"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678)
01/09/2018 at 10:48 • Filed to: None
1
34|
"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678)
01/09/2018 at 10:48 • Filed to: None | 1
| 34 |
In the ‘04-’06 Subaru STi, there was unfortunately no option for a 60/40 folding rear seat or any sort of pass through. This was a bummer to find out about since I wanted to be able to easy transport my snow skis as well as other stuff without having to install a roof rack. Well this is still possible if you go and just remove the back seats entirely! The convenient way was added in the 2007 model but Subaru also included the added bonus of a transmission made out of glass, so I will gladly keep my setup instead.
Removal of the back seats normally would require me to: remove two 12mm bolts for the bottom seat cushion, remove the the bottom seat cushion, remove three 12mm bolts for the top cushion, remove the top cushion, pop out the clips for the foam insert, and remove the foam insert. But I discovered that the bottom seat cushion bolts were entirely missing so I was able to skip a step there. I will need to stop at a hardware store to get some new bolts so that the seat is properly secured. Silly previous owner, losing bolts.
Anyways, the goal was to fit this giant missile into the car. My new hard sided ski case is pretty bulky to protect the skis on an airplane but is a bit more cumbersome to transport in a car. I actually found that when fitting it into the car with the back seats removed, I could no longer shift the car. So that wasnt going to work anyways. The case is adjustable though so I may be able to work it in. However, I was just able to fit the skis inside the passenger cabin diagonally from the drivers side rear to the passenger side front, with the back seat still in the car. The only problem is I lose the ability to have a front seat passenger which is kind of awkard to drive someone uber style with the passenger in the back, passenger side. But it would work until I get a roof rack!
Also, it has finally rained here in LA so my car has gotten a bit muddy. Here is the Subaru, now looking like a real rally car:
Textured Soy Protein
> Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
01/09/2018 at 11:12 |
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You’ll be able to shift fine if you take a sawzall to the skis and their case.
Nibby
> Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
01/09/2018 at 11:21 |
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add lightness
DAWRX - The Herb Strikes Back
> Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
01/09/2018 at 11:25 |
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You need to become a true Subaru Bro and get some Rallyarmor mudflaps.
uofime-2
> Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
01/09/2018 at 11:39 |
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huh? turned the transmission into glass for 07?
STI trans has been roughly has robust as ever since 05, they have monkeyed about with gear ratios a little and I think some year they tried something with an internal pump and then later reverted (may have been 07 actually) later changed the DCCD function a little 08 I think, but the “glass transmission” has always been the 5 speed WRX ones. They improved it slightly over the years, added a clutch damper so you couldn’t drop the clutch as fast lol.
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Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
> uofime-2
01/09/2018 at 11:51 |
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From what I understand, there are issues with the 2007 that are unique to that year. I hadnt really looked into it a whole lot, just heard from other owners about why I made a better “choice” going with the ‘06. I had not really known at the time, it was just the car I found for the right price lol. I might have been mistaken about it being the transmission.
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Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
> Textured Soy Protein
01/09/2018 at 11:51 |
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Hmm something tells me the skiis will have trouble maneuvering down the mountain after that modification.
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Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
> Nibby
01/09/2018 at 11:53 |
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I do want to see what the road noise is like with them removed at some point. If its not bad, I might as well just remove them full time, not like I use the back seats anyways lol. It is convenient having a place to put dirty gym clothes and to keep things from flying around the whole car when in the canyons. And the cross braces in the way kind of defeat the practicality function.
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Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
> DAWRX - The Herb Strikes Back
01/09/2018 at 11:56 |
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BROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO mudflaps because #RALLY #LIT #FIRE #VAPE
punkgoose17
> Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
01/09/2018 at 12:29 |
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Will an ‘07 split folding rear seat mount into your car?
MonkeePuzzle
> Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
01/09/2018 at 12:36 |
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the passthrough is truly annoying, SO close to being a useful size.
that said, with the correct jenga/tetrising I am able to get 2 full size snowboards through, and then 2 kid ones fit in the trunk for a full family of 4 trip to the snow!
