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Call me Crazy!! an XT6 on Solid Axles????


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OK, I'm a little nuts! Here is the goal: Tear apart a great old XT6 and put Toyota Axles under it with a 5spd Dual Range Tranny, Nissan transfer case, and 33" tires.

The Clincher: Start today and get it done by WCSS6!!!!!! Not sure if I can pull it off but I'm going to give a good shot. I wanted to do a custom independent suspension set-up using datsun 4x4 parts to keep it all Fuji but I surely don't have the time for that, maybe next year.

I jacked the car up and put it on jackstands, pulled of the little 14" wheels and rolled the 33" meats into place and was instantly motivated!!! That ugly little wedge looks absolutely awesome up in the air!!!!

So I plan to spend as much of my evenings and weekends as possible on this project, SO WISH ME LUCK!!!

 

Mike

 

P.S. the XT6 drivetrain is for sale in the market place if you know anyone who wants it!!

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I know I am still new to this whole Subaru thing in fact I just got my Soob today about 4 hours ago. But let me say your very creative and I cant wait to see the finished product. You know if it works out well enough you might be able to fabricate enough of the parts and sell them to your fellow Soob owners and make a lil cash for your crazy idea.......It's just a thought

 

-LeDevil

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Yes, I am going to build a frame that the leaf springs will attach to and then will make mounts to attach the frame to the body.

 

Got the axles out from under the Toyota today. That was a project in itself, lots of rusty bolts that did not want to come undone.....

 

Mike

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OK, I'm a little nuts! Here is the goal: Tear apart a great old XT6 and put Toyota Axles under it with a 5spd Dual Range Tranny, Nissan transfer case, and 33" tires.
NOOOOO! that was my idea! except for the fact it would be a boxed Subie frame, and I wouldnt be using a nissan tx and subie engine and tranny due to financial reasons. Mine will be a little bigger hopefully (35's+) though :D.

 

What are you going to do for steering? Thats what has my project held up right now....

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  • 4 weeks later...

It's Done! OK, projects like this are never done..... However, it drove up to WCSS6 (170 miles), tore up the mud in the mud pit, and drove home (another 170) miles. Granted I was a little late to the show, I didn't make it up there until about 8pm on Saturday night. But I had a wonderful weekend and am still on a high from the whole experience.

 

Check out some pictures: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos/showphoto.php?photo=1597&sort=1&size=medium&cat=500

 

I pulled this off without modifying the XT6 body in any way. I could unbolt the frame I built under it and re-install the original running gear. Not that I would ever want to do this......

 

I know some of the folks at the show did not like that I used toyota axles. But, I really feel I have a vehicle that out performs most other cars. I see it this way, the attractive thing about a Subaru to me is it's performance per dollar factor. I could not have built a dual transfer case toyota for the low price of $1600, which is about all I have into this car (not including the value of a months worth of evenings and weekends and a wife who feels very neglected about now!!!!) I have a vehicle that hauls four people just about anywhere you would want to go.

 

I also doubt that I'll be the only one with solid axles next year!

 

Mike

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I'll try to get some pictures that are actually easy to see. But, for now here are the basics:

 

I removed the subaru front and rear suspension parts, including the belly pan with rack&pinion.

Then I fabbed up a crossmember to hold the engine up that bolted into the same holes as the belly pan. At this point I had a complete unibody car that held it's own engine & tranny.

Then I fabbed up a rear sub-frame that held the rear leaf springs and bolted it into the holes that the old rear suspension mounted to.

Then I fabbed up a front sub-frame that held the front leaf springs and bolted it to the new crossmember that I made and to the rear most mount of the old front suspension.

All the "bolting" that I mentioned is to brackets that have rubber body mount washers (from a Jeep). So, The XT6 body rests on eight rubber mounts with bolts through them.

Then I attached the front and rear sub-frames to each other and hung the transfer case to that.

I ended up having to modify my front crossmember in the end to clear the steering u-joints & shaft as it was in the way.

The most expensive components proved to be the drive-lines as all three where custom.

I'd be happy to answer any other questions and even more happy to help someone else build themselves a monster (for a little cash of course, I'm a nice guy but no saint!).

 

Mike

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This is definatly one tight rig. It's quite interesting to see such a huge XT6. I really wanted to climb into the drivers seat and take a gander from way up there, but didn't get around to it. Some other time I guess. For those of you that want an idea of the shear size of this thing, here ya go:

31Sweetness.JPG

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Oh man, that thing was just sick! The look on everybody's faces when it rolled up saturday night was great. I was especially amazed since I wasn't on the board too much before the show for a while, so I had no idea this was in the works. It looked like you were having WAAAAAY too much in the mud pit!

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awesome car, one of my favorite top 5 at the show, very impressive. I was looking over the fab work and everything was well done. I have to agree it was dramatic when you arrived just after dark on Saturday and given an express pass to the mudpit!

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