Bugaru Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 (edited) I managed to get the EA82 front axles to fit my hatchback without welding on the tie rod components or the radius arm rod. The only welding was on the control arm and it's construction is solid. I have perfect camber with a 4 3/4" strut lift(4" body lift) and 13.5- 14" front ground clearance. Parts list- EA82 front axles 92 Legacy front outer wheel seals(for the inner ea81 knuckle) Perfect fit. 60s VW outer tie rod ends 80s Mercedes tie rod "shaft" m14 X 1.5 tap misc steel flatbar and such. Trial run and pics tomorrow. Edited August 17, 2009 by Bugaru Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugaru Posted August 17, 2009 Author Share Posted August 17, 2009 New control arms, added 1 7/8" to length. Top and bottom gaps filled with 1/8" plate. 1/8" x 1" flatbar welded the length inside and out. Reinforced radius rod support, (still uses one stock hole, other is plug welded to support) boxed in the whole length. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted August 18, 2009 Share Posted August 18, 2009 Intresting - how much of an increase in clearance was that good for? You have 14" now - what was it before? So how did you run across the tie rods and ends that you used? And what was the tap for? Pics of it assembled? GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugaru Posted August 18, 2009 Author Share Posted August 18, 2009 (edited) I ran it at highway speeds today, drives better than before. I'll get more pics later. Left to right: ea81 inner tierod, Mercedes compression fitting, Mercedes shaft, tapped and cut end with Mercedes clamp fitting, 60s VW tierod end. Edited August 18, 2009 by Bugaru Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugaru Posted August 19, 2009 Author Share Posted August 19, 2009 Ok, the ground clearance has changed from adjustment, it's more like 12.5" now. I don't remember what it was before. I spent a lot of time in the junkyard looking at steering components and I chose the VW tie rod ends because they have the same thread as the inner tie rod (male, right hand M14 1.5). These have also been proven tough by many years of abuse by myself and by many Baja racers. The taper where it fits into the knuckle is a close fit, but the diameter is a hair smaller. When tightned down it goes in too far and you loose the full range of motion so I made a stainless steel cone shaped shim that solves that problem, for now. Still very solid. Now were working with 2 male right hand threaded ends that need to be joined. After close inspection, I found that Mercedes seems to have the strongest tierod shaft with proper thread and compression fitting/clamps. The shaft has to be cut down almost in half to 4.5 inches, cutting off the inner, left hand threaded end. Now just tap that cut end to match, fit the clamp, done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 What kept you from just cutting and lengthening the stock inner tie rod? Seems like you could cut the rod and sleeve it with a bit of thick-walled tubing - plug welded in several places of course.... would that have made it too thick? Or was the idea to use the stronger VW ends? This shim you made... I'm curious as to how you went about that? Did you just form a cone from a sheet of shim stock? Or was a it more involved job.... turn them out on the lathe? GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugaru Posted August 20, 2009 Author Share Posted August 20, 2009 "What kept you from just cutting and lengthening the stock inner tie rod?" I thought of doing that but I'd like to keep the parts easy to replace. I'm sure you could fit one together that way, might want to make some spares though. "Did you just form a cone from a sheet of shim stock?" Well, pretty much, I got it as close as I could and then fit it and the tie rod end into the knuckle and let the tightening do the rest. I pulled it apart later and had a look, it turned out to be a very tight even fit. I've been driving on it for a couple days now and it is staying put. If you are thinking about doing the conversion, I would strongly recommend it, so far all good, no bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 I'm in the (slow) process of building new strut blocks for the front of the wagon so I can (hopefully) take it to the show. I'm doing them similar to what your original's were - slotted for camber adjustment. I suspect though that it's going to end up being similarly screwed up in the camber department to your's. I'm going to try to build in enough offset to adjust the struts flat again but I'm not sure it's going to be that easy. Did you attempt to build new strut blocks that allowed enough adjustment to fix the camber or is the uni-body just totally in the way? GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugaru Posted August 20, 2009 Author Share Posted August 20, 2009 Yeah, I forgot about those slotted ones I had. I really don't think you can get further in on the strut towers, not enough to make a difference. Do ea82 struts allow more adjustment inwards? That would make the axle conversion easier later. This thing is mad my friend, what are we going to do to fix the rear ea81 suspension? Has anybody done the VW conversion yet? I can get one easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugaru Posted August 24, 2009 Author Share Posted August 24, 2009 Just an update, I have driven 900 mi on the conversion and no problems. I will need to install limiting straps to prevent camber change under acceleration, but overall, all is good. GD, PM me your phone number, I will be in Portland on Thursday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Scooby Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 the only thing i would now worry about is because you beefed up the control arm and radius arm is the captive nuts where the radius arm mounts to the body tearing out. but nice work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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