83projectbrat Posted July 29, 2004 Share Posted July 29, 2004 i have a 86 4x4 gl wagon i just bought, its my winter car/school ...car strickly so i dont beat up my nice ...car in the school parking lot and wreck it in the winter. my question is that my 86 is pretty rusty. would this interfier with a lift kit? what do you all have to do to put a lift in is my question? i have a lift and all the tools to put it in its just that i dont want my car to be unsafe to go down the road in. the rockers are pretty well gone on the bottoms and behind the rear tires its getting pretty bad. let me know on details on what there is to do to put a lift in im pretty interested in one. also my car has no powersteering and it has ac does this interfier with a lift? thanks matt ps. sorry for rambling on haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHATBRAT Posted July 29, 2004 Share Posted July 29, 2004 I wouldn't waste the time/money installing a lift kit in something that is very rusty. One, it just opens up more area to rust and two the car will not be inspectable before you know it. It just doesn't seem to be worth the time. If it had just a little rust that would be one thing but it sounds like your car will be one with the earth shortly. It just doesn't seem to be worth the hassle. Plus you may end up breaking bolts and/or other things in the process of lifting it. Just my $0.02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83projectbrat Posted July 29, 2004 Author Share Posted July 29, 2004 i dont have inspections up here, this is a really good car, but the body is just getting to it. what all do you have to take out to put a lift in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHATBRAT Posted July 29, 2004 Share Posted July 29, 2004 As far as I know, You really don't have to take anything out except the bolts that go through where the lift blocks go in. You then install the lift blocks with a new bolt that is included. You may have to disconnect one or two things in the process then reconnect them afterwards but it really depends on whose lift you are talking about (PK's, Mudrat's. other/or homemade) also, how high you are talking about. It is my understanding if you go more than 4 inches then other modifications need to be made such as lengthening the steering rod... Let's see what others have to say. I am not an expert in this area, I have never actually installed one of these lift kits on a subaru, This is just info that I have gathered over time. Like I said earlier, If the body is THAT rusty, I wouldn't waste the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83projectbrat Posted July 29, 2004 Author Share Posted July 29, 2004 i was thinking of going with a 3'' byb kit. thanks for your info and your opinion if i should be doing this. anyone else actually installed one of these in a ea82 wagon? let me know thanks guys!! matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subawoohoo Posted July 29, 2004 Share Posted July 29, 2004 well all the lift does is raise your body from the suspension components, your not really doing anything crazy or removing anything, your just installing spacers .. now how rusty is your car, if the body is starting to go, thats one thing, you should repair it and let it go NO further, but check underneath your car, at the framerails, points where your suspension is bolted to your body, (where you'll be installing your "spacers") and under your hood, look at anything structurally important. if any of this is geting cancerous, you should make her as comfortable as possible because at that point its only a small matter of time. inspections or not, for your safety and anyone elses, dont, because having your car drop or collapse on you on the interstate will definately put a damper on your day. now if its ONLY body panels, go ahead with the lift, but be sure you fix what rust you have now. check the "type" of rust and let us know. tyler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chef_tim Posted July 29, 2004 Share Posted July 29, 2004 Boz is right on, don't waste the time on a MN rust bucket. Try and find a good body with a shot motor, then lift that and transplant your motor into it. Where in MN are you located?? Later, Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archemitis Posted July 29, 2004 Share Posted July 29, 2004 preepl dont seem to like my comments, especially on stuff like this, but... why not!_!? morganms car is rusty and has a lift, so now he reely doesnt have to worry about messing anything up. "oh crap a dent, oh well" his car is reely bad, rear seatbelts fell out, but where the crossmemebers bolt(what you have to remove to install lift) its still pretty solid metal. the fenders and floorboards will fall off long before its structurally unsound. rage it! then there will be two lifted subarus in minnesota. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archemitis Posted July 29, 2004 Share Posted July 29, 2004 and i love all these, fix the rust you have comments. its a subaru, unibody, have you ever seen one that has been "repaired" 3 years later? once its in its there to stay. let it go and use the car to its fullest, thats what subarus are about!=] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezapar Posted July 29, 2004 Share Posted July 29, 2004 Yeb, I agree. If the bolts will come out, then then there's not enough rust under there to keep you from lifting it. Rusty rockers are no big deal, same with wheel wells. I get the impression that unrusty soobs are pretty hard to come by in Minnesota. Go for it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganM Posted July 29, 2004 Share Posted July 29, 2004 Just make sure where your main crossmembers bolt to the unibody is still sound and your sub frames are still solid. It's really just sick how rusty my wagon is but I do not feel unsafe at all. She is still solid !_! I noticed the 'rusty winter beater' portion of your post. That's key here. Youre obviously not going to go buy a new mint body to lift nor spend the money and wasted time repairing the rust. Lift that thing UP. When you go offroading in her you wont feel bad at all about coming down on a big rock or bumping into that tree. If you feel safe in it on the road right now it's really not THAT much of a difference lifted. I'm more worried about ball joints and axles than my rusty unibody. Rage it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted July 29, 2004 Share Posted July 29, 2004 i say do it, if you run your soob into the ground at least you have invested in the lift that can be swapped into something else. my only bad experience with rust was above the tube frame assembly, inside the rear wheel well, if that part is rusted OUT, then you may droop in the rear suspension (after a while, or some tough baja'n). i wouldnt worry too much, go for it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83projectbrat Posted July 29, 2004 Author Share Posted July 29, 2004 the car really isnt all rusted out underneith, but there is some rust. but like it is.. its a minnesota car and my winter beater i think i might go for it. now i have to safe up a few more hundred Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83projectbrat Posted July 30, 2004 Author Share Posted July 30, 2004 can anyone show me pics of the underneight of a car that i have to deal with in order to instal a lift? like were the suspenton bolts to the frame? thanks guys matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganM Posted July 30, 2004 Share Posted July 30, 2004 can anyone show me pics of the underneight of a car that i have to deal with in order to instal a lift? like were the suspenton bolts to the frame? thanks guys matt Where are you in Minnesota? I'm in the twin cities. If we are close enough we should just meet up and I'll show you everything involved. You can also see how rusty mine is and I think youll feel a lot safer in your rig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowstormer Posted July 30, 2004 Share Posted July 30, 2004 i have a lifted 87 gl wagon in northern wi. if you are up by duluth or in northern mn, i could show you mine also.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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