Thank you so much you deserve the kudos i am a teacher for a tech company and the way you present information to the consumer is great and informative. Also i can relate to you i am buying a impreza sport hatch because of you my choice is clear for me.
5 or more decibels is a HUGE difference! Might not seem like it data wise but an increase in just 3 decibels doubles the sound intensity. So a 6 decibel change would quadruple the sound intensity. This all because our hearing is very sensitive, and decibels are in an algorithmic scale. Great video! Keep up the solid work!
Hector, thank you for watching and for your explanation. I wasn't familiar with the science behind the decibels. That is really cool info and makes sense that 5 decibels has really changed the car. All I hear now is road/tire noise and my quiet crosstrek is gone LOL Cheers man, really appreciate your comment!
Thanks so much for the informative video Rick. I’m taking delivery of my 2022 Subaru cross trek limited and went with the same setup as this. Keep up the great work I appreciate the videos you got a sub
Looking good just bought 2023 same color got hit so waiting to get it out of the body shop didn't make my first payment plus guy had no insurance but I'm fixing to do mine like yours u did a good job thanks for sharing leave the caps
Great look. Keep the center caps. Loses no "toughness", presents a more finished look. As a new 2018 CT owner considering some mods, I've really been enjoying your vids.
Rick Those Tires Are Sick I am considering it after my car is paid off the mission is 3 years but then a whole custom paint job a more Copper Orange and New Tires! Thanks for your videos sir!
Thank you very much and thank you for watching. The tires have been great fun off road for sure and definitely give the car a nice look. I like the sound of your paint plan as I love the look of copper. Best of luck with the car.
Your videos helped sell me on a Crosstrek, and I just purchased this wheel/tire combo after being inspired by your videos. I’d say Subaru and America’s Tire Co. owe you a buck or two at this point.
Rick Hutton I love them so far, it’s like a whole new car. Looks terrific, performs much better off road, and also unexpectedly improved the ride quality.
Thank you very much! A few posters have explained the logarithmic nature of Db which I was completely ignorant of when I made the video. Makes sense. Cheers and thank you for watching.
Wow looks great!!! Good to hear you are not having any issues at stock ride height. Now I really am looking forward in getting into the new Crosstrek after watching this. I also vote for black center caps if you can find them. You could always plastidip your current center caps black as well.
I'm sooo glad to see that a lift isn't needed. I'm purchasing a Crosstrek next month and have been pondering that question. My Subaru dealer told me it would cost an additional $4200 for the tires,wheels, & lift. Not now!! Lol!
Chris, that is a crazy price for wheels/tires/ and lift. Were they using gold nuts and bolts on the that set up. :) Most of the lifts are around $800 and the wheels/tires are approx $1700. The lift install doesn't look too crazy to do at home...then throw in a $125 alignment and you're done. Congrats on the new car! What color are you going with? Thank you for watching.
Hi Rick, great looking tyres and rims! They look terrific on your Crosstrek without being OTT! Interesting that the original tyres was a bit taller than your new ones. The aggressive tread pattern is vey much rallytread-like in design, which I like. Please keep me posted about the new mpg you get with them. Impressed! Cheers again from here in Aus.
Thank you and will do. Hope to have a mpg and other updates in about a week. :) I was a bit surprised by the taller original wheel too...I knew they were a bit different from the tire size calculator, but was thinking the new one was taller for some reason. Cheers
Awesome Rick! I think you will really like them especially if you are going off road. When you get them installed let me know what you think and send over a pic if you want. Cheers! azdroptopyt@cox.net
Hi Rick - Great Video. I love the fact that people take the time to do this - much appreciated! Were there any issues with weights for balancing? I was looking to have a local shop here in New Hampshire put the same setup on my 2018 Premium and they said the MR502 15x7 wheels would be an issue when installing weights for balancing. They said they talked to both Method and Subaru and came to the conclusion that the weights would (could) hit the calipers. Seems bizarre since these wheels were designed for stock Subarus - maybe they don't balance the tires on true off-road vehicles?? This is the first I have heard of that after looking at so many people that have done this upgrade. Any info would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you Dave very much. This is the first I have heard of any issues with balancing the Methods and I have been reading about Crosstrek wheel upgrades for over 3 years now. My local shop never mentioned it even as a possible issue. I will say, that I have not looked to see where the wheel weights are and do not have the car with me today at the station, but will look in the morning when I get home. The wheels were designed with the off set to fit over the calipers so I can't imagine the wheel weights being a problem. I'll let you know what I find in the morning. Shoot me an email azdroptopyt@cox.net if you don't hear back from me.
Thanks Bob! Appreciate the feedback...I still feel the same, but I just ordered some cheap black ones off of ebay to try out. :) Thanks for the compliment on the videos, very appreciated. Cheers.
Keep an eye on the steering components. Changing offset a lot may greatly accelerate wear on them. I had Subaru back in the day where a tie rod pulled all the way out of the steering rack while I was driving on a dirt road.... lucky I didn't go over the cliff on one side. And the car really didn't have that many miles on it... I think maybe like 60-70 thousand miles and many of those were on stock tires/wheels. But I had put on wheels with a non-standard offset that set more outboard than OEM.
Rick Hope you don't mind my suggestion to all of your followers out there and that a little bit of clear mastic in a couple of places on the centre caps will hold them for sure. UK fan.
Looks nice, I have the same wheel/ tire specs on my wife’s 18 but with a ready lift that has caused nothing but problems so I’ll just being going back to the stock height with the tires and wheels.
Las ruedas son de 15 x 7 pulgadas y el tamaño de los neumáticos es 215/75/15. El tamaño original del neumático Crosstrek es de 225 de ancho, pero no fabrican un neumático KO2 con ese ancho, así que elegí el de 215 de ancho. ¿A qué te refieres con ET? Mi juego original de KO2 duró 60.000 millas.
@@AZdroptop me preocupa si me tocaría la llanta en pinza de freno el ET es lo que sale hacia fuera la llanta hacia el paso de rueda ET positivo creo que debe ser ET 15 muchas gracias por contestar me está ayudando mucho mi xv es del 2914 mi rueda es 225/55/17 gracias
Ah, claro. La rueda Method está hecha específicamente para adaptarse al Crosstrek y tiene un desplazamiento de +15 para limpiar la pinza de freno. Los modelos 2014 y 2018 son muy similares y creo que no deberías tener problemas con las mismas ruedas Method que tengo. Siempre puedes comunicarte con Method directamente y preguntar, pero sé que he visto Crosstrek 2013-2017 con las mismas ruedas. lpaventure.com/collections/xv-crosstrek-2013-2016/method-race-wheels
Hey Rick, absolutely love your videos and your setup on the crosstrek. Is this still stock height? And you didn’t have any performance issues with rubbing or wheel well clearance? I just want to make sure I’ll have no issues when I install the same wheels and tires. Thanks!
Hello Mike and thank you very much for your kind words. I really appreciate it! Yep, she is stock height and zero rubbing issues with my set up. I have been on a few fairly bumpy roads that test the suspension a decent amount and all good to go. Best of luck and let me know how it goes with the wheels/tires. Cheers Mike
@Rick Hutton What are you running for pressures on-road and off-road? I just put that combo wheel / tire on a 2014 Crosstrek. By the way the stock wheel tire combo is not taller, you need to measure both setups unweighted. 26.7" vs 27.7" diameters. My new setup actually rubs slightly on the front of the front inner fender at full lock in reverse. No lift. Luckily those inner fenders are quite light and flexible, so no need to trim.
Hey Bob, correct on the tires, that was my bad. :) Thinking out loud and not thinking very well at that. No rubbing on my 18 thankfully. Pressure wise I run 34 to 36 psi and up to now have not pressured down when off road. Hope you are enjoying the methods and BFG's.
Thanks Rick. Definitely a softer ride than the stock setup albeit not as responsive on road, and certainly noisier. It's a cool look. I'm running 33 psi now. Will likely air down to low 20s when off road.
Looks cool! I like the quite interior of my Crosstrek. However for the last 2 days the front windshield wipers have started making clicking noise during intermittent wipe. Only happens at the end of each wipe during intermittent wipe. And the clicks come from the dashboard, probably a bad relay or something. No click noise in full/one pass wipe though.
Bummer? At least it is under warranty, but a pain to have to deal with it. This combo definitely changes the quiet situation unfortunately. I am missing the quiet a little bit for sure.
I have a 2015 Crosstrek, and I remember noticing both how quiet the wipers were when it was brand new and then a distinct relay click later. That new car smell is gone, too. Bummer.
The original lugs will actually fit ok, but I did get new ones that matched the wheels. They are a bit longer and also stronger than stock. I believe they were only like $20 or $25 bucks. As to the thread I'm not sure..whatever the normal Subaru threads are should be good. Discount tire chose them for me and there isn't much info on my receipt about them sorry brother.
