Truly amazing. Of all the Crosstrek reviews and videos people have made to try and say what it can and can't do... you "SHOW" exactly what the true limitations of this little car is. Another great video, thanks!
I think this is definitely across that threshold of where a 4wd vs awd comes in... i love everything Subarus can do but they do got limits... awesome you guys pushing the limits for sure! Gives everyone afriad to do so some reassurance of what they can do
Those rocks are some savage work for those crosstreks. If I owned a Subaru, I would not attempt that since I lack the skill. That's some serious next level terrain for me, no thank you. 4:41😮
Honestly that upgrade rockgarden trail was more like a new Ford Bronco trail. I think maybe you COULD get up there given enough time and good spotting, but it wouldn't be all that fun and the chances for damage or getting stranded in the middle would be too high. These vehicles can handle a lot, but that much rock garden, and on a grade to boot. Well, I'm impressed that you guys even tried and there is no shame in that. Kudos to the balls you guys have to even consider it. I mean, if there was a reason, like 20 feet of that to get on the best and most scenic softroading trail in America, I guess I'd have to give it a shot, but only if I had a 3 inch lift, coilovers, subframe spacers, auto locker, skid plates, rockrails, and KO2's minimum. Also it seemed like it was quite a challenge power wise as well for the crosstrek that tried it first. They are light vehicles but all those mods weigh a bit and you don't have a low range so that is working against ya. Wonder if the turbo on the Outback (does your have turbo?) would have made it a bit more doable from that standpoint. Id love to see a Crosstrek Wilderness with lower gearing AND Turbo, lifted and with small wheels oversized tires, lifted a coupla inches factory. What a monster that would be. And Id keep it light. For really hard stuff the first Mod will have to be a Bumper delete and we see why. Wondering what engines the Outback and Crosstreks had here. Databyter
If you guys haven’t seen the video about Little foot you should go check it out. I’ve recently been really getting into crosstreks and that guys crosstrek is sick! Crazily modified inside.
WOOHOO, I met I think it was Scott from RalliTek and he showed me all the mods on their white Crosstrek. It was very nice meeting the RalliTek team and they mentioned this trip in particular. :) Looks like a lot of fun.
3:02... I wouldn't have even taken my '95 Pathfinder down that road, let alone my '06 Outback. You need a rock crawler for that trail. But I appreciate your gutsy and adventurous go get 'em attitude.
Looks like fun. Do you or any of the cars have an aux transmission cooler installed? Knowing how fast the CVT temps on my Outback climb during repeated slow hill climbs, that's all I can think about watching this.
I think the silver one does. With the '21 CVT temps haven't been an issue at all for me. Climbing mountains, and driving it hard I've only seen temps as high as 237deg, and 245 is when it hits coolant bypass mode. So I haven't needed one.
@@TheAdventureZombie Very interesting, from what you're saying it sounds like your car has a thermostat for the transmission fluid loop that goes to the engine radiator at 245? I have a 2014, and as far as I can tell (and have seen on forums), it constantly cycles CVT fluid through the Hx at the bottom of the engine radiator, for both warming and cooling of the CVT fluid. Seems like Subaru has been improving CVT fluid management over the years. Still wish they would just ditch the CVT altogether haha. I used to have a 5MT Outback and it scrambled up all kinds of stuff.
Did anyone in a 4x4 ever give you a hard time while you were off road? I feel like it happens alot to me out here on the east coast especially in New Hampshire
Well, at least I am not the only person on the planet to just make it halfway up a steep hill in the woods and then have to roll down backwards 😂 Did something similar 2 weeks ago with my 114 hp stock lift crosstrek. But it did everything else quite well as I knew it would. Just gotta learn about its limits by field testing, I guess 😅 Thx to skid plates nothing broke, had a few clunk noises here and there too.
You know, that's a good point. I'll have to test that. These were short hills so I wasn't too worried. But I've had to back down over a mile before, and for that instance it would be great.
I like the Crosstrecks (was about to buy one), but hat CVT is killing the climbing game. I'm glad I choose the KL Cherokee Trailhawk platform.. You guys are pushing the limits of the Subsis, but sure looks like fun.
Do any of you have a CVT cooler mod? Just curious. Those things will over heat when you overwork them like this. Hopefully you guys made it without issues.
I just got my first Subaru -- 2016 Outback 2.5i Limited and am in Portland and want to take it on it's first adventure. Mind you, I've never soft/offroaded and it's all stock so far with MasterCraft Glacier Trek tires. Are there some easy trails in Tillamook I can take it out on? Any recommendations?
