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Drivetrain options


Scott in Bellingham
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starting a new offroader build

 

this is what I have decided so far

 

EA82 sedan

EJ 2.2 ( either carbed or FI)

 

 

now heres the questions

 

what should I do for the drive train??

 

 

I know what stock will do , seen to many brocken stub shafts and rear axles

 

maybe legacy parts are stronger ?? maybe not?

maybe go some kind of truck rear axle or even front IFS setup in rear ?

 

what works and what would you do?

 

I like the lightness and nimbleness of the car stuff but its got its week points which Im ready to live without,

 

I have some parts got a couple Transfercases, got a Datsun 720 pickup

 

dont realy want to just drop the body onto a truck frame

would likre to keep it light and car like , not heavy and truck like,

also the tires dont need to be that big maybe 31" at the most

 

what would you do? and whats been done and works?? thanks SJR

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I know what stock will do , seen to many brocken stub shafts and rear axles

 

maybe legacy parts are stronger ?? maybe not?

maybe go some kind of truck rear axle or even front IFS setup in rear ?

 

 

1st gen Legacy CV and diff stubs are the same as EA82, and interchange with EA81. HOwever, it seems the geometry of the 2 radius arm/1 trailing arm rear end setup is not as hard on them. My buddy with the lifted Legacy has broken the spider gears out of a diff(old abused diff)....but never an axle or a stub.

 

My thinkin as of recently was to make a lift block set that adapts from the EA82(or 81) body to the Legacy rear crossmember.

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Yeah I would think the newer stuff would be a bit tougher.

Remember, it's designed to be under a heavier car, with more power.

I've talked with Gregg a bit about this and he's taken some measurments I think from under his Outback. We were thinking of going that route on our EA81s. Granted it would be a bit wider. But tougher more plentiful parts.

Use like Impreza stuff or something.

 

And he found a CV builder near him that build shafts for racing buggies and such.

Guess the guy knows Soobs well and was willing to build up a set of bulletproof custom rear axles. Price yet to be known on that though. (proly alot, but if it's the last set of axles you have to buy....)

 

Then I think we decided for the trouble, a solid rear axle would be the best option and get more flex. Plus if the right axle is picked, a real locker can be thrown in. :)

 

 

* and then I checked my bank account, and decided It would be in my best interest to just keep it the way it is for now... :lol:

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Then I think we decided for the trouble, a solid rear axle would be the best option and get more flex. Plus if the right axle is picked, a real locker can be thrown in. :)

 

That why my 82 looks like it does now :)

 

 

But I think putting a whole Impreza or Legacy drivetrain under an EA vehicle would be good. develop it as a marketable lift kit....

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I like your idea of using the nissan 720 setup, but from the ton of research I've done, it's not been tested on an older soob. Maybe some R180 diffs converted with custom axles, but not nissan all the way out. I'm still very interested in doing this on my own car too...the benefits are just too great! Stronger diff/ stub axles/ halfshafts, rear disc brakes, lsd possibility or weld the diff and unlock with hubs. :headbang:

It looks like the diff will bolt-on easily, but the trick would be making a custom sub frame to mount the nissan hubs? Or convert the axles to subaru, weld or lsd the rear, and get far less breakage. This has been talked about for many years, so I'd donate my time to see this awesome mod become reality!

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I like your idea of using the nissan 720 setup, but from the ton of research I've done, it's not been tested on an older soob. Maybe some R180 diffs converted with custom axles, but not nissan all the way out. I'm still very interested in doing this on my own car too...the benefits are just too great! Stronger diff/ stub axles/ halfshafts, rear disc brakes, lsd possibility or weld the diff and unlock with hubs. :headbang:

It looks like the diff will bolt-on easily, but the trick would be making a custom sub frame to mount the nissan hubs? Or convert the axles to subaru, weld or lsd the rear, and get far less breakage. This has been talked about for many years, so I'd donate my time to see this awesome mod become reality!

 

I like it too, I compared the stock Subaru rear diff to the 720 front diff they both have the same mounting and same driveline flange , so the 720 diff will bolt right into the soob with no mods to the mounts, also the 720 front axles are different lengths ones about 4" shorter then the other, also the hub to hub measurment on the 720 Nissan truck is around 5-6" narrower, so if I get a second long axle and put in on then both axles will be same length and it will bring the track out close to the soob track width, so looks like I need to pull apart a sooob rear arm and a nissan front hub arm and see if it fits if not then make a custom arm with the truck bearing holder hooked to the soob arm , if this all works out I will have a stronger rear drive system and unlocking rear hubs and 6 bolt hubs with big disc brakes

 

 

heres a pic I found its like the one on the left

 

r180r230.jpg

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umm, the 720 diff has been used by at least 5 people that i know of,and successfully at that.where did you do your research soobie doo?cheers, rbain

All the way to the wheel?

Good, then maybe you can bring some useful info to the table!?!

