4x4mudrat

Send him a PM from the Ausubaru board and test the waters, he might have a massive backlog so yeah.

Brett's prices already include postage. Just remember he has be known to take a while, so you will find patience a virtue!

I reckon if you wound it down again you'd be pleasantly suprised by your offroad success - although come to think of it fitting rear shock extensions would improve your results a little (won't get any more height though). Really a 2" Brumby isn't going to be a monster, but you'll be able to enjoy it - especially on the beach. Ground clearance really isn't a huge issue with Subarus, they've got a good wheelbase and nothing really hanging down underneath to hang up, so your only dramas are wheel travel. One word of advice from my old man: The only thing you should go into debt for is your house. Everything else you'll regret.

Righteo, first thing is Brats/Brumbys don't have rear struts, they have rear shocks. Just for future reference so you know. Perhapse the rear shock lift brackets have been removed from your vehicle because the air shocks were installed? Perhapse the rear shocks are long enough? Either way, installing a lift bracket won't give you any more height (cos like I said, they aren't struts they're just shocks), you need to lift the whole tortion tube and also the moustache bar. Have you tried winding up the tortion bar? Unfortunately, the best way to get a 4" lift is to use a 4" lift kit. Considering you could probably sell your 2" kit for $300-$400 a BYB 4" lift is not a massive outlay. Don't use too much suspension lift, for 3 reasons: You'll stuff your CV joints quicker than lookatcha; Your whole suspension geometry will be totally up the ************ making your car handle like a dog on wet lino; Lastly you'll simply loose suspension travel making your car actually less capable offroad. Also, if you go the 4" you really need the tires to make it worth it, and if you're going to put kick rump roast treads on the thing you should consider an engine transplant... BTW: Rear shock lift brackets should be 12mm steel.

You cannot certify them in Australia as a body lift. Maximum body lift allowable is 50mm by the Australian Design Rules (ADR). This is an "Owner Certified Modification" hence does not require a Certificate of Compliance. You cannot comply a body lift that's any bigger. Australian Design Rules are law and there is no subjectivity in this clause. The is a way around this however: One can argue that as a Subaru does not have a ladder-frame chassis and separate body unit the lift kit is not really a body lift at all and hence is not subject to the ruling of the ADRs in this area. The vehicle is however subject to the same scrutany and tests that any roadworthy vehicle in Australia will have to pass, ie tortional rigidity, lane-change and braking. Notice that the vehicle not the lift kit is subject to these tests. I don't know how your steering extensions are built, but here is a good side point: welding or heating of steering componants is dissallowed under the ADRs. There is no exception. You can x-ray, crack-test and destruction test your steering extensions all you want, but the law is the law and there is no subjectivity on this one. One more thing: PLEASE STOP COMPARING YOUR LIFT KITS TO BYB.

I think therin lies your problem. As it's been suspension lifted you need to compensate now by either increasing the lift on the engine crossmember or by moving your struts inboard. Measuring how far the top of the tire is outside the bottom of the tire will give you a number to work with.

What brand of lift kit do you have there Vanislru? I've oft' admired your wagon from a distance.

But she won't go without it...

It depends what lift kit you've got. In a BYB kit or any of the Aussie kits the camber is built into the strut top extensions to make the wheel sit perfectly verticle, so long as the engine crossmember is lifted the same ammount. I can't speak for the US ones as I've not seen any.

Probably not a bad idea, will mean you'll need another steering extension though. I just moved the pin on the end of the strut shaft inboard. I'm still trialling a few methods to get this right, but factor about 7mm per 25mm of lift and you'll be in the ballpark. The other option in my book is to build a secondary crossmember underneath your main engine crossmember (though you're running a front diff aren't you Vanislru?) and attach the lower control arms to this.

Toe is adjustable, I think you're refering to camber. Remember that every inch you increase the stroke of the strut is an inch of droop that you'll loose = less wheel travel. Increasing suspension lift will also alter your caster, meaning more steering shimmy and a vague feeling when the wheel's straight or slightly turned. On a part time 4WD car the accepted height for suspension lift is about 1" before CV joint wear becomes excessive, yet managable. On an AWD vehicle 1.5" is about the limit. Also remember that you'll loose travel in your CV joints. I've seen bearings actually get ripped out of the cup at full droop with an excessive suspension lift.

I can spot Brett's Lib, Grant's Lib, I'm pretty sure that's Baz' RX in there . . . is that the Stinky Brumby right on the end there?

I remember what happend last time I ate the green cookies...

In Ausubaru land we have many lifted RX Turbos and sedans. You'd probably say they're our weapon of choice. Here's a pic of my GL sedan with a lift kit, not an RX but close enough: Word of advice, if you're plannin on putting an exhaust on it, wait until after you've lifted it.

I'd think you'd wanna mount your surge tank as close to the fuel tank as possible. Talking to Brumbyrunner on Ausubaru, he seems to think that for the converison it would be a good idea to replace the old return line with a new larger diameter line and use this for the new pump discharge line, then have the old discharge line as your return line. Makes sense. Without going outside and crawling around under my car I'm not sure how much time or effort this would save.

Only one or two... What else do you have to change for this mod? I can't remember off the top of my head, but how easy is it to adapt the discharge of the fuel pump?

Many of us on the ausubaru forum have put EJs into L series and MY series Subarus. The process is long, arduous and by no means straight forward. You'll need a fuel pump for starters, a surge tank is not necessary but it would be an advantage. The standard EJ series computer is good. You'll need an RX Turbo engine crossmember for a turbo conversion. What gearbox do you plan to use? A wiring loom that has been modified to suit the conversion is a great idea too. Budget about $5,000 to get the whole thing from stocker to sorted, plus things like brakes and other stuff you'll need to get an Engineer's Report and make it roadworthy. Try searching Ausubaru.

I don't get it, what's a thwarping marble? I'm from Australia eh so I'm a little sloooow.... Without knowing what thwarping marbles are I'm guessing that it's ingnition related, mostly that's what happens when I've washed under the hood of early model Subies. Spray everything you can with WD40 or CRC and go from there.

USMB newbie, Ausubaru old old oldie: 215/75/15 BFGoodrich MT on custom-made 15 x 6 rims. 4" body, 1" suspension lifted 1987 GL Sedan, EJ20 conversion.

Looking good comrade. This is with the welded diff? How did it go? Did you need to trailer it back to Brett's on Sunday night after all?

Oooooooooooooooold news!!! We have several 500hp+ Subarus in Australia. I believe there is a WRX wagon in the 8s even.

That "boxy wagon" was one of the most aerodynamic cars ever made in it's day!!

Check the engine pitch stabilizer bar bushes.

Haultech Traction Control You might need to register with OuterLimits4x4 first to view the thread. Better than front and rear ARBs, easier on your driveline and cheaper. Just not on the market yet...