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Spent Halloween working on my own Frankenstein super lifted T-cased Subaru project.

 

86 Isuzu Trooper diesel Front frame.  Cut just behind the torsion mounts.  Keeping the Isuzu A-arms, knuckles, hubs, brakes.  Hooking up to Subaru 4.11 Diff using hybrid Isuzu and EA81 Axles.  EJ steering rack with Isuzu tierods.  Nissan 720 Transfercase

 

Here's some teaser pics.

 

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Not sure it's really what I want to do......but it's a start.

Edited by Gloyale
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So not bashing your idea, but why run Subaru diff and axles?  Seems like a project of this size would be better off straight axled.  I know the A arms are already in place but that's a lot of weight for them to run.

 

Trying to keep it all independent and Subaru drivetrain.  The entire driveline will be sheilded and I should have 16+" at the diffs with 33"s

 

It should work out well, the Trooper Front axles use the same outer joint....so a hybrid Trooper/Subaru axle should bridge the gap.  The stock trooper weighed way more than this buggy rig will when done.

 

I figure Once I build the frame with the engine and T-case, then IF i want to go straight axle all I need to figure out will be the axle itself.

Edited by Gloyale
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Innovative keepit up!  what rear axle will you run? what body will you run?

 

EA82 with longtravel coilovers.

 

96+ Legacy female input diff (welded) and inner axle cups and Six lug conversion to match the front.

 

I'm gonna build that all on it's own subframe then merge the 2 pieces to set the wheel base where I want it.

 

 

 

Body will be a surprise.  Gotta save something to post once it's done.

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Got  bit more done today.  Not too much....snout of front diff nearly mounted.

IMG_0404_zps690636ff.jpg

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Cutdown Legacy rear mount...welded along the bottom and inner edge and plug welded from back side.

IMG_0405_zps8200ed5e.jpg

 

EA82 Manual steering rack not gonna work.....check out that toe.....gonna need EA81 or maybe use the shorter trooper inner tierods if they interchange......everything else has so far.......IMG_0402_zpsb5b4c3f0.jpg

 

Including this.....Hybridized Trooper/EA81 outer joint and axle  (inner joint coming soon....96+ rear inner male spine) Midshaft of the stubby trooper axle shown beside.

IMG_0408_zpsa47a7214.jpg

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Just for curiosity sake is the inner side of the trooper axle splines the same as the subarus?

 

Some of them.

 

Some suby axles are a tad smaller splined section, but the large EA81 shafts and early EJ shafts are the same.

 

Gonna try and make some stubby suby axles???

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Never know, had thoughts like that for mini sand rails and such. On the flip side wonder if you could use a trooper diff cut down and centered up under tcased subi since deeper gear ratios are available, looked for lockers but couldn't find any for 88 down eight bolt diff. Looks like a killer project can't wait to see what you do with it.

Edited by 86hatchback
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Is your archaic rump roast using a stick welder? lol

love it dude.....

 

MIG for tacking/detail stuff and small welds.

 

Preheated with Oxy/Act.....and then Finished with the Arc welder for that fo-sho penetration.  Sticks are way cheaper than spools and gas for the MIG.

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Not much new today.

 

Got the diff mount bolted in........more welds to come but it's secure for more mockup.

IMG_0409_zpsf11c1ead.jpg

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Got the transfer case sorta mounted (only the front end of it....will tie into the rear section when the rest of the frame is added)

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Added some framerail section (80's F-250) to make a "perch" where the body will sit

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And I used a crossbar from a 2011 Rubicon, and 2 crosspieces from the F-250 frame to make a long, continuos skid plate under the center of the rig.....to protect the diff and the front driveline.

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Now time to start on the REAR!!!

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Todays mission:  Steering

 

Mounted an EA82 steering rack to a big piece of plate.  Plate will be welded into place on the frame after some more suspension stuff is figured out.  Here it is

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And the piece relatively in place on the frame.  Final fitment will come later......got a piece of tube welded to the frame and bolted between the tierods for now so I can tow it around the yard.

 

IMG_0426_zpsd3aab356.jpg

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Well crap.

 

I disconnected the Torsions and ran the suspension down to the maximum "uptravel" position, and the axles hit on the framerails before the arms hit the bumpstops.  CRAP!!!

 

Keep in mind this is only an issue under FULL compression.  The suspension may never actually be that stuffed when driving/wheelin.  But I should address it so I don't break an outer joint or bend an axleshaft.

 

So I have to either lower the front diff slightly (might do this)....Altough the way it's mounted now is PERFECT and I don't want to change if I don't have to.

