Don't do it, it is not fun at all. The car hops around like crazy, it's really not designed for FWD. You could go out and try it for a few minutes, going around corners and accelerating= huge torque steer and spinning tires (especially if you have an XT)
That's not really an accurate comparison. Under normal circumstances the solenoid's highest duty cycle is around 90% from what I understand. So it continuously turns on and off many times a second with a certain amount of resting time in between. It is not outside the realm of possibility that running it at 100% duty cycle over a longer period of time could wear it out prematurely.
From a mechanical stand point, I'd have to agree. Most mechanical devices (compressors, motors, etc.) have duty cycles for various reasons, but they all have the same goal.. to avoid premature failure of the part. Sometimes its a motor that gets hot, and needs time to cool down... sometimes it is a hydraulic piston that can warp or deform under constant stress...
Another really GOOD point. I just assumed that all Foresters had full sized spares. If the 5EATs don't, then that could explain it... but as you said it just doesn't make sense.
The procedure with the fuse also applies to Subarus with a full-size spare (to compensate for differences in rolling circumference if your tires are worn significantly more than your spare). Take a look at your owners manual, it should be outlined in there. I know it is in mine.
A solenoid isn't just a switch, which is a passive device and (assuming the switch contacts are in good condition) draws no power. A solenoid though is an electrically operated device, and that means it draws power to operate it. Drawing power means it will generate a certain amount of heat. If it isn't designed to be activated permanently, it may well overheat and burn out.
