Subaru Crosstrek Off-Road Build: Bumper, Rock Sliders and Lift

Plenty of Subaru Crosstrek owners take their cars down dirt roads and forest trails. When those trails get rougher, a little lift and some steel armor go a long way. This guide lays out a Body Armor 4x4 build for the Crosstrek in the order most owners tackle it, with the fit years for each part taken from Body Armor 4x4.

Check the years on each part, because they are not the same. The strut spacer kit lists 2018 to 2025 AWD models. The rock sliders list 2018 to 2024. The front winch bumper lists 2018 to 2023.

Quick pick

The Crosstrek parts

• 

  Crosstrek AWD 2" Front/1.5" Rear Strut Spacer Kit

  For a little more ride height.

  • 2 in front, 1.5 in rear lift
  • Bolt-on, keeps the factory ride quality
  • Front spacers correct caster and camber

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• 

  Crosstrek Revo Rock Sliders

  For protecting the doors and rocker panels.

  • 1.5 in tubing, low-profile brackets
  • Jack points at the front and rear
  • Works at factory height or with a 1 to 2 in lift

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• 

  Crosstrek Hiline Front Winch Bumper

  For a winch, recovery points and lights up front.

  • 3/16 in steel plate with a bolt-on bull bar
  • Fits a winch up to 5,500 lb
  • Skid plate included, built-in shackle mounts

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• 

  20" Blackout LED Light Bar Combo Beam

  For lighting up the trail ahead.

  • 20 in dual-row combo flood and spot beam
  • 120 W, 8400 raw lumens (maker rated), IP67
  • Brackets and a harness with an illuminated switch included

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Build order for a Crosstrek

1. Lift: strut spacer kit

Start with ride height, since it changes how everything else sits. The Crosstrek AWD 2" Front/1.5" Rear Strut Spacer Kit adds 2 in up front and 1.5 in at the rear. It bolts on, and Body Armor 4x4 says it keeps the factory ride quality. The front spacers also correct caster and camber. Body Armor 4x4 lists it for 2018 to 2025 Crosstrek AWD models.

2. Rock sliders

Rocks, roots and stumps tend to find the rocker panels first. The Crosstrek Revo Rock Sliders use 1.5 in tubing to protect the doors and rockers, and the low-profile mounting brackets are less likely to catch on obstacles. Jack points at the front and rear of each slider support up to 25% of the vehicle's GVWR. The sliders work at factory height or with a 1 to 2 in lift, including strut lifts like the kit above, and they are finished in a two-stage, light-textured black powder coat.

Body Armor 4x4 lists the sliders for 2018 to 2024 Crosstreks and notes that some drilling is required to install them.

3. Front winch bumper

The Crosstrek Hiline Front Winch Bumper is built from 3/16 in steel plate. It takes a winch up to 5,500 lb, has integrated shackle mounts for D-rings, and adds a bolt-on bull bar. A bolt-on skid plate comes in the box and works with the factory plastic skid plate or most aftermarket ones. The finish is a two-stage, light-textured black powder coat.

Body Armor 4x4 puts the install at about 1 hour with light to moderate mechanical skills. The box holds the bumper, the skid plate and all the mounting hardware. The winch and D-rings are not included.

4. Light bar

The Hiline bumper has a mount for a 20 in dual-row LED light bar. The 20" Blackout LED Light Bar Combo Beam from Body Armor 4x4 is that size: a dual-row bar with a combo flood and spot beam, a black face and a die-cast aluminum housing. The maker rates it at 120 W and 8400 raw lumens, and it is IP67 waterproof. Mounting brackets and a wiring harness with an illuminated switch are included.

Recovery and jack points

This build adds two things you will be glad to have on a bad day on the trail. The bumper's shackle mounts give you front recovery points for D-rings, and the sliders give you jack points at the front and rear of each side. For the rest of a recovery kit, see our off-road recovery kit guide.

Freight

Side by side

FAQ

Related guides

• Subaru Crosstrek car camping setup
• Off-road recovery kit guide