AWD Hi/Lo Transmission?

[[HTi]Johnson]

Hello, I'm an old gen owner asking if Subaru still makes a dual range transmission? I've heard rumors of them being available in Japan.

Thanks, [HTi]Johnson

[avk]

I know they were available in Europe on Impreza in combination with EJ16 engine.

[Zefy]

ya they make them in every place except north america... but there isn't a huge difference in gearing on them...

 

if you want a d/r in your new gen suby talk to mudrat79(John Bloom)... he can put in a 5sp d/r into your new gen... just do a search and you'll find him...

 

but you loose AWD... but so what... turn on the 4wd when you need it and save money on gas when in FWD... sounds like a good deal to me...

 

later,

[Forester_Ranger]

yeah you only get a 1.196:1 low-range on the AWD Dual-ranges. Mudrat put a ea82 5-speed Dual-range in my Forester. Pretty sweet set up if you ask me. Even though I don't get AWD.

[rweddy]

but you loose AWD... but so what...

Unless you are using your vehicle for pure off-road AWD is superior to 4wd in every way, this is why. I would never want to go back to 4wd now that I have AWD in my Subaru, I just wish I could get dual range in N. America.

 

Changing a AWD to 4WD is a step backwards in technology.

[church-heliboy]

AWD and Hi/Lo ratio still available in Europe on the Forester. I know as I have recently brought one.

[Zefy]

rweddy

 

Unless you are using your vehicle for pure off-road AWD is superior to 4wd in every way, this is why. I would never want to go back to 4wd now that I have AWD in my Subaru, I just wish I could get dual range in N. America.

 

Changing a AWD to 4WD is a step backwards in technology.

 

your right... it is a step back... i my dad atually wants subaru to make a d/r fwd suby so it meets his crazy expectations of a vihicle... i told him that they won't because its a step back in technology... he doesn't believe me...

 

but he has a point... our other car is isuzu rodeo... and we maybe use the 4wd a couple dozen times a year... (snowing, dirt roads, hauling stuff...) while the suby has AWD... now for us, thats a lot of wasted gas just to get out of a couple dozen sticky situations a year... when people turn off there AWD(its been done) they ussually get 35-38mpg... instead of the normal 28-30 with AWD... so when you count it all up thats fair amount of savings with gas... putting in the EA-82 trans seems like a really good move... you get more ability(with the d/r) and better fuel economy... its gonna be one of my first mods when i get my new gen car...(in oh 10 years... )

[[HTi]Johnson]

Ohyeah, Mudrat79 also can modify the 5speed D/R so it has LImited Slip in the front diff...none of this center diff with limited slip. It's pretty cool that he's developed a way.

[Sweet82]

AWD and 4WD are just different animals.

 

AWD maybe superior for traction control but you can't climb with the AWD setup. That's why people are doing the D/R tranny. The D/R will give you the ability to do some real 4wding. The stock AWD is a waste of time on anything but snow (and it's real good there).

 

It boils down to what you want out of your vehicle.

 

I want the ability to climb like my old GL had. I'll gladly sacrafice traction control for gearing.

 

My .02

Glenn

82 SubaruHummer--"Good" gears

01 Forester--No gears!

 

The Australians also have the newer D/R trannys.

[rweddy]

but he has a point... our other car is isuzu rodeo... and we maybe use the 4wd a couple dozen times a year... (snowing, dirt roads, hauling stuff...) while the suby has AWD... now for us, thats a lot of wasted gas just to get out of a couple dozen sticky situations a year... when people turn off there AWD(its been done) they ussually get 35-38mpg... instead of the normal 28-30 with AWD... so when you count it all up thats fair amount of savings with gas... putting in the EA-82 trans seems like a really good move... you get more ability(with the d/r) and better fuel economy... its gonna be one of my first mods when i get my new gen car...(in oh 10 years... )

This is actually a totally untrue statement about mpg and AWD.

 

You can read on this board that many have put the fuse in their AWD legacies and only got 1-2 mpg gains at best. An AWD system is not gas hog a part time 4WD system is. This can also be seen in factory specs for a 90s front wheel drive legacy vs. an AWD legacy.

