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Pointers on swapping D/R into a Loyale.


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Hey guys,

Finally I want to modify my soob. Nothing drastic, I just want a Dual Ranger in the Loyale. 92, pushbutton 5 spd. I was reading a lot about it, seems it will be a piece of cake. Everyone says it should swap right in. I really want the 1.59 dual range 5 speed in there. Does anyone have any pointers for me to think about? Oh, and does anyone have a dual range 5 speed for me? Where to find one? What should I expect to pay for one? Thanks in advance guys!

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Bump. Sorry, I just want some more info on how to Identify the proper trans when I see it. And be able to describe the difference to people over the phone. I have seen many "subaru 5 spd transmission $100" and stuff like that at parts yards. But how do I ask them if it is from an 85-89 GL wagon? Thats the one I want, right? It'll have the 1.59 low range and bolt right up to my ea82? Is there any others that will work like this? Thanks again...

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hmm, if it's a 5spd SR, it should have the large vacuum assembly on top to engage/disengage 4wd. I say "should" since who knows if they got taken off at some point...

 

IIR, for the DR, there is an external bar that runs parallel to the length of the transmission, to up near the front. If they don't have the vacuum stuff, and have that bar, it should be a DR.

 

-Dave

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hmm, if it's a 5spd SR, it should have the large vacuum assembly on top to engage/disengage 4wd. I say "should" since who knows if they got taken off at some point...

 

IIR, for the DR, there is an external bar that runs parallel to the length of the transmission, to up near the front. If they don't have the vacuum stuff, and have that bar, it should be a DR.

 

-Dave

That all sounds good. No vac assy on top, external bar running the length. Is that bar a moving part, perhaps the DR shift link or something? Oh, can you help me find one out there by you? I see lots out there in ads, but I'm in Chicagoland. Some guy 10 miles from my work crushed a dr wagon a few months ago! D'Oh!

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One thing to consider, is that you will be replacing an old tranny with an older one. Now these trannys are known to be pretty tough, but not indestructible. They're synchros were out, and yield crunchy shifts. Espescially 3rd it seems. I once had one get stuck in 4lo.

unless you will be towing or off-roading, the dual range is not really that usefull in the real world. And the pushbutton 4wd is so fast/easy to use as opposed to having to take your hand off the shifter to use 4wd. I think it is safer. In an Emergency you can engage 4wd and shift at the same time, instead of having to choose one or the other in the midst of an emergency manuver

 

Don't let this be discouragement If you really want the D/R. Just food for thought.

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I have. I have . Considered and weighed them both. I very much agree w/ you on every point. But my real world does involve towing and some light offroading (mostly mud). I am really only starting to gather the juice to do it up! Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the 4 hi in the DR going to be *almost* exactly like driving the pushbutton in 4wd? Then we will also have lo. Can the DR still be shifted in to 4 hi on the fly? That is important to me.

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as long as you're driving straight, and not spinning the tires, you can shift into 4Hi just fine. You can shift into 4Lo while moving AS LONG as you can match RPMs... Not recommended at high(er) speeds though. If you don't match the RPMs just right, the car will dramatically slow down when you let the clutch out :eek:

 

Yea, the bar on the top, IIRC, should move about half an inch forward/back.

 

If you find one out here, I'm sure we could work something out to get it shipped to you.

 

-Dave

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Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the 4 hi in the DR going to be *almost* exactly like driving the pushbutton in 4wd? Then we will also have lo. Can the DR still be shifted in to 4 hi on the fly? That is important to me.

 

You can but it is with a seperate lever, that is sometimes tricky to get to engage properly, espescially on older ones. You've got to take your hand away from the gearshifter and physically move the lever. no button

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The Dual range is 100% better than the pushbutton. I switched out my pushbutton for the d/r in my loyale. The lo-range gearing helps keep the engine in the power band sooo much better than the pushbutton. You can shift 4wd hi and lo on the fly, I do it all the time. Sometimes it's a little bit of a hard time getting the car back out of 4wd, but getting it in is no problem.

 

As for the delay of moving your hand from one shifter to another, the vacuum operated system takes time to engage to, and it's failure rate is a lot higher than that of a lever.

 

The D/R tranny has a rod running down the side to a small lever by where the dipstick is on the tranny. That's the easiest way to ID one. You'll need the lever, the linkage, and at a minimum the rubber boot that has 6 screws holding it to the floor. THe center console is nice, if you can get it.

