43 replies to this topic

[czny]

I had bought this 135k mile d/r wagon in 2007 for $800 from the 2nd owner. It had the usual oil leak, TOD, etc & sun baked plastic dash parts typical of a SW car that hasn't been garaged much of its life. Did the usual maintenance for the first 3 yrs including clutch, tires, tuneup. Joined USMB & aspired to build it into a light duty ORV. So I added a 4" SJR lift, new struts & mounts, 6 lug conversion including rear disc brakes, R160 plate clutch LSD, 14x6 Mazda PU whls with 27x8.50x14 Grabbers.



In lieu of the stock brake hoses I opted for -3 braided SS/teflon lines, which I've built for some of my other vehicles before. A nearby hardware store is a Earls supply vendor;).
Before tearing down my original 3.90 diff & the 3.70 LSD R160 for the carrier I had measured the bearing preloads so they could be restored. Set the backlash to .006" & checked the pattern. A little extra care here pays in longevity.
Since then I also upgraded to power windows & door locks:
http://ultimatesubar...r windows locks

Edited by czny, 20 September 2012 - 09:30 PM.

[czny]

Some more eye candy about the LSD:




And some about the disc brakes:

[O.C.D.]

Nice build! I love when the right mods come together in a short thread. Meaning you know what you are doing.

What is next?

[czny]

Working on it!
The short list:
1)replace the 87AC axles with 95ACs - done
2)replace the front struts with Monroes loaded with 88 Tempo springs to even out the ride height - done
3)clean 6 Nissan Pathfinder 6 lug whls & mount new Hankook 215x75x15s M/Ts to gain more rolling clearance - done
4)replace worn out front control arm bushings with Toy LC Energy Suspension bushings - done
5)mod front control arm mount points in cross member to accept cam adjusters for camber - working on this today
6)cut fender wells, spot weld in 1" wide strips of 18 GA sheet metal to mount fender lips - soon after.

Will post some more pics later today. Need to beat the heat now.

Edited by czny, 24 September 2012 - 10:14 AM.

[czny]

Decided against adjustable camber after re-reading this thread:
http://ultimatesubar...A camber adjust
Instead I offset a 9/16" hole at about 30* down from the original 10 mm hole to move the lower arm out about .160" with a die grinder & a 3/8 olive carbide burr. This slight decrease in positive camber plus adjusting the toe to 0.00 - 0.13" toe out should be enough to even up the tread wear.
Burn the old bushings out with a torch, clean, rinse, repeat & paint the arms. Energy Suspension part # 8.2105G bushings. Slip bushing flanged end onto a piece of 5/8" round stock in a vise & hacksaw to length. Cut lube groove with a rat tail file. Drill & tap a 1/4-28 holes(not all the way through) then screw in your zerks.





A 4" L 9/16 coarse Gr 5 bolt has enough shank to fill the bushings with no thread to score the bores. The cross member is just formed sheet metal & the difference in strength between a 9/16" & 10 mm bolt would negate the need for grade 8 hardware I'd think. Only thing I need to change is adding 9/16 nyloc nuts for this. Don't want to compress the bushing flanges too much nor limit the free motion distorting the crossmember.

The inside of the tread shows uneven wear - darker part to right of snow stud holes.

Edited by czny, 25 September 2012 - 09:08 AM.
more info

[czny]

In my search for nyloc nuts found some 9/16-18x4 grade 8 hardware & so replaced the arm bushing hardware. After the Tempo strut spring replacement the car now rides level. The lowest point is now the front cat @ 11.75". Front toe was then way out at 1.44" toe-in - adjusted this to .13" toe-out. But I'm still getting wheel hop on hard take off in 1st gear. Will try changing the radius rods 1.25" longer. Have 0.75" longer rods now. Change the caster angle & readjust the toe. Toe out seems to work better with positive camber for ride & wheel tracking - at least it feels better on the road to me.





