Numbchux

I've seen many pictures of Toyota alloy wheels on 6-lug converted subarus. What are people using for lug nuts? Toyota alloys use a mag-style lug nut (or most do, I own 2 sets). I spent about an hour of down time at work (AutoZone) today looking through the dorman catalog, looking for an option. There are a very small number of 12x1.25 lug nuts, only one with a mag-seat, and it's not available in our system. So I started looking at 12x1.5 studs (as I have 2 full sets of OEM Toyota mag nuts) to convert my brat. Couldn't find anything with a knurl that's only a bit larger, and short shoulder that was available. I can get them from rockauto (610-275) for $0.87 each. 20.88 + shipping I'm looking at aftermarket tonight. Summit Racing has some shank style 12x1.25, but the largest seat is about 17.5mm diameter, whereas the toyota lug nuts have a 18.5mm diameter seat. So that's out. Anyway, seems like converting to 12x1.5 is really the only feasible option. Just wondering what people have done...

2.5 intake manifold ports: 2.2

I've heard of people using 3 bolts, and calling it good enough. Stock XT6 uses 5 bolts, EA82 uses 4. I wasn't really comfortable with that, I cut the tabs off the GL brackets, and welded them on the XT6 brackets at the correct location. Then I just mounted the EA82 brackets onto the passenger side seat (not really an option with the driver's side as the height adjustment complicates things).

Like!!! I really want to see a subaru boxer in a yota truck engine bay (my preference would be EG33.....but EJ would do just fine)

all do-able. If you're not afraid of pulling the trans apart, swapping the low range and 5th gear are pretty easy. 4th is much more in-depth, as there's a bearing between 4th and 5th on both shafts. Also, I'm not 100% sure if the PT4WD lower gears will swap in place of FT4WD ones, I'd have to look again. FWIW. I don't believe for a second that the turbo models are any stronger, I've been in and out of many subaru 5MTs (EA82t, EA82, XT6, couple EJs), they all look identical to me. Also, you may not see an improvement in mpg with the taller gears and an EA82t. With the low compression and such, it may not have the power to maintain speed without leaning on the throttle pretty hard. The RX ratios were absolutely idiotic in my wagon behind an EJ22.....but the gains may not be much.

I got it from 1st Subaru (Now http://www.discountedsubaruparts.com ). I just pulled up the invoice email, it was the same part number posted here, and was $311 after shipping ($283 before).

I posted a part number in one of my threads....can't find it now. But the application I used was a 2004 Forester XT. But it's the same part for many models, and the part number for the older jdm 4.444 5MTs has been superseded for the FXT part #.

They almost always do stick open (or the spring wears out, and they open too soon, or don't close all the way). Someone is making a fortune off of the "Fail Safe" tstat marketing, though.

The concern is not the temperature rating. It's how reliably it works, the size of the opening, and location/quality of the "jiggle" valve. IMO you'd be better off putting some cardboard in front of the rad for a week while you wait for one to get shipped from you from 1stsubaru (now http://www.discountedsubaruparts.com )

I work at Autozone. They're made in Israel. If someone walks in and asks for a tstat, I'll sell them one. But I don't buy them.

Blocking off the radiator might help, but it's a bandaid. The heater core is not enough to keep the engine below operating temp unless it's REALLY cold outside. Which means you're getting circulation through the radiator. which can only mean your tstat isn't operating correctly. Get an OEM one, and report back.

This is my thought. If there's fluid in the radiator, but it's not circulating through the engine/heater core at all, it sounds like the tstat and pump are still in air, which means it isn't getting from the rad to the engine. Also, a clean gear oil bottle with the bottom cut out works great for bleeding out air in the same way.

Sounds like you're having some sort of clog between the radiator and the water pump.....kinked hose? something stuck in the tstat?

