Speedwagon

Yeah, I'm searching around a bit before I buy new. I got a used one from the JY for $10, so it's fixed until I replace them both. But, it was the metal seperating from the rubber. The rubber is what broke. The bearing is still surrounded by rubber. And this is Colorado, so not much rust in the first place.

One of the few places we have water here, MSV: Youtube video of my Brat(battery in the camera died on the second part):

When you say twice... did you break any that were new? Or just old ones?

It was most definitely the rubber in this case. Added a picture.

Is the linkage securely fastened to the vehicle body? If the nut holding the linkages gets loose, it can allow the lever to hit the body, and it will try to engage(or in my case, I couldn't figure out why I couldn't disengage it before).

I have a 4" lift on my Brat(with the longer Rancho shocks). Currently, with the torsion bar bolt adjusted all the way in, the rear diff sits level with the hubs. Based on what I've read about reclocking the bars, if I back out the bolt, and reclock 1 notch, I should gain about 2 inches over where I sit now, diff over the hubs, yes? It's pretty soft in the back, even with the bolt adjusted in. Seems like the torsion bars are getting pretty worn. Thoughts on turning it up a notch, and backing out the bolt all the way? This is used for Colorado trails, with lots of rocks.

Haven't seen this one before. I managed to rip the rubber bushing on the front strut top (EA82) apart today on a trail. Anyone encountered this before?

Drove past yesterday, saw the Hatch, wagon, wagon, outback there.

There really isn't any way to counteract the rust. ALL 80s Japanese vehicles are subject to it. They didn't really get it under control until the 90s.

I feel the same here... I wouldn't take a car that old, that's that clean, into the rust belt. I'd try to find a 1.8 Impreza or something, and drive that in the rust belt.

I actually prefer the softer ride I'm getting now. I don't have the pitch stop installed right now, though I recently read I can put an EJ22 pitch stop and mount on, with no modification(since I dropped the engine 3"). And while I didn't clock the torsion bars, I did crank the adjustment almost all the way in. Still seems a bit soft to me in the rear, so I may go back in there and reclock them.

I check that out, thanks.

After doing a 4" lift on the Brat, along with swapping to an EA82 front suspension(everything: struts, hubs, xmember, axles, arms), I get a noticeable amount of lift in the front end while accelerating. Is this normal for an EA81 riding an EA82 suspension? Or is there something in my setup causing this? Or is this an EA82 thing? Compared to the cranked up EA81 struts, it rides super soft now in the front as well.

Didn't mean it like that...

Rangers use a TTB front axle, not a solid axle. The Ranger never had a solid axle in it up front. The solid axle in that pic on the site, is a swap he had to have done. Not that that negates any of what you said. However, having adjustable radius rods, with the use of a Johnny joint, is somewhat appealing to me. Especially if I could make the mount go back up to the body, and just drop the trans xmember down, instead of the radius rod mounts. It's something I may try, while lengthening the radius rods maybe 6 inches(mostly just to tuck things back up higher).

Just saw this thread! If you see a lifted black Brat running around, that'd be me. I go through Conifer on occasion to hit the trails.

I need to fix my phone's camera lens... Bumpers are not done yet, which is why they are still bare.

I kept the control arm in the xmember, and just pushed until things lined up. At only 1" it's not too far forward from where it naturally wants to sit. The stock radius rods, with the EA82 front end, actually pulled the control arm slightly behind the neutral position.

I extended my radius rods 1" today. The tires(215/75/15) were rubbing against the rear fender well in tight turns(EA82 front end swap into a Brat). 1 3/8" stock, cut to 2" length, then drilled and lathed to give a clean 1/2" depth hole on both sides:

Like this guy did with his Ranger. How much of an affect would this have on an EA82 front suspension? http://www.rmftc.com/howtos/extendedradiusarms/extendedradiusarms.html

I think I answered my own question. I called 4wheelparts, and they stock bushing replacements for those.

Need to get some tomorrow.

When replacing the rear struts on my Brat for the lift, I swapped them out with the Rancho struts. However, I messed up the first one I did, so it doesn't have a bushing right now. The second one, I was able to grind away the metal to make the mount work, so that one isn't an issue. How does one fix this? I need to get a bushing in around the mount now. Are there poly bushing I could put in place of the rubber ones that come with the Ranchos?

Got it done! I still need to extend the radius rods a bit, as my right front tire hits the fender wall. And I need to mount the EA82 PS pump(I looped the lines for now). This thing rides so smooth now! Huge difference from having the front stock struts cranked up all the way. Although the rear is a bit soft, since I loosened up the torsion bar adjustment. Going to slowly crank that back in until I get it where I like it.

Well... the lift blocks are identical, and they only fit one way. However, I discovered that they were about 4.5" tall, whereas I only dropped the cross member 3 inches. So I shortened the strut blocks to around 3.75 inches, which should correct some of that camber. I am entirely not happy with this lift "kit" I paid money for. I certainly won't be recommending M.Appel anytime soon.