving the uhf aerial near the top of the gaurd like dedmans, i never was happy with the z bracket the uhf is on.
 
Last edited:
NIce job mate!
I wish we could put here light bars..but we can't...is against the law....so i am deciding to mount some Hella 1000 rally in the top.
 
Thanks tedcossie!.

So I've had the raised King springs in the car for about 40,000k now, and while I'm mostly happy the harsh ride on the road gets annoying at times, and off road the stiff springs probably do lower the performance.

Absolutely stoked with the Firestone Destination A/T's great wear 48,000k ish and plenty of tread left, great grip on loose surfaces wet tracks and most places I go 4wding, reasonably impressed with the performance in mud could be better but they're not mud tyres! and even on my snow trips, I've had grip and control in conditions I would of had to stop and put chains on when I had road tyres.

Crossbred performance sump guard and rear diff guard, Nice and strong. The rear diff guard went on fine without any issues, the sump guard i needed to file out the holes to fit and cut some metal to clear the exhaust headers.

I've a new alloy roof rack going on, and my Strut lift is on hold (i can't find the correct size tube anywhere) while i have a shop roll some steel for me. As for the rear wheel carrier the design now is to attach through the bumper onto the towbar mounts on the body and latch to a mount on the towbar frame.

After all of that the plan is to get a cargo barrier for the back and fabricate a self to divide the cargo space into two sections, with a space to slide my camp table in for easy access.

Seems the more traveling and bush camping I do the more my mods are moving away from 4x4ing in mud and seeing if i can get up that rutted washed out track, to being easy to setup, pack up camp and stay that little longer away from civilization. Were still still heading out on the tracks and looking for challenges, but now when I'm out touring and camping I'm more happy to pull over or setup camp and head out on the mountain bike to find that hut,mine,lookout or waterfall.
 
Gidday Id

idw said:
. . .

Seems the more traveling and bush camping I do the more my mods are moving away from 4x4ing in mud and seeing if i can get up that rutted washed out track, to being easy to setup, pack up camp and stay that little longer away from civilization. Were still still heading out on the tracks and looking for challenges, but now when I'm out touring and camping I'm more happy to pull over or setup camp and head out on the mountain bike to find that hut,mine,lookout or waterfall.
Click to expand...

I'm thinking of selling my trailer ...
Could suit your developing needs rather well!

7x4.
Metal lid.
New 40x40 mm heavy duty solid steel axle.
New Subaru compatible hubs (studs take standard Subaru metric nuts; with standard trailer bearings).
Subaru 16" steel rims with Pirelli P7 tyres (4 of).
Re-built ladder frame and floor (about 15 years ago; structural box and galvanised 16 ga. floor).
New draw bar - 50x75 mm structural box, reinforced.
Both front and rear gates, both new.
Re-wired.
2x Fuel/water panniers.
Gas bottle holder.
Lid and gates sealed with rubber stripping, all lockable.
Registered, with about 9 months remaining, with an "R" number chassis number.

It's strongly built and tows well. Hardly noticed it behind my '93 Impreza dragging it up Skenes Creek Road fully loaded! Piece of the proverbial behind Roo2 ...

And I will only be looking to recover my costs associated with its complete rebuild so far if I sell to someone on this forum :iconwink:. It's currently insured with the RACV for an agreed sum of $2,500. I would be prepared to part with it for a fair bit less than this.

After quite a lot of work, soul-searching and thinking about what I want a trailer to do, and for, it appears to be a more sensible approach for me to start again by buying a purpose-built unit ...

Maybe I should put all this in the "Wanted to Sell" forum ... :lol:
 
I'll give you a slab of beer ratbag :rotfl:

Seriously though I've seen the build phoots of it in another thread its a nice bit of kit. But i don't really want to tow a trailer they just get in the way on 4x4 tracks imo, doesn't suit the type of 4wding me and my partner go on. We travel around tracks and exploring all day then look for camp for usually only a night or two in any one spot. When i say washed out rutts i mean the 1.5m or more deep ones :lol: and the mud and bog holes above the windows. I was more meaning i don't really think i need to big cruiser or patrol to go most 90% of the places i want to!
 
G'day again Id

Thanks, and I understand where you're coming from (and going to ... ) :rotfl:

My approach is planned to be more along the lines of tow the trailer to a central point (e.g. Warrumbungles NP). Park it there. Spend a week or two exploring the 1,700 odd kms of tracks criss-crossing the Piliga State Forest (the Piliga sandstones). Don't plan to drag the trailer around anything more dodgy than a well graded dirt track.

In going through this extended exercise over the last year, I have come to realise that I really need some basic comforts; ease of setup/take down, etc.

I'm not prepared to jump for $20-50 grand - I can stay in 4-5 star motels for the rest of my life for less than that! What I'm looking at weighs about 1,000 kgs GVM, with over-ride brakes. Little to no stress on my Fox (max towing weight is 1,400 kgs braked; so nowhere near this ... ). Bugger all effect on fuel economy as much the same size/shape as the car, so in its slipstream for most purposes.

I have found that I can buy something that fits my needs for around $6K all up (power supply; solar charger; shower; water tank; panniers for fuel/water/gas; kitchen, storage, plenty of places for some creature comforts - bloody important when you're my age!

Not super macho heavy duty, drag it around upside down tough, but pretty darn well built, with roof top (trailer top?) tent with a comfortable bed, easy setup/take down, and lots of room for a SOFA member to slack around in when feeling crappy, without feeling like I'm in a coffin ... That'll happen soon enough :rotfl:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top