So, even with the 2.5L, the Crosstrek runs out of grunt before it runs out of traction on a climb? My 2.5L/5spd Jeep YJ did that in 4hi with 30" mudders, grinding through snowdrifts. 4lo solved that issue. Did you turn off the TCS? Did any of those vehicles have a rear diff-locker? 'Seems that high-clearance steel bumpers are needed for technical terrain. Them and a decent low-range could make modern Subies more interesting offroad. WK Grand Cherokees are FIS, unibody, and come with plastic bumpers too, yet they can be trail-rated, IIRC. The main difference I see between WKs and Crosstreks is TORQUE. A 4lo can help with that. H1s and M151s are FIS also. Maybe the r&p gears from a Wilderness would help for crawling.
I know it seems like the car ran out of power at the top of the hill, but what happened was I actually high centered due to lack of clearance on the deep ruts. So traction was lost and I stalled out. I was running the hill with X-Mode 2 turned on (which is a poor version of an electronic locker(ish)). I don't have a mechanical locker, so it was just the stock drivetrain 3" of lift and 28" tires. So I had a lot of limiting factors on these trails, but despite all of that we had a great day, we hit some crazy trails, and we all drove out :) It's no Jeep, but it blows most peoples expectations of the Crosstrek out of the water the first time they take it off road. That being said, due to its small stance and stature the Crosstrek can get into areas Jeeps can't :p So it goes both ways I guess.
@@TheAdventureZombie What exactly does Mode 2 do? Clamp the clutch in the center diff harder, for essentially 50:50 power split? In my 2016, I can basically just turn off the TCS/ VDC, and maybe modulate the parking brake to bias more power to the front.
Exactly. But if you lose traction in opposite corners you still get stuck. A true locker is the only way to avoid that. You can lightly apply the breaks with TCS off and that also helps with distributing power to the proper wheels on the Treks.
Yeah, I imagine that the wilderness is better, but it's still not what you'd get if you did the wheels, tires, and lift yourself. It does have some features that you can't get though, but you'd just have to decide if those things were worth it for you.
@@TheAdventureZombie honestly it was either going to be that or a Toyota 4Runner. We are moving from Germany to Alaska and I think that the OB Wilderness will be good for about 90% of what I want to do. Im not paying those asinine markups on the 4Runners right now.
If your local to the PNW and have a trek, check out the PNW Crosstreks group on Facebook. They are always putting together group trips. If you don't drive a trek, then Lifted Subi Society is a good one.
Thanks a lot for sharing all these videos. I 'm from Sao Paulo Brazil and have bought a brand new 2021 XV (crosstrek). So the videos give me a good hintch of what to do and not to do...welll Lol. By here subarus not having many sales and we must be "under" the representative of Subaru Brasil (named Kaoa). Best 🤟🤟🤟
Great ride you guys. Seems like you so much fun. All the suburbs looked great. Will any of the other suburbs show off their cars? Would love to see them. Your videos are great. Keep on sending them.
I feel like, even though this looks fun, this video is great example of things you shouldn’t do in your Subaru. Y’all’s wheel bearings, axles, and CVTs probably hate you lol. I have a lifted Outback XT with all-terrains but I wouldn’t dare take it on some of these trails 🤷♂️
That's it right there on the end. You wouldn't be willing to do it, but we have accepted that off roading costs money and breaks parts. That's just part of the fun :)
Too bad these things don't have more power! So cool when you guys build them up. That's dumb CVT transmission though. My wife's minivan has one and I hate it. It's the only thing I really don't like about our minivan.
Your best bet is to look up some Subi groups on Facebook. If your Oregon local and have a Crosstrek then PNW Crosstreks is a good one, or Lifted Subi Society is worldwide.
Well, besides adding a whole other thing you have to focus on 😆 No, I've actually never driven a manual trek. But they also don't make the 2.5l Crosstrek in a manual either, so the choose was made for me :)
Never confuse a Subaru for a Jeep. I would never punish my Subaru on a trail that I know its not going to handle. Just looking for trouble and repair bills.
@@TheAdventureZombie my bad on the typos lol. Still love the videos though. Makes me think of what I want to do with mine but I'm to cheap to damage my beast lol I'll stick to the beaches and back roads lol
Hey, love your videos! What has your experience been as far as warranty goes with the lift kit? Do spacers void your warranty? Although I'm sure you've voided it by now lol!
@@Aeonesius Technically spacers are a body lift, but I get what you mean. I had 2" lift spacers, and 1" lift springs from RalliTek. So 3" of combined body and suspension lift. I was running 215/75r15s for tires which are 1/2" oversized giving about 1/4" there, not much. This setup allows you to get more ground clearance while maintaining the sporty feel of the Crosstrek while off roading. All my parts are listed in the descriptions too :)
@@TheAdventureZombie Thank you! I have heard that extra strain is put on the CV Axles (I think) when lifting. Did you notice/run into any issues due to your lift?
@@Aeonesius the only issue you run into with this setup is the front control arm bushings will tear after about 20,000mi, but that happens anyway. It's just a little faster with this setup. My CVs were fine. I replaced one of them, but it was due to a torn boot, and totally unrelated to the lift.
