We turned a Subaru Crosstrek into a full overland rig — Relations Race Wheels front and rear bumpers, front and rear-diff skid plates, a Rough Country 2-inch lift on Motegi wheels and BFGoodrich KO2s, Baja Designs cube lights on LP Adventure mounts, and a rooftop tent up top. A grocery-getter turned trail-ready micro-overlander.
This Crosstrek came through Juggernaut USA in Wheat Ridge (Denver), CO. The Crosstrek is one of the best small overland platforms out there — capable AWD, light, and easy to live with — but it needs armor, clearance, and lights to actually go play. We built out all three, plus mounted the rooftop tent, so the owner has a rig that can disappear down a forest road and sleep at the end of it.
| Component | Part |
|---|---|
| Front bumper | Relations Race Wheels (RRW) front bumper |
| Rear bumper | Relations Race Wheels (RRW) rear bumper |
| Skid plates | RRW front skid plate + LP Adventure rear-diff skid plate |
| Lift | Rough Country 2-inch lift kit |
| Wheels / tires | Motegi Racing MR139 wheels + BFGoodrich All-Terrain KO2 |
| Lighting | Baja Designs cube lights on LP Adventure hood light mounts |
| Camp | Rooftop tent mounted up top |
Armor: RRW bumpers and skid plates
The factory Crosstrek is all plastic underneath and up front. We wrapped it in Relations Race Wheels steel — a front bumper with real recovery points and approach angle, a matching rear bumper, and a front skid plate, plus an LP Adventure skid over the rear diff. Now the parts that break on a rock are covered, and the truck has proper places to hook a strap.
Lift, wheels and tires
A Rough Country 2-inch lift opens up the clearance a Crosstrek needs and makes room for a real all-terrain. We ran Motegi Racing MR139 wheels wrapped in BFGoodrich KO2s — the combination that turns the Crosstrek's stance from soft crossover to squat little trail wagon, and gives it the traction to match the new armor.
Lighting: Baja Designs on LP Adventure mounts
For light we ran Baja Designs cube lights — small, bright, and bombproof — on LP Adventure hood light mounts, which pick up the factory hood bolts so there is no drilling. It is a clean way to add serious trail lighting to a Crosstrek without hacking up the body, and it finishes the overland look.
Common questions on this build
Is a Crosstrek actually capable off-road?
For its size, yes. Symmetrical AWD, low weight, and short overhangs make it a genuinely good small overlander. Armor, a lift, and all-terrains just unlock what the platform already has.
Do I need skid plates on a Subaru?
If you take it off pavement, yes. The oil pan, transmission, and rear differential all hang low and are exposed from the factory. Skid plates are cheap insurance against an expensive rock.
Can you build my Subaru?
Yes — Crosstrek, Outback, Forester, Ascent. Armor, lifts, lights, wheels and tents. Bring us yours and where you want to take it.
Book the same work
We build overland Subarus in-house at our Wheat Ridge shop north of Denver — armor, lifts, lighting, wheels and rooftop tents. We serve Denver, Wheat Ridge, Golden, Arvada, Lakewood, and the Front Range. Call (970) 341-4221 to talk through your build, or see our install services. More from the bay: our Subaru Outback lift build and Subaru Forester lift build.
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