Moog is basically just a distributor. You can easily get 2 boxes, with the same part numbers on them, with 2 different manufacturers' parts in them. That said, I've had great experiences with them. Basically all I use, although I don't get them on ebay :-p The boot should absolutely come pre-installed. It's supposed to be an extremely tight fit, because they're not supposed to come off. And yes, a ball joint that you can move around by hand is junk. New ones should be very stiff. Same goes for tie rod ends. And no, they rarely pop out of the control arm easily. I've learned the hard way. Undo the nut on the bottom, and use your leverage system to break it free from the control arm first. Then put it back, thread the nut on hand-tight, and start over to pull it out of the knuckle. Also, (in case you didn't figure this out, although I suspect you did) disconnecting the sway bar is extremely helpful. Don't want any more force on the control arm then you have to.

Hello new gen section! A good friend of mine just bought a 2013 Forester. He seems pretty excited about it, but wants to give it a little boost. Does anyone know if the SJR 2" kit for a '00-'04 Legacy would fit? It's almost the exact same suspension design....so.....it should work, right??

Yep, I did, and WJM did before me. We had the same issue. The Multilink rear suspension ('00+ Legacy/Baja/Outback, '08+ Impreza/Forester) does not pivot front to back at all, and so there isn't a big bushing in the top mount. WJM and I both removed that bushing, and solid-mounted the shock to the mount.....and we both broke the shock shaft. Subaru multilinks also use a larger bolt in the bottom mount, so a bushing is required to take up that slack. Not impossible, but another hoop to jump through. My thread on the subject (I actually used NA chassis Miata shocks, but they're almost identical). And how it resulted (cliff notes: with coilover sleeve springs, NB miata shocks are a perfect fit). http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=78684 Someone on the XT boards made an extension for the shaft so he could use '08+ STi shocks on his XT and maintain that upper bushing. He had minor issues with the spring perches (larger diameter than the EA82s) rubbing on the chassis, but he was able to clearance it. His thread: http://subaruxt.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=138146#p138146

I haven't had any bad luck with aftermarket pumps, just aftermarket gaskets. Get an OEM gasket (they're not expensive), and you'll be much happier.

Yea, I'm thinking the same thing. Would be awesome in my Brat. But, I'm going to drive it some with the VLSD before I dump more money into it just because it would be cool. And if it seems to be a problem, it's not too hard to upgrade. I think with the body lift, I could probably do it without dropping the transmission.

phase 1 and 2 center diff housings are interchangeable. So yes, it absolutely is possible...just a matter of money. 5MT DCCD centers are not cheap.

Agreed. I've done it both ways.....and I'll never do it with a punch again. Even the ones that aren't rusted solid, it's so much easier to just slap the pin socket on an impact and buzz it out.

Apply hammer I fit 215/75r15s (calculate to about 27.5) on my '88 with a 4" AA lift with just some pounding: This car had 235/75r15s (about 29") on only a 3" lift. More cutting was needed for that.

yes, they will fit. lateral links will not allow camber adjustment, though. They're just too far away from the pivot point (upper strut mount) to change the camber angle much without causing issues with the axles. We have adjustable links ( http://www.tssfab.us ) on our #171 rally car. We accidently had one side adjusted way out. Easily had it aligned, but when we started driving it, kept having one axle popping out of the diff. We cranked them back in so they would stop ruining axles.....and the camber change was negligible. Camber bolts is the only way to do it. Also, pillowball/heim joints are very noisy. They'll rattle and clank over every little bump. Not recommended for anything but a purpose-built rig.

Are those r180 backing plates? I think I remember the center hole being a smaller on the r160 ones and not needing the centering ring welded in. I don't see adapters for the calipers, so I assume they're r180....

yes. Running into something straight on is always safer than hitting it sideways.

Can an EA82 front strut fit in an EA81 knuckle? Vice Versa? I was looking up front struts at work today, and noticed that the EA81 fronts have a substantially shorter stroke than EA82. My Brat front struts are junk, but I have some decent used EA82 ones here.....