What song is it? I'm not even familiar with the channel name, I'll have to look them up. I just used some royalty free music, as I'm sure is what Matt did as well :)
Not in all cases, but in some for sure. I seem to have a lot more throttle on steep hills, and snow for example. I can whip donuts in the snow with ease. But where it's a downside is, it is a little heavier, and it tends to spin the tires a lot easier and bury itself vs the lower power of the 2.0s ability to "crawl" in those situations.
They are fine, lol. Y'all think CVTs are so fragile. Trust me, the CVTs in the Subis work great, and I have yet to have any issues, as well as the others in the video. Even the littl.foot trek with all the extra weight did just fine :p
Yeah, I'm still not sold on the cvt. Really wish Subaru would offer a properly low-geared, dual range transfer case. Great video though, good to see people out having fun!
@@TheAdventureZombie if the CVTs were fine Subaru wouldn't have extended the warranty to 100k on so many of them due to failures. I get why Subaru uses them though, they are fine in 95% of applications and provide better mpg then a regular auto transmission. They suck for crawling, towing or high hp/tq applications. I know I am on borrowed time with my Forester XT's CVT after tuning it, but I still love my Subie and am thinking of getting another soon.
i agree with shine the 5mt would do better than those cvts. yes ideally a dual range box is best. but most ppl dont wheel a subaru hard enough to warrant it. i had a lifted impreza with a 5mt is was pretty impressive. looks like fun guys.
It's not the best thing out there, that's for sure. But I feel like as long as you aren't doing things that are specifically hard on the transmission (like switching gears too rapidly and accelerating) the CVT should hold up just fine, even with off road driving.
They are cool cars but every time I see one with lots of money dumped into aftermarket accessories I can't help but wonder why not just buy something with a transfer case? I guess there is some intrinsic value in them that is disconnected from actual performance.
For me, I've had several trucks, driven lots of Jeeps, and the Crosstrek has something all of those do not. It's not an off roader so every time you do something difficult it's a lot more fun, it's smaller in stature and can get into lots of places, and it's comfortable to sit in for long drives. I'm currently driving mine all over the country, and I know I'd be much more sore, and have spent a lot more gas driving anything with a transfer case. I have other reasons too, but for me, and probably most Subaru owners that build out their cars, this is why.
Subaru's CVTs are a lot better than people give them credit for. There are some really terrible CVTs on the market from other manufacturers though. Not saying Subarus CVTs are problem free, cause they aren't. But they are better than most.
I always saw people with lifted and "modified" Crosstreks and thought to myself these cars must be so badass for off-roading. Then I got one myself.... I would say it was the biggest disappointment, but not really. I realized that those mods that some Crosstrek owners do to their cars are for nothing but only aesthetics. This car is basically a Honda Civic on steroids. I mean after all it only has a 2L 150 Hp engine with 145 lb-ft of torque! Worst of all, it has a continuous variable transmission which is NOT meant for off-roading (at least nothing close to what you guys tried to do). CVT can easily overheat and disable if car is stuck and you're hoping that X-Mode is going to get you out of there! After attempting to "off-road" with my car, I realized why those Jeep owners don't just sell their cars and get one of these cool looking underdog crossovers for half the cost! Crosstrek is a great car if you drive on icy/snowy roads, it has wonderful traction and is very reliable for all road conditions! I drove my car during an snow storm in Tahoe, CA (stock tires and equipment) and I could not be happier with its performance. If you think your $22k - $30k Crosstrek is meant to take you rock crawling and river crossing, you're thinking wrong and most likely are burning your money and your car. Just because you lift your Subaru and put a set of BFGs on it, it doesn't mean the poor thing is going to climb over everything! Just buy a car that is meant for that kind of activity!
Well thinking this car was gonna be a Bad Ass off roader is not what it is. And all of what you said is pretty true, however those of us that actually take our treks off road know that this car is just a car. We baby it, and make sure it has the proper protection to handle it. I personally prefer my 2.5l Sport for off roading because it has a short wheel base, and is low to the ground, perfect for getting in to tight areas. Ultimately I built this car as a means to get to trailheads that were difficult to access for hiking/mountaineering. I really only off road my car to fill the space between when I'm climbing mountains :) So yes this is not a bad ass off roader, but anything can go off road if you build it that way. Also, if the CVT gets too hot it goes into coolant bypass mode. It doesn't disable the car, it diverts coolant into the transmission which robs power from the engine. All you have to do is stop, leave the car running, and wait for the temp to go down. But I appreciate your opinion on something that doesn't effect you at all :P
@@TheAdventureZombie You’ve certainly got the wrong definition for “babying it” if you take your car on a trail where front bumper pops off and your control arm is kissing the rocks! If this is something you do on a regular basis, your car won’t last you as long as you’re hoping it would! About your last sentence... this comment section is not just for people who pat you on the back, it’s ok to criticize and get criticized. Specially from someone who drives the same car, and has done off roading with Crosstrek and also actual 4x4 SUVs.
