monstaru

i do have an idea,but it is not quite to the top of the list.we are on to the pneumatic thing.this should be a look at the systems the lowriders do....... the major offroad shocks are dampened by nitrogen................there are emulsion shocks though.these could be coupled with the "strut out" idea that bigo had. only problem is the subaru strut body is where the spring rests. the vw strut body is where the insert lives.and is actually a body.a spring keeper attached to both ends might be necessary,but it is possible coupled with an emulsion shock it could work. i just don't know what to do about lateral movement of the spring,that would be lateral movement ya?.cheers, brian

regardless of height , no matter how many times i tried this i would have much preferred to just take the motor out. that way you spend most of your day at least bending over as opposed to laying a cold surface,creeper or not. i cannot tell you how many times i have pulled a motor on a subaru.up to first gen legacies.... if you have a piece of like fiber board or hardibacker or something,you can put it in front of the radiator with fans out and just lean the engine forward.a bit.when i say lean, i mean with the motor mounts up and out of the crossmember..... thats if your lazy... like i said, i would just pull it.but i can have a motor out pretty quick.it allows you too view the motor , its components,and determine if some other isssues should be addressed ,that pesky leak,those loud lifters,etc.........because when you do your clutch it is much easier to put a new rear seal in when you can sit above the motor.i mean, i'm just jabberin here, but.....we are talkin about subarus...might as well do a bit if your gonna do any. cheers, brian

winks...........just for you kid, I'll see what i can do...:grin:there is no flex left,it would break outta there like a jailbird outta the hokie......fast and hard..... it seems that all of the jabber about the 510's and porsches may pan out.i have wanted to rebuild some axles for a long time.i think now is the time.i think i will probably stick to some u-joints though...............cheers, brian

yeah, kinda like this.... i only had to turn the front bracket upside down,trim a bit for the pinion to fit....then massage the gas tank with a BFH.........and it fit. i will be making new axles.which is ok,i always wanted to anyway.cheers, brian

yeah,i realized that too chux.....i just never looked at the case with that in mind ya'know.we get so tuned in to what others have done with their rigs because those are the "standard operating procedures" that we forget to think outside the box....... and bheinen,if you flipped it upside down you would just need to figure out another thrower system,or keep it at a level just at the splines of the pinion in order to oil.because it is the bearings that need lubed back in there,nothing else.i don't care what the FSM says........i care what practical experience from taking these apart and expirimenting says...... :)cheers, brian and billy, it does go in with no issues up front,i was talking about using a high pinion for the back.if you look at that last pic....it appears i could stuff it upside down and clear the torsion bar and fuel tank.and give mad clearance.......

, ya know chux,i been thinkin about that real hard.i have some crazy idears runnin through my brains......i'd like to believe that i am gonna make a solid turn into this project......but,it won't be quite what is expected if i do it... and i am gonna tear a diff apart and see if there is room to flip the ring gear. i know, i know, it's preposterous ,but i am going to at least look damnit.....:grin:cheers, brian

a 33cc 4 stroke?can i see pics?that size is usually for weedeaters and chainsaws,never seen a four stroke version........that would be cool...i have an offroad skateboard that i couild really use a smaller robin motor on.....wanna get rid of it?hijack over/cheers, brian:)

yep, searchie searchie......cheers, rbain

i just went and looked at some diffs side by side,i they are bulged to one side,i was initially thinking of flipping the ring gear to the other side of the case......but i don;t think it is possible now. i just happen to look at that pic,and think high pinion is all...... however diffs mounted like that would do cool burnouts. i'll have to adjust the level of that diff.i was gonna use longer axles anyway.cheers, brian

ok,so this week i got the base of the subframe(2x2 .120 wall square tube) built.i got it mocked up today,as i have to attach the radius rod links to it. the nephew and i got the rear lift done today and the diff in,put longer shocks on that i had layin around for just an occasion like this...... this week i am down for doing the tabs to mount the subframe to the body,make the connecting pieces to attach to the rear lift blocks(will be welded) and try to buy some more metal so i can z the frame up front. here are some pics..... what do you think about turning the diff upside down? i realize i would have to have more gear oil in it,but do you think it would damage it in any way?as long as i make sure the pinion stays lubed?just curious......cheers, brain

no, there are no options from subaru, unless you went to an r180 from a later model STI that had 5. somethin gears..... NISMO is your knight in shining armor there.they have a couple of sites that may help you out.cheers, brian

