Custom Builds
Building The Ultimate Overlanding Subaru?
Looking to elevate your 2019-2023 Subaru Ascent to new heights? You're in for a treat! Discover our comprehensive guide to customizing your Subaru Ascent, turning it into the ultimate off-road masterpiece. Gain the confidence and style to conquer any terrain that comes your way.
RalliTEK 2019 Crosstrek
Greetings, folks! Many of you may have already caught a glimpse of our latest R&D project during its grand debut at SEMA, right in Warn Industries' booth. This vehicle was acquired as part of our collaboration with Warn, focusing on their cutting-edge creation, the Semi-Hidden Winch mount designed for the 2018 and newer Crosstreks. We meticulously concealed the project until the show's big reveal, and now it's time to delve into the incredible build specifics.
RalliTEK 2008 WRX Build
Our custom build is a testament to meticulous craftsmanship and innovation. Developed in Portland, Oregon, the vehicle is adorned with captivating graphics, enveloped in a "Rip" style vinyl showcasing downtown Portland's waterfront skyline and the iconic "Mt. Hood." Tommy's Tinting tinted windows and lights, adding to the vehicle's allure.Collaborating with PIAA, renowned for their lighting equipment, we introduced their "Sport Mesh" wheels in dark Anthracite, promoting both style and performance. AVO, a leading brand from Australia and Japan, provided the stylish Liberal Bumpers, painted to perfection by Wentworth Subaru in Portland.Under the hood, we created a "Turn Key" power kit, featuring the RalliTEK Stage 3 kit with AVO's 380 turbocharger. These kits are meticulously tuned for reliability and are compatible with both pump fuel and E85 biofuels, delivering exceptional horsepower capabilities.This custom build blends artistic expression and performance optimization, capturing the spirit of the Pacific Northwest for a thrilling driving experience.
Educational
Why should you consider upgrading your Subaru Ascent with Rallitek produ...
Unlock the full potential of your Subaru Ascent with RalliTEK products. Elevate performance, durability, and off-road capabilities with fully assembled struts, springs, control arms, skid plates, rock sliders, and other premium accessories. Experience enhanced handling, reduced body roll, and improved stability on and off the road with RalliTEK struts and springs. Safeguard your vehicle with rugged skid plates and rock sliders, ensuring protection against challenging terrains. Optimize performance and safety with RalliTEK control arms, providing adjustability for superior handling. Enjoy hassle-free installation and reliable quality, as RalliTEK products are engineered to fit seamlessly. Upgrade your Subaru Ascent with RalliTEK and embark on a new level of driving excitement and adventure.
5 Things to Consider Before Buying a Lift Kit for Your Subaru
For Subaru owners looking to enhance their off-road capabilities or achieve a more aggressive stance, installing a Subaru lift kit can be an appealing option. A Subaru lift kit raises the vehicle's ride height, allowing for larger tires and improved ground clearance. However, before diving into the world of lift kits, it's crucial to consider a few key factors to ensure a successful and satisfying upgrade for your Subaru.
Why Choose RalliTEK Performance Enhancing Parts vs. OEM Parts for Your S...
When it comes to maintaining or upgrading your Subaru, one of the most critical decisions you'll face is whether to choose performance enhancing parts or Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts. Both options offer unique advantages and considerations, making it essential to understand the key factors before making a choice. In this blog post, we'll explore the reasons why you might lean towards performance enhancing parts for your beloved Subaru and how RalliTEK, your trusted Subaru off-road accessories brand, can help you make the most informed decision.
5 Signs Your Subaru Needs New Assembled Struts
Is your Subaru adventure-mobile bouncing excessively over bumps? Steering feeling challenging on rough roads? It might be your shocks and struts. Discover the signs indicating it's time for a replacement and learn about the essential role these components play in your Subaru's suspension.Shocks and struts work together to enhance your Subaru's handling and ride comfort. When functioning correctly, they provide better control on and off-road, ensuring a smooth and responsive drive. Learn to identify when your shocks and struts need replacing. Signs include a bumpy ride, steering difficulties, brake problems, fluid leaks, uneven tire tread wear, and mileage considerations. When choosing replacements, consider Bilstein shocks for Subaru platforms, renowned for their exceptional on-road performance and off-road prowess when paired with RalliTEK springs.Keep your Subaru protected during off-road adventures with the right shocks and struts. Read more about it here.