Could be the soft trans mounts too. Fab up some urethane bushing mounts for less give. Another project
These are the 90s Nissan Pathfinder wheels - 15x6 with 215x75x15 Hankook M/Ts.

Edited by czny, 28 September 2012 - 07:19 PM.

[Prwa101]

Nice build you got here!! haha although you know what would be better than that LSD? An AAE locker haha... Looks like a clean Subaru though!


-Patrick

[czny]

Yeah, a locker would be nice! Still would hear chatter on corners though.:-p jk

Replaced the radius rods with 1.25" longer ones today & reset the toe to .25" toe-out. The extra caster & toe-out seem to help sure enough around town. Will have to go a long drive on the fwys & hwys to check road manners better.

[TOsborn]

If your going to be out wheeling, it might be beneficial to add a rubber sleeve over the braided brake lines to help keep dirt/dust from working it's way into them.

Very nice looking wagon!

[czny]

If your going to be out wheeling, it might be beneficial to add a rubber sleeve over the braided brake lines to help keep dirt/dust from working it's way into them.

Very nice looking wagon![/QUOTE]

Thanks!

Already ahead of you - wrapped the SS lines with spiral plastic available at most AP stores.
Not liquid/dust tight but enough to keep rocks & gravel from abrading the lines.
Edit: I may wrap the lines later with vinyl tape & wrap them again with the spiral plastic.
Have some front & rear brake improvements in mind .

Edited by czny, 30 September 2012 - 09:42 AM.

[czny]

Reset the toe to .13" toe-out & drove for 30 mi. today Seems better with a little less toe-out. Tracks straight with hands off at fwy speeds for a count of 5.
Trimmed the fenders ahead of the front tire - they were rubbing on downhill dips.
Replaced the ignition cyl with one keyed alike to the doors. Old cyl was worn out & difficult to operate.
Replaced the rt side instrument cluster(speedo/voltmeter/fuel) - odometer working properly now. Still have to replace the trans speedo seal.

Edited by czny, 03 October 2012 - 10:18 PM.

[O.C.D.]

Again, nicely done mods. Love the Zerks being added. I am going to add that to my list.

[czny]

Again, nicely done mods. Love the Zerks being added. I am going to add that to my list.

I purposely drilled & tapped the zerk fittings higher than some have - but this creates a tight spot when greasing the bushings. Found a tight spot 90* "special" access grease coupler, Lincoln model 5883. Mcmaster-Carr # 1091K61, $7.99. Slick little coupler slips on sideways with a urethane seal.

For all you vintage Saturday Night Live watchers:
"Now isn't that special."

[O.C.D.]

I purposely drilled & tapped the zerk fittings higher than some have - but this creates a tight spot when greasing the bushings. Found a tight spot 90* "special" access grease coupler, Lincoln model 5883. Mcmaster-Carr # 1091K61, $7.99. Slick little coupler slips on sideways with a urethane seal.

For all you vintage Saturday Night Live watchers:
"Now isn't that special."

Hah, loved Dana Carvey back then.

[czny]

Here's the radius rods for comparison. Top is stock, 1.25" longer then .75" longer. Chopped the rods in half, added 1"x .090" wall Cr-Mo DOM tubing & welded the ends. Then drilled .375" holes thru tube just into the rod material @ 8 places for each rod. Plug welded the holes for extra strength.

Installed rod:


Hard take-off in 1st still had wheel hop so checked all the engine & trans mounts. Engine mounts were fine but the trans mounts may as well been made of artists' gum rubber erasers. The mounts were allowing the drivetrain to shift forward when the tires bit hard & the torque went way up, pushing the DS axle into the engine cross-member & making a grinding sound.


So for stop-gap I added pieces of steel to the mounts to limit travel. Left 3/16" gaps for mount flex up, down & forward, back. They clatter when starting the engine but thereafter are OK. Big improvement.


