Questions about a Lift Kit for Subaru Outback

You might consider an Ironman 4X4 Lift. One of our other members @luke-moussa just got one installed. I will be doing a review of his later this month and I have a call with Ironman to get a discount for members later this month.

I will check out Anderson. I have heard some about them. And, the LP, of course, I am familiar with.

@4x_admin I checked out Ironman, but their website doesn't show any lift kits for a 2021 outback. Do you know if that's something they're currently working on?

@4x_adminThe member discounts page also shows we get 10% off purchases at LP Adventure too. Any idea when that will be available?

@kyle-stewart Hey Kyle. ADF is good stuff and lots of folks run that spacer lift.  RalliTek and Primitive Racing also make widely used spacer kits for the Subs.  Some rigs experience the wobble factor more than others and that has to do with the age of the vehicle and the height of the lift - the CKE Anti-Wobble insert helps prevent that and you can find that via ADF.  I had a faint wobble with the 2"LP spacer kit at low speeds but it never bothered me.  When I installed the Ironman ATS I also installed the CKE insert and I only notice a very faint wobble but nothing that annoys me.

The spacer lift and suspension lift are two totally different options.  With the LP spacer lift (specifically) you will likely not void warranty related to the suspension components, but check with SoA or dealer to be sure.  The reason I went with LP, specifically is because, 1) Scott field tested it for years, 2) They did not void my warranty, 3) LP engineered them to work with all safety systems.

After having the spacers for several months I wasn't impressed with the handling and ride quality (especially on surface streets) so I went searching for other options and found the Ironman ATS.  I'm still in the process of testing but so far this made a huge difference in my Outback's handling and comfort on and off-road.  Best thing to do would see if you can find a dealer with the LP spacer lift installed on your model and take that for a test drive. Keep in mind that the wheels and tires you choose will have the largest impact on your ride quality.  I would really like to thy these Falken tires on my rig to see if there is a noticeable difference - might be worth looking into for your ride as well.

I'll ask Ironman if they have an ATS kit in the works for the 2021 Outback and get back to you.

Hope that helps but let me know if you have any other questions 🍻 

@luke-moussa Thanks for the advice Luke.

Looks like Ironman updated their site and they have an option for my 2021 Subaru Outback:
https://ironman4x4america.com/2-all-terrain-suspension-kit-suited-for-2020-subaru-outback/

Do you know if installing these would void my warranty?

With the cost of this suspension kit, it would be cheaper to buy and install the ADF 2" lift and wobble insert. 

Having done both, which would you recommend?

Just spoke to a gentleman at ironman about the suspension kit, he said it wouldn't void the warranty.
He also said that they were going to be having a sale starting this weekend for St. Patricks day. That would be good to know if anyone is looking to buy anything.

Scott, any idea on what kind of discount we would be getting through 4xpedition?

@kyle-stewart I would call Subaru of America directly for warranty questions.

If you go with the spacers I would recommend LP but ADF has an excellent reputation as well.  I switched to the ATS mostly because I didn't like the way the Outback handled on surface streets with the spacers.  If you live in an area with rutted out surface streets I would recommend the ATS over the spacers. For the type of off road use I do, the ATS was definitely an upgrade but I haven't seen an extreme difference when moving slow as possible and fast as necessary on dirt, and with your tires aired down, the spacer kit is totally fine. I will say that there is no comparison between the spacer and the lift regarding overall performance.  On road you will definitely notice the difference with the ATS when cornering, breaking and accelerating.  Off-road, the Outback is much more stable and can handle a weighted rig better through obstacles.

If I were to do it all over again I would still choose the ATS, but would pair it with those Falken tires designed for crossovers.  I would definitely encourage you to call SoA to see what the warranty situation is though and make a decision from there.  I'm curious what they say.  Also, you might want to think about foregoing the lift and seeing what wheels and tires you can put under there, that way you will have more capability and maintain your ride quality.

Posted by: @kyle-stewart

Just spoke to a gentleman at ironman about the suspension kit, he said it wouldn't void the warranty.
He also said that they were going to be having a sale starting this weekend for St. Patricks day. That would be good to know if anyone is looking to buy anything.

Scott, any idea on what kind of discount we would be getting through 4xpedition?

Hey Kyle,

Good to know about the sale, thanks for sharing.  The 4X member discount still needs to be negotiated with Ironman but I would guess around 10-15%...just a guess.  Also, I would still call Subaru of America for any warranty questions, just so there is no confusion.

@luke-moussa Thanks for the response.

looks like Ironman has a sale through the 17th, 25% off everything.

I’ll look into the warranty, that would be good to confirm.

@kyle-stewart Kyle, I will say that Luke and I filmed a Gear Guide episode on the Ironman lift on his '17 Outback 3.6R. That will likely be published this week. Also, my son had the 4X Outback on location so in comparison, mine had quite a bit more clearance than Luke's. His was a very comfortable ride and had more articulation than mine generally does though.