Subaru Forester Offroad Build

I've had a ton of questions about what I've done to my Subaru Forester, so here's a video and a list of basics below.
2004 Subaru Forester XS
2in ADF Lift
215/70R16 General Grabber Tires
Primitive Racing Skid Plates
Rally Innovations Light Bar
KC Daylighters
Rhino Rack Roof Rack
Smitty Built Roof Top Tent
www.mikejohnsonphoto.com
My Gear:
Main Camera: amzn.to/2hXDPdK
Vlog Camera: amzn.to/2ynAniB
Favorite Lens: amzn.to/2hjp1FH
Vlog Lens: amzn.to/2hm4DHq
Drone: amzn.to/2ylvO8v
Underwater Camera: amzn.to/2ylEU5b
Photo Camera: amzn.to/2yo91ZV
Portrait Lens: amzn.to/2hpbnUT

[@godoyfg1]

It's actually nice to see people enjoy some adventure and also modify the forester! It's a quite capable vehicle. Good job mate

[@lexusvip4003]

About to get a 2003, Forester XS with 130,000 miles on it. New head gasket, timing belt, water pump. Perfect condition. $2500. I feel like winter is gonna be a blast this year...

[@hadynmcloughlin4661]

Great setup thanks for sharing - about to convert my Forester to a offroad build. New subscriber from AUS

[@smalljaws8137]

It's amazing how capable foresters are with a small lift and some all terrain tires

[@EricSable]

Mike, this video and your forester have been an inspiration to me for years! I've finally just lifted my 08 forester and I've been taking it offroad on little trips. Thanks for posting this and being my inspo :)

[@ChaseMyles]

Such a wicked build! This is what I was hoping for my forester project, unfortunately i got rid of it before I got to any of it.

[@gggooogggttt]

Great video. I just got 215/70R16 tires for my '09. I was going back & forth between them and the 225s, really wanted the wider tire but didn't want fitment/rub issues. Yours look like they do just fine :)

[@pbyrne204]

Awesome! I would definitely enjoy a review of the tent and a look at the built-in drawer system.

[@jasonwise7554]

For sure want to see the review on the tent and drawer system. I use my 06 Forester for bike camping, I need a better setup for the back without eliminating the rear set. I’m currently waiting on my ADF 2” strut spacers and trailer arm spacers. Already have my Sparco Terra wheels and just waiting on the tires. Today I found apparently the General Gabbers are discontinued. Three weeks it will be closer to your look. Nice work. Look forward to seeing more.

[@ethereal_synapse]

I started putting money into my forester with off road intentions and recently found out the frame is tweaked because the front left sits lower even after replacing struts and re-aligning. Such a shame because i've had it a few years and it is my favorite car so far. Good excuse for me to upgrade to a newer model. Either way I'm planning cross country travel for photography purposes with the foz and i'm glad i stumbled upon this channel. Good to see other's with the same ideas

[@lukemachale2903]

Love the length of these videos and the drone footage. Great work

[@Mik3J]

Luke MacHale Thank you!

[@SSorgears]

If you are getting rubbing on the tires, General makes the Grabber AT in a 215/65 series as well - I had them on my CR-V a few years ago and they were great for the occasional off-roadish stuff I would get into. They did cut the mileage down a MPG or two compared to a regular "road" mud/snow rated radial.

[@miketee3007]

Great video..thanks Mike. I'm building one in 6 months. U Gave me some good pointers. But yes. I will be doing a turbo. Although I hear they break more often. Im Letting go my 2016 ( perfect roads only ) totally pointless BMW m3. And building a full purpose forester. I'm super excited.

[@georgepirokkas2102]

amazing video mate, lots of useful info for us new in the forester world. well done keep up the good work

[@fozzguy]

badass fozz! i seriously need something like that, its awesome!

[@Lacrossehawk0]

It's always nice being able to see that the XS automatic can handle her own. I have an 04 XS I'm trying to get to this stage right now.

[@adrianf5665]

how's it going so far?

[@TDHobbies]

Awesome video! I feel as though you made this video especially for me. LOL I just got into the Subaru world and like to ask questions to people like you that actually USE the car in real world off road and challenging situations. Thanks again for taking the time, I really appreciate it!

[@Mik3J]

Tony Fall2Fast You bet dude! Holler anytime if you have a question ☺️

[@nikondgo]

Tony Fall2Fast, me and wife did a one year South America trip in our stock Forester 2010, 5sp manual, with no modifications at all, except for some sleeping and cooking arrangements. It has been from up to 5500m in the Bolivia mountains down to the jungle in Brazil. No problems except for a burned clutch and a few flats. I wish I had done a lift though and I really missed a real low gearing a few times...

