OK, OK, I'm gona let the cat out of the bag on this one and just see what hapens. (but please, I know ALL the reasons not to allready)

I'm gona put a solid axle in the back of my off-road wagon

I am considering useing the rear axle out of the '82 Datsun PU that I got my TC from, but....

I would like to find an axle made by Hitachi or FHI just for the sake of keeping more of the drive train in the Subaru fam. I don't know, is Hitachi under the FHI banner? Or are they a seperate CO.?

Anyhow, if any one has looked into this before and has some good ideas just let me know

Might look for a narrow axle like one from a Samuri or carolla. Those cars are about the same size so they could handle the load. What are you going to do with the rear suspension?

still undecided, leaf springs would be a slam dunk but a 3 link with a wish-bone upper would up the "cool factor" alot. I need to take some mesurments and see if and how I could fit the upper wish-bone in there.

If you are going solid axle who cares what family you are in

 

Wonder how well an old Toyota 4WD wagon's rear end would swap in? It's solid axle with leaf springs in the back. Looked like it had lots of travel too.

just remember to get one with the same ratio

just remember to get one with the same ratio

Good idea

Funny, I was looking @ the rear axle in Toyota Tercell 4WD wagon yesterday, it's on a 4 link w/coils, nice width, nice desine, but it's a small 4 lug patern

I would like to go with a 6 lug then I can just do the 6 lug conversion on the front and still have maching lugs all around

I believe the guts of that axle are the same, or similar, as in the R160. I saw some info on a Datsun site somewhere that implied the guts were swappable. Something like H160 for the solid axle? So it won't be Subaru, but it will be a related.

Not sure how this applies, but I know that the Datsun 510 guys steal our LSD rear ends and use 'em, so maybe theirs a possibility there..

Tony, If you want a Toyota Tercel Wagons axle next to your wagon I have one you can use/have, I was thinking about using it for a project and now it is just sitting there. I even have the coils sitting around somewere. Why not use a semi-floating rear end using the existing rear sub frame, for fabbing one up of your own? You can even keep the torsions to keep it independant but allow the whole shabang rotate.

 

Matt

Has anyone researched porsche 930 cv joints for their lifted rigs? Apparently, they can run at some incredible angles and stay together. A lot of the vw-based off-road guys use them.

my buddy and i were thinking the same thing about solid axles... we were thinking use a hatch, and swap over some suzuki axles, with a samuri lift leaf kit for the suspension..... but then comes the mounting part... simple, full roll cage, put a bar to every point where the leafs would conect to the chasis.... it coul be pretty freakin awesome, if'n we had the time and money to partake of such a groovy project......

A six link would be a great option. Two per side on the axle at the ends, then two on the top of the housing going out to the frame rails. Use nitrogen shocks at the twin links and you have so much articulation that the only real issue would be your body clearance and ride height goals.

3 link wish bone

4 link

6 link

leaf spring

still one small problem to account for

drive line angle so when its at max aticulation the drive line does not freak out

and your u-joints blow apart....

 

as far as finding a usable setup try doing a search for rock crawler's

since they usually have the most extreme and beefy suspensions on some of the wierdest things

 

and a few might have some helpful idea's for ya ?

I have done LOTS of custom suspension work before From Bajas to rock crawlers, Heeps to F350s. To clarify for some of U, I will be making a new frame that will go over the stock frame runners and extend them in the back a little ( think sub-frame conectors, but a little longer) so I can make mounts for any type of suspension I want. How much room I have under the body will be the big question.

930CV's are good, but only up to 40* of angle.

I thought about useing the stock torshion bar as my springs, but I think I would be over torquing it to often and it would snap.

Matt, what ratio is that yota axle? I would LOVE to play with it

but why stop at just the rear axle, why not go with solid's front and rear?

1) for me that would take more lift than I want right now.

2) I already have the Datsun TC (centerd out put for the front) and don't know how well that would work with an off-set front dif.

3) Rear axles are cheep and eazy to come by around here, but fronts are a lot more $$$$$ and not so eazy to find.

I may end up with a strait axle up front later on, but for now it will just be in the back.

Props to Matt (3eyedbandit) I now have a Toyota tercell rear axle siting in my driveway that I need to check the ratio on (if it's a 3.90 it's going in)

Any one know anything about these axles? How strong? Locker ava.?

i wouldnt count on the tercel axle being much stronger than the subaru.

Well I'm gona use it it's only 1/4" wider than the stock rear sus. flange to flange, and @ the smallest point it's still .005" bigger than the stubs on an R160 (and NOT hollow!!) so I think it will be fine for my app.

why would this be better than the stock rear end?

More articulation, stronger, and I don't know anyone who has don it yet