Thanks for video. I think this is a great setup. Since you asked, I don’t think the silver caps look like they belong on the wheels. Also, comparing fire height while one tire is weighted and the other is not is not accurate. The only really meaningful comparison is both weighted and filled to the PSI you intend to drive with. That’ll tell you how much difference it makes on YOUR vehicle.
Thank you Keith, much appreciated. I ended up with black center caps in the end and realized my brain malfunction on the height of the tires later on. :) Thanks so much for watching.
Hi Rick. Since you've managed to create a lot of feed back with you great video series, I wanted to ask you and your followers if anyone has any deep knowledge/experience regarding the effects of positive offset. There are a few comments posted here on the topic, but none really gets to the point of whether the offset will harm the car or not..and whether Subaru has denied anyone's warranty for drivetrain related issues due to the use of the Methods. I'd love to here your thoughts or those of your followers. Thanks
Hi, I just had another question about this today in fact. In all honesty it wasn't something on my radar when I purchased the wheels. I guess I figured if Method is making wheels for Subaru's that fit the car they would be good to go. My biggest concern was whether or not they would clear the brakes. I have done just a bit of reading about offset and how it can cause premature bearing wear. From what I have come across so far, some say yes it will cause premature wear, some say no? Hopefully others will comment. On the question of can Subaru denying warranty... I am sure that they would try to do so if possible. My understanding is that if they can prove a modification caused "a problem" with the car then they will deny coverage. At this point I have not heard of a claim being made, but it is a possibility. I guess I will have to let you know if the wheels affect my bearings down the road since I plan to keep running them.:) Hopefully not.
Thank you Joon Choi, a couple folks have pointed that out to me as I was not aware of that. It makes sense because I definitely hear road noise now where I didn't before. Cheers!
What wheels size is that, what offset is it, what bolt pattern, what tire size, does it need hub centering rings to fit the wheels, given the circumference difference with stock, any speedometer inaccuracies? When you change wheels/tires from stock, those are always burning questions in decision making, looks is only one component.
Hi Aleksandar, 15 x 7, 5 x 100 +15 off set. The tire circumference from stock is very small so no obvious speedo difference. 215/75/15 tire size. Here is a link to all of my tire/wheel videos. Let me know if you have any other questions. Cheers. th-cam.com/play/PLKRNVgFGuPjgjQABrwokZue-bpGhD0-S5.html
Hey John, I believe they fit the earlier models as well with no lift as long as you don't go wider than 225's. They only make the KO2's in 215 or 235's. I went with 215's.
Hi Martin, I priced them out at a couple of places, www.tirerack.com and bought them from Discount tire here in town. Here is a link to tirerack.com where you can play around with the wheels depending on size etc and see them on your car. From there you will have to pick the tires. With Methods, tires, TPMS sensors, I wanted to keep the originals in the Stock wheels, lugs, balance mounting and shipping to Tucson it was like 1640 if I remember correctly. Thant includes a 2 year warranty, but you have to go through a third party to get a fix. I paid a bit more up front at Discount, but it is a better warranty, local, and with rebates I paid basically the same. Cheers and good luck. www.tirerack.com/wheels/results.jsp?&autoMake=Subaru&autoModel=Crosstrek&autoYear=2018&autoModClar=2.0i+Limited
All your trek videos are top notch! Had to scroll back to find this one - you previously said you may do a lift down the road. Simply for clearance? Wondering now that you've been running these a while if you're still thinking of lifting or satisfied as is. I am close to pulling the trigger (more options now like Black Rhino, Motegi, KMC etc) on the same sizing and would prefer not to lift.
Hi Kevin, thank you very much, I appreciate it. So when I first got the car I really had no intention on lifting it all. After doing quite a bit of off roading around here I realized that with all of the undulating washes, big rocks etc, it would probably be a good idea. The Crosstrek has good approach and departure angles for a stock car, but I was tending to rub the front lip a lot as you might have seen in the off road videos. I am still not 100% on the lift, but I am leaning towards doing it at some point still. Probably later in the year. My first goal is to get the LP adventure small front bar and then go from there. As for the tires/wheels there are no clearance issues at all with the 215/75/15's. Cheers man and best of luck with the new wheels you choose. The black Rhino's look pretty nice.
Im curious to see you size the wheel and tires height when both are off the car. I feel as though the reason the KO2s were not as tall was due to the weight of the vehicle. The stock tire had no contact patch because it was off the car unlike the KO2.
Just ordered 15x7 Relations Racing Wheels. Looking for tires and I noticed I hear a lot about 215 and 235 width. Is there any particular reason why I'm not hearing people do 225 like the factory width? It seems like the sweet spot because 235 rubs. I got time to shop so any help is appreciated.
Great question. The main reason for me was that they do not make the BFG's I wanted in 225. Not sure why really, they just do not offer them. I never really looked at other A/T tires to see if them make them in 15" and 225 width. Congrats on the the new wheels and hope that helps.
Anyone had luck with a 226/65/r17? I've seen it done, just now sure how much suspension travel that leaves for a car fully loaded up (camping gear, bikes).
I have not heard of anyway going that route personally. Looks like Circumference is a big change, 86.8 vs. 89.5 Height is a 1/2 different as well. From what I understand there is no way to correct the speedo on modern Subaru's so that would be one issue. As far as room for the tire in the well my guess is there would be issues, but I'm just guessing.
Remember that decibels are a logarithmic function, so an increase from 75db to 80db is a 50% increase in sound pressure, since going from 70db to 80db is a 100% increase. So, yes, these tires make a LOT more noise than stock tires according to your measurements.
I have a 2018 Crosstrek Premium. Tire size P225/60R17. I'd like to keep the stock wheels but get some mud tires. I can't seem to find any mud tires for the P225/60R17 size. Has anyone done this? Thanks
HI Matt, did your Premium come with the Geolanders? That seems to be the most aggressive I can find with a quick search. All of the others are 70's or 75's which would be a bit taller.
Rick Hutton yes it has the geolanders. I do like the methods but also like the stock wheels and thought I could save some money not buying new wheels. I've enjoyed your videos. Thanks for doing them.
G'day Rick, Thanks for all your Crosstrek info. It's much appreciated. Looking at the countryside around where you are I suspect it doesn't rain too often, but have you by any chance had an opportunity to try the KO2s in mud? Some muddy Crosstrek footage with those wheels would be appreciated if you ever get the opportunity.
Hi there Jon, no it is pretty dry around here most of the year, just about 10 inches a year. We do get a good amount of rain during the summer monsoons so I’ll try to get you some footage then. Cheers and thanks for watching.
When you follow your link to DT and looked at the 502 it has a red banner says wont fit Crosstrek. Guess thats just since no Crosstrek comes with 15 wheels to start with?
They are funny, and asked me multiple times if the wheels would fit and even called Method to make sure. I think it is because of exactly what you said, Crosstrek don’t come with 15’s
@rick this wont allow for mudflaps will it? unless lifted? this would be perfect on the 2021 just shown with the 182hp but i dont need the lift just more aggressive tires in 215/75/15
Thanks Kaz....I definitely was not aware of the multiplier on dB's when I made the video. Some of my subscribers had pointed that out to me and it does make sense...the BFG's are louder for sure. Cheers and thank you!
Are there any update videos? I’m all in on the Method wheels but still trying to decide between General Grabbers and the KO2’s. Also pondering a 2” lift and maybe moving up to 235? I actually really like the look of yours in this video but it’s hard to argue with a couple more inches of clearance. Great Video! Thanks
Hey Bruce, lot's of videos to check out! Just did a 15K update not too long ago and now have about 24,000 on the KO2's. The only negative with the KO2 and any AT tire is the extra noise. Just did 3200 miles in 5 days from Tucson to Illinois and back and the noise is definitely noticeable, but not brutal. They hardly show any wear at all and have been working great for me. Personally I think the 235's would be too much, weight and size wise, but they do look good. I hear they rub just a little bit as well if you have after market mud flaps. A 2 inch lift would be a nice addition to the car. I bought a LP 1/5 inch lift last Christmas and never installed it...life. Now my son is driving the car since I bought the Jeep. Leaning towards not putting it on, but we shall see. With the LP skid and front bar you lose an 1.5 inches of clearance so you need a lift to get back what you lost. Not sure if you have seen my video on it, but I also did 1" rallitek springs to help with the lost clearance, but I only got about 1/2 inch up front.
Rick Hutton thanks so much for your response! I just got my 2020 Premium and so far I love it. Trying to absorb as much info as possible and your videos are the best info out there I have seen so far! Hope you don’t mind me copying you, your Trek just looks so clean and not over the top. Great point on the weight issue and I think you are right that the 235’s would be too much. Thanks again and keep up the good work!
