Overview
Existing Solutions
SubieLED.com
The LED kits from this company seem to be relatively easy to install, and work with the existing dust cover by including an LED with a wide, low-profile heat sink. Another option looks like it would require the dust-cover to be left off. Here's a link to their stuff, in case they get them back in stock, or offer them at a more reasonable price: http://www.subieled.com/#!/Low-Beam-H7/c/48078355
CarRover Silicone Dust Cover
Using these seemed like it might work with many of the standard H7 bulbs you can get for $30 or $40 from Amazon and various other sources. I even ordered some but when I got them, and thought about it a little more, I realized they wouldn't really close up the headlight housing since the spring clip would be in the way, and if the wire from the LED module/bulb comes out the back, it somehow has to go back into the headlight housing to connect. That further disrupts the dust seal allowing moisture or dust to get in, so they're still not ideal.
Others
I'm sure there are other LED "bulbs" or dust-cover options that might sorta work for a 2010 Subaru Outback, and there are quite a few that say they'll work, but I really didn't find any that were meant for my specific application. If you're reading this and you know of something, please add a comment.
My Solution
I have a 3D printer, and reasonably good 3D design skills, so I decided to tackle this with my own "resources." The process was a little annoying since I also decided I was done paying yet-another-$30 for more halogen bulbs, and one of them had already burned out, so I was a bit reluctant to drive after dark. Then the other halogen burned out, so I was stuck not using the Subie until I worked out how to get the LEDs installed.
Inverted Dust-Cover
I started with the basic idea of an inverted dust cover that leaves the LED heat sink out where air circulates to cool it, and still seals up the headlight housing. However, unlike the "one size fits all" silicone dust cover, mine would need to either account for the spring clip, or replace its function by holding the LED H7 in place. There was also the challenge of routing the wire from the rear of the LED back into the headlight housing to connect with the car's wiring harness.
Rigid Plastic
3D printers can produce flexible objects like silicone, but most of the time they work with rigid materials like PLA or ABS. With strategic use of a few o-rings, I decided the best way to replace the function of the spring-clip was to make the dust-cover fit precisely into the opening and hold the bulb in place. Here's a sketch of what that means for those who understand things better visually than verbally.
Pass-Thru for the Wire
The final challenge (or so I thought) was passing the wire through from outside back into the headlight housing. You can make any shape you want with a 3D printer, so that was just a matter of printing a slot for the wire, and a plug to cover up the slot after the wire was in. Easy!! Well, ok, it was one of the more tedious parts of creating the 3D model, but still not a complete roadblock.
Tight Spaces
The actual final challenge was that the inverted dust-cover could not be maneuvered into the headlight housing with the LED already installed. The "blade" part of the LED just sticks out too far, and the dust cover has to slide around in front of metal cross-member in the body of the car. The only option is to get the dust-cover in place with the flange part of the LED and then install the LED body. The risk of dropping the LED flange and/or the o-ring into the bottom of the headlight housing was promising to be a show-stopper. I REALLY didn't want to add the chore of fishing those things back out of the housing to the already-frustrating ordeal, But, back to the 3D printer for a solution... all it took was a substitute for the LED body, without anything sticking out, to use during installation. The downside is that this is where the whole solution really locks into a specific LED product (for now).
More about the Lock-In
As I mentioned in the previous section, this solution is not only specific to a 2010 Outback, but also to a specific LED product. It's not that this product is necessarily any better than others, but just happens to be the one I settled on. The main drivers for my choice were, A) fanless design, B) good reviews, C) BeamTech brand generally has good reviews on all products, and D) 30,000 hours lifespan. So, here are the details.
- BeamTech H7 - BEAMTECH-CCD17-05-S2-H7
- At Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B071J4SCXY/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_NCWMMWCDBZEWQ9ER9YHP
- At BeamTechs.com: https://www.beamtechs.com/collections/j1-led-headlight-bulb/products/beamtech-h7-led-headlight-bulb-fanless-csp-y19-chips-8000-lumens-6500k-xenon-white-extremely-bright-conversion-kit
Summary
There are a few sub-optimal ways of installing LED headlights in a 2010 Subaru Outback and as a result of the time I spent obsessing over the design and development, there is (now) a more workable, and/or affordable option. Hope this inspires someone else to tackle this project and eliminates some of the guesswork that I had to stumble through.
I know not everyone has a 3D printer, but if you do, and you want to do this project without working all that out for yourself, you can find the model files to print these exact dust-covers and the installation tool for a small fee here: https://cults3d.com/en/3d-model/various/2010-subaru-outback-led-headlight-dust-cover
I also occasionally have some idle time on my 3D printer, so if it's not an option to print it for yourself, I can print the parts and put together a kit with the o-rings and screws you'll need (but you buy the LED bulbs yourself). Based on previous, similar projects, I'll ask $50 to reimburse materials, printer setup time, trip to UPS, packaging materials, etc. + actual shipping cost (probably around +$10 to most places in the U.S. and +$25 international). Just email me at subaru.ledmod @ liveintellect . org (remove the spaces) to request. I'll let you know how quick I can get it done, arrange for Paypal or something similar, and go from there.
