Forester_Ranger

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.

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

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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.

I have a 98 Forester. I recently had a ea82 5-speed dual-range tranny swap done to it. Was able to utilize my electrical Speed sensor on the ea82 tranny. But now my speedometer/odometer is reading 14% less than actual speed/mileage. Did some searching on the net for Speedometer Calibration. Found a product called the Yellow Box. it's at www.yellr.com I think. You connect the Yellow box into your speedo sensor wiring and you can calibrate your speedometer anywhere between +/- 0.25% to +/- 28% in .25% increments. They make 2 versions. One for 3 wire speed sensors and one for 2 wire inductor speed sensors. From looking at my speed sensor I can see there is 2 wires. Yellow box says one wire must be for the signal and the other is a ground wire. Both my wires connect into the wiring harness that leads inside the car. I can't tell if one wire is a ground wire. Does anybody know if my speed sensor is a 2 wire inductor type and if so which wire is the ground? I would like to know if this product will work on my speed sensor before buying it.

Yeah up on S Rock again. I need to take you up there. Nice area right in Springfield to test vehicles at. I think I broke my factory brush gaurd up there. I noticed a couple days later it was loose. It is broken off the 2 bottom bolts. the top 2 screws are the only thing holding it on.

here's a picture of the ea82 interior center piece I trimmed to fit in my 98 Forester center console. I'm happy with how everthing turned out. Mudrat did a great job on the dual-range conversion. I did take it out wheeling a few days ago and almost got it stuck in the mud. But was able to work it out. Next I need to get Mudrat bumpers and more Lift.

According to my Impreza brochures they have a curb weight of 2315-2895 lbs. Depending on models and options.

replied to PM

Do you really have a 1.45:1 low-range. I thought the Foreign Foresters had a 1.196:1 low-range. At least that is what it is in Australlian Foresters. If my EA82 tranny doesn't hold up I might just have to try and get one of those 1.45:1 low-ranges from Israel.

you could just buy an aftermarket navigation system and have it installed in the outback.

I think gearing is an issue with the Forester. I've owned my Forester since new and Have found hills that I would bog down on because I didn't have low enough gearing to make it to the top. And this is with stock tire size. I also have to burn the clutch allot to crawl through rough terrain. Those problems are solved by swapping in a ea82 5-speed Dual-range tranny with a 1.5:1 low-range. you then have the best of both worlds. The gearing of an old Subaru with the power of a new Subaru.

I downloaded both the 92 SVX and 98 Forester manuals from that website. You have 72 hours to do it and it will take all 3 days to download everything in the manual. Because they only allow you to download 20 files per hour. But it is a great deal.

when I get the SVX going. I'll then try to break the Forester. I need a vehicle to fall back on when the Forester breaks. I did take the Forester up to S Rock yesterday and played around a little. Didn't try any Hardcore stuff though. But the 4wd and LSD's work great. With Low-range I'm able to drive much slower now up and over stuff.

yep mudrat can make lifts for a Foresters. I have a 2" mudrat suspension lift on my Forester. He can also put in a dual-range tranny as well. He's working on a new lift for impreza/Forester/Outbacks that I think is 2" suspension and 4" body. He can fill you in on the details. there's also Scorpion lifts that offer 2" suspension and 2" Body lifts.

actually that's where it is sitting now. He's too busy with other stuff to work on it. He just finished putting a 5-speed D/R in my Forester. I don't need a D/R in the SVX as it will be my daily driver. I'll use the Forester for recreation.

California is too far for me. I would like to keep it within 100 miles of Eugene, Oregon. I'll rent a U-haul trailer to tow it somewhere. I've gotten estimates of $1400-2000. So I'm willing to pay within that range or less.

Looking for someone as close to Eugene, Oregon as possible to do a 5-speed swap on a 92 SVX. or has a shop to rent out. It has a dead auto tranny now and has been sitting at my mechanics shop for over a month and half. It will be another 2-4 weeks before he can start it. I would like to have it done sooner. I have the donor parts from a 98 Forester as well as a basic 5-speed kit from Small Car.

yep no dual range in a US models since I think '89. But I don't think those euro and aussie spec dual-ranges are anything to get excited about. They only have a 1.196:1 low-range. I have a 1.52:1 ea82 dual-range with front and rear LSD installed in my 98 Forester now. I don't see SOA ever offering Low-ranges again since most americans never use SUV's off-road.

I think you are better off getting a Tacoma. You know it will be reliable and you don't need to modify it to meet your needs. An Outback or Forester doesn't come with a low range and are low to the ground compared to a Tacoma. I've owned a 98 Forester since new and have done a consirdable amout of wheeling with it. You are very limited on what can be modified on a newer Subaru. It is hard to find Mud terrain tires small enough to fit. There are 2-4" lifts available for the outbacks and Foresters. I have a 2" lift and the biggest tires I can fit are 27-28". I'm also the first forester to have a dual-range installed from a late 80's Subaru. So that can be done as well but it's all customized to work. I still think I need to lift it a couple more inches in order to keep up with Tacomas off-road. And I still got to be more careful not to break stuff.

yeah I wouldn't lift an SVX either. I just bought a SVX a couple months ago so I could have a nice street car. I love off-roading as well. But I use my Forester for off-road use.

Just an update on the putting a phantom grip in the front of a ea82 dual-range. We put the phantom grip in and the front diff wouldn't turn the wheels at all. The car will only run in Rear wheel drive when 4wd is engaged. We then added the biggest shims for the spider gears to make the phantom grip as tight as possible. And still couldn't get the front end to engage. For some reason the Phantom grip won't work in a EA82 tranny. We are now taking it out and going to have to run a front open diff. I'm very dissatisfied with Phantom grip. The only other option is to try a Cusco Front LSD but costs $1200. Which is too much money for me to experiment with.

I think you should put an a big lift and gnarly tires on it. Make it an off-road monster.

Pinister, How many Miles have you run on your Phantom Grip. I've heard bad things about Phantom grip as well. I had to seriously consider if I wanted to try it. But I don't know of anything else that would work without going as extreme as welding axles. Mudrat will be putting a ea82 dual-range with a phantom grip for my front diff. In My Forester this Weekend. We are also going to put in a Suburu 3:90 rear end LSD. I just hope I get some good miles out of the Phantom Grip before it destroys my front diff.

very nice