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Suspension Bushes '81 Brat


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So while checking the balljoints when I was trying to track down the reasoning for my stiff steering... (still unsure, maybe I'm just going paranoid)

I found the bushing between the wishbone suspension thing and the crossmember on one side had a decent amount of play, nearly metal to metal type of thing.

What is the story with replacing this one, they are replaceable right?

Easy to buy from parts places?

Do I need to to both at once?

I hope my description is enough. Thanks for any help.

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Yes they're replacable, and hopefully available. Getting parts for an 81 brumby in NZ can be tricky as they're a crossover year and have the 1800 engine in the 1600 chassis.

 

To make things even trickier, the ones made in NZ (like mine) are slightly different from the jap imports. Hopefully like me you have a patient and helpful parts guy - when I needed a front CV the guy had one in stock with the right spline counts and seal size, but the shaft size on the NZ utes are smaller, they use 2wd shafts. He ordered in one with the same specs on paper for me and luckily it was the right one. Repco aren't too helpful.

The guy at the wgtn subaru dealership is pretty helpful too. I think the balljoints and tierod ends are different too.

 

If you don't have a haynes manual, there are a few on trademe pretty regularly - the one for the 70s subaru 1600 is pretty much right for the chassis, and for the engine you can dl the factory service manual from a search on this site. Here's one: http://tinyurl.com/k5eyl

 

Let us know how you go. If you find the bushes I'd like to know how much they are and where you get them from. If you can't find any in NZ, I'm considering making some urethane ones on my lathe but probably not for at least a few weeks until I get my insurance payout from when I got crashed into.

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Hey there cuba street. First off, I had a talk to the Subaru parts guy and he said I'd need to take him my chassis number, I'll do that tomorrow. (He also exclaimed while asking "You still with that little thing" "of course" then I said there was a Vortex involved too and he started laughing at me....:-\)

On the manual front, I think I've got a 77 Factory Service Manual and a 82 FSM for my dad coming my way off trade me, So hopefully I'll be covered by those two...

Stupid crossover year makes it difficult doesn't it?....

 

I'm planning on trying to replace balljoints and tierod ends once I've got the money, they don't need it yet I think, but I still want to.

I'm pretty sure mine was NZ new aswell.

Thanks for the reply, Ill let you know how I get on, anyone feel free to shed some light on the 1981 brumby and the differences between it and the 80' and the 82'

JOhnB

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I was pretty tempted by those three vortexes up north on trademe.

Pretty sure the 81 is the same as the 80 except 4 the engine, problem is that when you go to a parts place and ask for parts they think the important thing is the year and the engine size. However by then the leone had a different chassis for the 1800 but the brumby didn't.

 

All the parts I bought like balljoints etc have been the ones specced for an 81 1600 leone. They were real cheap tho, like $20 each.

 

It's not just that I have trouble with tho. I have 8 '78 mitsi lancer as well with a 4g36 engine. the new guy at the parts store kept telling me mitsi never did a 4g36 engine until i pulled the haynes off the shelf next to him and showed him it.

 

good luck!

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Heh Oh well... At least we know what we are talking about...

 

Just another Q. Since its got the dual range and 1800, is it just the engine mounts and tranny mounts and the axels that are slightly different, or are they the same as the 1600 brumby?

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Oh Yeah. I asked at the parts place again yesterday. Can only buy whole door hinge assemble, about $45 each from japan. And can get the sus bush from japan at about $25 each or something from japan. May take weeks. So they said my best bet was to take the old one out and get it matched up at a shock shop.

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