Mr. Brat

I have had this same excact problem... Seems to be it wont shift into gear just like what was said. Now this doesnt mean that the splines are stripped or the trans is bad... (which it could be). But what he failed to say is if he didnt shift gears and just engaged the 4wd. So IMO it could be just a broken CV joint! This happened to me before. The joint broke, and with no load on the trans with shifts smother and feels like it doesnt do into gear. This would also explain why it didn't move in 2wd. The axle can just spin inside the boot or cup and not make any noise... (had it happen) I popped the hood, left it running in gear and seen the CV cup off the trans spining and the axle staying still, once again... no noise and no movement. Put it in 4wd and continued on my way.

This is what I found when I removed the rear sub frame. Easy out snapped on the front bolt, so I had to cut out the frame port and have to fab in some brackets now

Well I had to cut my stock ones to get them out (trying to get a stiffer rear suspension). So I went to the junk yard and picked some up out of a wagon. And now i found that the right rear was rubbing on the fender. Thinking that the torsion bar wouldn't hold the same amount of weight was the cause... Found tonight that I have a broken lift block bolt that caused the rear suspension to roll back when accelerating and on a right hand corner... ****ing bolt!!!!!! Now with that being said... All the 2wd cars sit a lot lower to the ground, on my lowered brat I am building, could that rear suspension be adapted to the 4wd trailing arm? So hence a lower profile... Just throwing that out there since we are talking about torsion bars and such.

Is there a differance between the rear toersion bars on a 4x4 ea81 (hatch, wagon, sedan or brat)? Mainly looking for weight rating... Is one stiffer than the other?

Have you looked to see if there is differant tires on the brat? If there is, that could be why it is bound up to tight.

Have you tried pushing down and letting the clutch out a little, see if the gears need to free themselves up a little. I sometimes have to do that with my brat.

There is a mirco switch under the center console that turns the 4wd light on in the cluster. That could be out of adjustment also. As for the churping... It can still do this in 2wd, but either way it shouldn't churp unless it has a lock rear diff. Lift the back both tires off the ground and try and turn one wheel. If it doesn't turn then it is in 4wd. If both rear wheels turn the same direction then the rear diff is welded. Spinning the opposite direction the diff is open. Hope this helps.

I would love to put an sit in brat number two!!!!! Welcome to the board!!!

You can buy both sinlge and dual beam hid kits. The only differance between the 2 is there is a magnet that pulls the light in/out to achive a differant reflective stand point. Might want to also invest in a headlight cleaning kit. You can have the best headlights on the market and have the cloudy yellow lens and your super bight headlights look like a 5w bulb in the sunshine!!!

Rumblee that is true to a point, hid "kits" are designed to be mated with "projector lenses." But on the other hand, it all depends on the way your headlight lens is cut and the back part of the headlight bucket is designed. I have an hid kit in my truck with factory clear headlights and it throws a distinct line of light further and brighter than my previous silver start ultras did. I do know what your saying with the "fake" hids that are on the market. Don't buy the hid bulbs only, this is just a blue bulb. There are kits on the market not to retrofit almost any headlight to a projector hid headlight.

I have done a similar kit in my super duty and am in the process of putting projector hid in my brat. Just over a quick ebay search I found these http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/h7-headlight-hid-kit-yamaha-r1-04-08-r6-03-08-07-06-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQfitsZYearQ3a1986Q7cMakeQ3aSubaruQQhashZitem5d2ab8ae70QQitemZ400148704880QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories#ht_3928wt_948

Oh ok, I am picking up what your throwin down. I dont know if I am going to be in Little Naches for M-day this year or not... But if by chance I am... and we do have the BRAT meet that weekend I will do my best to try and make it up for one day atleast!!!!

I was just reminded my the wife that we are busy the weekend of 14th and 15th in May. Just an fyi... I am with Mugs on tradition... but it would also be nice for a change of scenery... and its not that much further than the first and original BRAT meet. just another .02

Dang i didn't think of that either... I think we mig be onto something here!

Or possibly to weekends after memorial weekend... Then some of the people attending might have a change to catch up on chores and maybe catch up on money if they had a crazy 3 day weekend. Just throwing that out there also...

I put 95 impreza seats in my brat. I did not use the brat seat rails at all. I took off the mounts front the impreza seats (left just the rails them selves) and made my btackets out of 1/8x1" flat steel. Works just fine.

I like the Leavenworth idea my self.

Most of the interior, doors only, and everything from the a-pillars forward.

You could, but that will put alot of stress on your axles.

I have a 4 inch lift and 215-75r15's and my tires barely rub at full lock.

Yeah that was me, just drove to Spokane and back. I wanted to get home...

Alternator should put out 14.4v at an idle. If you wanted to try the ground trick... easy way is to just take a part of jumper cables from your alternator/bracket to the negitive post on the battery. Could also take those same jumper cables and hook them to the positive side of the battery to the charging post of the alternator. That would eliminate a broken or corroded charging wire. Also look at your fusable link, I have one go out on me the other day and it did some goofy stuff... Just my .02... hope it helps

I put a 04-05 wrx hoodscoop on my brat. I think it looks just fine, and have gotten plenty of comments on it.

That is the brat that got got me going on this. I was thinking of the frankin motor... but that still leaves the weak EA axles and washy suspension.

Kiwi- I was thinking the same think, but his wheels don't stick out near as far as yours you. They are still inside the funders.