No.
2017 Outback Suspension Change
I have a 2017 Outback Premium 2.5l
I am wondering if there is an aftermarket suspension company that makes an upgrade kit for a smoother ride?
I know, typically aftermarket suspension upgrades are for lifts or for more "sporty" handling.
Is there an aftermarket suspension kit for a 2017 Outback, that offers a smoother ride? As in 1992 Buick LeSabre smooth...:laugh:
Thanks, Josh
I am wondering if there is an aftermarket suspension company that makes an upgrade kit for a smoother ride?
I know, typically aftermarket suspension upgrades are for lifts or for more "sporty" handling.
Is there an aftermarket suspension kit for a 2017 Outback, that offers a smoother ride? As in 1992 Buick LeSabre smooth...:laugh:
Thanks, Josh
1 - 16 of 16 Posts
Changing out the tires would be your best bet.
Ditto on changing the tires.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Ya, it came with Bridgestone Duelers.
I normally put Hancook I-pikes on our cars.
What would you recommend for an Outback?
I live in NW MN.
Thanks
I normally put Hancook I-pikes on our cars.
What would you recommend for an Outback?
I live in NW MN.
Thanks
OK, so far all I can come up with is lowering the tire pressure from 44 psi to 35 psi in the tires.
It helped a little.
Will changing tires help quite a bit?
Any other ideas?
Thanks
It helped a little.
Will changing tires help quite a bit?
Any other ideas?
Thanks
There's your problem right there...dealer didn't reduce PSI from shipping specs.
That being said, if you find the 2017 to have a rough ride I don't know what to tell you. It's one of the smoothest platforms Subaru has made.
That being said, if you find the 2017 to have a rough ride I don't know what to tell you. It's one of the smoothest platforms Subaru has made.
I changed out my duellers to Michelin premiere ltx from Costco. Better ride and handling for sure. I will say I never found the outback ride harsh.
You can change tires till you are blue in the face but there is little you can do that will give your OB the ride of a big Buick.
Buick's are engineered to have a smooth ride. Subaru's not so much.
Buick's are engineered to have a smooth ride. Subaru's not so much.
Ok, I got the tires changed from the light truck Bridgestone's to Hankook 725s...
The pressure is at 35 psi.
The ride is much better than it was before.
I'm getting ~ 29 mpg, on average with the new tires.
With the Bridgestone's I got ~ 27.5
I'm in the car 4-5 hours a day. I drive ~ 200 miles a day, and 20-50 miles of that is on gravel. The rest is on crappy County Highways.
With the new tires, the Outback does great on the smoother surfaces. But when I get on a beat up County Highway or a washboarded gravel road, the jack hammering is still there.
On bumpy roads the suspension is just stiffer than I'm used to.
And it'll take a while for me to get used to that.
I also put a piece of 1 1/2" memory foam on the back and bottom of the seat, as well as a seat cushion from a kitchen chair...for the most part it rides like a 1992 LeSabre now
It'll take me a while to get used to driving the Outback. Considering I drove Camrys for 22 years...
Now that I changed the tires I'm really liking it.
Thanks guys!
The pressure is at 35 psi.
The ride is much better than it was before.
I'm getting ~ 29 mpg, on average with the new tires.
With the Bridgestone's I got ~ 27.5
I'm in the car 4-5 hours a day. I drive ~ 200 miles a day, and 20-50 miles of that is on gravel. The rest is on crappy County Highways.
With the new tires, the Outback does great on the smoother surfaces. But when I get on a beat up County Highway or a washboarded gravel road, the jack hammering is still there.
On bumpy roads the suspension is just stiffer than I'm used to.
And it'll take a while for me to get used to that.
I also put a piece of 1 1/2" memory foam on the back and bottom of the seat, as well as a seat cushion from a kitchen chair...for the most part it rides like a 1992 LeSabre now
It'll take me a while to get used to driving the Outback. Considering I drove Camrys for 22 years...
Now that I changed the tires I'm really liking it.
Thanks guys!
Good thing you didn't get a Forester!!
How many miles do you have on the Outback? - Many shocks sort of break-in after the first few thousand miles. When I replaced the shocks on my GMC Envoy, it road really rough for the first couple thousand miles, and then it gradually softened as the shocks broke in. Tires tend to do the same thing, the rubber softens a bit as they wear/break-in, and then after around 3-4 years begin to harden as the rubber dries out and the tread wears down.
If you've just swapped out the tires, give them 500-1000 miles to sort of break-in, the ride will most likely improve a bit. I installed Altimax RT43s late Oct or Nov, and it wasn't until around April that they broken in and became noticeably softer feeling. - Around 3000 miles in my case, but some of that was in cold weather, which make them a bit less pliable.
Of course I have a '12, which is sprung quite a bit softer than the 2015+ models, or even the '13-'14 model years.
Wait, which tires do you have, only the 60/65 profiles are 35psi and then only for the front, the backs should be a 33psi. (My experience with my '12 tells me the back rides noticeably different with them at the same pressure as the fronts...not much weight back there). If you have the 18" wheels (50 profile) you're still over inflated, and they should be 33/32 front/back.
If you've just swapped out the tires, give them 500-1000 miles to sort of break-in, the ride will most likely improve a bit. I installed Altimax RT43s late Oct or Nov, and it wasn't until around April that they broken in and became noticeably softer feeling. - Around 3000 miles in my case, but some of that was in cold weather, which make them a bit less pliable.
Of course I have a '12, which is sprung quite a bit softer than the 2015+ models, or even the '13-'14 model years.
Wait, which tires do you have, only the 60/65 profiles are 35psi and then only for the front, the backs should be a 33psi. (My experience with my '12 tells me the back rides noticeably different with them at the same pressure as the fronts...not much weight back there). If you have the 18" wheels (50 profile) you're still over inflated, and they should be 33/32 front/back.
For me it is the other way. Owning a 2018 Outback with smoother suspension, I would prefer the previous versions to get a better direct ride. The 2018 Outback is way to soft and not fun to drive on bumpy roads. 
You can tighten some of that up relatively cheap.For me it is the other way. Owning a 2018 Outback with smoother suspension, I would prefer the previous versions to get a better direct ride. The 2018 Outback is way to soft and not fun to drive on bumpy roads.
https://www.subaruoutback.org/forum...6-subaru-specialty-products-tdck-cke-ssp.html
32-35psi anything higher and the ride can have harsh feedback. Michelins on 18in wheels will give you near Buick level ride under 35psi
Better luck buying a '92 Buick and converting it to all wheel drive.
1 - 16 of 16 Posts
- This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Subaru Outback Forums
Welcome to the Subaru Outback Owners Forum, we have tons of information about your Subaru Outback, from a Subaru Outback Wiki to customer reviews.
Full Forum Listing
Recommended Communities