The bottom line is, I am aware my car is not a Jeep or a Tacoma, and I don't try to do stuff that they do. I do stuff that I know my car is capable of. And trust me, I am babying my car, despite what it looks like. I'm breaking parts, but I expect to. All of the things I'm doing, I'm totally ok with.
This is actually super useful information even tho its a bit crass. I have a 2018 Jeep wrangler rubicon thats lifted and has 37s etc. I was looking at these to see if they are potent little offroaders that might be fun for trails etc, as my buddy has an older forester with a normal auto. The CVT is the big problem with this platform for sure. which is just too bad because if these had a better transmission, things like that hill climb would be doable. I may still get one but i really have to rethink its capability
@@TheAdventureZombie It's a compliment when folks bash and compare CT to actual off road 4x4 vehicles. The CT is a capable vehicle and does well for doing what it was not intended for. I love seeing the underdogs perform on trails that some 4x4 vehicles thought were sketchy. Kudos to you for demonstrating what it can and can't do. And responding to Borna's comment "Just because you lift your Subaru and put a set of BFGs on it, it doesn't mean the poor thing is going to climb over everything! Just buy a car that is meant for that kind of activity!" I've seen plenty of Jeeps that haven't touched dirt hence where the hashtag #MallCrawler was born from. I live in the South where plenty of folks own trucks and Jeeps and it's a damn shame when these offroad vehicles become a fashion accessory. It was negligence on your part for not doing enough research on the vehicle you were buying and expecting it to perform as well as a 4x4 vehicle MEANT for off roading. Besides, the only mod anyone really needs is a driver mod which from reading your comment is something you'd benefit from. Let's all be crass :D
Do any of you have a CVT cooler mod? Just curious. Those things will over heat when you overwork them like this. Hopefully you guys made it without issues.
Truly amazing. Of all the Crosstrek reviews and videos people have made to try and say what it can and can't do... you "SHOW" exactly what the true limitations of this little car is. Another great video, thanks!
That's kind of my aim, but I'm more trying to figure out what it's capable of, and in the process I figure out what it's not capable of, lol! Thanks!
LOL I'm sitting here thinking "holy shit this is going to be amazing watching these little cars crawl up that hill of giant boulders"
Lol, yeah... it's not impossible, but it was defiantly more than we were willing to push our cars :p
Those Subaru vehicles left that rock trail like old grandpa's on their squeaky wheelchairs!😂 6:00
Excellent video! This actually shows the limits of a crosstrek. Thank you.
No problem! It was a lot of fun finding those limits :)
I think this is definitely across that threshold of where a 4wd vs awd comes in... i love everything Subarus can do but they do got limits... awesome you guys pushing the limits for sure! Gives everyone afriad to do so some reassurance of what they can do
We try :)
Those rocks are some savage work for those crosstreks. If I owned a Subaru, I would not attempt that since I lack the skill. That's some serious next level terrain for me, no thank you. 4:41😮
Honestly that upgrade rockgarden trail was more like a new Ford Bronco trail. I think maybe you COULD get up there given enough time and good spotting, but it wouldn't be all that fun and the chances for damage or getting stranded in the middle would be too high. These vehicles can handle a lot, but that much rock garden, and on a grade to boot. Well, I'm impressed that you guys even tried and there is no shame in that. Kudos to the balls you guys have to even consider it. I mean, if there was a reason, like 20 feet of that to get on the best and most scenic softroading trail in America, I guess I'd have to give it a shot, but only if I had a 3 inch lift, coilovers, subframe spacers, auto locker, skid plates, rockrails, and KO2's minimum. Also it seemed like it was quite a challenge power wise as well for the crosstrek that tried it first. They are light vehicles but all those mods weigh a bit and you don't have a low range so that is working against ya. Wonder if the turbo on the Outback (does your have turbo?) would have made it a bit more doable from that standpoint. Id love to see a Crosstrek Wilderness with lower gearing AND Turbo, lifted and with small wheels oversized tires, lifted a coupla inches factory. What a monster that would be. And Id keep it light. For really hard stuff the first Mod will have to be a Bumper delete and we see why. Wondering what engines the Outback and Crosstreks had here. Databyter
If you guys haven’t seen the video about Little foot you should go check it out. I’ve recently been really getting into crosstreks and that guys crosstrek is sick! Crazily modified inside.
Thanks for sharing the off road capabilities of these vehicles. Wow !
These cars are awesome :) You won't be out doing Jeep stuff, but they can do quite a bit :)
WOOHOO, I met I think it was Scott from RalliTek and he showed me all the mods on their white Crosstrek. It was very nice meeting the RalliTek team and they mentioned this trip in particular. :) Looks like a lot of fun.
Heck yeah! Scott is good people :) It was a blast!
@@TheAdventureZombie Sweeeeet :) I hope to have them do some work on my Crosstrek :)
They do good work :)
It was great talking with you too!
