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Old 09-09-2020, 07:18 PM   #1
bucky89
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 459700
Join Date: Dec 2016
Chapter/Region: Tri-State
Location: Hartford, Connecticut
Vehicle:
2015 Impreza
Crystal White Pearl

Default Lifted 2015 Impreza Sport Limited

2015 Stock Tire Sizes
Impreza: 195/65R15 or 205/50R17
XV Crosstrek: 225/55R17

Impreza
Ground clearance: 5.7 inches, Length: 180.5 inches, Wheelbase: 104.1 inches

XV Crosstrek
Ground clearance: 8.7 inches, Length: 175.2 inches, Wheelbase: 103.7 inches

+ 2 inch Anderson Design & Fabrication (05/2020)
+ (4) Bridgestone Driveguard RFT 225/55R17 (08/2020)
+ (4) 2013 Subaru 17 inch WRX wheels, swapped out OEM wheels
+ Front and rear Raceseng tow hook
New ground clearance: 9 inches all the way around
Clearance between fender and wheel = front: 3.5, rear

TL;DR
When I bought ‘Betty White’ in 2016, I knew I’d eventually want more ground clearance. I prefer the aesthetics of the wagon over the subcompact/entry-level SUV Crosstrek. After a few years, I have finally lifted my 2015 Impreza Sport Limited (yay!)

Body roll is barely noticeable with the current setup, road noise is significantly more with the Bridgestone Driveguards (225/55R17) versus my Goodyear ComforTred Touring Tires (205/50R17) Not terrible, just enough to notice (and turn up the volume) I haven’t yet ridden in the snow yet, but will update once winter rolls through New England.

Future plans:
Suspension: Source 2015 Crosstrek suspension (front and rear strut) and maybe rear subframe? Open to Outback or forester suspension setup (unsure about fitment)
Wheels: either the Sparco Terra’s or Method MR502’s

As some of you may know, there’s little information on lifting our FB20B’s. Minimal write-ups and videos. So if anyone has questions on my current setup or, can point me in the direction of forester/outback/crosstrek suspension, let me know!

Lifted, stock tires:
https://ibb.co/4dv54Pj
https://ibb.co/k8nyjSw

Current setup:
https://ibb.co/FJ0YMCL
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Old 09-14-2020, 07:02 PM   #2
cbishop
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Member#: 514985
Join Date: May 2020
Default Welcome to the Land of Lifted Imprezas

Congrats on the lift. I have a 2015 Impreza wagon that (this summer) I just put a 2" AD&F lift kit on. Mine had the 205/55/R16 and I was thinking of 215/65/R16 to get another inch, but for now I'm going to see how much better she is in the snow this winter. I can always get a pretty cheap set of rims with the larger sized snow tires - wife was concerned with how much the speedometer was going to be off with the tire swap. Are you noticing a 4-6 MPH difference in the speedometer (larger tires you will be moving faster than its registering). I'm happy with the performance - not noticing any significant difference from how it drove before and very happy to not scrape pulling out of the one side of the crazy hill driveway.
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Old 09-14-2020, 08:10 PM   #3
bucky89
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Member#: 459700
Join Date: Dec 2016
Chapter/Region: Tri-State
Location: Hartford, Connecticut
Vehicle:
2015 Impreza
Crystal White Pearl

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by cbishop View Post
Congrats on the lift. I have a 2015 Impreza wagon that (this summer) I just put a 2" AD&F lift kit on. Mine had the 205/55/R16 and I was thinking of 215/65/R16 to get another inch, but for now I'm going to see how much better she is in the snow this winter. I can always get a pretty cheap set of rims with the larger sized snow tires - wife was concerned with how much the speedometer was going to be off with the tire swap. Are you noticing a 4-6 MPH difference in the speedometer (larger tires you will be moving faster than its registering). I'm happy with the performance - not noticing any significant difference from how it drove before and very happy to not scrape pulling out of the one side of the crazy hill driveway.

Cool to see some other ‘15 Impreza owners with similar goals! The (65) won’t fit without removal of bumper/fender material or, getting more height clearance say with a Crosstrek or Forester strut swap. I tried sizing up as much as possible without rub and 55 was as far as I got with my 17in rims. Theoretically we’d be able to get clearance with 60/65 with a 16inch rims.

Performance wise, the timing and synchronicity is off. So MPG will be off and so would out speedometer reading. Not sure how one would re-program on our own. But something I’m willing to sacrifice with the newly found clearance. So relieved that I no longer have to deal with the damage from steep inclines living in the city. Potholes, that’s a whole diff beast to conquer.

