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'm thinking; not a whole lot. having longer arms does help travel, but the limiting factor on our scoobys are the struts.

If somebody made some long travel struts, mods like this would be a nice compliment to them

The front end of the ranger uses a solid axle controlled by the two radius arms and the trac bar. The radius arms clamp around a diamond shaped area on the axle tube with rubber bushings. What limits flex on that design is the radius arms are clamped at the same angle to the axle and the only movement is the give in the rubber C bushings. If you make the radius arm longer, it puts more leverage on twisting the C bushings, so you get better flex. It works a lot like a sway bar, the axle can move up and down fine but it can't rotate one side higher than the other without binding on the bushings.

 

On subarus, the radius arm just forms the triangle of the lower control arm. It doesn't limit flex at all because the lower ball joint and control arm bushing let the whole assembly move freely. Changing the length of the radius arm won't do anything but change the caster angle of the suspension. You'll also have to re-align the toe if you move the control arm forward.

The front end of the ranger uses a solid axle controlled by the two radius arms and the trac bar. The radius arms clamp around a diamond shaped area on the axle tube with rubber bushings. What limits flex on that design is the radius arms are clamped at the same angle to the axle and the only movement is the give in the rubber C bushings. If you make the radius arm longer, it puts more leverage on twisting the C bushings, so you get better flex. It works a lot like a sway bar, the axle can move up and down fine but it can't rotate one side higher than the other without binding on the bushings.

 

On subarus, the radius arm just forms the triangle of the lower control arm. It doesn't limit flex at all because the lower ball joint and control arm bushing let the whole assembly move freely. Changing the length of the radius arm won't do anything but change the caster angle of the suspension. You'll also have to re-align the toe if you move the control arm forward.

 

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).

Edited June 1, 201213 yr by Speedwagon

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.

 

Well no ************ sherlock Rangers have TTB. You asked about radius rods like what he had in his Ranger, which is what I addressed. I explained what the benefit of extended arms were on that truck and why it would have no benefit on a subaru, which was in direct answer to your question. I am intimately familiar with the front end in that Ranger, having worked a lot on a 71 Bronco which uses the exact same system.

 

You need to keep the strut rods flat, the more angle on them the more jacking effect you get when you hit bumps. Extending them back puts them in an area of the unibody on a subaru that isn't meant to handle those forces, so you'll need to build a subframe structure too. Might as well make the strut rods stronger too because they banana bend pretty often.

 

I adjusted mine by stacking big washers in front of the front bushing and small washers between the rear bushing washer and the step in the shank of the rod. You can only move it as much as the threads that are left beyond the nut, but that does get you some.

you can lengthen the radious rods a little to get the tires out of the firewall.

Well no ************ sherlock Rangers have TTB. You asked about radius rods like what he had in his Ranger, which is what I addressed. I explained what the benefit of extended arms were on that truck and why it would have no benefit on a subaru, which was in direct answer to your question. I am intimately familiar with the front end in that Ranger, having worked a lot on a 71 Bronco which uses the exact same system.

 

 

Didn't mean it like that...

I'm thinking; not a whole lot. having longer arms does help travel, but the limiting factor on our scoobys are the struts.

If somebody made some long travel struts, mods like this would be a nice compliment to them

 

The limiting factor of a Subaru is the axle. End of conversation.

 

Using the radius rod to move the tire forward in the wheelwell will only damage the bushings. You have to move the entire front subframe forward.

 

You can strengthen the radius rods but that will cause other things to get damaged instead of the rods. Keeping things predictable is easier to plan for. Sort fo like a fuse. When you know what will get damaged you can carry spares. When you change those fuses you never know what will get damaged.