subarukid Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 My project is comin along nice except my budget I usually use my lunch money. im gonna convert it to 4wd and lift it, but i dont know how high to lift? It was run down to the ground when i bought it. Now its goin good, A little tune up, new cap and roter, spark plugs brake pads and roters. People always say it is a P.O.S and im proven them wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s'ko Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 Keep at it. When I first bought the BRAT my roommate was a doubter. Now's he's more excited about restoring it and lifting it than I am. BW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoahDL88 Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 I'd reccomend the excellent PK Davis lift, its 3 inch or 4 for the older ones, it goes in in a weekend or quicker if your experienced around a car and have air tools, Zap's done it in a few hours i believe. after that either pugeot wheels or a redrilled hub or wheel and up to about 28 inch tires with minor trimming are all it takes to make a mud stormer and a rock beast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subarukid Posted March 5, 2004 Author Share Posted March 5, 2004 thanks for the advise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the sucker king Posted March 6, 2004 Share Posted March 6, 2004 definately keep at it and prove them wrong. your car rules. and you can make it better on a shoestring budget. that's part of why it rules. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSubaruJunkie Posted March 6, 2004 Share Posted March 6, 2004 I put a 3" PK lift on my rig, and it took a weekend by myself. Im located about 2 hours from you, and could manage to make my way up there to help if you need it. Also, PM me and we can setup a run through some trails I know of. Is your car already 4WD? -Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subarukid Posted March 6, 2004 Author Share Posted March 6, 2004 My car is unlicensed right now until i get a job, but if you come into carson there are some trails we can do. All I need is for my brother to tow it there. And iI havent chanched it to 4wd yet but i found an 88 scoob that im gonna call about they want $50.00 because the front axles are shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSubaruJunkie Posted March 6, 2004 Share Posted March 6, 2004 Is your car a 2 door hatchback, EA81?? or a EA82? Do you know? If its a EA81, that 88 might not work for a 4wd conversion. -Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bratwerst Posted March 6, 2004 Share Posted March 6, 2004 Brian - his Sig. says 87 STD - I'm assuming 87 2wd hatchback EA-71 (like Andrews old STD) And keep up the good work, the soobs are great for low-low-budget fun.... unless your me - Erik Hosa - Tacoma, WA - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subarukid Posted March 7, 2004 Author Share Posted March 7, 2004 im posotive its an 87, but im new so how do i check to see if its an EA81 or EA82? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greggbrat Posted March 7, 2004 Share Posted March 7, 2004 The motor is actually stamped with "EA81" or "EA82". the stamp is located just to the left of and below the carbureator (or efi air intake) on the engine block........towards the front of the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WJM Posted March 7, 2004 Share Posted March 7, 2004 or EA71....EA82 components will work, you will need to get the gen1 or gen 2 (as the 88 EA82 powered ones are gen 3 for the old subaurs) fuel tank. Those EA81 and old subes are different, they have two different version of gas tanks...2wd and 4wd. 4wd tanks are shape'd to accomodate the rear diff up under there. The EA82 powered subes ALL have 4wd tanks, but i belive the tanks bentween gen 2 and gen 3 are different...so they wont swap out each other. The tank on my 2wd DL, and what WAS my 2wd GL-10 are the same as any other EA82 powered 4wd tank. Ive done the 4wd conversion...not that hard. But then again, ive not done it on a pre EA82 sube. Should be similar... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted March 8, 2004 Share Posted March 8, 2004 Couple if things - #1 The 4WD conversion is not a simple project. You will need more parts than you think, and the tranny will not fit till you have lifted the car. It's not just the rear end and driveline you need. You need the gastank from a 4WD hatch (must be a hatch tank), you need the complete exhoust from a 4WD hatch (could go custom here). You need a lot of little peices. The 4WD lever mount doesn't exist, so needs to be cut from another car and welded in. There's a HUGE laundry list of parts that you end up needing - a whole parts car would be wise. But then you have to ask yourself why you are not just driving the parts car??!? #2 If you do it, then be aware that the PK kit may have some fitement issues that need addressing, as this was a 2WD, and as such is actually quite different in a lot of ways. In the case of my car, the shifter was a real pain - I didn't do a PK kit, but never the less, be aware of this, and probably have a one-on-one chat with PK about what issues you may encounter. Just my opinion - being that I'm one of the few people on this board that has done this conversion on an EA81, and drive that rig on an almost daily basis, I can tell you that I will NEVER do it again. There are too many 4WD cars out there for cheap, and there's really no reason to bother converting a car unless it is something *very* special, or you already have all the needed parts lying around or soemthing. Feel free to ask me any questions about the full conversion. I think I have a list of every part you need around here somewhere. I know the list had at least 30 items on it or so..... GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WJM Posted March 8, 2004 Share Posted March 8, 2004 well, i wont be getting a gen 2 sube and working on a conversion! The 4wd conversion on my gen 3 was easy peasy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted March 8, 2004 Share Posted March 8, 2004 Yeah - from what I understand, the Gen 3's all have the same gas tank, and the tranny tunnel just has bits that bolt in and out for different tranny's. Subaru kept improving on their use of generic parts up through the EA82's. From what I've seen and understand, Gen 1's would be nearly impossible to convert to 4WD without major frame modifications and a lift, Gen 2's (EA81's) are difficult, but not impossible to do, as the frame is basically the same - a few of us have done it. Gen 3's (EA82's) are pretty easy from what I've seen, and it's been done to quite a few on the board here recently. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the sucker king Posted March 8, 2004 Share Posted March 8, 2004 i did a 4wd conversion on a ea81 hatch and it was easy. not quick, but relatively trouble free. no body modification required. don't take any one persons word for it, check out the tunnel on YOUR car. i guess the doability may very year to year, model to model. i think they made 4wd stds in '87, so maybe your car won't be any trouble at all. maybe you'll need to bang on it a little. if you can find a 4wd car in non running order, you could pick it up for a song, and you'ld have all you parts right there. one word of advice would be to line up a friend to help with the heavy stuff. swapping the rear end torsion bar/trailing arm assembly is a pain in the rump roast to do alone. (but ultimately you can do anything you set your mind to) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subarukid Posted March 8, 2004 Author Share Posted March 8, 2004 Its an EA71. If I get that 88 soob I will if I can swap out the front axles. Then lift it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted March 9, 2004 Share Posted March 9, 2004 Right - being a STD model, it would be a 4 speed, 2WD, EA71, with an EA81 bell-housing. It's still considered an EA81 car tho. And as sucker king noted, you will have to see what fitment issues you have with your particular tunnel. There was different tunnel sheet metal not only for each type of tranny, but they even changed it from year to year. I can tell you that Automatic 4WD tunnels are plenty big enough.... and that 2WD 5 speed tunnels are not - without cutting or beating, it's not even possible to install the tranny really - it won't slide onto the engine. You WILL have to install the 4WD lever mount, as it isn't present on your tunnel. Also - your clutch is different, and so is the size of the throw out bearing in the flywheel. You will want to swap over to the 4WD 225mm clutch instead of the 200mm 2WD clutch. You need the flywheel, clutch and PP plus new throw out bearing and release bearing. Believe me on this one - the 2WD clutch isn't even driveable on the street with big tires, let alone off-road. 2WD's don't have the front skid plate - so remember to get that too. For off-road, the EA71 isn't going to cut it - hell, even the EA81 is barely enough with a weber. You will want an EA81 engine. Also - your struts will have to be replaced with adjustable ones from a 4WD, as you will want that extra 1" of clearance they give you. If I were you, I would get that 88..... GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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