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MonkeePuzzle
> MonkeePuzzle
01/09/2018 at 12:37 |
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should be noted, I bought the car with roofracks and ditched then ASAP. I’d rather waste 10 minutes fanangling snowboards through that passthrough than drive around with ugly racks 24/7
Arrivederci
> punkgoose17
01/09/2018 at 12:45 |
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This - I’d imagine you could scoop one out of an Impreza as well, but it might just be all black.
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Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
> punkgoose17
01/09/2018 at 12:49 |
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Oh, good idea! I bet it would work but I will have to look into it. I doubt I would find another blue one but that is rather unimportant for the back seats lol. I will definitely go searching for one.
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Textured Soy Protein
> Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
01/09/2018 at 12:52 |
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Put them back together with zip ties. Problem solved.
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Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
> MonkeePuzzle
01/09/2018 at 13:15 |
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Yeah, I was kind of thinking the same thing. Racks look good on a wagon but idk how I feel about it on the sedan version. It would be much more practical but I am thinking I would feel just like you do.
I think it’s better with a box actually, but I doubt I want to spend that $$$ nor take the gas mileage hit.
A passthrough would be ideal, but it does worry me if that hole is incredibly small. Being able to fit two sets of skiis through would certainly be essential.
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Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
> Arrivederci
01/09/2018 at 13:16 |
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This one should work and is conveniently located:
I dont think fitment is different between the WRX and STi but it seems odd then that they didnt just include a passthrough for the earlier STis as well.
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Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
> Textured Soy Protein
01/09/2018 at 13:32 |
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I think I need to do an automatic swap, then I don’t have to worry about shifting!
AestheticsInMotion
> Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
01/09/2018 at 13:41 |
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Removing the back seats in my friends ‘11 sti was a bit of a letdown. Lots of extra noise, and only 35 pounds saved...
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Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
> AestheticsInMotion
01/09/2018 at 13:53 |
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This seat is 100% foam so it would not even save 5 pounds! It also means it probably wouldnt change sound much but I am curious to find out. My goal is to try and find another back seat with a passthrough that would fit.
This should work, if not I bet the 07 STi seat should fit if the STi has something specific about it.
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MonkeePuzzle
> Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
01/09/2018 at 14:21 |
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I think 2 sets of skis through the passthrough would be well possible.
oddly, I’ve had a few GC imprezas, and I went out to find a rack, and thought it improved the look.
but on my GD, it just felt wrong. ruined the lines.
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Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
> MonkeePuzzle
01/09/2018 at 14:43 |
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I know I had trouble with the pass through on a ‘15 Infiniti Q40. My skiis JUST barely fit through and involved some panel massaging to cram through and that was with a soft bag. No way would this case have fit there! Sure I could remove the skiis and then the case folds down to fit in the trunk but that sure would be inconvenient lol.
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MonkeePuzzle
> Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
01/09/2018 at 15:10 |
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valid, in the case, deeply unlikely
TahoeSTi
> Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
01/09/2018 at 16:11 |
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The 07 STI transmission is fine it’s the WRX that has an issue.
You can put Impreza pass through on, or get seats from a Canadian STi.
I just put a ski rack on and call it a day.
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Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
> TahoeSTi
01/09/2018 at 16:47 |
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If I had rails already, ski rack would have instantly been my solution. I am most likely going that route eventually, but havent invested in that yet. I probably am not buying snow tires until next season anyways so I doubt I will take the car skiing either way. So just for transporting skis to the airport, a passthrough would be ideal. If a regular impreza seat will fit, then just getting a solid black seat with passthrough would be ideal for now.
My mountain collective pass means that flying to most of the mountains is ideal and so that is a better use of my money for this season. Although Mammoth is getting DUMPED on so I have been itching to drive up there.
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TahoeSTi
> Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
01/09/2018 at 17:00 |
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If you ever make it to Tahoe let me know would love to meet up and do some skiing. I have a Pass at Mnt Rose, and Diamond Peak, but can usually get free or discounted passes for most the local mountains.