I was still able to achieve similar MPG with the new set up, but overall there was a slight decrease. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, maybe 1 or 2 mpg. I can't remember the weight difference now over 5 years later, but it is my wheel/tire videos somewhere. The biggest downside to the wheels/tires was the road noise. Well worth it if you plan to drive in the dirt, if now, I would suggest going with different tires.
Thomas, from what I understand talking with my buddy at Subaru is that there is no way to recalibrate unfortunately. Yep, Best way to go is to buy a set up that is close circumference wise.
late to the game here, but I rattle canned (spray paint) my center caps to satin black. Looks nice and compliments my wheels. I don't like branding so I completely de-badged the car. That's what I recommend.
Thank you again...I ordered up some black ones and I was notified they arrived today...I am at work until the morning so I will put them on in the morning and see how they look. Enjoy the weekend.
I got a crosstek 2019 limited, added a 2" ready lift, same rims and tires as yours, also added a trailer hitch. No to haul but to add a step in the back. Current I get about 21 mpg. I noticed you said you get about 32. Any idea on why my mpg is so low?
Hi Lazaro, 32 is via the computer calculation, though with this set up I did get a real 33 mpg once, so the real mpg is around 28 or 29 mpg on a regular basis. With heavy AC use or in the winter it is more like a real 27 mpg. Where I live I do not do a lot of stop and go traffic, city driving stuff...I live on the outskirts of Tucson and my comment to work is only about 7 miles. Stop lights are about a mile apart on most of the roads I drive. Do you do a lot of stop and go? 21 seems a bit low, but maybe being up those 2 inches is effecting the mpg a bit. I just added the 1" springs so I am interested to see if it effects my mpg as well.
I averaged 41.7MPG at one point yesterday with a stock 2016 CVT, according to the computer. The same tank is now averaging 39MPG after my 50+mile commute. My first tank averaged 38MPG, and I refilled at about 400 miles, with about 2 gallons left in the tank. Meanwhile, this car is only rated for about 33MPG hwy. I often set the cruise around the speed limit...55-65MPH. I'd use a fuel system cleaner, like Techron or Seafoam. Check your airfilter. Check your tire pressures. Remove roofrack crossbars when not using them. Use cruise. I'm switching to a hi-flow dry cotton airfilter this week. I'm putting Duralube in with the oil too, to help avoid oil consumption as the miles accumulate. I'm also contemplating a Borla catback, because they aren't obnoxiously loud on road trips, but I could maybe get some better flow and hear the boxer sing when revving. I might average 40MPG on my commute with these changes.
Thank you Jesus. I ordered a set of black ones the other day, cheap ebay ones, that came in yesterday but don't fit. :) So, I gave in and ordered the nice Subaru ones in black. I appreciate your vote! Cheers
No long term issues after about 40K miles now. Tires are 215's instead of the stock 225's. They don't make KO2's in the 225 size. Actual circumference is almost identical to the stock tire/wheel size so no issues. I don't have eyesight, but putting on different wheels/tires will not be a problem unless you go way off of stock set up.
I'm looking into getting a 2016 crosstrek, do you by chance know if the wheel clearance is the same so that I could save money on not needing a lift? and if I may ask about how much was it for the installation of this sweet set up?
Hi Ryan, I know there is a bit more room in the wheel opening on then 18+ cars, but I believe my set up, Method wheels and 215/75/15 bfg KO2's will fit the earlier model cars with out any modifications. I would check out the forums a bit just to double check, but I do believe you would be fine. Cost was about $1500 I believe. Wheels, tires, install, TPMS sensors, new lug nuts.
@@AZdroptop Thanks Rick! I bought the car Yesterday! I've never bought new wheels and tires for a car before so I'm still a little new, i'm looking into getting MR139 wheels and the size is 15x7. does that fit into the 215/75/15 KO2s? sorry if that is a dumb question
No worries Ryan, yep they will fit. The only thing to look into is if the MR139's have the correct offset to fit over the Crosstrek brakes. The Method's are +15. The website should tell you if the fit.
Finally caught this video. It looks heaps better in my opinion. I'm sure you'll get used to the noise. Great addition. Kinda makes me wish I'd taken a second took at the Crosstrek over the Forester...lol
Thank you Ben. I am really liking the look and the noise is growing on me. Just need a louder stereo system now. LOL Have you considered Method's on the Forester? Would look sweet.
Hi Brandon, my understanding of the warranty from my local Subaru dealer is that the only way the warranty will not be honored is if a modification can be proven to have caused he specific problem. So if you instal a lift incorrectly and it causes a suspension problem it wouldn’t be covered. Some Subaru dealers sell Crosstrek with aftermarket lifts installed with a full warranty so you should be good to go.
Hi again Rick, I think the stock tire appears taller because there's weight of the car on the K02 compressing it down. If you took the K02 off the car and compared both wheels without the car's weight bearing down, I bet they'd be about the same height.
Thank you Henry, I think you are right on in your assessment. It didn't click while I was doing the video. :) Slow brain cells on my end. ha ha. Cheers and thank you for watching.
The donut will work since the tires are the same as the stock circumference. Up until last week I would throw one of my stock wheel/tires in the car for my off road drives. I sold those so I plan to get a spare Method/KO2 for my trips.
Your stock wheel/tire was taller than the muds, at least in part due to the fact that the stock tire did not have the weight of the car on it during your "hand angle comparison". Cheers and thanks for the vids.
Did you have to use a camber kit after installing and alignment? I installed rims and tires and now need a camber kit , got one through sixty auto! Thanks for reply
Hi Tony, no camber kit of the car currently even with the springs. I did buy some camber bolts that have more adjustment on them from either Anderson design or Subtle solutions, can't remember now since it has been awhile, but I have not put them on the car yet.
I have a few pics on my flick page if you want to check that out or if you send me an email I can send you as many as you would like. www.flickr.com/photos/97943306@N08/. Email azdroptopyt@cox.net
Hi Anthony, according to my buddy who works for Subaru the only way any warranty will be voided is if a specific modification is proven to have caused the problem. The thing I lean on is that many Subaru dealers sell Crosstrek's with lifts, wheels/tires etc. so I think we are pretty safe. I can't swear to it, but the service manager at my local dealer even commented on how much he liked the wheels/tires. Thanks so much for watching!
That is correct. You can use the spare if you have to no worries. I kept the stock set up for awhile and would take one of the stock wheels with me for awhile until I sold them. Just have the spare now.
Rick, I am a little confused of what to buy for my crosstrek 2018, Method - 502 VT-Spec (Matte Black) 15x7 et15 - 5x114.3 or Method - 502 VT-Spec (Matte Black) 15x7 et15 - 5x100? thanks!!
Thanks!! I will buy it this week, I ll have to pay some extra for shipping because I am from Chile, here the Crosstrek is called XV. Anyways, thanks for your help!!!
The new methods don't need the shim for the center caps. I lloveee how quiet the car is but also love the look haha it's hard great video though. Keep them coming!
Thank you myk o. I have to be honest, it is louder than I thought it would be...my quiet Crosstrek is gone, but I'll get over it. :) Looks great for sure. Cheers
I really like the Methods, but there are a lot of cars with them. Black Rhino makes a really nice well in 15 inch that is worth checking out. Sparco is another brand that looks pretty good too. LPavaenture is now doing wells too and worth a look. Lot's of options these days.
Thanks David, great idea...I ended up ordering a cheap set of black caps off of ebay... I am keeping the stock wheels for long road trips and such so the stock caps will come in handy then. Cheers
Thinking about picking up some Methods for my Winter set only problem is they tend to look better with offroad wheels and the side profile of a Winter tire looks pretty similar to an all season...maybe I'll just get a cheaper wheel then. Would love to have that aggresive look your crosstrek has for Winter lol.
I hear ya, the A/T tires do give the car a beefy look for sure, but I hear they are not great in snow. Thankfully we don't have to deal with snow in the winter. Best of luck finding the right combo and thanks for the comment. cheers
Rick Hutton I’ve been doing research over the last year and I think I’m going to switch to this setup year round, while these aren’t snow tires they are rated much better than all season tires for snow especially better than the stock tires. I live in PA and while we get snow I’ve never been in a scenario where my all seasons didn’t get me through.... the snow we get isn’t consistent so dedicated snow tires make less sense for me.... I’ll let you know how these hold up in snow! Also was wondering if the stock wheels looked taller because they weren’t holding the weight of the car up in the side by side I imagine there might be some compression even very slight when on the car? Oh and what PSI do you run them at? I know they’re rated for a higher PSI than is needed in our vehicles so was just curious
I wouldn't want to say for sure on that one...Tire size calculator says 27.6 vs 28.5 inches...so .5 sidewall, but almost an inch diameter wise. You are also looking at the speedo being off with no way to correct it...What is the reason for going with 65's vs 60's?
HI Janet, I put about 43,000 miles on my first Crosstrek and have 7500 on my 18 and I have never had any problems in the rain. I haven't done a bunch of freeway driving in the rain, but no issues when I have. Hope that helps.