[@maxpigeon]

#metoo

[@demon546789]

Sick Forester dude! I wanna do a build like this. I have one and am slowly building up to it.

[@johnmackintosh7758]

Great review, I’m looking for a rooftop tent for my Subaru so would love to hear about yours

[@urbanskate22]

Keep it up on the videos. Been getting great ideas. Thanks!

[@nickd901]

"That's it, haven't done much modification"- Kings all around 600 bucks for just the springs, Primitive Skids are 200 a piece, there are 3. Roof top tent, Smitty runs 700 on sale. 1000 for the newest styles. All in all. there is well over 2 grand in mods here. AT2 are 120 a piece, IF you can find the size you need. Sick Forester, but that's some dough for the mods, Buy kings, worth the cash I will say

[@ihadto5533]

yes review the tent! awesome fozzy

[@Mik3J]

I'm working on it! Trying to find a day that isn't freezing to set it up and do a walk around/review! Thanks for watching!

[@sunny6020]

Lovely review! Thanks! Pls do more of such kind . Background music is awesome!!

[@german996]

hello Mike, we owned an XS before i bought my wife an XT , the XT i Installed General Grabbers, and a roof rack, its been a great car and lots of extra power, but miss and love the simplicity of the XS, I own a 03 WRX wagon manual, 4 inch lift, BFG AT tires, Tein suspension, roof rack , rear diff guard, primitive skid plate, etc etc etc, love my Subarus....

[@olebjrntjelta7337]

That is a great looking forester! Thx for this cool video!

[@Mik3J]

Ole Bjørn Tjelta You bet dude! Thanks for watching!

[@AkshayBhavsar1989]

Great build dude!

[@adampitts3114]

Great setup. I recently went from camp Jeep to Subie as well. I'd love to see your cargo area setup.

[@dustintrinh8143]

Review the tent and the drawer system. Great build man!

[@Kedton]

Would love to see a review on that tent. Im in your neck of the woods and want to know how you like the tent for our Utah weather! Love the channel. Subscribed!

[@martinr8278]

Looks great…..nice lighting on that mountain goat!

[@jmansworld_tvexpolerev1422]

I like the set up and I’m doing something like you did the square light pods on my rack of my Subaru crosstrek I’m going do two in back of rack

[@nixofortune]

very nice video! I think your setup and choice of vehicle is perfect for the purpose. Turbo Forester SG5 would be nice for performance but than it would require different modification approach. Any way great video. Well done.

[@DeafGypsy]

I plan to put a retrofitted drawer/bed in the back. Hope to see yours. Thanks for this helpful video.

[@billonthehill9984]

I like the video content here... I'm driving a 2017 Outback Limited currently, 9 payments into it, out of 48 total! ( ZERO % interest ) I think your naturally aspirated 2.5 engine gives you the best of both worlds imho... I too have my eye on a set of reasonably priced Generals as the factory equipped all season M&S Bridgestones on this vehicle only work under ideal conditions, i.e., dry, cold snow, they struggle in the deep wet snow here in north central Vermont, add to that my house sits at 1840 feet ASL! I like the suspension upgrade you have done here also, got me thinking on what I can do a little further down the road with my new Outback... Thanks, Bill Farr... :>)

[@ruthardt4adventure995]

Great looking rig!!!

[@datdudeinred]

You sir just got an another sub... Just can't get over the fact that you have just less than 1000 subs But Big things have small beginnings...

[@RESCUEFORCE]

Great setup. I got some great value off of this video I'm going to work on my subi

[@CampJo]

Very cool. I vote yes to a tent review.

[@serafinhikes]

Bad ass. Definitely a sweet setup

[@GlenBarker]

i'd love to see a review of your rooftop tent on the forester.

[@hypedoutFTW]

@6 minutes you said you should of bought the turbo version and I must say I was thinking about swapping mine to a 2.5 turbo but after reaching 230k miles and still running strong with no leaks and I drive it everyday I'm a firm believer in our models

[@bigboyhova]

Turbo is super unreliable, I sold mine for a non tutbo for off road use and trips and much happier.

[@rainking63]

Nice build! Get some wire loom around that wiring... cheap and effective!

[@paulkoch6241]

Love the video and the Forry! Thanks for sharing this. trying to do some easy upgrades for my 17 year old who is taking over this vehicle. Did the springs and adf lift kit require any work on the brake lines or cv boots?

[@williepie]

Love my 04 outback. i like the forester style even more though.

[@Mik3J]

Secured Existence They both look great. I love the way the 2010 Era outbacks look lifted. Might be my next move.

