2004 Lifted Subaru Forester XT: Taking a Daily Driver Off-Road

This is how an 04 Forester XT looks with a lift kit

I recently met Michael on one of the local Subaru cruises. It turned out that we have mutual friends and he had even seen video of my car on the trails online. We quickly became friends and planned to hit some local forest roads.

On our first trail run, I got to take a peek at the car and wanted to share it with anyone who wants to know how their SG Forester would look with a lift kit.

Mike’s Forester did really well on the trail run. There was a mixture of gravel, mud, and snow on this trail. The road is very badly rutted by snow runoff every year and has ditches that are 1-2 feet deep in places. Even on a smaller tire than my 06 Forester, Mike’s car did really well navigated the ditches.

Mike Shows Us Around His Lifted Forester:

Play Video

I not only appreciate the off-road capabilities of this Forester, but I really enjoy it from a Subaru enthusiast perspective. It’s clean, well maintained, sounds great, and has everything you would expect from a classic Forester XT.

Tire Fitment:

If you’re wanting a good daily driver tire that won’t require pulling off your mud flaps, or cutting on your bumpers, the 215/75R15  fits great when paired with the Method MR502 15×7. The MR502 has a +15mm offset and pulls the tires away from the rear spring perches.

There was slight rubbing against the splash guards in the front. But they can be massaged with a heat gun, or trimmed.

Want To Start A Similar Build For Your Forester?

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Muddy subaru forester with all terrain tires
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Best Tires for Your Off Road Subaru: A Helpful Guide

Whether you have a brand new Outback, Ascent, Forester, or maybe an older Impreza that needs a little extra grip and off-road capability, there are some good all terrain tire options that many Subaru drivers trust. We’ve tested our fair share of tires and scoured countless reviews online to bring you a list of our favorite all-terrain tires for your Subaru.

Lifted Subaru Outback with All terrain tires
Tires

Tires Available In 235/75/15

Many Subaru drivers have found that they can fit a 29 inch tire on their car without cutting fenders or sacrificing too much low end

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