Found some Energy Suspension bushings 9.9107 to fit inside 1.50"x.120" wall DOM tubing. Will fab these mounts later when doing my EJ engine swap.

Edited by czny, 08 October 2012 - 09:49 PM.

[czny]

Went to local PAP Sunday & found the elusive 99 Lego OB EJ25D for Frankenmotor.
Seems appropriate for October - another Frankenmotor. :cool:
Went back today & stripped engine down to shortblock. $125 for shortblock including $25 core. Longblock would have been $202 before the extra charges.
Timing belt, PS cam sprockets were gone - broken pieces. Toothed idler brgs were seized - & a few BBs missing. No damages to cyl heads nor the piston crowns. Head gaskets looked good. Really have to believe that if more maintenance had been done this Lego OB would still be on the road.

Already have a 90 Lego EJ22 complete for heads, cams, manifold, eng wiring loom, interior loom & ECU.
Bores of EJ25 still have good crosshatch marks, no step in bores from rings at all. Just a slight amount of glaze. Will split the cases for light hone & re-ring, new rod & main brgs, polish the crank.

Lucky the guys doing pre-lot work didn't hork the header pipe. $10.

[czny]

Scored a spare 5mt d/r trans w linkages, 2 pc driveshaft, starter, ignition coil w module, all 4 power window switches & vinyl cargo cover(window blind) from a '88 gl wagon today. All at 50% off at the local PAP.

This car was not on the list of cars to be put out on Saturday.

Edited by czny, 14 October 2012 - 09:08 PM.
upload pics

[81EA81]

That is one beautiful Subaru. Every bit of work looks really clean.
Nice job on the bushings, I was unaware replacement bushing were available. All of my bushings are in need of replacement.

Oh, and I have to mention the 65 Chevy in the background. Dose it belong to you?

[czny]

Thanks!!
I try to maintain some kind of standards.Ha ha ha ha.
I had done the rear arm bushings in 2008.
Lost the bookmark for that source 2-3 pcs ago. Somewhere in Michigan IIRC.

Yep, that's my 65 Chevy....1/2 ton fleetside.
Came out of a horse corral in Chino, CA.

[O.C.D.]

I am not a jealous man by any means but you even find better looking parts than most?! That is going to be an awesome build when complete.

[czny]

I am not a jealous man by any means but you even find better looking parts than most?! That is going to be an awesome build when complete.

Some days it pays to be patient....to say to yourself "I'll wait for something better."

[O.C.D.]

Agreed. I have no patience though and it kills my bank account and Wife, lol.

[czny]

Scored a complete 96 Lego OB ej22, 5mt, awd OBD2 system for the Frankenmotor. Intake w injectors, engine harness, IAC, etc. Complete front harness with ECU from alternator to PS footwell. Both cam sprockets, crank sprocket & harmonic dampener. And the hardware.



Figured to add a 18mm bung for 2nd O2 sensor at 2nd cat. Cap the PS leg of front cat & add 2" 2 bolt flange to mate with OBX header.

Edited by czny, 24 October 2012 - 10:15 PM.

[czny]

Agreed. I have no patience though and it kills my bank account and Wife, lol.

Definition of insanity: Doing something you know will cause you pain, again, & expecting different results.

[czny]

After driving with straight wound Tempo springs for awhile decided I'd had enough of bouncing at every bump in the road, bump steering, etc. Bought some MOOG cc856 springs & swapped them out on the last day of last year.
Cut them to 13 inches overall length, reinstalled with the Tempo top spring perches(described earlier). Put original length strut rods in & adj toe-in to 1/16". May try more or less toe to test for best handling soon.
First pic shows cc856 uncut, cc856 cut to 13" & Tempo spring cut to 13".




Rides much nicer with less wheel hop, etc & much more controllable. Mounted Mazda wheels again to get some better mileage around town(smaller rolling radius tires).

Edited by czny, 04 January 2013 - 07:44 PM.