I just realized you were probably asking about the BFG's? Sorry, I didn't notice which video you had commented on at first. I can't say that I have been on the freeway with the BFG's yet, but have been in heavy downpours around the city and no problems. :)
Indeed I was asking about the BFG's sorry for not clarifying. Thanks for the reply though I've read that some people have issues with the BFG's in the rain.
No worries, it was my fault. In the youtube creator's studio the thumbnail is kind of small so it was my bad. I believe I read something about that as well, but no worries so far.
HI Edward, to be honest I'm not really sure. The BFG's are praised in reviews for being quiet, but the are definitely louder that stock especially on the freeway. It isn't ear shattering, but louder for sure. I did a video using decimal app and I think it was 4 or 5 db's louder over stock? Do you live near Tucson at all? Happy to take you for a ride if you want to hear them in person. Cheers.
Great video. Im trying to decide as well. Either Methods,Motgei 139 or KMC 802 Bullys. Im wondering if you have seen anyone with Yokohama Geolander Go15's. I like those Ko's but most of my driving is road, snow gravel. The KO's may be a bit too aggressive for my needs
Hi Mike, I have not seen anyone in person with the Geolanders, but I know they are popular with a lot of Crosstrek folks. From what I have read about them they are supposed to be a good tire. The biggest thing with the BFG's is the increase in noise...otherwise they have been good. We don't have much in the way of snow so I I can't speak to how they would do from experience. Nice wheel choices you are looking at also! Let me know what you end up going with.
Did you have any issues with the fit of you rim on your crosstrek? I m.Not sure if any of these other two rims will fit the 2018 crosstrek. Ive searched but cant find any information
The biggest issue with 15" wheels is clearing the brake calipers. There are a few wheels other than the Method race wheels VT spec 502's that will fit as well. Check out the Sparko Terra, and the Black Rhino's. If you go to a local tire shop many of them will tell you that 15" wheels will not fit and when I bought mine Discount tire must have asked my 3 times if I was sure and even called Method direct. LOL www.tirerack.com/wheels/results.jsp?&autoMake=Subaru&autoModel=Crosstrek&autoYear=2018&autoModClar=2.0i+Limited
I just put this setup on my 17 trek, got a very faint ticking noise coming from the driver side front wheel area, seems to be louder reversing the car, I cannot see anything rubbing and no indications on tire and wheel, can be heard when driving next to a wall, any ideas I'm stumped !
Hi John, I will have to think about this one for awhile. Off of the top of my head I can't think of anything specific. Did you tighten the strut nuts equally? Are the pigtails seated all the way? Did you put the tires on the ground and then release all of the nuts and re torque them? This was something I didn't do initially and from what I have read it recommended. When I did the rears on my car I got a bit of a clunk when loosening the driver's side. The front is tough if you don't have a lift because it is basically impossible to get to all of the nuts.
@@AZdroptop so I had the tires put on at a tire shop, finally found the noise, it was the front of the driver side wheel well plastic. Was barely rubbing when turning. I ended up just cutting some of it out and noise gone!
Great vid! Thanks a lot. I’m looking to upgrade the tires on my Crosstrek which I have owned fro 2 weeks now. Do you know if ko2s will fit on the stock wheels?
HI Ken, thank you for watching. I don't believe they make KO2's in the stock Crosstrek wheel size, but I did find these from BFG. Not sure if you have the 17 or 18 inch wheel on your car. Best of luck and enjoy the new Crosstrek.www.discounttire.com/tires/brands/bfgoodrich-catalog?cat=all-terrain-tires
Awesome! Thanks for letting me know. When you get them on send me a pic at my email. Would love to see them on your car. azdroptopyt@cox.net Thank you for watching. Cheers.
Your use of camera angles, drone footage and editing are top notch way to go. Smile
Thank you Julius, I sincerely appreciate your letting me know. Means a lot.
Thank you so much you deserve the kudos i am a teacher for a tech company and the way you present information to the consumer is great and informative.
Also i can relate to you i am buying a impreza sport hatch because of you my choice is clear for me.
Thank you again. Great vehicle choice.
does your son help with video editing or are you just kick arse with tech? cause I'm hoppeless
5 or more decibels is a HUGE difference! Might not seem like it data wise but an increase in just 3 decibels doubles the sound intensity. So a 6 decibel change would quadruple the sound intensity. This all because our hearing is very sensitive, and decibels are in an algorithmic scale.
Great video! Keep up the solid work!
Hector, thank you for watching and for your explanation. I wasn't familiar with the science behind the decibels. That is really cool info and makes sense that 5 decibels has really changed the car. All I hear now is road/tire noise and my quiet crosstrek is gone LOL Cheers man, really appreciate your comment!
He means logarithmic :)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decibel
Dan McCoy hahaha wow... Good catch! Idk what I was thinking...
Thanks so much for the informative video Rick. I’m taking delivery of my 2022 Subaru cross trek limited and went with the same setup as this. Keep up the great work I appreciate the videos you got a sub
Thank you, best of luck with the car!
Looking good just bought 2023 same color got hit so waiting to get it out of the body shop didn't make my first payment plus guy had no insurance but I'm fixing to do mine like yours u did a good job thanks for sharing leave the caps
Thank you and sorry to hear about the crash...may that is a bummer. Hope they do a nice job for you.
Great look. Keep the center caps. Loses no "toughness", presents a more finished look. As a new 2018 CT owner considering some mods, I've really been enjoying your vids.
Thank you Jay! Appreciate your saying so and for watching along. Happy to help if I can.
Rick Those Tires Are Sick I am considering it after my car is paid off the mission is 3 years but then a whole custom paint job a more Copper Orange and New Tires! Thanks for your videos sir!
Thank you very much and thank you for watching. The tires have been great fun off road for sure and definitely give the car a nice look. I like the sound of your paint plan as I love the look of copper. Best of luck with the car.
Your videos helped sell me on a Crosstrek, and I just purchased this wheel/tire combo after being inspired by your videos. I’d say Subaru and America’s Tire Co. owe you a buck or two at this point.
Thank you so much! That's awesome. How are you liking them?
Rick Hutton I love them so far, it’s like a whole new car. Looks terrific, performs much better off road, and also unexpectedly improved the ride quality.
Thanks for the straightforward info on the noise. And don't forget Db is a logarithmic scale, so "5 more" might not seem like much but it really is.
Thank you very much! A few posters have explained the logarithmic nature of Db which I was completely ignorant of when I made the video. Makes sense. Cheers and thank you for watching.
I'm happy you actually called them wheels and not rims.
Wow looks great!!! Good to hear you are not having any issues at stock ride height. Now I really am looking forward in getting into the new Crosstrek after watching this. I also vote for black center caps if you can find them. You could always plastidip your current center caps black as well.
Thank you! Looks like black or no caps is the consensus.....
Just the kind of video I was looking for! Thanks so much!
Awesome. Thank you. Glad it was helpful!
I'm sooo glad to see that a lift isn't needed. I'm purchasing a Crosstrek next month and have been pondering that question. My Subaru dealer told me it would cost an additional $4200 for the tires,wheels, & lift. Not now!! Lol!
Chris, that is a crazy price for wheels/tires/ and lift. Were they using gold nuts and bolts on the that set up. :) Most of the lifts are around $800 and the wheels/tires are approx $1700. The lift install doesn't look too crazy to do at home...then throw in a $125 alignment and you're done. Congrats on the new car! What color are you going with? Thank you for watching.
Hi Rick, great looking tyres and rims! They look terrific on your Crosstrek without being OTT! Interesting that the original tyres was a bit taller than your new ones. The aggressive tread pattern is vey much rallytread-like in design, which I like. Please keep me posted about the new mpg you get with them. Impressed! Cheers again from here in Aus.
Thank you and will do. Hope to have a mpg and other updates in about a week. :) I was a bit surprised by the taller original wheel too...I knew they were a bit different from the tire size calculator, but was thinking the new one was taller for some reason. Cheers
I love how you keep getting better at editing your videos
Thank you very much!!!
I think the centerkaps fit up pretty well with the color of the car itself, it's a nice touch. But for full aggressive mode, go without them
Thanks for this solid, creative review. After watching, I just ordered the exact same set... with confidence.