3 Ways To Increase Your Subaru’s Ground Clearance
Off-roading in your Subaru demands proper ground clearance for a seamless adventure. Understanding ground clearance and why it matters is essential to protect your vehicle from jagged obstacles. To increase your Subaru's ground clearance effectively with RalliTEK.com's options, you can explore various methods.Firstly, consider Coil Spring Spacer Lift Kits as a straightforward solution. These kits maintain ride quality while increasing ground clearance. RalliTEK's kits go a step further by offering camber and caster correction for proper alignment.Alternatively, Suspension Lift Kits provide an even more comprehensive solution. These kits include larger coil springs, shocks, and struts, enhancing performance and offering a lift of ¼" to 3".Another approach is fitting Bigger Tires in conjunction with a lift kit, which raises your Subaru's axles out of harm's way. However, it's essential to conduct careful research before purchasing new tires to ensure they fit your Subaru's wheel wells correctly, as improper wheel and tire combinations can impact handling and steering. Whenever you make changes to your Subaru's suspension, remember that a re-alignment is necessary to ensure smooth and proper movement. Neglecting alignment can lead to premature wear on your new off-road tires. Elevate your Subaru and embrace off-roading with confidence.
5 Tips To Protect Your Subaru Vehicle During Off-Road Adventures
When heading into off-road adventures with your Subaru, it's crucial to be well-prepared. Ensure your vehicle is ready to tackle the challenges with essential upgrades. Start by choosing the right tires; typical all-weather tires won't suffice for rough terrains, so opt for specialized off-road tires designed to handle mud, snow, rocks, and more, improving traction and preventing stranding. Next, consider adding a lift kit to enhance safety and off-road capabilities. A suspension lift provides increased ground clearance, room for larger tires, and protection for your Subaru's undercarriage while elevating both performance and aesthetics. Investing in skid plates is another important step, offering protection from unexpected hazards, rocks, and road debris. Replacing factory plates with heavy-duty aluminum ones ensures durability. Rock sliders are also crucial, as these undercarriage bars safeguard your Subaru's sides and undercarriage from rocks and obstacles, while also serving as a useful step for vehicle access. Finally, beefing up your bumpers is recommended. Strengthen your front and rear bumpers for added protection. Off-road bumpers can prevent major repair bills and accommodate an electric winch for recovery. Equip your Subaru for a safe and thrilling off-road experience.
Essentials to Carry While Off-Roading in Your Subaru
Off-roading in your Subaru promises adventure, but nature's challenges can lead to unexpected predicaments. Be prepared with our top five essentials for Subaru off-roading. First, a basic survival kit with first aid supplies, water, food, and more ensures you're ready for any situation. Next, invest in recovery equipment like a winch, recovery boards, and straps to handle unforeseen obstacles. Don't forget a jump box to tackle battery issues in remote locations. A basic tool kit with essential tools and a tire patch kit is crucial for minor repairs. Finally, the ultimate essential is a buddy to provide support, brainstorm solutions, and ensure safety. With these essentials, your Subaru off-roading journey becomes an adventure with confidence and security.
Does a 2 inch lift kit make a difference on Subarus?
Subaru vehicles offer several lift options that impact various aspects, from performance to cost. Exploring the implications of a 2-inch lift is vital. It significantly reduces the risk of undercarriage damage during off-roading and enhances takeoff approach and departure angles, a substantial advantage for Subaru enthusiasts hitting the trails.
Benefits of Lifting Your Subaru
Off-roading enthusiasts know that when it comes to conquering challenging terrains, the key is to go bigger. Steep inclines, rugged obstacles, and unpredictable off-road conditions demand a larger-than-life vehicle. That's where suspension lift kits for Subarus come into play, elevating your off-road adventures to the next level. While you might think a suspension lift is reserved for highly modified rigs, this article aims to highlight why it's a crucial consideration even if your Subaru's suspension seems decent. Discover how a suspension lift kit can transform your Subaru into a capable and well-balanced off-roading machine. In the world of off-roading, it's not just about appearance – it's about performance, safety, and capability. By delving into the benefits of suspension lifts for Subarus, you'll learn how they provide more than just extra height. From accommodating larger tires to improving ground clearance and handling, these lift kits offer the winning formula for tackling a variety of terrains. Moreover, we'll explore the importance of a well-balanced vehicle, understanding how it affects cornering, tire wear, and the overall performance of your Subaru. With the right lift kit and proper adjustments, your Subaru can be optimized for a superior off-road experience, where challenges are met with confidence, and your Subaru handles like a dream on or off the beaten path.