 

Yes 4wd is much better for off-road use, but in rain, snow, and all handling situations AWD is superior in all ways. If you want to climb or rock crawl then 4wd is the only way to go.

[Forester_Ranger]

I've gone through one tank of gas since I've had the ea82 dual-range installed in my 98 Forester. Most of those miles where in FWD. I got 21 MPG which is about what I was getting when I had AWD. I was hoping for better mileage but so far it appears to be very little or no difference running in FWD vs AWD

[Zefy]

hmmm... well that was a kick in the groin...

 

 

i thought i read somewhere that people got like 5mpg better... hmmmm... the 5sp d/r mpg is kinda disapointing... but hey data is data... i guess it really depends on what you want to do with it... Sweet82 is abolutely right... you can't compare AWD and 4WD... apples and oranges... (and banana... they don't have a dancing orange or apple... )

[Ratty2Austin]

so here is the big question.... when/how and if... can we get some AWD D/Rs shipped to the US? put me on the list!

 

unless.. the EA D/R setup is cheaper than the shipping+tranny?

 

all I know, i need an LSD and a low range!

[Forester_Ranger]

so here is the big question.... when/how and if... can we get some AWD D/Rs shipped to the US? put me on the list!

 

unless.. the EA D/R setup is cheaper than the shipping+tranny?

 

all I know, i need an LSD and a low range!

 

EA D/R should be allot cheaper than importing AWD D/R. I found a AWD D/R at a Aussie junk yard once for I think $1500 not including shipping. I emailed the junk yard and didn't get a response about having it shipped to the US. You can get a EA D/R for around $200 at a junk yard and get a phantom grip LSD for around $300. You could even spend $1200 for a Cusco LSD and it will still be cheaper than importing an AWD D/R without LSD. If you must have AWD get a RX full-time dual-range. It has the same Low-range ratio as the new AWD D/R and should be cheaper. I think the ea82 D/R is the best bet though for off-road use. You get the 1.5:1 low-range as opposed to the 1.196 low range of the AWD D/R or RX Full-time D/R.

[Hagwag02]

EA D/R should be allot cheaper than importing AWD D/R. I found a AWD D/R at a Aussie junk yard once for I think $1500 not including shipping. I emailed the junk yard and didn't get a response about having it shipped to the US. You can get a EA D/R for around $200 at a junk yard and get a phantom grip LSD for around $300. You could even spend $1200 for a Cusco LSD and it will still be cheaper than importing an AWD D/R without LSD. If you must have AWD get a RX full-time dual-range. It has the same Low-range ratio as the new AWD D/R and should be cheaper. I think the ea82 D/R is the best bet though for off-road use. You get the 1.5:1 low-range as opposed to the 1.196 low range of the AWD D/R or RX Full-time D/R.

 

 

If I might interrupt... Hello. I'm visiting from over on Nasioc. I (and a couple of others) are interested in the D/R 5 speeds. Would someone verify some things for me?

 

Regarding 2002+ USDM Imprezas, RS, TS, OBS, WRX. The Australian and UK D/R 5speeds are 100% compatible with US EJ20 and EJ25 engines?

 

The AU and UK trannys are full-time AWD in both low and high range?

 

Are there any issues with the added power of the boosted engines and the D/R trannys?

 

Personally, I'm not wanting to do any serious off-roading, but my WRX is absolutely gutless below 2000 rpm and a gear reduction of ANY amount would be really nice in a place where I need to go reeeaaalllyyy slow and not have to lug the heck out of the poor thing.

 

Thanks a bunch.

 

Kevin

[NoahDL88]

I made a few calls about 5 months ago, it'll cost about 4g's to get one from australia, the price would drop quite a bit if there were more than one ordered, as shipping is about half the final cost.

 

Apparantly you can swap the low range from a NA 4wd to a RX AWD, best of both worlds eh

[Hagwag02]

I made a few calls about 5 months ago, it'll cost about 4g's to get one from australia, the price would drop quite a bit if there were more than one ordered, as shipping is about half the final cost.