Awesome Rick! I think you will really like them especially if you are going off road. When you get them installed let me know what you think and send over a pic if you want. Cheers! azdroptopyt@cox.net
Hi Rick - Great Video. I love the fact that people take the time to do this - much appreciated! Were there any issues with weights for balancing? I was looking to have a local shop here in New Hampshire put the same setup on my 2018 Premium and they said the MR502 15x7 wheels would be an issue when installing weights for balancing. They said they talked to both Method and Subaru and came to the conclusion that the weights would (could) hit the calipers. Seems bizarre since these wheels were designed for stock Subarus - maybe they don't balance the tires on true off-road vehicles?? This is the first I have heard of that after looking at so many people that have done this upgrade. Any info would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you Dave very much. This is the first I have heard of any issues with balancing the Methods and I have been reading about Crosstrek wheel upgrades for over 3 years now. My local shop never mentioned it even as a possible issue. I will say, that I have not looked to see where the wheel weights are and do not have the car with me today at the station, but will look in the morning when I get home. The wheels were designed with the off set to fit over the calipers so I can't imagine the wheel weights being a problem. I'll let you know what I find in the morning. Shoot me an email azdroptopyt@cox.net if you don't hear back from me.
no center cap is a GO! just for my opinion.
Im on the Fence about the caps. I like both!! LOVE THE VIDEOS RICK Keep them coming.
Thanks Bob! Appreciate the feedback...I still feel the same, but I just ordered some cheap black ones off of ebay to try out. :) Thanks for the compliment on the videos, very appreciated. Cheers.
Thanks for the videos about the crosstrek.
You are welcome, it is fun making them. Thank you for watching. Cheers
I say either paint the center caps to match the wheels, or leave them off and paint the hub to match the wheels. Looks great though!
Thank you! I ended up with subaru caps in the end. Black ones to match.
Keep an eye on the steering components. Changing offset a lot may greatly accelerate wear on them. I had Subaru back in the day where a tie rod pulled all the way out of the steering rack while I was driving on a dirt road.... lucky I didn't go over the cliff on one side. And the car really didn't have that many miles on it... I think maybe like 60-70 thousand miles and many of those were on stock tires/wheels. But I had put on wheels with a non-standard offset that set more outboard than OEM.
Thank you! All is well so far after 50,000 miles thankfully.
I just got my crosstrek and I really was looking on wheels and tires. Thanks to you ima get the same ones
Very nice. You will really like them. Method Race wheels 502 vt spec in 15 inch. 215/75/15 BFG KO2 tires.
Rick Hutton are you going to get a lift?and if you are, would you trust subimod.com
I am considering a lift, but still have not decided 100% who I would like to go with. I could not get the link to work and I have not heard of subimod
Rick
Hope you don't mind my suggestion to all of your followers out there and that a little bit of clear mastic in a couple of places on the centre caps will hold them for sure. UK fan.
Thank you John, great idea!
Looks nice, I have the same wheel/ tire specs on my wife’s 18 but with a ready lift that has caused nothing but problems so I’ll just being going back to the stock height with the tires and wheels.
Sorry to hear about the lift issues. My son has the car now and put on the Ironman lift...hopefully he doesn't have similar issues.
Looks awesome! I like how beefy they look from the side!
Agree with that! The look is great.
Hola habla español? Me gustaría saber qué ET tiene la llanta i que medida es 15x7? I el neumático?225/75/15 ? Gracias
Las ruedas son de 15 x 7 pulgadas y el tamaño de los neumáticos es 215/75/15. El tamaño original del neumático Crosstrek es de 225 de ancho, pero no fabrican un neumático KO2 con ese ancho, así que elegí el de 215 de ancho. ¿A qué te refieres con ET? Mi juego original de KO2 duró 60.000 millas.
@@AZdroptop me preocupa si me tocaría la llanta en pinza de freno el ET es lo que sale hacia fuera la llanta hacia el paso de rueda ET positivo creo que debe ser ET 15 muchas gracias por contestar me está ayudando mucho mi xv es del 2914 mi rueda es 225/55/17 gracias
Ah, claro. La rueda Method está hecha específicamente para adaptarse al Crosstrek y tiene un desplazamiento de +15 para limpiar la pinza de freno. Los modelos 2014 y 2018 son muy similares y creo que no deberías tener problemas con las mismas ruedas Method que tengo. Siempre puedes comunicarte con Method directamente y preguntar, pero sé que he visto Crosstrek 2013-2017 con las mismas ruedas.
lpaventure.com/collections/xv-crosstrek-2013-2016/method-race-wheels
Hey Rick, absolutely love your videos and your setup on the crosstrek. Is this still stock height? And you didn’t have any performance issues with rubbing or wheel well clearance? I just want to make sure I’ll have no issues when I install the same wheels and tires. Thanks!
Hello Mike and thank you very much for your kind words. I really appreciate it! Yep, she is stock height and zero rubbing issues with my set up. I have been on a few fairly bumpy roads that test the suspension a decent amount and all good to go. Best of luck and let me know how it goes with the wheels/tires. Cheers Mike
They should have come from the factory like that! Looks great with a muscular stance.
Agree 💯!!
Rick you do what you want! Sweet ass ride dude!
Thank you!
The reason I ask is because my mechanic(s) tell me these won't fit over the calipers . I have 17s on my 2021 Crosstrek with a 1.5 inch lift kit.
They will fit. They will fit without a lift. Discount tried to tell me the same thing. Have them contact Method directly.
Trying to trackdown some center caps that will fit there wheels, found a oem center-cap part #28821VA000 any idea if this would work?
I took a quick look and they seem correct, but it is hard to tell with out see the back. They will pop in with just a pressure fit.
@@AZdroptop came in the mail today they fit perfectly!
@Rick Hutton What are you running for pressures on-road and off-road? I just put that combo wheel / tire on a 2014 Crosstrek.
By the way the stock wheel tire combo is not taller, you need to measure both setups unweighted. 26.7" vs 27.7" diameters. My new setup actually rubs slightly on the front of the front inner fender at full lock in reverse. No lift. Luckily those inner fenders are quite light and flexible, so no need to trim.
Hey Bob, correct on the tires, that was my bad. :) Thinking out loud and not thinking very well at that. No rubbing on my 18 thankfully. Pressure wise I run 34 to 36 psi and up to now have not pressured down when off road. Hope you are enjoying the methods and BFG's.
Thanks Rick. Definitely a softer ride than the stock setup albeit not as responsive on road, and certainly noisier. It's a cool look. I'm running 33 psi now. Will likely air down to low 20s when off road.
Very cool...definitely a bit more understeer with this set up and I agree on the noise. :) I think I am used to it now for the most part. Cheers Bob
Looks cool! I like the quite interior of my Crosstrek. However for the last 2 days the front windshield wipers have started making clicking noise during intermittent wipe. Only happens at the end of each wipe during intermittent wipe. And the clicks come from the dashboard, probably a bad relay or something. No click noise in full/one pass wipe though.
Bummer? At least it is under warranty, but a pain to have to deal with it. This combo definitely changes the quiet situation unfortunately. I am missing the quiet a little bit for sure.
I have a 2015 Crosstrek, and I remember noticing both how quiet the wipers were when it was brand new and then a distinct relay click later. That new car smell is gone, too. Bummer.
I read somewhere that the newer method wheels are coming with the center cap lip molded in now so that why your center caps fit.
Nice. They definitely fit wheel it seems. Thanks for the info.
Any problems come up with the stock ride height??
None at all. Fit with no issues at all. I hear 235’s rub a little
OEM wheel lugs will not fit correct? You will have to buy aftermarket lugs? you remember the thread of the studs for the new lugs?
The original lugs will actually fit ok, but I did get new ones that matched the wheels. They are a bit longer and also stronger than stock. I believe they were only like $20 or $25 bucks. As to the thread I'm not sure..whatever the normal Subaru threads are should be good. Discount tire chose them for me and there isn't much info on my receipt about them sorry brother.
Thanks for the reply! Good to know the original fits
Thanks for video. I think this is a great setup. Since you asked, I don’t think the silver caps look like they belong on the wheels. Also, comparing fire height while one tire is weighted and the other is not is not accurate. The only really meaningful comparison is both weighted and filled to the PSI you intend to drive with. That’ll tell you how much difference it makes on YOUR vehicle.
Thank you Keith, much appreciated. I ended up with black center caps in the end and realized my brain malfunction on the height of the tires later on. :) Thanks so much for watching.
Hi Rick. Since you've managed to create a lot of feed back with you great video series, I wanted to ask you and your followers if anyone has any deep knowledge/experience regarding the effects of positive offset. There are a few comments posted here on the topic, but none really gets to the point of whether the offset will harm the car or not..and whether Subaru has denied anyone's warranty for drivetrain related issues due to the use of the Methods. I'd love to here your thoughts or those of your followers. Thanks
Hi, I just had another question about this today in fact. In all honesty it wasn't something on my radar when I purchased the wheels. I guess I figured if Method is making wheels for Subaru's that fit the car they would be good to go. My biggest concern was whether or not they would clear the brakes.
I have done just a bit of reading about offset and how it can cause premature bearing wear. From what I have come across so far, some say yes it will cause premature wear, some say no? Hopefully others will comment. On the question of can Subaru denying warranty... I am sure that they would try to do so if possible. My understanding is that if they can prove a modification caused "a problem" with the car then they will deny coverage. At this point I have not heard of a claim being made, but it is a possibility.
