gpb9900

Since my 86 Brat does not have an owner's manual and I have not previously owned a shift-on-the-fly 4wd with manual transmission, I have a couple very basic questions: 1) When I shift into 4wd in my Brat, is there a top speed at which I can safely shift? 2) Should the clutch be depressed? 3) After disengaging, I needed to move a few feet in reverse in my Toyota 4Runner (manually locking hubs and automatic transmission). Is this necessary with the Brat? 4) Does anyone have an extra 86 owner's manual they'd like to sell? Thanks for answering my noob questions. Merry Christmas all!

This question is going to betray my utter lack of wrenching knowledge, but I have to ask; What is the big deal of Weber Carb versus the stock one in my 86 Brat? If I'm simply using the car as a pleasure road vehicle, and snow driver (I might lift it eventually, but still no real off-roading) is it worth the expense?

I noticed a fuel smell after filling up my Brat last week. It lingered around the car, regardless of where it was parked until it dropped to about 1/2 tank (from driving, not any leak). There is no fuel dripping anywhere. I see no drip marks on the tank, nor do I see any sign of gasoline hitting the ground, so it looks like it's vapor escaping from somewhere. Any thoughts?

Does anyone have pictures of an intact Brat undercarriage that you could post? Thanks.

I noticed from another thread that doors (not the windows) from hatchbacks and coupes will fit the Brat . What I am unclear on is the latest year that will fit the Brat from other models. I am seeing salvage yards with 88 & 89 doors coming up in my search door Brat doors. Is this, in fact the case? Thanks again for your knowledge.

you can try car-part.com That's how I located the only apparent Brat in a salvage yard in my state. I also found a rear-lower passenger control arm through this site as well. Good luck.

I posted this question earlier, but I noticed a discrepancy in the years the panels fit. Rustrepair.com offers rockers to fit 80-94 wagon/sedan. However, when I go to that specific page, the chart only indicates 85-94. I noticed from this thread that other body panels will work with the Brat, but only from 80-84 models. This suggests to me that in 85 Other Subaru models received significant changes, while the the Brat remained on the older platform . So my question is this; will the shape (not length, I can trim and weld that) from 85-94 rockers fit the Brat or am I S.O.L. in terms of finding brand new rockers to fit without custom fabbing them? A salvage yard is still an option, but I don't think they'd be any less expensive than $41 per panel. Again, thanks for your knowledge.

Do the gas tanks from any other models fit an 86 Brat? I went to this site, emailed them and was told they don't carry any for a Brat.

Probably true, but arranging to get one from west to east coast is virtually impossible for me at this point, so repairing this one is the direction I'll be going. I am hoping for a long time keeper by the time all is done. The engine hasn't even hit 108k yet. I do have a mechanic who is going to work on it on the side, including some welding, which helps me avoid the full brunt of $90/hr labor. Also, a local vocational school may very well be addressing the entire vehicle in the near future as well, so the costs get minimized to a degree. Thanks for the input on the importance of the wells. This is why I asked. This site has been a tremendous source of info for me the last few weeks.

So my Brat failed a RI state safety inspection a couple days ago. One of the reasons given was that the shock mounts were rusted through. To me, they look to be surface rusted and easily fixable. What was rusted through (and I was in the process of beginning to remove portions) were both wheel wells at the shock towers. No surprise, but the mechanic told me that the wheel well is actually a structural support for the shock tower and that the hole could lead to the tower breaking off in an upward fashion, basically pushing through the well. I noticed that the wells are spot welded in a couple places to the towers, but it looks to me like the towers are bolted to the rear fender above the wheel well, providing the real structural support. Of course, I haven't removed the panel in the bed to get a better look. That would probably provide good visual information. Anyway, I had originally planned on cutting the wells completely around the towers and riveting and caulking new panels (after addressing the rust on the towers) to what remained of the wells until I could get a more permanent fix. However, the mechanic's reason for failing the safety inspection in that area torpedoed that idea. So my question is this: do the wheel wells offer any structural support for the shock towers, or is the mechanic full of dung? Do I need to weld new panels (or full wells to the towers) or can riveted pieces that are not attached to the towers suffice?

There's also this site, which I believe I stumbled upon from this site.

Where is the fusible link? I went with the simplest approach because I immediately got frustrated with the massive wire bundle and my inability to follow where the wire I needed went. This is the most extensive work I've ever done on a vehicle myself so much of this is all new to me. Thanks for the advice, BTW.