When To Use Lift Springs Or Lift Spacers On Uni-Body Subaru’s For Ideal ...
As Subaru overlanding and off-road enthusiasts seek increased ground clearance, they face unique challenges with unibody vehicles. Unlike trucks or Jeeps, unibody vehicles lack frames, requiring careful consideration of factors like CV axle angles, suspension geometry, and steering shaft angles. Avoiding the over-extension of shocks and struts is crucial to maintain performance. Our approach involves the use of lift spacers and springs to optimize ground clearance, ensuring peak off-road capability. This approach is key to understanding our engineering process.
Recovery Gear for Your Lifted Subaru
When it comes to off-road adventures, having the right recovery gear in your Subaru is an absolute game-changer. Scott from RalliTEK and Eric from Discover NW Expeditions have teamed up to provide invaluable insights into what you should carry for those off-highway excursions.Eric's Subaru is equipped with various RalliTEK upgrades, including a lift kit, skid plates, control arms, and more, making it ready for anything. In his comprehensive recovery gear kit, Eric emphasizes the importance of having a full-size shovel, a set of 4 recovery boards, sturdy gloves, a recovery strap (not a tow strap), and a recovery rope. Additionally, a tree trunk protector strap is a must if you have a winch, as it allows you to anchor your vehicle safely without harming the environment.So, whether you're planning to conquer challenging terrains, deal with unexpected obstacles, or assist fellow off-roaders, being well-prepared with the right recovery gear ensures you can handle any situation with confidence.
Increase Subaru Off Road Traction
In the world of off-road adventures with your Subaru, one simple technique can significantly boost your traction: "airing down" your tires before tackling the trail. Scott from RalliTEK shares valuable insights on this method, explaining how reducing tire pressure makes them softer, enhancing their grip on challenging obstacles and providing a smoother ride.Most Subaru tires typically run between 30 and 40 psi, ideal for on-road handling and fuel efficiency. However, these higher pressures make the tires rigid, hindering their ability to conform to rough terrain and leading to spinning and sliding. Airing down before hitting the trails is a common practice, with the ideal pressure varying depending on your car's weight, tire and wheel size, and the type of terrain you'll encounter.For RalliTEK Subarus, Scott usually settles around 18 psi for general trail days, considering the vehicle's weight and tire specifications. The process involves using tools like the ARB E-Z Deflator to quickly and accurately reduce the tire pressure. However, after a day of off-road excitement, don't forget to air your tires back up to street pressure using various methods like cordless air compressors, 12-volt options, or even a trusty bike pump. By mastering this simple yet effective technique, you can elevate your Subaru's off-road performance and enjoy a smoother and more enjoyable adventure.
Lifted Subaru Winch
After equipping your Subaru with a RalliTEK lift and robust All-Terrain tires, you embarked on your first off-road adventure, only to discover your limits as your vehicle got stuck. This experience led you to explore a solution: winches. However, the world of winches can be overwhelming with various questions: which manufacturer to choose, what size winch is needed, and how to mount it on your Subaru? When it comes to selecting a winch, price point is often the initial factor, but investing in a premium brand like WARN or Come-Up is a solid choice. Consider factors like winch capacity, warranty terms, and customer service reviews to narrow down your options. While high-quality components and extensive testing may raise the price, remember that the quality of the winch corresponds to what you pay for. The next challenge is selecting the right style of winch for your Subaru. To determine the winch capacity you need, use a simple calculation: VEHICLE WEIGHT X 1.5 = WINCH CAPACITY. For example, a RalliTEK Outback weighing around 4,000 pounds should aim for a winch with at least 6,000 pounds of capacity. While this rule can be slightly bent, it's crucial not to choose a winch with insufficient capacity. RalliTEK's Outback, for instance, is equipped with a WARN ProVantage 4500-SSD winch, slightly under the calculated capacity. Still, its size and synthetic rope make it a practical choice for typical scenarios. In rare instances requiring higher capacity, a snatch block can be used to double the winch's pulling capacity, essentially creating a 9,000-pound winch. Subaru's drivetrain also limits wheel spin, reducing the need for the full calculated winch capacity. This informative guide simplifies the daunting process of selecting and mounting a winch for your off-road Subaru adventures. If you have further questions, don't hesitate to reach out to...
