09 SH FXT - new to forester offroad.

Brumby Boy

Brumby Boy

Forum Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2010
Messages
150
Location
Ayr, North Queensland
I recently moved back to my home town and have found myself taking my forester offroad. Nothing difficult, mostly just corrugated dirt roads but some river and beach work, and that's where my trouble starts.
At the moment it's just a stock SH9 XT with a P.West TMIC. As soon as I hit the sand, especially the soft stuff, the traction control throws a fit and I just sink. That's with the traction control "off" which I believe just turns off the DSC and leaves the traction control on.

I'm currently still on the stock size 225/55r17 (not the geo squealers) & stock suspension. The only mods I've done is the big top mount, alloy skid plate and fat alloy radiator. I haven't been airing down so far as I don't have a portable air compressor and no one I go with carries one as they all drive locked cruisers and patrols with 305/75r16 balloons and rarely need air down. (I do have one on my list)

I've got a set of 16" steelies I had powder coated black years ago and am going to get some 225/65r16 A/t's fitted. I'm also thinking of doing a 2" strut lift (trailing arm spacers and 50mm longer brake lines to go with it)

Has anyone tried pulling the abs fuse to totally disable the traction control/abs?

I'm not totally new to Subaru's offroad, back when I had my brumby on the road I'd take it everywhere, air down to 22-25 psi drop it in 4 hi and even surprise the quad riders where I could go. Never had any of the troubles I'm having in the Foz.

Hope you guys can help me out, I'm really getting sick of being snatched out by patrols and want to change things up and snatch them out for once haha
 
Mine doesn't have traction control but I do remove the ABS fuse. You will absolutely have to air down though. Try 18 psi and if the sand is really soft use 14 psi. For emergency use 10 psi but be careful or you could fold the tyre off the rim.
 
Gidday BB

:welcome: to the ORS forum, mate.

I agree with Kevin about airing down and avoiding going too low.

Keep a blown fuse in your glove box to replace the removed fuse. Then there are no embarrassing questions from your insurer as to why it wasn't there ... :iconwink:

I can recommend this product as a compressor:

https://www.princess-trade.com.au/c...ngle-cyclinder-heavy-duty-air-compressor.html

I have one of these. It will inflate a 165/75 13" from dead flat to 30 psi in under a minute. Costs $74. Comes in a great carry case, with room for other stuff to do with tyres.

Postage to Townsville is about $20.

I have seen the identical article sold at over $300. Only difference was the "brand" sticker on it.

You might also like to check out my puncture repair kit review here:
https://www.offroadsubarus.com/showthread.php?t=3261
 
Thanks for the recommendation Ratbag, I'll get one of those on payday and give airing down a go, I'll also try pulling the fuse next time I'm headed near a dealer so they can sort any issues if they arise from the pulled fuse.
 
G'day again BB

You're welcome, mate.

When the ABS fuse is pulled/burned out (:iconwink: :lol:), the dash will light up like a Christmas tree.

Putting an on/off switch in the circuit just advertises what you have done to an insurer, and the gentlemen in blue ... Also breaches the ADRs, so your car becomes instantly unroadworthy ...

Having said all that, the ABS in Roo2 flaming near killed me at the Bunyip SP day trip in January last year ... See here:
https://www.offroadsubarus.com/showthread.php?t=3245

In that thread, I also discuss how to overcome the problems caused by the ABS, and also how non-ABS vehicles can get some braking and directional stability when downhill on the slippery slide ...
 
Mate welcome, good to see another townsvillian here, my XT loves the beach but then again I don't have traction control. All I can say is pull the fuse they are nothing but trouble.
Which beaches are you going to around here, everywhere I have been the sand is really course which makes beach work really easy and good fun. The only soft sand I have found is when you hit the beach near AIMS.

Cheers
Scott
 
Hi OutbackOiler, I've only been on Cungulla beach (AIMS) once and had no trouble (except for the mrs loosing her mind at me for scratching her car lol)
the only other sand its seen has been the Burdekin River and a beach just north of Bowen.

Cheers Biesel, alot more people over here into off roading there foresters haha
 
Check out that thread that bloke has a my11 foz ad sounds like he has similar issues to yourself he over came them by removing the abs fuse.
 
Brumby Boy said:
Hi OutbackOiler, I've only been on Cungulla beach (AIMS) once and had no trouble (except for the mrs loosing her mind at me for scratching her car lol)
the only other sand its seen has been the Burdekin River and a beach just north of Bowen.

Cheers Biesel, alot more people over here into off roading there foresters haha
Click to expand...

Ollara creek is a good run, creek crossings, dirt track and down to the beach. It is 50km north if you clock it from woodlands shops.
 
No offense but if your not airing down then your not on proper sand. God the sand here in WA is soft as hell, I can hit the stuff screaming at redline, 1st gear low range and don't even get that far. You just sink, then as you try to go further or back out you bottom out...
Get an air compressor and tyre gauge from Supercheap. Get a middle of the range air compressor for about $90 or so.
Even here in WA the big rigs that are locked have to air down, having seen many that don't. Our Subaru's tend to drive past them later when they are sitting on their axels along the beach :lol:
 
taza, none taken. The beach sand here is quite fine and packs down quite well but it can get powdery and give trouble when it's dry above the high tide mark. The Burdekin river is another story, very rocky corse sand that can be hard to walk in at times.
I borrowed a little 12v compressor of my mate yesterday and I'm going to head down there tomorrow after work and try airing down.
 
^ Good mate :cool: Let us know how you go, take a camera and grab a pic or two aswell :iconwink:

Even letting down the tyres on the 17's (around 18psi on 17" rims I'd say is safe) it will go heaps easier. You won't bog down as much and the car won't have to work as hard :ebiggrin:

Try and get some pics!
 
Hey BB

Brumby Boy said:
I borrowed a little 12v compressor of my mate yesterday and I'm going to head down there tomorrow after work and try airing down.
Click to expand...

Check that the compressor works properly before you let air out of your tyres ... :poke: :rotfl:
 
Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to go out,:sad: my mrs had the car all day and I spent the day refabricating the rear suspension in my mates GQ dual cab comp truck.:eviltoyou:

With a bit of luck I'll go after lunch tomorrow. Do you think his 35/12.5r15 Maxxis Creepy Crawler LT's would fit my XT :rolleyessarcastic:
 
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