I guess I will have to let you know if the wheels affect my bearings down the road since I plan to keep running them.:) Hopefully not.
I think the Stock tires were a tad taller because of the car weight on the ko2? Or not... dunno!
I Drew, I think you are right on. I just didn't think of it when I filmed the video. :) Brain fart. Cheers
each decibel increase is pretty significant so 5-6 + is a pretty drastic change. like 80 decibels is an alarm clock - 85 decibels is a blender running
Thank you Joon Choi, a couple folks have pointed that out to me as I was not aware of that. It makes sense because I definitely hear road noise now where I didn't before. Cheers!
What wheels size is that, what offset is it, what bolt pattern, what tire size, does it need hub centering rings to fit the wheels, given the circumference difference with stock, any speedometer inaccuracies? When you change wheels/tires from stock, those are always burning questions in decision making, looks is only one component.
Hi Aleksandar, 15 x 7, 5 x 100 +15 off set. The tire circumference from stock is very small so no obvious speedo difference. 215/75/15 tire size. Here is a link to all of my tire/wheel videos. Let me know if you have any other questions. Cheers. th-cam.com/play/PLKRNVgFGuPjgjQABrwokZue-bpGhD0-S5.html
@@AZdroptop Thank you so much. Started watching your channel, very helpful and enjoying it. Thank you for doing it.
Thank you Aleksandar! Shoot me an email if you have any questions. azdroptopyt@cox.net. Happy to help.
Does anyone know for sure if this wheel/tire setup works without rubbing and no lift on earlier model years such as 2016 or 2017 for example?
Hey John, I believe they fit the earlier models as well with no lift as long as you don't go wider than 225's. They only make the KO2's in 215 or 235's. I went with 215's.
Looks awesome. I'm glad to see this set fits with out a lift. Looking to do this upgrade myself. Curious how it does with mudflaps.
Thanks Martin...my guess is the flaps would fit fine, but I'm no 100% at this point. Cheers
Rick Hutton do you have a link to where you purchased the set from
Hi Martin, I priced them out at a couple of places, www.tirerack.com and bought them from Discount tire here in town. Here is a link to tirerack.com where you can play around with the wheels depending on size etc and see them on your car. From there you will have to pick the tires. With Methods, tires, TPMS sensors, I wanted to keep the originals in the Stock wheels, lugs, balance mounting and shipping to Tucson it was like 1640 if I remember correctly. Thant includes a 2 year warranty, but you have to go through a third party to get a fix. I paid a bit more up front at Discount, but it is a better warranty, local, and with rebates I paid basically the same. Cheers and good luck. www.tirerack.com/wheels/results.jsp?&autoMake=Subaru&autoModel=Crosstrek&autoYear=2018&autoModClar=2.0i+Limited
Rick Hutton awesome thanks for the information. It's very helpful information
All your trek videos are top notch! Had to scroll back to find this one - you previously said you may do a lift down the road. Simply for clearance? Wondering now that you've been running these a while if you're still thinking of lifting or satisfied as is. I am close to pulling the trigger (more options now like Black Rhino, Motegi, KMC etc) on the same sizing and would prefer not to lift.
Hi Kevin, thank you very much, I appreciate it.
So when I first got the car I really had no intention on lifting it all. After doing quite a bit of off roading around here I realized that with all of the undulating washes, big rocks etc, it would probably be a good idea. The Crosstrek has good approach and departure angles for a stock car, but I was tending to rub the front lip a lot as you might have seen in the off road videos. I am still not 100% on the lift, but I am leaning towards doing it at some point still. Probably later in the year. My first goal is to get the LP adventure small front bar and then go from there. As for the tires/wheels there are no clearance issues at all with the 215/75/15's. Cheers man and best of luck with the new wheels you choose. The black Rhino's look pretty nice.
Rick Hutton Thanks - that small LP guard looks great especially with the plate add-on. Also on my list!
Im curious to see you size the wheel and tires height when both are off the car. I feel as though the reason the KO2s were not as tall was due to the weight of the vehicle. The stock tire had no contact patch because it was off the car unlike the KO2.
You are correct! I had a brain fart when making the video. 😀
Just ordered 15x7 Relations Racing Wheels. Looking for tires and I noticed I hear a lot about 215 and 235 width. Is there any particular reason why I'm not hearing people do 225 like the factory width? It seems like the sweet spot because 235 rubs. I got time to shop so any help is appreciated.
Great question. The main reason for me was that they do not make the BFG's I wanted in 225. Not sure why really, they just do not offer them. I never really looked at other A/T tires to see if them make them in 15" and 225 width. Congrats on the the new wheels and hope that helps.
Anyone had luck with a 226/65/r17? I've seen it done, just now sure how much suspension travel that leaves for a car fully loaded up (camping gear, bikes).
I have not heard of anyway going that route personally. Looks like Circumference is a big change, 86.8 vs. 89.5 Height is a 1/2 different as well. From what I understand there is no way to correct the speedo on modern Subaru's so that would be one issue. As far as room for the tire in the well my guess is there would be issues, but I'm just guessing.
@@AZdroptop Ok cool thanks for the feedback, that's what I was worried about, amongst other things but mostly bottoming out the suspension under load.
No worries Jeff, I could be wrong, but you could try a tire store to double check.
Remember that decibels are a logarithmic function, so an increase from 75db to 80db is a 50% increase in sound pressure, since going from 70db to 80db is a 100% increase. So, yes, these tires make a LOT more noise than stock tires according to your measurements.
Thank you! I was unaware of that when I made the video. Makes sense. I am pretty used to them now.
I have a 2018 Crosstrek Premium. Tire size P225/60R17. I'd like to keep the stock wheels but get some mud tires. I can't seem to find any mud tires for the P225/60R17 size. Has anyone done this? Thanks
HI Matt, did your Premium come with the Geolanders? That seems to be the most aggressive I can find with a quick search. All of the others are 70's or 75's which would be a bit taller.
Rick Hutton yes it has the geolanders. I do like the methods but also like the stock wheels and thought I could save some money not buying new wheels. I've enjoyed your videos. Thanks for doing them.
Thank you Matt. Sorry I couldn't come up with any other tires for you.
G'day Rick, Thanks for all your Crosstrek info. It's much appreciated. Looking at the countryside around where you are I suspect it doesn't rain too often, but have you by any chance had an opportunity to try the KO2s in mud? Some muddy Crosstrek footage with those wheels would be appreciated if you ever get the opportunity.
Hi there Jon, no it is pretty dry around here most of the year, just about 10 inches a year. We do get a good amount of rain during the summer monsoons so I’ll try to get you some footage then. Cheers and thanks for watching.
When you follow your link to DT and looked at the 502 it has a red banner says wont fit Crosstrek. Guess thats just since no Crosstrek comes with 15 wheels to start with?
They are funny, and asked me multiple times if the wheels would fit and even called Method to make sure. I think it is because of exactly what you said, Crosstrek don’t come with 15’s
@rick this wont allow for mudflaps will it? unless lifted? this would be perfect on the 2021 just shown with the 182hp but i dont need the lift just more aggressive tires in 215/75/15
Should fit with no issues unless they really change something on the 21. If you go with the 215/75/15's you'll be good to go!
Wheels and tires combo look kick ass 🤙great choice
Thank you Applepie 5341, I am loving the look! Thank you for watching.
An increase in 3 dB is a double in sound. So while 6 dB doesn’t sound like much of a difference, in reality it’s 4x as loud.
Thanks Kaz....I definitely was not aware of the multiplier on dB's when I made the video. Some of my subscribers had pointed that out to me and it does make sense...the BFG's are louder for sure. Cheers and thank you!
Just means crank the stereo!
Are there any update videos? I’m all in on the Method wheels but still trying to decide between General Grabbers and the KO2’s. Also pondering a 2” lift and maybe moving up to 235? I actually really like the look of yours in this video but it’s hard to argue with a couple more inches of clearance.
Great Video! Thanks
Hey Bruce, lot's of videos to check out! Just did a 15K update not too long ago and now have about 24,000 on the KO2's. The only negative with the KO2 and any AT tire is the extra noise. Just did 3200 miles in 5 days from Tucson to Illinois and back and the noise is definitely noticeable, but not brutal. They hardly show any wear at all and have been working great for me. Personally I think the 235's would be too much, weight and size wise, but they do look good. I hear they rub just a little bit as well if you have after market mud flaps. A 2 inch lift would be a nice addition to the car. I bought a LP 1/5 inch lift last Christmas and never installed it...life. Now my son is driving the car since I bought the Jeep. Leaning towards not putting it on, but we shall see. With the LP skid and front bar you lose an 1.5 inches of clearance so you need a lift to get back what you lost. Not sure if you have seen my video on it, but I also did 1" rallitek springs to help with the lost clearance, but I only got about 1/2 inch up front.