well, that menagerie is actual brat rollbar,from front-to back..... the front was a gen2 rollbar,and the one out back is a gen1 rollbar flipped aroiund and the "legs" trimmed on it. it took me 2 yrs to find those pieces,and about 3 days to put them together that way.i spent an entire day from morning till almost dark just setting up the middle bars to see how they would look right..... miniscule cut here, tiny cut there.......it seems rather simple , but was not as simple as it could have been seeing as how they are different widths....cheers, brian

you forgot to mention how bad rump roast it was ,dude..........:)cheers, brian

i always wanted to mount two tires , one on either side as spares.....like where you get the cubby hole from the cant inward by the bars. then a surfboard on top with all of the beach gear in the basket,like how i had it mounted. looks weird to me in another brat...........nice though.............you came out way cheap on that............looks good though. now, don't go rolling it.....that is all cosmetic,it would buckle in a heartbeat.it is stout,but being only mounted to your bed i would not test it . besides,youd ruin that beautiful piece of art i created.... cheers, brian

yep, its all gearing.the monster crawlers are even utilizing four bangers now sometimes.granted, they are "built" 4 bangers,but none the less.....if those zookies you see at the ORV park are able to get around like that on 35's i see noo reaso0n why the brat should not.cheers, brain

ok, so iwent and visited a friend of a friend today.he has built about 15 vw sandrails.and is getting ready to build a mountain buggy for his grandson. we were talking about tubing and what i want to do "one day"........... i have my current offroad project,of which most of you have seen......my initial idea was to start the ground work for a "mini crawler" meaning eventually building off of the frame in tube and making it a full tube rig ... all in all i want a crawler.i want to roll something over and drive it away.i want something other than what 2yrs ago i did not think i could accomplish. my skills have taken a turn for the worst:lol:,and i believe i could achieve this idear of mine. of course it would have a subie drivetrain.but i have several pieces that i have traded for that i would end up putting for sale..... i just don't know.i mean,i have to buy enough steel to make a subframe... and looking at prices of steel right now,it looks like i could enough to cage it for not much more. don't get me wrong here,i am not trying to compete with full size rock buggies,just tryin to make a smaller version and have fun. after the tube work i saw today,i believe i am fully capable of pulling it off. in the beginning i would have to have the stock subie front and rear suspension,but would eventually go to solid axles. i have floundered around projects in the past due to lack of tools,but now,i have the tools and have met some folks with some damn good advice."build what you want". is what they say......i want a buggie. i am torn.....but i just don't htink that i will be satisfied with a body on a frame.i am going to have a lot of fab time in this.and i do not want to be dissatisfied with it when i am done...like i did not go far enough with my skills.what do you think? cheers, brain

"coutersink".it is an actual bit......like 10 bucks for a nice one of machine tool quality from our local supplier.called bixby tool.cheers, brian

is that you patrick? doin any 4 byin with that black jeep i saw?cheers, brian:grin:

love it....that thing is pretty nice.the only thing is maybe some expanded steel so you do not kill them,or the factory hella drivable lense covers.other than that,it is s really nice bumper.cheers, brain

i flat towed a brat from yakima to spokane, and had no issues whatsoever....make sure you can leave the steering wheel unlocked for turning...........cheers, brian

second on the locktite........as opposed to rtv..that rear main is a *************** sometimes.wgen installing i always use a block of wood sos it goes in even...good luck!cheers, brian

well, i got the engine crossmember out of the rig today and started welding it together,it does not nearly look monstaru-ish enough yet.i ran out of wire in the tip size i have....can't find my other tips for some reason like i said, i will be adding some gussets........so i am going to order those pretty quick.....cheers, brian

pretty much i would suggest getting the tranny out with crossmember, and doing some research by picking up several different mounts and doing test fits.......or just upgrade to a 5 spd d/r tranny and utilize those mounts,loads better in both departments... there were a couple of folks that have urethaned there mounts solid. i know mcbrat did his motor mounts at least. i would not suggest doing the clamp down thing unless you want to eat through motor mounts, and or axles.....i have had severely blown tranny mounts before and through my experience with them,you should change them out for factory oem(about $45 us apiece),motor mounts(about$100 us pair) at the same time. use factory OEM for this as the others are inferior.new mounts will last quite a while.if you have issues getting OEM subaru parts maybe someone here can help. cheers, brian

the caliper rebuild kit is like 11 bucks from napa.very,very,very simple to do.and you'll learn which way to twist them as well.:grin:cheers, brian

yeah, i would love to see it.cheers, brian