Do you have pictures of your setup? Would like to see and appreciate
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Old 09-15-2020, 01:32 PM   #4
cbishop
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Member#: 514985
Join Date: May 2020
Default

The third one is the car before the lift, then I have a closeup on the front showing significant extra clearance and a shot showing the entire car.





I've had this car since new and it's always been annoying how low it was sitting - taken on poorly maintained unpaved roads and it would scrape upsetting the wife, and then the few times I've gone out with the snow still deep in the neighborhood it would get bogged down trying to push snow out of the way. Yeah I did a full turn test and saw that the larger tires I wanted would rub on the front fender skirt and would only get a half inch from a tire in between the one I was looking at and the stock size so I just left them for now.
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Old 09-15-2020, 07:59 PM   #5
bucky89
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 459700
Join Date: Dec 2016
Chapter/Region: Tri-State
Location: Hartford, Connecticut
Vehicle:
2015 Impreza
Crystal White Pearl

Default Lifted 2015 Impreza Sport Limited

Quote:
Originally Posted by cbishop View Post
The third one is the car before the lift, then I have a closeup on the front showing significant extra clearance and a shot showing the entire car.





I've had this car since new and it's always been annoying how low it was sitting - taken on poorly maintained unpaved roads and it would scrape upsetting the wife, and then the few times I've gone out with the snow still deep in the neighborhood it would get bogged down trying to push snow out of the way. Yeah I did a full turn test and saw that the larger tires I wanted would rub on the front fender skirt and would only get a half inch from a tire in between the one I was looking at and the stock size so I just left them for now.


Looks good! It may look minimal to some, but it’s been such a big difference for me too
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Old 09-16-2020, 01:10 AM   #6
GarbageDay
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Member#: 371213
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: DC Metro Area
Vehicle:
2013 Imp Spt Lmtd
Ice Silver Metallic

Default

I love what you guys have done! I want to lift mine too but don't feel confident enough to do it. How expensive was it? What are the benefits aside from the added height?
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Old 09-17-2020, 03:27 PM   #7
cbishop
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 514985
Join Date: May 2020
Default

Well I paid $500 for the lift kit - and hired my local garage shop guy to install it. He charged me 3 hours labor (being in a small town that was at $65 an hour) but there would be no reason for any shop to charge over 2 or 3 hours to install it. You can download the instructions for the kit and print it out to pre qualify a garage and get an idea on what they would charge for installing it before you buy.

One thing thou, don't go cheap with the kit. It will need both the components to mount on top of the struts both front and rear, but also additional components to keep the rest of the stuff in alignment (plus an adapter to move the brake line). Also note after getting it done, you will need to get a full 4-wheel alignment either at the same shop, or if they don't have the tools at another place.

The benefit IS the added height. That extra ground clearance so I don't scrape the undercarriage on my car with mild off-road driving or even going over some annoying speed bumps. Secondarily the look is much improved, the car looks a whole lot more like an AWD car now with some clearance. And finally, the ground clearance will help it when the winter dumps 6-8 inches of snow on the ground, so I'll be able to chug on out of my driveway and down un-plowed roads.
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Old 02-16-2022, 10:55 AM   #8
mursepaolo
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Member#: 463292
Join Date: Feb 2017
Default

Thank god I found this thread. I've been racking my brain looking at different ways to lift my wife's 2015 Impreza.

Currently stock height on 17" RPF-1 and Continental Extreme Contact 225/45/17.

I've been asking a lot of questions and am really just concerned about simplicity and safety of the lift. Here are the options I've come across and narrowed down to:


1. ADF 2" lift kit
2. Crosstrek struts and springs with ADF 1.5" subframe spacers
3. 2009 Forester KYB front struts, 2019 Forester rear struts, both with the springs they come with, and ADF 1.5" multilink spacers

I'm planning to go with 15" wheels that have et15 offset and Yokohama G015 215/70/15. Another option is to keep the RPF-1 and put Falken Wildpeak 225/55/17 tires on them.

If anyone has any insight on what would be best from a safety and simplicity standpoint, please let me know. Also, if I choose to go with either strut route, what issues will I come across with these 2 that I've listed, aside needing subframe spacers? For example: I talked to a guy on Reddit that did the Crosstrek strut swap and he ran into camber bolt size issue and having to twist the strut to get the studs to line up.

Thanks!

Last edited by mursepaolo; 02-16-2022 at 11:19 AM.
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