You don’ t need rails, I don’t have them on my STi and I have a rack that fits great and has held on well past what most people would call acceptable speeds. Something like these http://www.subispeed.com/rhino-rack-euro-2500-black-2-bar-roof-rack-2015-wrx-2015-sti?gclid=Cj0KCQiA7dHSBRDEARIsAJhAHwgSRo5dXsLZmghfjLValvplfYuTqYokXONmeWDuBcWTdjiDHUHkziEaAvX4EALw_wcB
05-07 Impreza sedan seats should fit just fine, Subarus are like Legos.
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Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
> TahoeSTi
01/09/2018 at 17:15 |
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Oh cool, I didnt think of doing something like that since rails didnt seem that hard to install. But if these are easily removable, that can solve my aesthetic dilemma. I will look more into that, thanks!
And yup, I have Squaw valley on my pass so I definitely intended on heading up there at least once or twice this season. I will probably just fly to Reno since it was a long ass drive last time and flights are cheap. But for sure if the season extends long enough like last year, then I can just drive up on summer tires at that point as well.
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TahoeSTi
> Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
01/09/2018 at 17:18 |
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Nice, let me know. I live in Incline Village so it’s an easy drive to Squaw or Alpine.
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Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
> TahoeSTi
01/09/2018 at 17:28 |
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Is Alpine Meadows worth the visit? I know my pass is good at either location but it seemed like Squaw had way more acreage to explore. Even with like 1/4 of the mountain open when I went in June, there was PLENTY of mountain for two days of skiing. I loved the hike up to Granite Chief and I know for sure I need to check out KT22. What I really want to see is some of the more wooded/off piste areas. It seemed like there was a lot of hidden stuff there that the locals knew about.
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TahoeSTi
> Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
01/09/2018 at 17:37 |
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If you want wooded/ off piste areas Alpine is better then Squaw, lots of great traverses and hikes. There’s all sorts of stuff hidden out there.
One of the reasons I like Mnt Rose better (it’s also 5 mins from my house), more trees and more elevation .... At rose, most runs are top to bottom because the base is at 8260' so it’s 1500 vertical ft per run and the chutes 1500ft 55degrees!
There are tons of great slack country up here hit me up when you’re coming this way, I don’t know Squaw or Alpine, as well as my buddies, do but maybe I can drag one of them out too.
Also some good backcountry too!
dannyzabolotny
> Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
01/09/2018 at 21:13 |
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At least in your car it’s as easy as removing the rear seats... on a lot of older BMW’s, if your car wasn’t specifically equipped with folding rear seats you had a solid metal bulkhead to cut through if you wanted to retrofit folding seats.
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Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
> dannyzabolotny
01/10/2018 at 11:46 |
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Very true! I wonder why BMW did that? It makes no sense in any sedan to be without a rear folding seat. It is the only way to make the car somewhat practical. Its silly how impractical sedans can be sometimes since I often times have an easier time fitting some items in my Miata than in a sedan.
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dannyzabolotny
> Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
01/10/2018 at 12:10 |
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They did it because it was an option. I agree it should have been standard and it would have probably saved them money having only one type of back seat, since the two different types of back seats are completely different.
I’m sure somebody at BMW argued that having a solid bulkhead was good for structural rigidity and stiffness, but then again we’re talking about a sedan here, not a hardcore sports car. I’ll gladly take some extra body flex in exchange for greatly improved practicality.
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Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
> dannyzabolotny
01/10/2018 at 12:29 |
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Well the other side of the coin is that I bet this is the most underutilized feature on any car in general. I doubt most people even know that you could fold down the seats in some cars. So for many, it would not matter to them if this was a feature or not. And if the automaker could save 30 cents on every car by not including it, that would equal a boatload of money over hundreds of thousands of cars.
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dannyzabolotny
> Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
01/10/2018 at 12:31 |
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This is very true. I can’t even count how many times I’ve seen people leaving their trunks open with stuff hanging out, sticking stuff out the window, or just tying stuff to the roof (without a proper roof rack), even when it’s something that could easily fit with the rear seats folded down.