NC Forester Build

Current Build List

Exterior:
TRF custom tube front bumper
TRF custom tube rear bumper
TRF rock sliders
Smittybilt D-ring shackles
Curt XL roof basket
Yakima Rack with 56" round bars
Yescom 6x8' awning
20% tint
Tepui Kukenam 3 Baja Series RTT (old setup)

Suspension / Bracing:
ADF 2" front spacer lift
ADF 2.5" rear spacer lift
ADF 2" sub frame spacer
ADF multi-link spacer
Group N STi engine and trans poly mounts
Torque Solution pitch stop mount

Wheels and Tires:
15 x 7 +10 KMC KM716 Nomads in matte bronze
215 / 75 / 15 General grabber AT2
17 x 7.5 +48 Sparco Terra in matte bronze (old setup)
235 / 60 / 17 Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S (old setup)

Engine and Exhaust:
Modified and deleted air box
Modified windshield washer bottle
2013 STi sedan catback with quad tips (old setup)
2013 STi sedan mid pipe
TRF custom axleback exhaust single exit

Armor and Recovery:
Primitive Racing front skid plate 3/16" with oil holes
Primitive Racing rear differential skid plate 3/16"
X-Bull Gen3 traction boards
Hi-lift Jack

Lights:
4, Hella Valuefit LED spot lights
Mostplus 6k LED headlight bulbs

Interior:
Blox Racing weighted shift knob

 

[jf1sf5]

Very nice build ! I'm not fan of tube bumpers but it is a very interresting journal. I'll have to take more time to look at the videos later too.

 

[NC Forester]

Back on August 22nd I met up with some new and old Mtnroo members but I didnt have my car so I borrowed my dad's F150. We did Balsam Mountain Road in Cherokee / Maggie Valley, NC. Was glad to have more members on this trip!

 

[Naidu]

April 26th

2 weeks ago I finally ordered my skid plates. I ordered from a company called Primitive Racing, pretty much the only company out there making skids for the Subaru community. I was hoping to do plate front to back but upon calling them and speaking with a rep, the metal on the 5MT is apparently a lot thicker than on the automatic so a transmission skid plate was never made for my generation. Cool, saved me some money from having to get that. I ended up getting their 3/16" thick front and differential plates. The front features cutouts for the oil filter and oil pan nut. I have heard from other that the holes may snag on rock and stick, etc so I may make a DIY plug that can easily be taken off for maintenance.

Very interesting pictorial journal @NC Forester!

Did you notice any loss of ground clearance with these skids? Especially with the front engine protector? I have seen pictures of them next to the plastic shrouds they replace, and they don't seem to replicate all the contours and curves of the original. Are the Subaru OEM metal skid plates better for retaining the original ground clearance?

 

[NC Forester]

Very interesting pictorial journal @NC Forester!

Did you notice any loss of ground clearance with these skids? Especially with the front engine protector? I have seen pictures of them next to the plastic shrouds they replace, and they don't seem to replicate all the contours and curves of the original. Are the Subaru OEM metal skid plates better for retaining the original ground clearance?

So before I put the skid plate on I ended up ripping off my plastic covers because one side got stuck in some mud and ripped out. I will say I noticed a pretty substantial loss in mpgs without that cover under there. It actually plays a lot in the aerodynamics of the car. Adding the skids helped alleviate that loss in mpgs. Ground clearance hasnt really changed with the addition and I wasnt aware that Subaru made metal OEM skid plates for our cars?

 

[NC Forester]

I mentioned a while back that people had asked about the front metal plate and why there were no holes in it. Well, my fab guy had a local person a few hours away plasma cut a few 2" holes for the revised front plate. This should allow direct air flow to the radiator (even though I never had any issue before with the solid plate)

 

[NC Forester]

Here are some photos of the spare tire plate mount as well as my swing mount stopper idea. I saw my idea but its not and I had no idea he was going to do this but I love it. Its super original and works very well.

 

[Naidu]

So before I put the skid plate on I ended up ripping off my plastic covers because one side got stuck in some mud and ripped out. I will say I noticed a pretty substantial loss in mpgs without that cover under there. It actually plays a lot in the aerodynamics of the car. Adding the skids helped alleviate that loss in mpgs. Ground clearance hasnt really changed with the addition and I wasnt aware that Subaru made metal OEM skid plates for our cars?

Subaru has OEM skid plates, I think both Alu and Steel. Here's a link for the current gen Forester Alu version: Subaru Forester Engine Under Guard - Aluminum - E515SSJ010 | Subaru Part Wholesale, Libertyville Illinois

I don't think they're as substantial or protective as the aftermarket skid plates.

Glad to note that ground clearance hasn't been affected much, and that your MPGs are back, with the Primitive Racing skid plate.