ettev

I put a straight 4" lift on my '85 Brat. In conjunction I also cranked the torsion bar for a bit more rear and I also ran the front strut adjusters all the way up for additional front lift. Camber from hell, but the tires don't seem to be wearing irregularly or faster than usual. 80% highway use to 20% fishing trail offroads use for the Brat. The new project will be my kids main ride. He's 17 years old so I'm guessing it will be closer to a 50/50 split road/trails. I see a lot of people running the 4/3 lifts but just don't really understand the benefits or what exactly they are for that matter.

4".........3"............4/3. Pros and cons? What does the 4/3 do for you that a straight 3 or 4 doesn't? Ready to do a '84 GL wagon and am looking at a 4/3. I already have a set of 14" steel pug's and 28" Swampers for this project so I want to get the proper kit to best utilize them.

Yeah, I think there are 4 phillips head screws that hold that inner plate in place. WARNING!!! WARNING!!! WARNING!!! WARNING!!! Do not strip them! Yep, experience talking. If there're really tight and they don't appear to want to budge soak them a few times over an hour or so with good penetrant. You can try taping them LIGHTLY with the screwdriver on them and a small hammer. WARNING!!! WARNING!!! WARNING!!! WARNING!!! Small hammer!!! Don't pound the crap out of them or you'll break the pump housing itself. Also, that little ball and spring are related to the oil pressure. How was yours before you took it off? If it was low get yourself a REAL thin flat washer and install it under the end of the spring opposite the ball. That'll boost your oil pressure a bit for you.

Been using mine recently as well. 4" lift and a set of 215/75-15 General A/T's and a Weber bartender. Runs great and most of my drive is open interstate. I'm high 26's or better on average with mileage. I have a 120 mile per day round trip honk and the EA81 just purrs along. Won't win any races, but what the hell.

I put PS on my '85 Brat and didn't swap the crossmember. Used the non-ps one. PM me and I can give you a list of "watch outs" that you'll run in to.

Buy some of this stuff. I buy it in the gallon tin and run it out of a pistol-squirt oil can. Best stuff I've found to date, and I live in the rust belt. http://www.kanolabs.com/

Boy, I didn't even consider the dash and wiring harness stuff. Yeah, he's been riding motorcyles for 10 years so he should get the hang of the D/R in short order. Never mind. Case closed.

Yeah, actually seriously thinking about it. I have the Brat he could drive with the D/R in it. Probably wouldn't want to trade the D/R setup......kinda' like the idea of having a spare laying around. But with the swap we'd be in to pedals and all the other misc stuff right? How about speedo cable etc? You know, all the incidental stuff. Talk me out of this.

Going to be doing up a 1984 wagon for the kid to use. It's currently the 4-spd dual range setup. I'm toying with the idea of yanking that out and going with an automatic. Apart from finding a good EA81 auto trans what else is involved? Drive shafts different? Etc, etc, etc, etc?

Thanks Mick.

Where is the cyclops light RELAY mounted on a 1982 GL wagon?

Mick, is the Sterling bar in this picture yours? I just got one of these exact units! Just curious about the wiring for the Hella's. I'm doing the same thing. Just wire poked out thru a hole or did you do some kind of plastic looming around it?

205/65-15's.......no lift.......very minimal rubbing. I did that on a '87 GL wagon. Made it at least feel like a smoother highway ride. Performance did not suffer. Naturally you'll need to mentally adjust for the speedometer difference. They look a bit more agressive with the bigger buns too.

If it doesn't have the seats in the back the bed is about 5'-2" long (cab wall to closed tailgate). You'd pick up another 18" or so if the gate is left open. If it has the seats in you only have about 3'-4" from the edge of seats to the closed tailgate. The bed is about 4'-2" wide but then the wheel wells cut that down by about 1'-4" total at mid bed. They aren't very big, especially with the seats in!

C'mon guys. You really have to appreciate the work put into that Brat. Might not be everyone's cup of tea but I think you have to agree it was a project. Nice job. I even like the color.

All good stuff. I normally will use a Wix, NAPA Gold or Pulalator. Thought since I have these on the shelf I'd try them. I drop the oil (Castrol GTX)and filter simultaneously, and religiously between 3,500 and 4,000.

So are they any good? Extended use or not?

Anybody using them? I have had a couple HP2008's for a while and its correct for the '85 Brat. Good, bad, or blah blah blah blah? Are they an extended use filter like the air filters or are they tyipically good for one oil cycle like any other filter?

+1

I'd say alt/alt belt. I install new ones pretty taught with little deflection. Not so tight that your stressing alt bearings though. Maybe 1/2" deflection.

I have a new 2" setup as well from the Y-pipe all the way back. Cut the cat open on the top side and gutted it then put it back in the system for visual emmissions inspection. Again 2" from there back thru a real small cherry bomb and out the back again with a 2" pipe. HUGE difference when coupled with the weber. Always remember, modifying the gulping side won't yield the desired effects without working on the farting side too.

Yep, my issue is with the sending unit for the dash gauge.

Yep, I remember a few years ago EA81's and EA82's used to be like grains of sand on the beach in our local junk yards. They've long since been crushed and its rare to even find one around here to yank parts from, especially an EA81 buggy. I remember seeing cars with 3rd eyes, factory fog light setups, Brats, turbo Brats, etc, etc, etc. Man, to go back a few years in time and just stock pile all that stuff. Oh well.