subaruglkid Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 i dont really have the money to go out and buy a lift or even know where to get one but i wanted to know if anyone could point me in the direction of how to make myself a lift and how much i can lift my 1984 gl hatch with just blocks/spacers. thanks guys sorry im new and just got my subie today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tallwelder81 Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 4 inches is very popular. the rear blocks would be super easy to make. i decided on 2 inches in rear and 3 in front. i didnt make my own, but a lot of people have. one eye is kinda famous for his, hes done a few. the wheels and tires are a major part of getting an ea81 higher off the ground. the main reason most these guys lift the body, is just to fit those taller meats under the wheel wells. try a 215-70-15. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tallwelder81 Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 "how HIGH" you can go, im not sure theres technically a scientific limit. but 4 inches is by FAR the most popular lift around. theres probably a dozen 4" brats for each lift of any other size. but i know there are also 6's and i think theres even a 9 and a 12 out there.... my advice is, 4 is plenty, and its safer, less chance of flexing the bolts going around a corner, until they snap, or until you roll over off a cliff, lol... the ea81s are independent suspension, which means, when you get that far up in the clouds, theres not much stability. toyota pickups and such can handle a lot of lift. solid axle. but when each wheel moves SEPERATELY, thats a LOT of potential wobble and roll. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subaruglkid Posted December 20, 2011 Author Share Posted December 20, 2011 hmmmm is the brats shock mount the same bolt pattern? do you know any good sites i could maybe find a site at? i mean i do have the tools and im not mechanically challenged but it looked like all i really had to do (for the front at least) was cut 2 pieces of steel the same shape and what not of the shock mount and just separate the two with some steel pipes and weld the crap out of them. if that is the way to do it would the back shocks be the same? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tallwelder81 Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 i wouldnt weld the lift on. everyone just uses bolts. why would you want it welded on>? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott in Bellingham Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 get some tubing say 2x4 -1/4" thick cut all the blocks and drill the hols the only hard part is the front struts they need to be at a 14 degree angle and the 2x4 blocks wont work there some 4" pipe and some plates or heres a set Ill sell ya at www.sjrlift.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subaruglkid Posted December 21, 2011 Author Share Posted December 21, 2011 no no i meant weld the lift together like sammich style with the pipes or blocks in the middle and two plates for the shock/strut surface and bolt it onto the body. its essentially just pushing the suspension down and lifting the body up right? what if i made a two inch lift and made some fiberglass fenders (to keep the originals fresh) and made them like trophy truck style.... oh and thank you scott that will help a lot. how much of a lift is that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tallwelder81 Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 scotts stuff is, i have always heard, top-notch quality. a baja pre-runner brat would look AWESOOOME. not sure how a fwd primary/4wd hi-lo platform would compare to the usual tacoma and ranger approach of rwd only. i think those baja trucks are usually just rwd, no front action at all.... doesnt mean it wouldnt be cool though. even in front 2wd, my brat does pretty good offroad. a lot of times, i dont even bother shifting into 4hi. seems unnecessary most of the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tallwelder81 Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 back shocks, people usually just make a Horseshoes looking extension, about the size of a pack of cigs. you could just use longer shocks, but the tops end up angled in farther than subaru had in mind, so i think it may affect the ride?? i think if you are confident and capable of making the strut tower yourself, the rear shock extension should be easy breezy, butler geezy. speaking of geezer, whats up with ozzy? that douche would sell out for ANY commercial that offered him 5 bucks!! minivans, now?? whats next, tampon commercials? allergy medication commercials??? seriously? minivans? what the hell, ozzy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subaruglkid Posted December 21, 2011 Author Share Posted December 21, 2011 ill work on the fenders soon as possible but would 31 inch tires be too much for the stock gearing? and yea the prerunner trucks are almost 95% of the time just rear wheel but they are also like 600hp and 1500-2000 pounds. but the ultimate goal of the fenders would be to raise the ridgeline and pop it out