 

Apparantly you can swap the low range from a NA 4wd to a RX AWD, best of both worlds eh

 

Thanks for the reply. I'm assuming everything I stated is correct.

 

WOW! $4K?

 

Has the price of oil also affected the price of petroleum jelly?

[Forester_Ranger]

If I might interrupt... Hello. I'm visiting from over on Nasioc. I (and a couple of others) are interested in the D/R 5 speeds. Would someone verify some things for me?

 

Regarding 2002+ USDM Imprezas, RS, TS, OBS, WRX. The Australian and UK D/R 5speeds are 100% compatible with US EJ20 and EJ25 engines?

 

The AU and UK trannys are full-time AWD in both low and high range?

 

Are there any issues with the added power of the boosted engines and the D/R trannys?

 

Personally, I'm not wanting to do any serious off-roading, but my WRX is absolutely gutless below 2000 rpm and a gear reduction of ANY amount would be really nice in a place where I need to go reeeaaalllyyy slow and not have to lug the heck out of the poor thing.

 

Thanks a bunch.

 

Kevin

 

Yes Aussie Dual-ranges are full-time AWD in hi and lo. They bolt up to any EJ engine. They also only come in N/A models which makes me beleive they are not strong enough for boosted engines. A cheaper solution to getting full-time 4wd with dual-range is the USDM RX dual-range. But an adapter plate must be used for fitment and it may not be able to handle boosted engines.

[Sweet82]

Me want D/R tranny

[pinister]

hi guys

all manual trasmissioned foresters imported to israel are EJ20, AWD and with dual range transmission (my 1999 forester is such).

the LOW ratio is 1:1.45 (69% reduced speed). it slows you but you cannot really crawl with it.

an ausralian workshop called SCORPION is about to improve it. i hope next summer it will be ready, so i plan to buy the and install it in my car (actually, i'll use a mechanic to do that).

about the AWD vs 4WD: it's better and safer to use AWD because all 4 wheels grip the road (as long as you use suitable tires...).

i don't know if the 4wd has no central diff (acts like locked diff). if so: in certain situations one axle can get too much power.

about grip: the best (for a car like forester) is 3 LSDs. this way you'll have always at least 2 wheels to drag you out, without risking the axles (as in full locked diff, which, i know, is stronger).

the original forester's central diff is viscose, and the other two might be something like phantomgrip. i already have one in the rear, and plan to put one in the front together with the LOW job. i already have the parts waiting (with the help of our dear John Bloom, alias MUDRAT79).

[Hagwag02]

Yes Aussie Dual-ranges are full-time AWD in hi and lo. They bolt up to any EJ engine. They also only come in N/A models which makes me beleive they are not strong enough for boosted engines.

 

 

This is what makes me skittish. I am assuming that the complete transmission housing and regular drive internals are identical in ALL 5mt versions, but that for some reason the low range is vulnerable to the extra power input.

 

However, I also remember the early 1980's Mitsubishi Colt my stepmother had that came with an "economy/power" transaxle selector lever. Those engines were really tiny and Mitsu put them in to accomodate for the low power out put. You could smoke the tire(s) in all four gears. Could Subaru be installing these D/R trannys for a similar reason? If so, they might be stout enough but the need for them to be offered in North American models has been deemed as unnecessary for any number of reasons, especially in a model with oodles of power?

 

Thanks for helping to set this straight.

[pinister]

it's obvious that adding LOW range loads extra forces on every part that comes after the LOW mechanism: transmission, drive axles, diffs etc.

i guess that subaru designed that 1:1.45 LOW range with consideration of the capability of those parts to handle these forces.

but i am not sure that those part will handle stronger forces, like with shorter LOW, much stronger engine or welded/locked diffs.

i guess that SCORPION, that is going to develope the shorter LOW range, will have to take this into consideration, and it's possible that some of the parts will have to be replaced by stronger ones.

i also thing that a much stronger engine (like i just put, supposed to give 220-240 hp using a special computer, hasn't checked yet), together with that short LOW, will probebly increase the problem.