[@wuzihuzi]

no way 04 outbacks FTW! I have a gen 3 MY04 Outback R

[@brucelee9941]

Just bought a 06 love it manual transmission

[@s10sh1tbox9]

@@Mik3J I just got a 2010. I'm 13. Any cheap tips

[@ThatguyLuke96]

Liberty Prime buying one tmrw... wish me luck!

[@aeg10204]

That's awesome man.

[@thehighcountrymedicalclini794]

So along with many others I'm dealing with some but not major power issues mainly when trying to climb mountain passes. I've found a few options as there is almost no upgrades for the 2.5 NA and even less folks doing tunes on these cars, which is odd because plenty of NA trucks and cars have at the very least plug and play flash tuners with aftermarket injectors. That being said there is a company in AUS called raptor superchargers, they build belt driven water cooled centrifugal chargers for about 2100USD there are others but this one stuck out to me. Now I'm a poor man and when I say poor I mean rich because I don't currently pay rent or a mortgage living outta my forester, and lately I've been indulging with bumpers suspension ect… I think its a viable option considering getting a brand new mid line full end turbo kit intake to exhaust tip can be that same exact price if not more, and it takes up considerably more space, along with the lubrication/ cooling system being co-shared with the engine. I believe there are two companies so far that have created adaptive learning tuners of which will work for the forester NA, it would be interesting to see what a tuner like this coupled to a 7psi-10psi charger would give you.

[@josephgunter9112]

Totally want to see you drawer system in the hatch! Not many fozzys out there that do it!

[@cameronmullen2126]

Very Cool Mike!

[@Mik3J]

ConzDukus XT Thanks man!

[@darylcheshire1618]

I have the 2018 XV, a smaller car, I let the air out of the tyres to 24 psi. I drove in and out of a series of mud holes, one was a little deep and I hit the bottom of it, I backed up and kept going, I had bent something behind the plastic bumper which popped the fender and left one side of the plastic splash guard hanging down. My point is if I had a bunch of driving lights fitted it would have squashed them. I wondered if letting too much air out might have lowered the front and made it prone to nose dive. Next time I let the air out to 30 psi which was fine but I probably won’t get the same nose dive situation.

[@austynnorthrup-streit4896]

Would you happen to have a link for the lift kit? I have been looking into lifting my 1999 forester.

[@jjjsmith2497]

YOU DID A GREAT JOB.. Better than a jeep because (my opinion) on the roaf or off your set up for getting yourself in and out of moderate situations

[@oscarmelara1595]

Thinking of getting a roof tent on mine ive got an 06 xt will do tires and lift kit soon maybe once my tires run out. 2 inches look great

[@Mik3J]

Oscar Melara The tent does ruin your mpgeez a bit, but totally worth it if you use it a lot!

[@dkgRamsey]

Could you do a tent review? I'm looking to buy one for my Forester

[@aaronrogers6502]

Hey Mike, if i wanted to do this exact same spacer/spring lift combo, could you tell us the exact parts you have?

[@ohthatguydan9028]

Hey man I just got a forester myself and was super interested in putting a rtt. Why did you choose the rhino rack and can you do a video on the way you mounted the tent and with it setup. Thanks!

[@DennyRobison]

Great build! Do you carry a full size spare in the back or just the one that came with the car?

[@SaveTheManuals]

Hey, nice build! Our Foresters look like cousins!

[@therronhumphrey4712]

Could you tell me how you mounted the front light bar to the roof rack? Or provide a link? Love the Forester videos, Thanks!

[@destroy43]

Wow, people actually use these in the hills? All the foresters in my area are slammed to the ground. Bad ass dude!

[@racerx6384]

The filmography is impeccable. Even the shitty wiring looks artsy.

[@MrSokkermasta]

Man you have a nice build. I tried lifting mine but has suspension issues. Are you using your stock suspension besides your springs!?

[@wuzihuzi]

I haven't seen Rhinorack outside of Australia before!

[@27Zangle]

Hey Mike, everything okay? Haven't seen a video in a while- which is fine. Just making sure nothing bad happened.

[@peteranilov7822]

Great video! I would love to see the drawer system on it looks like a great Subaru :)

[@Mik3J]

Definitely working on putting together a camping setup video! Thanks for watching!

[@bbqkip]

Very interested in this one:)

[@15aac]

How do you sleep in the car when it's this cold? Would be cool to see how your bed setup looks in the car

[@benjaminstrickland995]

Hey Mike, What size Rhino Rack is that? Seems like a good size for the fozzy and am trying to find one that would fit my SH. Thanks

[@MrGflan]

Thanks for the video. I am a bird photographer and I find myself doing some mild off reading to get to certain locations. Do these cover most of my needs if I want to keep it stock or am I better off with something like an FJ cruiser? I really don’t want to hassle with a lot of modifications (except tires and lights would be fine). Any suggestions much appreciated or if you have any other vehicles you might recommend me. Thank you.

