Numbchux

Well, Morgan doesn't own a subaru anymore. Archemetis is arund, and theoretically still owns 87 subarus (sure seems like it anyway), but is not a regular online poster... your best bet is to join the MNSubaru club ( www.MNSubaru.com ), There's usually stuff happening on there, if nothing else, the weekly firestone meet in downtown St. Paul, I'm usually there if I'm in town. woa!! holy simultaneous posts!!! yea, I know morgan would come, and so woud austin. Just as long as it doesn't conflict with the open house in Gilbert on the 20th. and I'm planning to have lots of 'garage' days in May (though they probalby won't actually be in the garage hehe). I've got a few big projects in the works for when school gets out.

Sweet82's on the right track, but I don't think you need to get a different car. If your loyale is pretty solid structurally, and if you're ready to be doing a lift, and other modifications to your subaru, a transmission swap is pretty easy. Find one out of a '85-'89 Wagon, Sedan, or Coupe. Non-turbo. Should be part-time 4WD, but not the pushbutton, it'll have a third lever (regular shifter, ebrake, 4WD), Just like a truck or Jeep. It has a 2WD (FWD in this case) setting, a 4WD Hi setting, and a 4WD Lo setting. this lo range is key in getting those 4 little hampsters under the hood to turn big tires when on the rocks (or whatever it is that you're wheeling on). THere is a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section here in the Offroad forum, it lookes like it got un-stickied, so you'll probably have to search for it. but it has a TON of information, compiled from many of our members posts over the last few years. Beyond that, just hang out, read virtually everything you can. There is a ton of information here, and no definate answer to your questions, so you'll have to look around, and decide what you want to do. The three options for pre-built lifts are all very comparable, it's not like jeep lifts, where some give better flex, while others just look good, Subaru lifts are all virtually the same, price and availability are probably the deciding factors in any of them.

just tell them you're willing to accept that. or, find one that's based more on an internet forum, like the MN Jeep club. They're real informal, but a great way to meet people, and find what there is available in your area.

based on what?!? so you've seen them in action, but ever followed one down a trail? neither solid, nor independant is superior in everything. they both have their advantages, and disadvantages. but back on topic. yes, roundeye, it's been discussed. but usually with toyota IFS stuff, not chevy. AdamNDJ was in the process of making an adapter to mate the toyota front knuckles to the trailing arm in the rear of the subaru, so the diff, and axles could be used. until he got called to duty....search for it.

This is a great way to find places to go, and people to go with. Typically, the local offroad groups are more than happy to get anybody and everybody who's even a little serious about wheeling to come out with them. I'm a member of the Minnesota Jeep Club, and the North Shore Wheelers (which is primarily Jeeps) here where I live, and frequently go on trail rides with them.

Be VERY careful about wheeling somewhere you don't know about. Here in MN, if it's public, it's illegal (except the iron range park up in gilbert). and the rules for ATVs and ORVs are very different. There are a ton of places that ATVs are allowed, but ORVs are not. please don't help the general public reenforce those stereotypes that keep us off the land in the first place. Be better than that. Make sure it's 100% legal, or don't go.

how about ej-ea adapter plates??

I don't think the front of an EA82 is the same as an XT6....

that happened to my blue wagon last fall. just as I was pulling into my alley, all the lights came on, it looked like it does when the ignition is on, but the engine was off.....so when I pulled onto my slab, I popped the hood, and the crank pulley was hanging by the alternator belt. the bolt was still there, thank goodness.....but very much no longer attached. yikes!

I assume it's the same one that's on their site: http://alliedarmament.homestead.com/LiftKit.html

yea, what car are we talking about? lifted? what kind of axles?

I've left lots of CV balls, and a few pieces of that rear DOJ....but everything else I picked up ripped off the rear bumper cover once, didn't realize it until I got home, but I went back for it the next day. I peeled my roof rack off a couple times, until I trimmed a foot+ off the crossbars....good times

I've already got the xt6 control arms, but was thinking that the legacy stuff wouldn't be quite right. the axles are the right length and everything? I thought the legacies had a wider track....

wait....so the front axles, knuckles, etc. will work from a '94 legacy?!? I just picked up one for an EJ donor....I wasn't expecting to be able to use this stuff!! sweet!

you could, but the stock one is pretty beefy. I'd say just leave it. IMHO, the only reason to get a different one, is once you've got a lift, the stock one won't reach anymore...

you have an EA82 your loyale should have a skidplate (assuming it's 4WD) from the factory a brushgaurd will probably have to be completely custom. Allied Armament, or TWB fabs is probably your best bet. look for their posts in the vender section here.

or easily bypassed, but it would be nice to have a way to do that, but disable it at the touch of a button (or flip of a switch). So us offroaders could reach down, and turn off the fan for 30 seconds while playing in the water.

OK..... http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos/showphoto.php?photo=8529&cat=500&ppuser=3242 http://media.putfile.com/Tribute-to-the-Chuxwagon http://media.putfile.com/Chuxwagon-2

I like the base model.....would the fan relay be manually switchable?

yep, thanks for the clarification! mikie, I like the sound of that, however, a) I doubt they're available for an EA series tranny and b)does it still have the manual lock option?

yea, all EJ AWD have viscous center LSD. but it's not locking. We want both

don't worry about being a killjoy. like I said, I haven't seen the innards of either tranny, so I wanted to know just what you told me. thanks man!! hopefully you are thinking of something else

so I was talking to one of the local subaru gurus.....one of the few that's ever had more than just a loyale in his liftime. He's had a number of XT's and an RX, and a bunch more. anyway, he started a project, and got into EJ series cars before he ever got terribly far, and never finished. but he thinks it could be done. he's got an RX tranny, torn apart, and a Mazda 323 ciscous center diff with mechanical lock that he thinks could very easily be mounted in the RX box so that even with the lock off, the center isn't open.... well, since he has no use for this project anymore, and has offered to give it to me, and, naturally, I said YES. but haven't met up with him to get it just yet. anyone have any ideas on this? maybe looked into it, or seen both trannies apart and can comment on it? I have never seen the guts of either tranny, so I'm going only by my basic understanding of how they work, and what he told me.

I have to disagree with dustyriders reman'd argument....I've had reman'd axles fail so quickly offroad, that I wouldn't feel safe on them every again. I'd want to have at least 2 front and 2 rear spare reman'd axles to feel confident that I could make it home! I think they're too weak. the stock ones are plenty weak. the big problems with diff stubs come when you're running a welded spool, where you have lots of torque on one side, at normal axle angles. running an open diff, or even LSD greatly reduces that risk (it also does reduce your capability, but for my uses anyway, it works better).

I think he/they means the earlier EA82s (my '85 wagon had it) with a switch on the dash to unlock/lock just the tailgate. when I parted out said '85 wagon, I took the switch, and I can tell you this, the wiring is different, there is no harness in the dash that'll work with the switch. but I bet you could tap into it and wire it through a switch...