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The Dual range is 100% better than the pushbutton. I switched out my pushbutton for the d/r in my loyale. The lo-range gearing helps keep the engine in the power band sooo much better than the pushbutton. You can shift 4wd hi and lo on the fly, I do it all the time. Sometimes it's a little bit of a hard time getting the car back out of 4wd, but getting it in is no problem.

 

As for the delay of moving your hand from one shifter to another, the vacuum operated system takes time to engage to, and it's failure rate is a lot higher than that of a lever.

 

The D/R tranny has a rod running down the side to a small lever by where the dipstick is on the tranny. That's the easiest way to ID one. You'll need the lever, the linkage, and at a minimum the rubber boot that has 6 screws holding it to the floor. THe center console is nice, if you can get it.

 

Thank you! That is the stuff I am looking for. Someone on the board here has one in Ohio for me I think (hope!). Says it has only 85k on it. That would be practically new!

Just to be sure... I want one from an 85-89 GL wagon right? Would anything else fit properly? Does anything else have the 1.59 gear ratio?

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The Dual range is 100% better than the pushbutton. I switched out my pushbutton for the d/r in my loyale. The lo-range gearing helps keep the engine in the power band sooo much better than the pushbutton. You can shift 4wd hi and lo on the fly, I do it all the time. Sometimes it's a little bit of a hard time getting the car back out of 4wd, but getting it in is no problem.

 

As for the delay of moving your hand from one shifter to another, the vacuum operated system takes time to engage to, and it's failure rate is a lot higher than that of a lever.

 

The D/R tranny has a rod running down the side to a small lever by where the dipstick is on the tranny. That's the easiest way to ID one. You'll need the lever, the linkage, and at a minimum the rubber boot that has 6 screws holding it to the floor. THe center console is nice, if you can get it.

 

Sorry to hijack, but this might be relevant. I've got a '91 Loyale and a D/R transmission ready to swap in, but I haven't got around to installing it yet. How did you deal with the neutral switch when doing your swap? My D/R is from an '87 wagon, so there is no allowance for the switch on the tranny case. Thanks.

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I searched and read a post talking about the N switch. Won't affect running, but throw a code. I think they are using a "cruise control switch" on the clutch as N. Clutch out, in gear- clutch in, N. I figure I'll put in some sort of switch, one way or another.

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I searched and read a post talking about the N switch. Won't affect running, but throw a code. I think they are using a "cruise control switch" on the clutch as N. Clutch out, in gear- clutch in, N. I figure I'll put in some sort of switch, one way or another.

 

basically that.. some ingenuity and a brake light switch on the clutch pedal works fine... clutch pedal depressed == neutral, clutch engaged == in gear

 

neutral position switch is one of the most utterly NON critical inputs to the ECU

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Yes you can shift into 4hi on the fly. It is not recommended to do that with 4lol but some people do it anyway.

 

If you are shifting to 4lo while moving, it helps to put it in nuetral and put the clutch in, not just put the clutch in. I do it all the time And remember what rpm's you're going to at when you switch to low range....

 

I wish that was possible in my 4wd truck. You have to come to a complete stop to shift from 2wd to 4wd, or 4wd to 4lo. Under changing road conditions, that's a pain.

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If you are shifting to 4lo while moving, it helps to put it in nuetral and put the clutch in, not just put the clutch in. I do it all the time And remember what rpm's you're going to at when you switch to low range....

 

I wish that was possible in my 4wd truck. You have to come to a complete stop to shift from 2wd to 4wd, or 4wd to 4lo. Under changing road conditions, that's a pain.

 

I know its possible to do it under the right conditions. I'm merely stating subaru's owners manual. Its not recommended for over 5mph iirc. I'd rather give him subaru's standpoint on it, if he's not familiar with the system its always the best place to start.

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I know its possible to do it under the right conditions. I'm merely stating subaru's owners manual. Its not recommended for over 5mph iirc. I'd rather give him subaru's standpoint on it, if he's not familiar with the system its always the best place to start.

I don't think I would pop it into low on much of a fly... maybe that 5 mph rolling. Into 4 hi on the fly all day long, not so much with low. In my opinion...

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OK, me & Gloyale are looking to split a parts car w/ the dual ranger in it. It is an 87 GL wagon. 5mt dual range, carbed. That sounds correct to everybody out there, right? It won't have the N switch, but fuggit right? And it is an EA82 car/engine/trans? I don't know when they stopped the 81s. So, it sounds like it should have the 1.59 gear ratio, right? If anyone thinks differently, PLEASE CHIME IN! I'd love to know about my mistakes before I make them ;)

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