 

Or I have to notch the framerails to make a pocket for the axle to rise into. May extend the framehorns I added over the a-arms, and back to the rail to reinforce so once the frame is notched it will be strong still.

 

I'll post pics of the problem, and the solutions as they get worked out.

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I second  that.

Notch it!!!

 

Thanks for the encouragement!  I fo sho will soon...

 

But I think even if I notch it the diff will have to come down slightly.  I test fitted a hybrid axle today and ran it through the travel.  It hits right as the bump stop is 1/4" from toching, and hte rubber stop compresses another 3/4 inch on a huge hit, so I think a 1-1/2" notch in the 4" rail will cover it.  BUT the axles are very stretched at the maxed out height.  SO.... the diff will come down 1 inch at least to try to keep the axles in the cups.  IDK, if the axle thing doesn't workout I may have to go to EA82 shafts......and lengthed A-Arms......Muuuuaaaaaahhahhahahhaaaaaaaaa!!!!

 

MoaR PICS!!!

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At least today I flipped the balljoints on the Trooper upper A-arms.....It's a cheap trick for correcting camber angle and getting a bit more droop out of the suspension.  Complimentened by removing the downward bumpstops entirely :)   No pics of the a-arms and bumps......but here you can see the much better camber.

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I also mounted an EA81 rear end.  Gonna keep it all Torsion after all.

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And here I mocked it up a bit......Might set the wheel base soon.

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What the hell am I doing????

Edited by Gloyale
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your fawking up a bit

just a bit, but not in the "let's do something awesome" side of things..

in other words, the flat 90 degree weld of frame to channel iron , is going to promote cracking in the thinner frame metal.

 

Just make sure any flat frame welds are staggered, and you gusset spoob.

Looks awesome!

cheers

 

I can't stress enough to not weld straight up and down on frame pieces.

make an arrow --> out of the overlaying piece.

Edited by monstaru
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your fawking up a bit

just a bit, but not in the "let's do something awesome" side of things..

in other words, the flat 90 degree weld of frame to channel iron , is going to promote cracking in the thinner frame metal.

 

Just make sure any flat frame welds are staggered, and you gusset spoob.

Looks awesome!

cheers

 

I can't stress enough to not weld straight up and down on frame pieces.

make an arrow --> out of the overlaying piece.

 

Oh, those frame rails won't be just welded at the edge.  That would rip out immediately.......c,mon....I know better than that.

 

There will be A piece of 2 x 3 1/4 wall tube stuffed into the open end of the isuzu framerail.  Then will be plug welded multiple times on both sides and the top.  Then that piece will extend out about a foot out of the isuzu frame and be welded to the inside edge of the channel along the bottom, and some plug welds on the back side.

 

Additional plates will be added to gusset.  And another piece of 1/2" thick, by 2" wide flatbar will be stuffed between the upper lip of the channel, and the top of the frame section where they overlap.  So the butt end of the frame will COMPLETLEY fill the inside of the cahnnel, and then be plated diagonally across the inner edge.....turning the C-beam into a boxed section, around the front frame box section, which will be stuffed with the thick tube and all plug welded......A triple box beam cross section should work right????

 

Also, this chassis will bolt rigid to a unibody Subaru body, so will have all the strength of the unibody to resist bowing and twisting too.  So in other words it won't be like a truck where the frame has to hold everything cause the body is bolted with rubber and not designed to take any load.

 

Think of it as a continuous unibody spacer......rather than a standalone frame.  Although I did design it so I could change bodies :)

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INstalled the insert frame piece into the end of the trooper frame and plug welded it all around.  Not too pretty, it'll be better once I get the rest of the slag off

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And I dropped the end of the diff 1" to better the stretch on the axles, and keep them from hitting the framerails......success....But I still will notch just a touch to prevent hitting on huge hits.  Here is full drop, sitting on the bumpstops, torsions disconnected.

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And I finished attaching the skidplate to the transfer plate guard from the trooper.  So it's a continuos piece from front to middle....at least for now.

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More welds to come but it's in place for now and the bolt holes are all set.

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Can't wait to see this come to fruition....2 years from now haha

 

No way.

 

This is going to keep progressing pretty steadily.  I mean C'mon.....everything in this thread has been done since last Friday.....a week ago.

 

I plan on being able to put the frame toghether and install the engine/trans within the next 2 weeks.  Transfer case is gutted right now, gotta order new bearings and seal and rebuild it.

 

Body mounted by December.

 

From there it will be radiator (back seat) drivelines, seats, rollcage, dash and column, and oh yeah.....might need some brakes.  Still alot to do but this will not take "years"

 

There is a definate deadline actually.......Mountain Top Mud Jam.  May of next year.

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