The hot wire from the battery is bad somewhere. Simple solution: I'm running a new hot from the battery to the fuse-box. I previously called a Subaru dealership looking for a directional/hazard module thinking that was the culprit. Allegedly only 3 left in the entire country from Subaru!

I located the directional relay on my 86 Brat from the sound and the vibration of it clicking. Am I correct in guessing that the large square box to its right is the hazard relay? Bear in mind that my hazards don't currently work so the same method is not feasible. If anyone has a pic of the Hazard relay, I'd appreciate it. Happy Thanksgiving!

Out of curiosity, what was the original sticker price for an 86 Brat GL w/o A/C? I thought I found it on-line previously, but am having trouble relocating it.

I emailed Autoweld about their roll bars for Gen 1 Brats. I asked if they made them for Gen 2 Brats. At this time, It seems they do not, as they were not sure if the Gen 1 bodies were different from the Gen 2s. So my question is this, what are the differences between the bodies with respect to fitting a Gen 1 roll bar into a Gen 2 vehicle?

I have no experience with them, but have been warned away from them. When installed, the seam needs to be glued. The trick apparently is keeping the seams completely free from oil, grease, dirt or any other contaminant or else the glue might not hold properly. Also, no movement for at least an hour after installation to allow the glue to set. The second part is not so hard. But ensuring that the seams stay totally clean strikes enough fear into me to shy away from them.

My oil pressure gauge red lines under acceleration and for a bit when the engine is first started. Is this normal? I understand it should be 57psi @ 2500 RPMs, which I believe is about where it is after warm up and on a flat road.

I cannot access the catalog link at SJRLift's site. Anyone else experiencing that issue?

Interesting issue. The horn and hazards don't work, but the clock does, but it resets every time I start the car. Since all three are on the same fuse, I figure some one previously must have rewired something. The clock I can live without. However, it won't pass inspection w/o a horn and hazards. I am thinking the switch assembly in the steering column is shot. Any thoughts? BTW, my directional signals do work.

I patched the floors in the Brat I recently bought. Due to its issues, it hasn't seen the road since I got it home. Next is carpet and seat replacement. Images available here.

Are the left and right cv axles identical, or are they side-specific? The inner boots on both my axles are torn. I missed this when I bought the car and I dare not simply install new boots; I don't know how long they've been torn, nor to what degree they've been contaminated. I've found replacements, but they indicate specific sides. Interestingly one site only lists a right side, while another side lists only a left side. This tells me they're not the same, but I'm just not sure...

Right now I am planning on fixing the body issues, (floor holes, rotted rockers, rot in the bed/wheel wells, driver's door has come apart at the bottom seam.). The engine only has 108k, so it does not seem to need much, beyond radiator replacement and valve cover gaskets. It has a brand new alternator, and the plugs/wires are quite new as well. The previous owner was a heavy smoker, so the interior has an odor in it I can't defeat. I'm going to replace the carpet (with a salvaged one) and the seats (also from salvage). I am looking for a push bar for the front and probably the aftermarket rear bumper from SJR with the tire carrier. I plan on re-painting it. Hopefully, much of the body work/paint can be done by a local vocational HS. I'm undecided on the color. I was thinking a bright red, or possibly a flat, military olive drab. The frame is mostly intact. There are rusted spots where the floor has rotted, but they should be easily addressed. Ultimately, I am looking for a fun runabout that can tackle the hills to/from work. My Prius is not exactly a snow monster. Basically, I am bringing to life a little high school dream of having a Brat. My first vehicle was comparable in size; an 81 VW Pickup. Similar to a Brat, but no 4wd. I am looking to "restore" it. I use the term loosely, because it will not be show quality, but largely re-conditioned, I guess you could call it. I am debating lifting it to fit 14s, but that won't happen until It has been restored. I created a shutterfly album that I will update periodically as work gets done.

I came across this site while searching for Brat roll bars. I'm not sure if anyone has tried them or what modifications, if any are necessary for proper fit, but a brand new, 4 point roll bar is listed at $153. I have not contacted them at all as I have decided to work on other thing on my Brat prior to installing a roll bar. I figured they might be worth a look.

I uploaded pics to a shutterfly album, for those of you who wanted to see pics of the rot in my rocker panels and floor. Can anyone tell if it is too far gone? To my layman's eye, it seems like a project, but not beyond hope. It looks to me like the frame rails under the floor might need some fixing, but they seem mostly solid. Anyway, thank you to everyone for all the help/suggestions you have been giving.