That really looks like a lot of fun,..... Really It Does! But, not in my baby, Lyrika! Oh, she is 1 month old today!
Haha! Mine is only a few months old too :p
3:02... I wouldn't have even taken my '95 Pathfinder down that road, let alone my '06 Outback. You need a rock crawler for that trail. But I appreciate your gutsy and adventurous go get 'em attitude.
That's how we roll :)
Looks like fun. Do you or any of the cars have an aux transmission cooler installed? Knowing how fast the CVT temps on my Outback climb during repeated slow hill climbs, that's all I can think about watching this.
I think the silver one does. With the '21 CVT temps haven't been an issue at all for me. Climbing mountains, and driving it hard I've only seen temps as high as 237deg, and 245 is when it hits coolant bypass mode. So I haven't needed one.
@@TheAdventureZombie Very interesting, from what you're saying it sounds like your car has a thermostat for the transmission fluid loop that goes to the engine radiator at 245? I have a 2014, and as far as I can tell (and have seen on forums), it constantly cycles CVT fluid through the Hx at the bottom of the engine radiator, for both warming and cooling of the CVT fluid. Seems like Subaru has been improving CVT fluid management over the years. Still wish they would just ditch the CVT altogether haha. I used to have a 5MT Outback and it scrambled up all kinds of stuff.
Yeah, they have improved things quite a bit with the CVT. I want them to bring back the 4wd shifter. Those old Legacy Wagon 4wd were bad ass :)
Damn! These guys went over stuff that would give me in my lifted and locked 5th gen T4R some serious pause.
Haha! That's how we roll :)
Did anyone in a 4x4 ever give you a hard time while you were off road? I feel like it happens alot to me out here on the east coast especially in New Hampshire
Well, at least I am not the only person on the planet to just make it halfway up a steep hill in the woods and then have to roll down backwards 😂
Did something similar 2 weeks ago with my 114 hp stock lift crosstrek. But it did everything else quite well as I knew it would. Just gotta learn about its limits by field testing, I guess 😅
Thx to skid plates nothing broke, had a few clunk noises here and there too.
Yeah, they are pretty capable at stock height, and with skids even more so. All about trying things out :)
Great video.
What I don’t understand is why y’all want to tear up your cars?
Excellent full-send demonstration! This video has me wondering if descent control works in reverse lol
You know, that's a good point. I'll have to test that. These were short hills so I wasn't too worried. But I've had to back down over a mile before, and for that instance it would be great.
It Works.(x-mode works in both directions
Awesome :)
I like the Crosstrecks (was about to buy one), but hat CVT is killing the climbing game. I'm glad I choose the KL Cherokee Trailhawk platform..
You guys are pushing the limits of the Subsis, but sure looks like fun.
My '21 Crosstrek Sport with the 2.5 is still going great with the CVT. It's got a lot of weight and still pulls up hills :p
Do any of you have a CVT cooler mod? Just curious. Those things will over heat when you overwork them like this. Hopefully you guys made it without issues.
Cool video. Cool trails
I was just out there on Saturday, they closed most of the trails due to the heat and fire risk. I'll stick to the easy stuff 😉
Ah bummer. It's pretty stinking fun out there though :)
Looks like you had a fun day!
Oh heck yeah! :)
awesome. Looks like fun.
So much :)
Awesome video! I am excited to pick up my new crosstrek sport this weekend!
Thank you, and congrats! :)
Im waiting for the possibility of the crosstrek wilderness
You could wait, or you could build it yourself better right now :p
I just got my first Subaru -- 2016 Outback 2.5i Limited and am in Portland and want to take it on it's first adventure. Mind you, I've never soft/offroaded and it's all stock so far with MasterCraft Glacier Trek tires. Are there some easy trails in Tillamook I can take it out on? Any recommendations?
There are quite a few areas. Browns camp or Larch mountain are good places, just know your limitations :)
So, even with the 2.5L, the Crosstrek runs out of grunt before it runs out of traction on a climb? My 2.5L/5spd Jeep YJ did that in 4hi with 30" mudders, grinding through snowdrifts. 4lo solved that issue.
Did you turn off the TCS?
Did any of those vehicles have a rear diff-locker?
'Seems that high-clearance steel bumpers are needed for technical terrain. Them and a decent low-range could make modern Subies more interesting offroad. WK Grand Cherokees are FIS, unibody, and come with plastic bumpers too, yet they can be trail-rated, IIRC. The main difference I see between WKs and Crosstreks is TORQUE. A 4lo can help with that. H1s and M151s are FIS also.
Maybe the r&p gears from a Wilderness would help for crawling.