Rick Hutton thanks so much for your response! I just got my 2020 Premium and so far I love it. Trying to absorb as much info as possible and your videos are the best info out there I have seen so far! Hope you don’t mind me copying you, your Trek just looks so clean and not over the top. Great point on the weight issue and I think you are right that the 235’s would be too much. Thanks again and keep up the good work!
Thank you again Bruce, very appreciated. Hit me up by email if you come up with any other questions...happy to help out if I can.
Center caps look good - I think they add a finished touch to a rugged look already.
Thanks Steve Place. I have some black ones on the way. Cheers and thanks for your vote.
How was the fuel economy affected? Same diameter but I’m sure weight difference would effect it
I was still able to achieve similar MPG with the new set up, but overall there was a slight decrease. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, maybe 1 or 2 mpg. I can't remember the weight difference now over 5 years later, but it is my wheel/tire videos somewhere. The biggest downside to the wheels/tires was the road noise. Well worth it if you plan to drive in the dirt, if now, I would suggest going with different tires.
So there’s no way to recalibrate the speedometer? You just have to choose a setup that is close to the circumference of the stock setup as possible?
Thomas, from what I understand talking with my buddy at Subaru is that there is no way to recalibrate unfortunately. Yep, Best way to go is to buy a set up that is close circumference wise.
@@AZdroptop , thanks. Your videos are very informative and you seem to be such a nice guy. Thanks for your quick responses.
Thank you very much Thomas, my pleasure. Happy to help in anyway.
late to the game here, but I rattle canned (spray paint) my center caps to satin black. Looks nice and compliments my wheels. I don't like branding so I completely de-badged the car. That's what I recommend.
Thanks Chris, I bet it looks sweet. Cheers!
Great wheel choice I Agree keep the center caps on silver or black will do .
Keep up the good work.
Thank you again...I ordered up some black ones and I was notified they arrived today...I am at work until the morning so I will put them on in the morning and see how they look. Enjoy the weekend.
I got a crosstek 2019 limited, added a 2" ready lift, same rims and tires as yours, also added a trailer hitch. No to haul but to add a step in the back. Current I get about 21 mpg. I noticed you said you get about 32. Any idea on why my mpg is so low?
Hi Lazaro, 32 is via the computer calculation, though with this set up I did get a real 33 mpg once, so the real mpg is around 28 or 29 mpg on a regular basis. With heavy AC use or in the winter it is more like a real 27 mpg. Where I live I do not do a lot of stop and go traffic, city driving stuff...I live on the outskirts of Tucson and my comment to work is only about 7 miles. Stop lights are about a mile apart on most of the roads I drive. Do you do a lot of stop and go? 21 seems a bit low, but maybe being up those 2 inches is effecting the mpg a bit. I just added the 1" springs so I am interested to see if it effects my mpg as well.
I averaged 41.7MPG at one point yesterday with a stock 2016 CVT, according to the computer. The same tank is now averaging 39MPG after my 50+mile commute. My first tank averaged 38MPG, and I refilled at about 400 miles, with about 2 gallons left in the tank. Meanwhile, this car is only rated for about 33MPG hwy. I often set the cruise around the speed limit...55-65MPH.
I'd use a fuel system cleaner, like Techron or Seafoam. Check your airfilter. Check your tire pressures. Remove roofrack crossbars when not using them. Use cruise.
I'm switching to a hi-flow dry cotton airfilter this week. I'm putting Duralube in with the oil too, to help avoid oil consumption as the miles accumulate. I'm also contemplating a Borla catback, because they aren't obnoxiously loud on road trips, but I could maybe get some better flow and hear the boxer sing when revving. I might average 40MPG on my commute with these changes.
Hello what tire pressure are you running thanks Don 2014 Black Rhino Boxer 15in wheels bfg ko2s same size as yours
36 psi. I like those Black Rhino's...nice choice!
I think with the center cap, it still looks tough but it just look clean and finished, without the cap it just seems like something missing.
Thank you Jesus. I ordered a set of black ones the other day, cheap ebay ones, that came in yesterday but don't fit. :) So, I gave in and ordered the nice Subaru ones in black. I appreciate your vote! Cheers
The noise thing could be mitigated with less aggressive tires .
Definitely, but the noise trade off has been worth it when off road! Cheers Aaron
I like someone's suggestion about blacked out center caps.
Thank you Liberty NC, I ordered up some on ebay today...Cheers
😒Les Swab told me that the 15 In Rims would not clear the the Brake Calipers Is that True btw my 2018 came with 17 In tires and rims
Not sure who Les Swab is, but the Method's fit no problem. They clear the calipers. Cheers
Rick Hutton Just bought my tires and rims can’t wait for them to get them on
Was there any lift with the 215/75/15's like around a inch or is this something people are fibbing about
No lift at all. The tires are essentially the same diameter at the 18" wheels/stock tire combo.
Does it effect long term drivetrain, suspension?
Or what about eyesight if you have automatic transmission?
And what is tire size
No long term issues after about 40K miles now. Tires are 215's instead of the stock 225's. They don't make KO2's in the 225 size. Actual circumference is almost identical to the stock tire/wheel size so no issues. I don't have eyesight, but putting on different wheels/tires will not be a problem unless you go way off of stock set up.
I'm looking into getting a 2016 crosstrek, do you by chance know if the wheel clearance is the same so that I could save money on not needing a lift? and if I may ask about how much was it for the installation of this sweet set up?
Hi Ryan, I know there is a bit more room in the wheel opening on then 18+ cars, but I believe my set up, Method wheels and 215/75/15 bfg KO2's will fit the earlier model cars with out any modifications. I would check out the forums a bit just to double check, but I do believe you would be fine. Cost was about $1500 I believe. Wheels, tires, install, TPMS sensors, new lug nuts.
@@AZdroptop Thanks Rick! I bought the car Yesterday! I've never bought new wheels and tires for a car before so I'm still a little new, i'm looking into getting MR139 wheels and the size is 15x7. does that fit into the 215/75/15 KO2s? sorry if that is a dumb question
No worries Ryan, yep they will fit. The only thing to look into is if the MR139's have the correct offset to fit over the Crosstrek brakes. The Method's are +15. The website should tell you if the fit.
Finally caught this video. It looks heaps better in my opinion. I'm sure you'll get used to the noise. Great addition. Kinda makes me wish I'd taken a second took at the Crosstrek over the Forester...lol
Thank you Ben. I am really liking the look and the noise is growing on me. Just need a louder stereo system now. LOL Have you considered Method's on the Forester? Would look sweet.
Would this potentially void warranty? I wanted to do a small lift with spacers for more aggressive tires but it would void the warranty.
Hi Brandon, my understanding of the warranty from my local Subaru dealer is that the only way the warranty will not be honored is if a modification can be proven to have caused he specific problem. So if you instal a lift incorrectly and it causes a suspension problem it wouldn’t be covered. Some Subaru dealers sell Crosstrek with aftermarket lifts installed with a full warranty so you should be good to go.
Hi again Rick, I think the stock tire appears taller because there's weight of the car on the K02 compressing it down. If you took the K02 off the car and compared both wheels without the car's weight bearing down, I bet they'd be about the same height.
Thank you Henry, I think you are right on in your assessment. It didn't click while I was doing the video. :) Slow brain cells on my end. ha ha. Cheers and thank you for watching.
What do you do if you end up getting a flat for instance in the middle of nowhere with these tires? Will a spare donut work with the size difference?
The donut will work since the tires are the same as the stock circumference. Up until last week I would throw one of my stock wheel/tires in the car for my off road drives. I sold those so I plan to get a spare Method/KO2 for my trips.
Your stock wheel/tire was taller than the muds, at least in part due to the fact that the stock tire did not have the weight of the car on it during your "hand angle comparison". Cheers and thanks for the vids.
Thank you Aaron..Ya, I goofed up on that. :) Thanks man! Cheers
Did you have to use a camber kit after installing and alignment? I installed rims and tires and now need a camber kit , got one through sixty auto! Thanks for reply
Hi Tony, no camber kit of the car currently even with the springs. I did buy some camber bolts that have more adjustment on them from either Anderson design or Subtle solutions, can't remember now since it has been awhile, but I have not put them on the car yet.
Do you have photos of your Crosstrek posted any where? I am considering this setup and would appreciate seeing some still shots. Thanks.
I have a few pics on my flick page if you want to check that out or if you send me an email I can send you as many as you would like. www.flickr.com/photos/97943306@N08/. Email azdroptopyt@cox.net
Do you know if the warranty for drive train is voided with tire modification?
