[dgrooman]

Hello All. New member to the this site but am an old Subaru lover. Am currently driving an '07 Forester X w/75k miles.

First question: I am looking to do the "safari" look on the 'ol forester. Want to put on a grille guard, tail light guards, and safari rack/basket. For the grille guard I want something similar to the Westin Sportsman KD (autoanything.com/GenericPages/ProductImage.aspx?GroupID=467&ImageID=4225&ProductID=1767]Product]Product Image). I havent been able to find that type of grille guard or the tail light guards for a Forester. Does anyone know where i can look? Since this is mostly for aesthetic purposes, the cheaper the better. I would be able to slightly modify and/or repair something that may not have been made for the Forester but is close enough to work.

Second Question: I haven't done much maintenance since driving it off the lot with 3 miles on it, other than the standard stuff like oil, air filter, and tires. With 75k on it now what are some of the big or major things I should do? Was thinking about spark plugs, brakes, fuel filter, fluids (radiator, transmission, differential). If Im not having any issues, should I worry about things like the timing belt and water pump?

Third Question: I need to replace the gusset seal on the drivers side view mirror. What is the trick to getting that off without damaging anything?

Fourth (and last) Question: There is a steady noise coming from one of the wheels/wheel areas (haven't been able to determine which yet). It is a faily soft, repetitive 'thump' or 'whack' that almost comes across as a rubbing sound. It doesnt sound like metal on metal; braking action does not change the sounds. I am considering it may be a wheel bearing. I know this is vague for a diagnosis, but does anyone have experience with anything similar or is there an easier way to determine the issue without taking it to the dealership and paying for an hour+ of labor?

I apologize for the onslaught of questions right off the bat. Hopefully Im not breaking any rules or standards here.

I look forward to learning more about my car from the wealth of knowledge available here and I also hope I can contribute at least as much as I take.

Happy New Year

 

[2.5x_sleeper]

Welcome to the forum from Oregon! :biggrin:

If you're not a member at MySubaru, I'd suggest signing up. It's free & you can see what services need to be done. It's also a good place to keep a record of the work you have done or do to your Forester.

You can get away with not doing some scheduled maintenance, but it could cost you more later on. :wink:

Bobby...

My MODding Journal

 

[bbottomley]

Welcome!

Timing belt and associated components aren't due till 105k miles. While it's very important to get that job done on time, we've seen few if any reports of premature failure.

Click into User CP above and put the vital info about your Forester into your signature. That way you won't have to remember to include it the next time you've got a question to ask. And wander around the stickies at the top of this forum for more useful info.

 

[Dan]

Welcome along!

?2: You can look up the maintenance schedule on your my.subaru.com account, and it's also posted here. Timing belt is done at 105,000 miles, and folks recommend doing the water pump, tensioner, and couple other small things while you're already in there. Do a search for "tensioner" and you'll come up with a bunch of threads that offer some great suggestions.

?4: Wheel bearing on the rear axle is a common failure so I wouldn't be surprised to hear that your noise comes from that. Search for that one and, again, you'll find some great advice for that issue.

As far as common maintenance that folks do beyond the schedule, or for some advice concerning the schedules themselves, there are usually threads coming up at least once a month over in the Problems, Maintenance, and Warranty area, so those aren't too tough to find. (If you don't find anything be sure to go to Display Options at the bottom of the page and broaden the time period displayed.) For the most-oft encountered problems, take a peek at this thread, which has links to some of the questions we encounter a bunch around here.