I know it seems like the car ran out of power at the top of the hill, but what happened was I actually high centered due to lack of clearance on the deep ruts. So traction was lost and I stalled out. I was running the hill with X-Mode 2 turned on (which is a poor version of an electronic locker(ish)). I don't have a mechanical locker, so it was just the stock drivetrain 3" of lift and 28" tires. So I had a lot of limiting factors on these trails, but despite all of that we had a great day, we hit some crazy trails, and we all drove out :)
It's no Jeep, but it blows most peoples expectations of the Crosstrek out of the water the first time they take it off road. That being said, due to its small stance and stature the Crosstrek can get into areas Jeeps can't :p So it goes both ways I guess.
@@TheAdventureZombie What exactly does Mode 2 do? Clamp the clutch in the center diff harder, for essentially 50:50 power split?
In my 2016, I can basically just turn off the TCS/ VDC, and maybe modulate the parking brake to bias more power to the front.
Exactly. But if you lose traction in opposite corners you still get stuck. A true locker is the only way to avoid that. You can lightly apply the breaks with TCS off and that also helps with distributing power to the proper wheels on the Treks.
Do you guys ever do any cruises arround st hellens?
Wonder if any of you overheated the gearbox in these crazy climbs (AT Temp warning). X-mode tends to do that..
I have a ScanGuage II in my car and my temps actually stayed pretty reasonable (208-218f).
Kudos....not having the option to pick between hi and low range would drive me crazy up there
Nice job you guys looking forward for update how much fun like this eventually costs in repair parts 😂
Lol, it was a blast! And we didn't hurt anything that wasn't repairable, so no cost yet :p
So far, just a little straightening of brackets on our Crosstrek and all is well.
When in doubt anything wearable go to autozone. Mostly everything has lifetime warranty
I’m about to buy the OB Wilderness edition. Should be easier to take trails on with that.
Yeah, I imagine that the wilderness is better, but it's still not what you'd get if you did the wheels, tires, and lift yourself. It does have some features that you can't get though, but you'd just have to decide if those things were worth it for you.
@@TheAdventureZombie honestly it was either going to be that or a Toyota 4Runner. We are moving from Germany to Alaska and I think that the OB Wilderness will be good for about 90% of what I want to do. Im not paying those asinine markups on the 4Runners right now.
These cars are great, but just a little Griffen more power would help a ton
And THATS why I chopped my bumper!
Yessir! Me too!
I been all over browns camp in my atv but even the east trails really Ain’t so easy for a Subaru and I would not take my forester there lol
Super fun to try though :p
I agree would be fun to get a group to go sum where mild beach trip would be killer big group
If your local to the PNW and have a trek, check out the PNW Crosstreks group on Facebook. They are always putting together group trips. If you don't drive a trek, then Lifted Subi Society is a good one.
I’m local in Portland but I have a forester it’s mild built for off road
Lifted Subi Society then. It's a world wide group, but as far as hitting trails, and doing mods, those are some like-minded peeps :)
Thanks a lot for sharing all these videos. I 'm from Sao Paulo Brazil and have bought a brand new 2021 XV (crosstrek). So the videos give me a good hintch of what to do and not to do...welll Lol. By here subarus not having many sales and we must be "under" the representative of Subaru Brasil (named Kaoa). Best 🤟🤟🤟
Awesome! I hope you like it :)
C.V.T constant vehicle torture ? Great video just have fun, is what matters.
Haha! It was a blast :)
Great ride you guys. Seems like you so much fun. All the suburbs looked great.
Will any of the other suburbs show off their cars? Would love to see them. Your videos are great. Keep on sending them.
Good content sir!! Hope your channel keeps growing.
Thanks!
I feel like, even though this looks fun, this video is great example of things you shouldn’t do in your Subaru. Y’all’s wheel bearings, axles, and CVTs probably hate you lol. I have a lifted Outback XT with all-terrains but I wouldn’t dare take it on some of these trails 🤷♂️
That's it right there on the end. You wouldn't be willing to do it, but we have accepted that off roading costs money and breaks parts. That's just part of the fun :)
Too bad these things don't have more power! So cool when you guys build them up.
That's dumb CVT transmission though. My wife's minivan has one and I hate it. It's the only thing I really don't like about our minivan.
My new 2.5 has that extra bit all terrains 1 inch over stock its all the difference.
Heck yeah :)
just got back into the subie.im Oregon grown how do I find folks like you?
Your best bet is to look up some Subi groups on Facebook. If your Oregon local and have a Crosstrek then PNW Crosstreks is a good one, or Lifted Subi Society is worldwide.
Отличные тачки! У Брата есть такая, но без тюнинга! Жаль у вас не продают LADA Niva, было бы не плохо сравнить!)
Nice day! Any thoughts on how the manual trans would do vs the CVT? Cheers
Well, besides adding a whole other thing you have to focus on 😆 No, I've actually never driven a manual trek. But they also don't make the 2.5l Crosstrek in a manual either, so the choose was made for me :)
Lockers... lockers.. lockers
Never confuse a Subaru for a Jeep. I would never punish my Subaru on a trail that I know its not going to handle. Just looking for trouble and repair bills.
