kirzick Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 (edited) Hey all. I've been building a 82 wagon for awhile. I'm doing a 5 lug swap, ej22 and ej 5spd. I want to usea ea82 engine crossmember, so I can have power steering. I want to use a 94 ej power steering rack. Has anyone done something similar? I know the ea82 crossmember is a bit wider. I want as little lift as possible. Would using a piece of steel plate from the bottom of the framerail to the ea82 crossmember work? As long as I used thick enough steel plate I don't see a problem with it. Thanks Edited January 30, 2016 by kirzick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbosubarubrat Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 I have a ea82 crossmember and power steering rack mounted up to my hatchback with a 6". I know people have used flat bar to mount crossmembers in before. Have you thought about using a whole ej suspension? I've seen a couple ea71 and ea81 cars done that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirzick Posted January 30, 2016 Author Share Posted January 30, 2016 Here's my plan for the front suspension. Legacy brakes, hubs, and struts with a ea81 top hats. Ea82 crossmember with control arms reemed out to ej ball joint size. From what I've read, a ej 5spd and front axles work in a ea82 if also using ej wheel hubs. Is this true? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirzick Posted January 30, 2016 Author Share Posted January 30, 2016 For the rear I have xt6 5 lug hubs and disc brake conversation. I will get some uprated shocks and a sway bar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirzick Posted January 30, 2016 Author Share Posted January 30, 2016 The end goal is a built up turbo ej sleeper wagon. I want to get the brakes and suspension beefed up to handle the power. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirzick Posted February 4, 2016 Author Share Posted February 4, 2016 From what I've read, a ej 5spd and legacy front axles work in a ea82 if also using ej wheel hubs. Is this true? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skishop69 Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 I have a ea82 crossmember and power steering rack mounted up to my hatchback with a 6". I know people have used flat bar to mount crossmembers in before. Have you thought about using a whole ej suspension? I've seen a couple ea71 and ea81 cars done that way. Dude! That lift set up is hugely unsafe! No bueno! You've taken a support for the cross member that was 3" wide and essentially reduced it to a 1" point where the blocks meet. Your vertical support is now riding on a 3/16" piece of flat bar that IS going to bend inward. Both of them. Add to that, you have now taken that set up and raised the center of gravity adding more force exponentially to the lateral loading (side to side) that it was designed to take. Those blocks are going to succumb to work fatigue from that extra loading and crack or break. I'm not saying immediately. It will take time to happen based on what type of driving you do and vehicular abuse but it WILL happen sooner or later. I'm not saying tear it out, nor am I trying to insult you or your work. I'm just pointing out your knowledge of physics and fabricating isn't where you want it to be. It's easily fixed though. Weld a piece of 3/16" plate from the inside bottom edge of the top block to the inside bottom edge of the bottom block. Weld another plate from the top outside edge of the bottom block to the top outside edge of the top block. You'll end up with it looking like two small triangles on the sides. Do this to the left and right sides and you'll have no issues. Seriously, no offense intended. If that thing broke, you lost control and someone was injured or killed and an investigation was done, you'd be legally responsible. Just thinking of your safety and well being. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbosubarubrat Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 I take it your talking about the radius rod bracket. Many people don't even bother bracing them and haven't had any problems. If you do it's because you where doing something you shouldn't have like jumping where you actually rip out your unibody mounting points or you have terminal rust. All the heavily wheeled rigs i have seen haven't even bent a lift block unless they went with thin tubing. They bend the unibody if anything. I have it linked with 1x1 square tubing wish i had framed it together with 2x2 tubing but it's better than what most have done. If you don't believe me start looking at other peoples lifted rigs. Haven't had any problems with the lift in the 8 months i've been driving with it on and off road. I routinely check my lift blocks about every month to make sure nothing shifted and that all the bolts are still tight (even though nothing has moved since the first road test and retighten). It won't be setup like this forever anyways since most likely getting sas'd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wagonist Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 No, he's talking about the engine crossmember lift blocks. Those things have vertical load on them. When you offset something to the side, it introduces a twist as well. No good without extra bracing. I wouldn't just triangle brace them, I'd plate the entire end. Rectangles are also not good at resisting twisting, no matter how thick the steel (just look at how easy it is to crush a cardboard box once the bottom is folded in). weld the nuts in so they become captive first, then you won't have to worry about accessing them. plate 1 side of the radius rod brackets too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirzick Posted February 5, 2016 Author Share Posted February 5, 2016 (edited) Can anybody tell me which axles I need to order? Thanks Edited March 3, 2017 by kirzick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbosubarubrat Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 Dang threadjack. Can anybody tell me which axles I need to order? Thanks From what i've read 93 awd impreza axles should work in the front with the ej hubs assuming that your ej trans has 25 spline stubs. If it has 23 go with 93 fwd impreza axles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomRhere Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 Axle info sounds right. You need the inner spline count of axle to match trans stub spline count. As far as EA82 crossmember into EA81 body, it can be done, lift or no lift. Lift does make it easier. Someone on here posted on how they did theirs, by modding the EA82 crossmember to move the mount holes for the frame rail attachment inwards to fit the EA81 body frame rail width. Cutting and welding was involved. Don't think they lifted the vehicle any. Trying to recall just who it was that did it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirzick Posted March 3, 2017 Author Share Posted March 3, 2017 Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skylar Posted March 4, 2017 Share Posted March 4, 2017 It was Gloyale. He has a thread on here somewhere with pics showing where he cut & welded some tabs to mount the 82 crossmember in an 81 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomRhere Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 Thanks skylar! Was thinking it was him, but wasn't sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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