Numbchux

as far as axles go, all subarus are the same width. if you're using an STi tranny....use STi axles. if you're using a legacy, use your 25-spline impreza axles. ditto for an early WRX tranny. since you've got EJ knuckles, you'll have no more issues with axles than someone doing the swap into a newer car... did that make any sense? no need for a different radiator. I'd much rather use the EA radiator, since it actually was designed to fit into the chassis. plumbing it all together is rather simple. I too would recommend going to a standalone ECU, which will have it's own wiring issues. my buddy's going EJ22t in his legacy, and using a Link ECU. it came with a 2 meter wiring harness....enough so you wouldn't have to mess with the stock wiring harness one bit. I'm pretty much finished with the text portion of my writeup. I'll upload the MSWord document to my school account soon so you guys can read it over before I convert it to a pdf.

yea, unless you go divorced tcased. I think anything over 29s is doing more harm then good. and if you're only running 28-29s, anything over about 4" of lift is just hurting your center of gravity... and no, I don't need any more parts...I've got more EA82 parts than I know what to do with (I've been giving them to a couple buddies that have EA82s, aswell as numerous boxes with my last wagon I sold, and I still have shelves full)....just no DL quad headlights. I got an offer about a week ago to get a set, but I just don't have the money now anyway....someday, though....someday.

^^I think he was referring to the discovery in the origional video....did you watch it? apparently computer controlled everything!! my uncle's disco is like 10 years old with close to 200k miles on it....it hasn't had any problems. btw, I just saw a very sweet looking defender tool through Duluth today! I just thought it was pretty funny since we were just talking about it.

the viscous center diff is pretty strong. when Austin and I went up to the MN offroad park, he got high centered, but with both back wheels touching the ground, and one front wheel in the air. if the center was truly open, that one front wheel that was in the air would spin freely....but no, it spun, but at the same time, one of the back wheels dug a hole in the ground trying to get traction. I think the ideal situation would be LSD or welded rear, and dual handbrake on the front. the front diff is the only one that you don't and can't easily get a traction control device in....

now I'm confused. you said the suspension gave 1.5-2", plus the tires 2", gives 3.5-4". now you're saying it's 3+ without the tires? I'm not understanding something.... anyway, when my buddy upgraded to AGX's in his impreza, we checked it out. and the yeild barely as much travel as the stock struts. so I would imagine that forester AGXs wouldn't be an upgrade over stock forester struts except they're stiffer...

I will miss the confusion caused by rolling up to the offroad park in my subaru. but the only cost advantage the subaru has, is initial cost, and tires (35s cost a little more than 29s...). but I should be able to get this truck on 35s by spring with about $500. and I have an AT, gearing, and articulation. next summer...5.29 axle gears, and lockers (detroit rear, ARB front). the subaru was fun....but it's got nothing. 3" subaru body lift: I paid $350, but I think they're more now.... toyota 1.5" ball joint spacer for the front: $100 add-a-leaves for the rear: $50 2" body lift: $150 total 3.5" lift (half suspension too): $300 the lockers and gears will be uber expensive, but at least it's possible. rear disc conversion is a bit more expensive....but should easily be able to do it for less than $500. so yea, the subaru was cheaper, but not by as much as many people think. and the subaru broke stuff doing trails the runner will laugh at....

sounds sweet! but like scott mentioned, stock gearing and 31s is too much. I had 27.5" tires on my blue wagon, and 29s on my black wagon. and 29s were too big. it had zero power. the door isn't that terribly limiting. there's still plenty of body to cut away there, and if you leave the pivot point up high (not all the way at the body with a 6" ), it'll push the rear wheel back on compression, making it a total non-issue. nooo, you want to give the Headlights to MEEEEE

cause on the EA82s, it runs in front of the crossmember. and you have to remove the Y-pipe to take it off....or cut it out. yea....I'm lazy that way.

well, Austin's got forester springs AND struts on his imp, for a real 3.5-4" of lift (not including tires). And he's driven it back and forth between WA and MN like 4 or 5 times in the last few years. He hasn't had any CV problems yet.

nope, every ford 4-lug car I've ever seen has been FAR too small... in fact, every 4-lug except peugeot and VW have been FAR too small...VW is just a little too small...

I see..you counted the larger tires as part of the lift...that explains it.

Looks sweet! did you use Outback struts? or just regular Legacy ones. The outback ones are almost identicaly to the forester ones....Judging from the space between the top of your tires and the spring perch, I'd bet they're outback ones. Also, I don't think there's any way you'd have gotten almost 4" of lift with just springs.

I drove my blue lifted wagon with the sway bar disconnected but still installed for months with no problems....

+1 for it not being a head gasket. Sounds more like intake manifold to me....and they're much more likely to go out than a head gasket...unless you totally F#$%ed them up on installation, but I'm assuming that's not it.

Oh yea, there was a defender at the first Crawl 4 the Cure, I believe (it may have been a different run....but I don't think so). We watched it play around on the rocks near the Mud Runs.....yea, it was pretty impressive!!

My uncle has a 2" lifted discovery...and man does it look sweet!! Hopefully he can come out with us next summer!

I've been looking for a rust-free 1st gen 4Runner since before Zap ever got his truck.... But don't think for a second that it's a coincidence that at least 3 of us upgraded to Toyota

I think a simple full frame would be best. just tie everything together, and it'll beef the whole system up. how are you going to get front ebrake? are you intending to go solid front and rear axles? or just rear? if you do both, you'll have to get pretty creative to get front calipers with handbrake brackets for the front.

IIRC that rig already has a sammy case.

my lifted EA82 easily got 28 mpg. my EJ-swapped loyale gets the same in the city under my lead foot. made a little road trip with our String Quartet. 4 people, instruments, and stands. usually cruising at about 60. easily saw 32 or more. a V8 will suck more gas than a subaru motor. assuming their both running well. I dont see why you bother arguing it. especially since you obviously don't want to do it for the mileage.

I doubt it could be done and maintain the 4WD system. and if that's the case....what's the point?! actually, what's the point at all? I'll take my all-aluminum 4-cyl with 4WD over anything with a V8 any day.

Just make sure you get the mounting points perfect. If the bellhousings are not perfectly aligned, it'll put lateral pressure on the pilot bearing, and the input shaft of the tranny. Just be sure to get things lined up right.

meh. if you use toyota 8" axles....just get real lockers. the dual ebrake thing is cool, but definately inferior to real lockers. nonetheless, it sounds like an awesome project. if I had had more time, and a welder/decent welding skills. I wanted to do this to my wagon. but, alas....other plans. good luck man!! and keep us posted!

I've got one of his plates. and had no worries about those 2 holes being too close. my worry with the offset bolt like 91loyale did, is getting it tight enough on the engine side. it wasn't that hard to get at the bolts on the engine. especially if you put the plate on the engine before dropping the engine in. and yea, if you go to an EJ trans down the road. just get longer bolts, and slip a nut on the back. there's room.

I'd be VERY worried about the rust. I've not ever seen one that's had cosmetic rust, that didn't have holes in the framerails. How do you know the unibody isn't rusted out? Get on the ground and look, even bring a small hammer and tap everything. scrape a little of it off....you get the idea. I've seen many of them (owned 2, actually) that the framerails fell apart long before there was any serious cosmetic signs. btw, it's NOT AWD, it's 4WD. if the owner is telling you it's AWD, make sure they knew you cannot drive it with it engaged on dry roads. if they did, the clutch pack may be shot. or you could just swap the front diff with the D/R trans that was in your legacy. and make it D/R!!