Hi Anthony, according to my buddy who works for Subaru the only way any warranty will be voided is if a specific modification is proven to have caused the problem. The thing I lean on is that many Subaru dealers sell Crosstrek's with lifts, wheels/tires etc. so I think we are pretty safe. I can't swear to it, but the service manager at my local dealer even commented on how much he liked the wheels/tires. Thanks so much for watching!
Can you still use the factory spare in an emergency with this set up?? 🤔
Yep. The new wheel and tire is almost exactly the same circumference so it works no problem.
@@AZdroptop answers my earlier question right here. Thanks!
Since the tire is essentially the same size I am assuming that you have no issues with putting a spare tire on in case of a punctured tire, correct?
love the video and the look of your crosstrek :)
Thanks Vance!
That is correct. You can use the spare if you have to no worries. I kept the stock set up for awhile and would take one of the stock wheels with me for awhile until I sold them. Just have the spare now.
Rick, I am a little confused of what to buy for my crosstrek 2018, Method - 502 VT-Spec (Matte Black) 15x7 et15 - 5x114.3 or Method - 502 VT-Spec (Matte Black) 15x7 et15 - 5x100? thanks!!
5 x 100 is the size for our Crosstrek's! Congrats on the new wheels.
Thanks!! I will buy it this week, I ll have to pay some extra for shipping because I am from Chile, here the Crosstrek is called XV. Anyways, thanks for your help!!!
Awesome. My pleasure. Send me a pic when you get them on the car. azdroptopyt@cox.net
The new methods don't need the shim for the center caps. I lloveee how quiet the car is but also love the look haha it's hard great video though. Keep them coming!
Thank you myk o. I have to be honest, it is louder than I thought it would be...my quiet Crosstrek is gone, but I'll get over it. :) Looks great for sure. Cheers
what would you advise go for 15inch rim or 16?
I really like the Methods, but there are a lot of cars with them. Black Rhino makes a really nice well in 15 inch that is worth checking out. Sparco is another brand that looks pretty good too. LPavaenture is now doing wells too and worth a look. Lot's of options these days.
YOU COULD LIGHTLY TINT THE CENTER CAP BLACK SO THEY DON'T STAND OUT AS MUCH? JUST A THOUGHT.
Thanks David, great idea...I ended up ordering a cheap set of black caps off of ebay... I am keeping the stock wheels for long road trips and such so the stock caps will come in handy then. Cheers
Nice simple thorough video
Thank you Drake.
Thinking about picking up some Methods for my Winter set only problem is they tend to look better with offroad wheels and the side profile of a Winter tire looks pretty similar to an all season...maybe I'll just get a cheaper wheel then. Would love to have that aggresive look your crosstrek has for Winter lol.
I hear ya, the A/T tires do give the car a beefy look for sure, but I hear they are not great in snow. Thankfully we don't have to deal with snow in the winter. Best of luck finding the right combo and thanks for the comment. cheers
Rick Hutton I’ve been doing research over the last year and I think I’m going to switch to this setup year round, while these aren’t snow tires they are rated much better than all season tires for snow especially better than the stock tires. I live in PA and while we get snow I’ve never been in a scenario where my all seasons didn’t get me through.... the snow we get isn’t consistent so dedicated snow tires make less sense for me.... I’ll let you know how these hold up in snow!
Also was wondering if the stock wheels looked taller because they weren’t holding the weight of the car up in the side by side I imagine there might be some compression even very slight when on the car?
Oh and what PSI do you run them at? I know they’re rated for a higher PSI than is needed in our vehicles so was just curious
No caps - black looks badass!
Thanks brother. Black or no caps seems to be the winner so far. :)
Really need to get these for my 2019 crosstrek
Josh, you will really like them if you do. More road noise, but well worth it.
Looks Beast.. Center Caps are nice. But you dont need them at all imo. Cant wait to get mine!👌🤘🌵
Are you thinking of buying them soon? I love the look, but the new noise level will take some time to get used to..
When going over rocks or even small boulder, will your tires rub the wheel well? Or rub? Thank you
Nope, no rubbing at all.
225x65x17 should fit without a lift? It's only .5 diff from stock?
I wouldn't want to say for sure on that one...Tire size calculator says 27.6 vs 28.5 inches...so .5 sidewall, but almost an inch diameter wise. You are also looking at the speedo being off with no way to correct it...What is the reason for going with 65's vs 60's?
inspiration Rick.... inspiration!
how do they do on the highway in rainy conditions?
HI Janet, I put about 43,000 miles on my first Crosstrek and have 7500 on my 18 and I have never had any problems in the rain. I haven't done a bunch of freeway driving in the rain, but no issues when I have. Hope that helps.
I just realized you were probably asking about the BFG's? Sorry, I didn't notice which video you had commented on at first. I can't say that I have been on the freeway with the BFG's yet, but have been in heavy downpours around the city and no problems. :)
Indeed I was asking about the BFG's sorry for not clarifying. Thanks for the reply though I've read that some people have issues with the BFG's in the rain.
No worries, it was my fault. In the youtube creator's studio the thumbnail is kind of small so it was my bad. I believe I read something about that as well, but no worries so far.
Glad to hear it hasn't caused issues. Perhaps the heavier the vehicle the better traction the tires provide
So if I don’t want it to be loud, do you have any suggestions what tires to put with the same wheels? Thanks in advance
HI Edward, to be honest I'm not really sure. The BFG's are praised in reviews for being quiet, but the are definitely louder that stock especially on the freeway. It isn't ear shattering, but louder for sure. I did a video using decimal app and I think it was 4 or 5 db's louder over stock? Do you live near Tucson at all? Happy to take you for a ride if you want to hear them in person. Cheers.
Great video. Im trying to decide as well. Either Methods,Motgei 139 or KMC 802 Bullys. Im wondering if you have seen anyone with Yokohama Geolander Go15's. I like those Ko's but most of my driving is road, snow gravel. The KO's may be a bit too aggressive for my needs
Hi Mike, I have not seen anyone in person with the Geolanders, but I know they are popular with a lot of Crosstrek folks. From what I have read about them they are supposed to be a good tire. The biggest thing with the BFG's is the increase in noise...otherwise they have been good. We don't have much in the way of snow so I I can't speak to how they would do from experience.
Nice wheel choices you are looking at also! Let me know what you end up going with.
Did you have any issues with the fit of you rim on your crosstrek? I m.Not sure if any of these other two rims will fit the 2018 crosstrek. Ive searched but cant find any information
The biggest issue with 15" wheels is clearing the brake calipers. There are a few wheels other than the Method race wheels VT spec 502's that will fit as well. Check out the Sparko Terra, and the Black Rhino's. If you go to a local tire shop many of them will tell you that 15" wheels will not fit and when I bought mine Discount tire must have asked my 3 times if I was sure and even called Method direct. LOL
www.tirerack.com/wheels/results.jsp?&autoMake=Subaru&autoModel=Crosstrek&autoYear=2018&autoModClar=2.0i+Limited
I just put this setup on my 17 trek, got a very faint ticking noise coming from the driver side front wheel area, seems to be louder reversing the car, I cannot see anything rubbing and no indications on tire and wheel, can be heard when driving next to a wall, any ideas I'm stumped !
Hi John, I will have to think about this one for awhile. Off of the top of my head I can't think of anything specific. Did you tighten the strut nuts equally? Are the pigtails seated all the way? Did you put the tires on the ground and then release all of the nuts and re torque them? This was something I didn't do initially and from what I have read it recommended. When I did the rears on my car I got a bit of a clunk when loosening the driver's side. The front is tough if you don't have a lift because it is basically impossible to get to all of the nuts.
@@AZdroptop so I had the tires put on at a tire shop, finally found the noise, it was the front of the driver side wheel well plastic. Was barely rubbing when turning. I ended up just cutting some of it out and noise gone!
Looks great Rick! I’m actually surprised that they are smaller despite looking bigger. Must just be the squared off edges of the tread?
Thank you corey, not sure to be honest, but that could be. Optical illusion I guess. Measurement wise they are .4 inches smaller than stock. Cheers
Great vid! Thanks a lot. I’m looking to upgrade the tires on my Crosstrek which I have owned fro 2 weeks now. Do you know if ko2s will fit on the stock wheels?
HI Ken, thank you for watching. I don't believe they make KO2's in the stock Crosstrek wheel size, but I did find these from BFG. Not sure if you have the 17 or 18 inch wheel on your car. Best of luck and enjoy the new Crosstrek.www.discounttire.com/tires/brands/bfgoodrich-catalog?cat=all-terrain-tires
Thanks for the video. After watching this, I ordered 215/75/17 BFG KM2s on Methods for my 2018. Love it. Cheers.
Awesome! Thanks for letting me know. When you get them on send me a pic at my email. Would love to see them on your car. azdroptopyt@cox.net Thank you for watching. Cheers.
the falkens have the same tire tread pattern and they are quiet on hwy. check them out. i had them on my tacoma. great tire and price
Thanks Kevin, I will definitely check them out.