 

If I where going to go that far I would just get a nissan..................... I'm not sure but I think they come stock with that stuff.

 

:)

 

Jeff

 

Don't worry, Jeff...It's still Fuji heavy industries :grin:

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Hey Scott.

The axles on the left look just like the Datsun 510 axles I've seen. (on a whole rear 510 subframe and suspension in a guy's garage)

I have thought of them as a possibility as well. I would figure some really strong ones could be had due to the 510 racing crowd. The trick would be at the wheel end. But the diff stubs should fit right into our R160s.

 

They may be to short though..... Even for EA81 width.

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samurai axles and transfercase plenty of upgrades and cheap but the axles are light and small so they get pretty good clearance that is what I am going to do if I finally get a 2.2 put in then this will be my next project 4.88 gears and a 4.1 transfercase gear

 

you'll have to lift it a bit higher to have your steering clear the oil pan. the EJ22 is a couple inches lower than an ea81... my trackbar just clears my ea81 oil pan, and I had to bumpstop the right side an extra inch... and that's with stock steering. no way to do high steer and keep a low CG....

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soobiedoo,in my mind i saw transfercase..............not diff.:drunk:

 

and mick,if you move the entire axle forward,do you think this would eliminate clearance issues....?cheers, brian

 

 

you'll have to lift it a bit higher to have your steering clear the oil pan. the EJ22 is a couple inches lower than an ea81... my trackbar just clears my ea81 oil pan, and I had to bumpstop the right side an extra inch... and that's with stock steering. no way to do high steer and keep a low CG....

 

 

and, when i was looking into the custom 510 axles, they are not as available as you would think.those guys are like us.they get as many as they can from the junkyards, and such and hang on to them.i have some killer resources up here as far as yards go and when i was looking around for about a year, i came across one set......and it was in the process of being removed.the guy said what i just did, basically.

 

but my custom rear axles are coming soon.i have not abandoned them.just waiting on the machining to get done.free is free ya know.

 

i agree with mikey,i will thinking zuke axles as soon as i figure out what config i want the hatch body in.........:)cheers, brian

Edited by monstaru
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on EJ clearance theres not much in that oil pan, it could be modified to get a couple more inches

 

Good to know, though I may not have the width to do it because of the new frame section for the steering.....

 

and mick,if you move the entire axle forward,do you think this would eliminate clearance issues....?cheers, brian

 

well, it all depends on how big a tire you want to run... the rear of my front wheel wells was already bashed back 4" or so when I put 30's on it with the soob running gear, and in order to fit the 35's with a low CG, the front axle was moved forward about 5" probably.... which put the trackbar and draglink for the crossover steering, right under the middle of the oil pan.... which made it a bit uglier to clearance the oil pan, so it's just bumpstopped an extra inch on the right side... It only hit the oil pan at while turning right, at full stuff.

My rear axle is moved back a few inches as well, so I could keep the side step, and end up with a 105" wheel base.

move the front axle forward anymore, and it might start to look a bit odd....

 

Since my built engine only has about 6k on it, I'm gonna SPFI it... I've got all the parts.... maybe a winter project.....

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and cat flap, all you have to do with the inners for the 510 axles is bolt them onto the r160 diff, then bolt on there axles.

 

mick, i do not think that we are to worried about how our rigs look,albeit that we want them to look more odd than not.....:lol:

 

scott, with some reinforcement, the rear solid axle setup is an easy go.especially with your crazy rump roast fab skills.

kens brat is solid outback, and it worked out well.cheers, brian

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soobiedoo,in my mind i saw transfercase..............not diff.:drunk:

No prob, Brian, now I see...cause I didn't find jack on a soob/720 rear end.

 

scott, with some reinforcement, the rear solid axle setup is an easy go.especially with your crazy rump roast fab skills.

kens brat is solid outback, and it worked out well.cheers, brian

You should do this, and sell me your nissan front! :rolleyes:

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who else ??? lets see what you have done, Im starting a new project and can go any dirrection at this point, would like stronger drivetrain and possibly just maybe lower gears, I can go 720 nissan Transfercase and some solid axles or maybe keep the front soobie parts and put a yota with a locker in the rear , I have the nissan case already and have a stock yota axle , so would I go 4 link or leaf springs and then what spring setup / I have a buddy thats into Sammis maybe check with him on the rear axle setup he has 4 link and coils in his with lots of flex

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who else ??? lets see what you have done, Im starting a new project and can go any dirrection at this point, would like stronger drivetrain and possibly just maybe lower gears, I can go 720 nissan Transfercase and some solid axles or maybe keep the front soobie parts and put a yota with a locker in the rear , I have the nissan case already and have a stock yota axle , so would I go 4 link or leaf springs and then what spring setup / I have a buddy thats into Sammis maybe check with him on the rear axle setup he has 4 link and coils in his with lots of flex

 

 

anyone??

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