does anyone have any opinions on the 4/3 lift versus the 3/3 lift?

 

i am going to purchase a lift in the near future for an ea81 hatch.

 

what would be the advantages of the 4/3? is the extra inch in the front? any drawbacks to the 4/3?

 

any commentary is welcome.

 

lift would go into ea81 hatch, 4spd d/r ...would put approx. 27" inch tires on it.

 

thank you.

The extra inch will level out the car with out cranking up the front struts, which in turn will wreck havok on your camber. go the 4/3 you won't be sorry. Tim

I say go 4/3 only if you REALLY want that extra 1". To me, 1" wasnt a big deal, so i went with the 3/3 lift. 4/3 will be necessary to run anything larger than 28" tires. Anything less than 28" can be done comfortably in a 3/3.

 

They install just the same. Neither one will take longer. But with a 4/3 lift there are problems with your shifter that need to be weened out. The 3/3 is virtually plug-and-play.

 

-Brian

Having just done the 3/3, I would rather have the 4/3. Don't get me wrong, the 3" is excellent, but I could use the extra tire clearance. Even after beating on my fenders it's real close; I don't think I could run chains if I wanted.

Then again, I don't need chains anymore!

 

The exta bit of approach angle would be nice too. Plus, I think it'd just look better.

I've had 2 of them so far... technically 1, but the lift has been on 2 different vehicles. can't speak to the shifter probs though, as the first one was a 4 speed conversion in a turbo brat, and I was able to mount up stuff so it worked the first time.

 

the second time is my current 82 Brat, but it's modified to be a 5" lift, and a 5 speed conversion. shifter/linkage is unchanged, and works good because of how it mounts during the conversion...

 

I never had any issues with stock brake lines either, but I think they shortened the linesin later years to save a few pennies.....

Hey, McBrat,

Not to change the topic but while here and on the subject of your " 5" lift"...

 

I read your short 'how-to' on the 5" lift for EA-81. sounds like what I need for mine but is an EA-82.

 

Have you tried the extra 1" mod for the front on an EA-82? I'm thinkin' I'd have to add an inch to the tranny crossmembers, too, so as to prevent binding or odd engine/tranny nose down angle...My tranny crossmember is only a foot or so behind my engine crossmember...any experience here?? Mine is my daily driver and I'd rather not take it back off the road any longer than necessary, ie. experimentation in uncharted waters with my daily driver.

 

 

Anyhew, reqarding the original thread question about the EA-81 lift, for what it's worth, I'd go with the 4/3, too, I've found the extra inch in the front is nice with my 15's but don't like the unrelenting bouncing (VERY stiff, almost no give in the front), positive camber (feels a little unstable on uneven blacktop at highway speeds with the front camber when the struts are adjusted all the way up, especially on wet or snowy roads...>50-60 mph), and excess axle angle from adjusting the suspension all the way up.

 

You can always adjust the front all the way down and play with the torsion-bar in the back if it seems 'too high' for you in the front...you just have the option of the extra 1" without the above problems should you decide you need/want it.

 

Les

Les, I got your email. I need to call you and talk. R/ Patrick.

On my ea82, I'm just going to put RX springs on the front in addition to the Honda springs I already put on the rear. That should give an extra inch of height.

Personally, I prefer the way my brat looks with the 3/3 lift.

Having the 4" lift in front will lower the amount of cutting needed to fit 28" tires.

I went with the 4" cause I live by the motto "Go Big Or Go Home" and I kinda like how the front and rear are even. fitting 28's isn't too bad either.

well- pk says 4/3 will not work with air cond... so, i thought about it for about 3-4 seconds and went out and removed the air.

 

 

4/3 kit is on the way!

 

yee-haw!!!

WHAT! No air conditioning in northern Wisconsin? What could you be thinking?

yea- its about as necessary as it is in alaska... do you have air on any of yours up there?

 

 

there is a few days a year when it would be nice, but if you just think about winter when it gets hot, it puts things in perspective.

 

i like having the windows down anyway, get the farmer tan.