so at a hardcore flex itll tuck up into the fender and wont touch anything while still protecting your windshield from rocks and mud and what not. but anywho ive got family up in bellingham where sjr is so i might have to check it out in person. but my goal is maybe a 2 inch lift with like 28 inch tires. but yes ozzy is a sellout. but mostly funny as hell commercials tho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 the ea81s are independent suspension, which means, when you get that far up in the clouds, theres not much stability. toyota pickups and such can handle a lot of lift. solid axle. but when each wheel moves SEPERATELY, thats a LOT of potential wobble and roll. This is hogwash. A Subaru with a lift is WAAAAY more stable in every way to a lifted toyota. ESPESCIALLY, an older solid front axle one. The key to a safe EA81 lift is to crossbrace the rear blocks so that they can't sway side to side. I built a brace that bolts in between the body and the blocks, and then diagonally down to the middle where it ties in to the front part of the diff mount. Kinda like |\/| 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subaruglkid Posted December 22, 2011 Author Share Posted December 22, 2011 wow i never thought about that man you should hook up some pics and ill try to recreate everything basically i want to keep up with my buddies blazer and my other buddies jeep but for a fraction of the gas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tallwelder81 Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 lol, hogwash.... isnt that where harry potter went to school? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezapar Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 This is hogwash. A Subaru with a lift is WAAAAY more stable in every way to a lifted toyota. ESPESCIALLY, an older solid front axle one. |\/| mmhmm. And you've formed this opinion because you've had both and have had the chance to drive them on the highway and around sharp corners? That's not the opinion I've formed after owning both, I can tell you that. We called this one the Weeble for a good reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 mmhmm. And you've formed this opinion because you've had both and have had the chance to drive them on the highway and around sharp corners?That's not the opinion I've formed after owning both, I can tell you that. We called this one the Weeble for a good reason. Yes I've owned Solid axle trucks. My dad has an 83 Toyota. I've had a Ford F-350. Both stock. My 6 inch lifted EA81 (ea82 front suspension) Handles better than either of them. The center of gravity in a STOCK toyota truck is higher than my Lifted EA81. Craziest vehichle I've ever driven was an Isuzu trooper with 3 inch body lift and 33's. Felt like it was gonna role turning right from a stop sign. C'mon.....think about it......... Solid axles handle better than independant suspension? not hardly. Unless we are talking boulder crawling:headbang: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subaruglkid Posted December 23, 2011 Author Share Posted December 23, 2011 are 31 inch tires too big for my stock running gear? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subaruglkid Posted December 23, 2011 Author Share Posted December 23, 2011 and personally i think it depends on what you are driving thats solid axle and what components it has installed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monstaru Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 6 inches, 235's and no sway bars makes an ea81 wagon pretty squirrely.But I still drove 70 down the highway.The Toyota trucks I have driven were a very long time ago,but the solid axle ones had at least 33's on them with body lifts, and I can say that even then it did not matter much.Stable as can be . It is a moot point to vantage your own opinion of handling to anothers.Driving styles are way to different. cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subaruglkid Posted December 24, 2011 Author Share Posted December 24, 2011 plus the subaru (depending on the lift) is much shorter than a lifted toyota thus a shorter center of gravity. widen that wheelbase and basically the more stable you get Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tallwelder81 Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 YOU ARE ALL WRONG!!! chuck norris can carry a brat and a toyota pickup across the grand canyon on 2 miles of dental floss. therefore, HE is the most stable!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tallwelder81 Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 also, KIM JONG IL, cause his memoirs prove that he could run a 2 minute mile, bowl a 300, and golf 6 under par on any PGA golf course. seriously, he officially claimed that, and they were under-thumb enough to just automatically, sheepily accept those and any other claims as instant reality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subaruglkid Posted December 25, 2011 Author Share Posted December 25, 2011 hes got (had) nukes, would you want to argue? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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