Good thing it wasn't yours then, huh?
I own a outback great great vehicle . Bit these Crosstrek and outback don't have the Cleary like a jeep for this. You need a major lift.
Yeah, we may have been a bit ambitious :p
@@TheAdventureZombie my bad on the typos lol. Still love the videos though. Makes me think of what I want to do with mine but I'm to cheap to damage my beast lol I'll stick to the beaches and back roads lol
Yeah, I feel like you have to be a little crazy to go take your brand new car out, lol! Like me! Haha!
Hey, love your videos! What has your experience been as far as warranty goes with the lift kit? Do spacers void your warranty? Although I'm sure you've voided it by now lol!
Spacers do not void the warranty. I actually had my lift kit installed as a package when I bought the car from my dealer.
@@TheAdventureZombie Do/Did you have a Lift Kit and Spacers installed? Or just Spacers?
@@Aeonesius Technically spacers are a body lift, but I get what you mean. I had 2" lift spacers, and 1" lift springs from RalliTek. So 3" of combined body and suspension lift. I was running 215/75r15s for tires which are 1/2" oversized giving about 1/4" there, not much. This setup allows you to get more ground clearance while maintaining the sporty feel of the Crosstrek while off roading. All my parts are listed in the descriptions too :)
@@TheAdventureZombie Thank you! I have heard that extra strain is put on the CV Axles (I think) when lifting. Did you notice/run into any issues due to your lift?
@@Aeonesius the only issue you run into with this setup is the front control arm bushings will tear after about 20,000mi, but that happens anyway. It's just a little faster with this setup. My CVs were fine. I replaced one of them, but it was due to a torn boot, and totally unrelated to the lift.
Do any of these Crosstreks have engine mods to help carry extra weight?
On man you can't rip off Matt's off road recovery theme songggg haha
What song is it? I'm not even familiar with the channel name, I'll have to look them up. I just used some royalty free music, as I'm sure is what Matt did as well :)
with the extra horsepower of the '21 Sport do you ever find it out-performs the '18-20 treks?
Not in all cases, but in some for sure. I seem to have a lot more throttle on steep hills, and snow for example. I can whip donuts in the snow with ease. But where it's a downside is, it is a little heavier, and it tends to spin the tires a lot easier and bury itself vs the lower power of the 2.0s ability to "crawl" in those situations.
@@TheAdventureZombie did one of the guys in the group have the manual version of the crosstrek?
@@djftremblay5895 nope :)
Idk if someone else has esker this but what year is your crosstrek?
Mine is a 2021 Sport model. I purchased it back in Sept of 2020.
Do you think a FWD vehicle could do any of the things y'all did in this video?
All depends on the vehicle and the drivers experience, but I'm sure a FWD could.
@@TheAdventureZombie yup no experience here. I'll go get a proper 4wd. Thanks! Stay safe!
Those poor CVTs
They are fine, lol. Y'all think CVTs are so fragile. Trust me, the CVTs in the Subis work great, and I have yet to have any issues, as well as the others in the video. Even the littl.foot trek with all the extra weight did just fine :p
Yeah, I'm still not sold on the cvt. Really wish Subaru would offer a properly low-geared, dual range transfer case. Great video though, good to see people out having fun!
@@TheAdventureZombie if the CVTs were fine Subaru wouldn't have extended the warranty to 100k on so many of them due to failures. I get why Subaru uses them though, they are fine in 95% of applications and provide better mpg then a regular auto transmission. They suck for crawling, towing or high hp/tq applications. I know I am on borrowed time with my Forester XT's CVT after tuning it, but I still love my Subie and am thinking of getting another soon.
i agree with shine the 5mt would do better than those cvts. yes ideally a dual range box is best. but most ppl dont wheel a subaru hard enough to warrant it. i had a lifted impreza with a 5mt is was pretty impressive. looks like fun guys.
It's not the best thing out there, that's for sure. But I feel like as long as you aren't doing things that are specifically hard on the transmission (like switching gears too rapidly and accelerating) the CVT should hold up just fine, even with off road driving.
6:11 Did I hear Bigfoot?
deep in the forest there aare a pack of un opened slim jjims
Haha!
Bwahahaha!
They are cool cars but every time I see one with lots of money dumped into aftermarket accessories I can't help but wonder why not just buy something with a transfer case? I guess there is some intrinsic value in them that is disconnected from actual performance.
For me, I've had several trucks, driven lots of Jeeps, and the Crosstrek has something all of those do not. It's not an off roader so every time you do something difficult it's a lot more fun, it's smaller in stature and can get into lots of places, and it's comfortable to sit in for long drives. I'm currently driving mine all over the country, and I know I'd be much more sore, and have spent a lot more gas driving anything with a transfer case. I have other reasons too, but for me, and probably most Subaru owners that build out their cars, this is why.
Can’t help thinking how good these cars would be with a manual transmission conversion.