[@therealsolo23]

Where did u get those bull bar? I wanted to do a metal bumper swap. But now i just wanna keep my stock bumper to keep the weight down. Yours is the cleanest one ive seen

[@Rockerrobin]

Got 225 70r15 cooper at3 4s on mine with rhino rumble wheels perfect size with just a little bit of rub on my mud flaps just need to screw them in a bit. The size gives perfect speed on the speedometer had 215 70r16 when I got it and was speeding 10 over with them. Really interested in the roof rack itself what size basket? Rails used is it mounted on the stock roof rails or aftermarket? Plan to haul 4 big kayaks on there but still want a basket over kayak racks.

[@TikkaQrow]

Would those tires fit stock rims without the lift kit? Or would there be clearance issues in the wheel well?

[@nocoastoutdoors4793]

Nice setup. I'm assuming those tires wouldn't work without the lift?

[@alexloera2013]

I have the same car and i have to ask did you ever have any problems with the front headlights? I've gone through a bunch of sets in less than a year

[@spencergardner9878]

Did you do anything to your electrical system for the lights

[@therealcarterhansen]

Hey Mike, great video, thanks mate! Quick question - how did you route the wires from the roof mounts lights into the car? Thanks!!

[@grantfloyd3736]

Wondering the same thing 4 years later

[@foresterboy2011]

Hey Mike, amazing rig fella. Are those general grabber AT2's noisey on the tarmac like bfg ko2's or quieter? I'm going to treat my 2011 SH to a new set of boots but blinded by all the different brands. In the UK we rarely have snow so might just stick to economical summer tyres but might see if I can go taller with tyre size (26" to 27" for example). What's your advice please mate ???

[@yengxiong8892]

Any updates on your Subie? Just pick one up myself. :) Update video will be @wesome!

[@Fmf-rh4ki]

Have you checked out LP Aventure's lift kit? What do you think? Btw, probably a dumb question.... but, if you lift it and put those beefier tires on it, whats the ground clearance on it now? Also, trying to completely avoid rubbing.. Should I go with the 15in Wheels and 16-17 in tires??

[@DiegoGomez-mb3bu]

Nice man good work. About the tent how much from where?

[@idkwhtimduin]

Any problems you've encountered with your forester yet. I have a 2014 outback but for some reason the older forester is very appealing must be the bulky body style.

[@joshhanlonn2665]

What size are those KC spot lights? And what basket did you used to have? Cheers

[@toddydahotty5721]

Thinking of doing a similar lift. Do you think you could get away with 215/75R16?

[@serafinhikes]

If I go this route then it'd be a v6 outback for the very reason you mentioned ... extra power. I'm seriously looking to live a few years in this setup having embraced a minimalist lifestyle long distance backpacking.

[@jamesedmondson7265]

It's a h6 not v6

[@GAment_11]

Very cool build, thanks for sharing. I like your tinted windows alot. Can you give me the % tint of your windows? I am thinking of doing the same to my 05 Forester too. Thanks :)

[@anonim1133]

How do you lift it with hilift? By wheels? Hatch reciver in rear end? What about front?

[@KevinKayotic]

super dumb question, but how do you prevent people from messing with the stuff on your rack? Is it on there all the time?

[@benv7817]

Did you need camber bolts with that lift kit?

[@bartholdbricht1551]

Very nice Forry ! A car for live....

[@theweatheris]

What is the part number for the rhino rack. I need this!

[@racerx428]

Where did you get your front bumper guard?

[@edwardlenz1363]

Shouldnt there be subframe spacers for the lift or else your cv joints will ware quickly

[@jackwise9257]

Please do a drawer system overview!! No one does those for foresters:(

[@kgskgs1914]

Forester for life and the best of car

[@german996]

BTW, do you happen to have a rear diff guard on your Forester, I have a couple of prototypes that I could send you for testing, CNC made,,,,, please pm if possible....

[@irakmarin4911]

is beautiful.. !!

[@ThatCute311Boy]

Great quality video, diggin it, but you may wanna retitle it lol WARNING SOUND WILL POSSIBLY DESTROY YOUR SPEAKERS ON YOUR PHONE OR SURROUND lol

[@MikeAvilaMD]

Wondering if you’d be able to give price estimates on your upgrades. Thanks

[@adamdisalvo9247]

Mine's lowered but I am going to buy another one too make an off-road version

[@Val_Nikon]

Why did you choose the forester? Why not the 07 Subaru Outback 2.5XT? It has more HP and more Torque and ground clearance.

[@StreetRacingR34]

Do you have the model number for the roof rack?? Thank you!

[@ksmiles5333]

Like the leds but no heat for snow and ice .