Lifted Subaru Tire Size Chart
We have been getting a lot of questions about what tire size one can run on their lifted Subaru lately so I compiled a list of verified tire sizes on different cars in the RalliTEK shop. I have 2 different columns, one is the standard size that we will tell anyone that they can run and then the other column is for an aggressive fitment. The aggressive fitment column usually comes with the potential for minor trimming, cutting/flattening of a pinch weld, not being able to run front mud flaps or at the very least, using a heat gun to melt the inner fender out of the way of the tire. Also be sure to notice that some of the tire sizes have an asterisk by them, this is because a 15” wheel is needed for that tire size and may not clear the brakes on your car. This list was created using either the 1.5” or 2” RalliTEK lift kit and Method wheels.
Offroad Subaru Suspension Torque Values
The interest in this question has lead us to create a chart for torque specifications for your Subaru Outback (2000-2024), Outback Wilderness (2022-2024), Crosstrek (2013-2024), Forester (2009-2024), Forester Wilderness (2022-2024), WRX (2008-2024), Impreza (2008-2024) and even STI (2008-2021).
Lifted Subaru Tires
You've equipped your Subaru with a striking RalliTEK lift, transforming its appearance into an adventurous off-road machine. However, there's one glaring issue – the stock tires and wheels don't quite match the new rugged aesthetics. Choosing the perfect tires becomes a daunting task with numerous options. At RalliTEK, we're here to simplify the process.When it comes to lifted Subarus, the answer is often straightforward: opt for high-quality all-terrain tires. These tires are versatile, built to tackle various terrains, and perform well year-round. Notably, tires like the BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2, Falken WildPeak A/T3W, General Grabber AT2, Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac, and Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015 are popular choices. The BFGoodrich KO2 is renowned for its long tread life and dependable on and off-road performance. The Falken WildPeak excels on highways and light trails, with strong snow and ice traction. General Grabber AT2 mirrors the BFG KO2's performance. While Goodyear Wrangler Duratracs offer excellent all-terrain capability, they are slightly noisier on roads and come in limited sizes. The Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015 prioritizes on-road comfort and light off-roading.Choosing the right all-terrain tires for your Subaru provides the durability and confidence needed to venture off-road. For further guidance or queries, contact us at 503-619-0055. - Scott
Events
West Coast Subaru Show 15
This year promises to be bigger and better than previous years boasting camping, karting, and mudding all in the name of Subaru. If you have never been to a WCSS in the past be prepared for the weekend of your life socializing with like minded Subaru enthusiasts, camping, and having a good ol' time.
Olympus Rally 2010
Hello Rally Fans. This is "The Plan" from RalliTEK Car #203 - Team: Heredos / BrownFrom: Doug Heredos / Dan Brown,This is my pre-event "The Plan". It's long. Print it. Read it. It will answer your questions and make the event more fun. If you have questions, send them my way. (sean@rallitek.com)Thanks for joining us this weekend! We will also have help from the RalliTEK folks.Here's a basic agenda for all three days:
Installation Tips
How To: Install a Turbo Inlet on a Subaru
Learn from Erich Uhlman at PREracing in his comprehensive video on installing a turbo inlet for your Subaru. Erich, with extensive experience in turbo inlet installations, shares invaluable tips and tricks to simplify what's often considered a challenging process.
Will adding aftermarket performance products void my car's factory warra...
U.S. Federal law sets forth requirements for warranties and contains a number of provisions to prevent vehicle manufacturers, dealers and others from unjustly denying warranty coverage. With regard to aftermarket parts, the spirit of the law is that warranty coverage cannot be denied simply because such parts are present on the vehicle, or have been used.
News
The Essentials For Overlanding Your Subaru
Subaru Overlanding is a thrilling outdoor activity that combines off-road driving with camping and adventure. It involves taking your Subaru vehicle off the beaten path and exploring remote and scenic locations. Whether you're traversing rocky mountains, crossing rivers, or navigating through dense forests, Subaru Overlanding allows you to experience the beauty of nature in a unique and exhilarating way.
The Advantages of Upgrading Your Subaru with Fully Assembled Struts
Subaru vehicles have gained a reputation for their reliability, versatility, and performance. However, like any vehicle, Subarus can benefit from suspension upgrades to enhance their handling, stability, and overall driving experience. One such upgrade that has gained popularity among Subaru enthusiasts is the installation of RalliTEK Fully Assembled Struts that include Bilstein B6 Struts and RalliTEK Springs. In this blog post, we will explore the advantages of upgrading your Subaru, including popular models like the Subaru CrossTrek, Outback, Forester, and Ascent, with these high-quality components offered by RalliTEK.
Products