Those CTVs hate life
Does this work with non lifted crosstreks as well?
what do you mean?
Does what work?
Not made for rock crawl . Rough roads and trails good vehicles but not a tank.
Defiantly not a tank, but it's a very capable automobile, even stock.
How to Blow Up Your CVT 101
Subaru's CVTs are a lot better than people give them credit for. There are some really terrible CVTs on the market from other manufacturers though. Not saying Subarus CVTs are problem free, cause they aren't. But they are better than most.
I always saw people with lifted and "modified" Crosstreks and thought to myself these cars must be so badass for off-roading. Then I got one myself.... I would say it was the biggest disappointment, but not really. I realized that those mods that some Crosstrek owners do to their cars are for nothing but only aesthetics. This car is basically a Honda Civic on steroids. I mean after all it only has a 2L 150 Hp engine with 145 lb-ft of torque! Worst of all, it has a continuous variable transmission which is NOT meant for off-roading (at least nothing close to what you guys tried to do). CVT can easily overheat and disable if car is stuck and you're hoping that X-Mode is going to get you out of there! After attempting to "off-road" with my car, I realized why those Jeep owners don't just sell their cars and get one of these cool looking underdog crossovers for half the cost!
Crosstrek is a great car if you drive on icy/snowy roads, it has wonderful traction and is very reliable for all road conditions! I drove my car during an snow storm in Tahoe, CA (stock tires and equipment) and I could not be happier with its performance.
If you think your $22k - $30k Crosstrek is meant to take you rock crawling and river crossing, you're thinking wrong and most likely are burning your money and your car. Just because you lift your Subaru and put a set of BFGs on it, it doesn't mean the poor thing is going to climb over everything! Just buy a car that is meant for that kind of activity!
Well thinking this car was gonna be a Bad Ass off roader is not what it is. And all of what you said is pretty true, however those of us that actually take our treks off road know that this car is just a car. We baby it, and make sure it has the proper protection to handle it. I personally prefer my 2.5l Sport for off roading because it has a short wheel base, and is low to the ground, perfect for getting in to tight areas. Ultimately I built this car as a means to get to trailheads that were difficult to access for hiking/mountaineering. I really only off road my car to fill the space between when I'm climbing mountains :) So yes this is not a bad ass off roader, but anything can go off road if you build it that way.
Also, if the CVT gets too hot it goes into coolant bypass mode. It doesn't disable the car, it diverts coolant into the transmission which robs power from the engine. All you have to do is stop, leave the car running, and wait for the temp to go down.
But I appreciate your opinion on something that doesn't effect you at all :P
@@TheAdventureZombie You’ve certainly got the wrong definition for “babying it” if you take your car on a trail where front bumper pops off and your control arm is kissing the rocks! If this is something you do on a regular basis, your car won’t last you as long as you’re hoping it would!
About your last sentence... this comment section is not just for people who pat you on the back, it’s ok to criticize and get criticized. Specially from someone who drives the same car, and has done off roading with Crosstrek and also actual 4x4 SUVs.
The bottom line is, I am aware my car is not a Jeep or a Tacoma, and I don't try to do stuff that they do. I do stuff that I know my car is capable of. And trust me, I am babying my car, despite what it looks like. I'm breaking parts, but I expect to. All of the things I'm doing, I'm totally ok with.
This is actually super useful information even tho its a bit crass. I have a 2018 Jeep wrangler rubicon thats lifted and has 37s etc. I was looking at these to see if they are potent little offroaders that might be fun for trails etc, as my buddy has an older forester with a normal auto. The CVT is the big problem with this platform for sure. which is just too bad because if these had a better transmission, things like that hill climb would be doable. I may still get one but i really have to rethink its capability
@@TheAdventureZombie It's a compliment when folks bash and compare CT to actual off road 4x4 vehicles. The CT is a capable vehicle and does well for doing what it was not intended for. I love seeing the underdogs perform on trails that some 4x4 vehicles thought were sketchy. Kudos to you for demonstrating what it can and can't do.
And responding to Borna's comment
"Just because you lift your Subaru and put a set of BFGs on it, it doesn't mean the poor thing is going to climb over everything! Just buy a car that is meant for that kind of activity!"
I've seen plenty of Jeeps that haven't touched dirt hence where the hashtag #MallCrawler was born from. I live in the South where plenty of folks own trucks and Jeeps and it's a damn shame when these offroad vehicles become a fashion accessory. It was negligence on your part for not doing enough research on the vehicle you were buying and expecting it to perform as well as a 4x4 vehicle MEANT for off roading. Besides, the only mod anyone really needs is a driver mod which from reading your comment is something you'd benefit from. Let's all be crass :D
Low gearing and not smoking the clutches in your transmission what in the world it's cool but not smart
Not the right kind of vehicles for this.
Do any of you have a CVT cooler mod? Just curious. Those things will over heat when you overwork them like this. Hopefully you guys made it without issues.