Differant cross member for EA81?

[Mr. Brat]

Went junk yard shopping today. With the EJ swap im doing I would like to update the brat to power steering. I found both EA82 and EJ cross members with the racks and the lines still. Will one of these cross members work for me? I haven't done the EA82 suspension swap and dont really want to due to keeping the tires in as much as possible (daily driver). Any other ideas?

[GeneralDisorder]

Neither will bolt up without modifications as they are wider from frame rail to frame rail. It's easier if you do a lift at the same time but you are going to move the tires out about 1.5" on either side if you go with anything other than an EA81 member.

 

It would be best if you sourced an EA81 power steering cross-member. They can be found.

 

GD

[Mr. Brat]

I didn't look that close at the power steering rack and mounting of it in either cars. Could the cross member be cut in half and shortened to it between the frame rails? Then trim a little off the arms coming off the rack? How about the lower control arms mounting? Just throwing it out there. I have never ran across an EA81 p/s car in the junk yards.

[GeneralDisorder]

With enough modification, an EA82 cross-member might work. As you sugest the cross member would need to be cut in half. The mounts for the rack would have to be scarfed off and rewelded most likely.

 

It's all down to how much modification you want to do.

 

EA81 PS cross-member's are out there. I have one car stock with PS, and I have a couple of EA81T cross-members that I'm going to use for PS on other projects.

 

GD

[Gloyale]

With enough modification, an EA82 cross-member might work. As you sugest the cross member would need to be cut in half. The mounts for the rack would have to be scarfed off and rewelded most likely.

 

It's all down to how much modification you want to do.

 

That would be the wrong way to go about using an EA82 crossmember.

 

The radius rods would not line up if you tried to shorten in the width of the crossmembers. Perhaps you could shorten or make new/ modify radius rods.

 

It isn't hard at all to modify the bolt hole area of an EA82 crossmemberto bolt to the ea81 body. But to narrow it would be harder.

 

The wider track is pretty nice too. use a deep offset rims on the rear to match the front track.

[GeneralDisorder]

The radius rod's could be dealt with - either by using modified EA81 radius rods, or by moving their mounting point on the radius rod plates. As I said - it would be a lot of work to do it the right way and have the cross-member bolt up like it would be stock. But it's something I might consider for a 5 lug conversion - in conjuction with a bunch of EJ parts. Though I would probably look at swapping in the Legacy stuff instead.

 

GD

[mountaingoatgruff]

As far as engine crossmembers, any EJ would be a hell of a lot more work than an EA82 for little gain. You can use EJ struts, knuckles, brakes, even P/S (with a little work) on an EA81 chassis by slapping an EA82 crossmember on. Seems ideal to me.

[Mr. Brat]

Was thinking about fabbin up an intire new cross member to hous the p/s rack, motor mounts and lower control arms. Or the easiest way... does anyone know where I could pick up a p/s cross member? I already have the 6 lug conversion and have a 4 inch lift. So the 5 lug conversion is out.

[Gloyale]

Was thinking about fabbin up an intire new cross member to hous the p/s rack, motor mounts and lower control arms. Or the easiest way... does anyone know where I could pick up a p/s cross member? I already have the 6 lug conversion and have a 4 inch lift. So the 5 lug conversion is out.

 

You know, EA81, EA82, And EJ racks all bolt in to the same mountings. If you remove the cover plate in the center of the crossmember(some are wleded, later ones bolted) , you can simply bolt in an EA82 steering rack. Then you'll need to cut the inner tierods down and run a die over them to thread the rod further "in".

 

If all you are after is the PS than that would be a good way to go.

[GeneralDisorder]

It's a little more involved than just bolting it in - the non-power cross-member's have no provision for the power steering lines, etc.

 

While it could probably be done, everyone that has gone so far as to remove a cross-member and put it on the bench next to a power rack has decided it wasn't worth the time and hassle. I've seen at least one post with side-by-side pictures in the last few months that showed it was a pretty messy proposition.

 

GD

[Mr. Brat]

There is a great differance between the p/s and non p/s racks. Does anyone know of a junk yard or a person that is parting out a car the have the p/s cross member in it?

[Yo'J]

I wouldn't call it a great difference, 4 nuts and bolts, 4 spot welds to drill out and 4 holes for 4 gromets, thats all on the crossmsmber that is, but, the power steering rack itself is the pain to find and the p/s steering u-joint. They usually come on a p/s crossmember.

[Gloyale]

I wouldn't call it a great difference' date=' 4 nuts and bolts, 4 spot welds to drill out and 4 holes for 4 gromets, thats all on the crossmsmber that is, but, the power steering rack itself is the pain to find and the p/s steering u-joint. They usually come on a p/s crossmember.[/quote']

 

Like I said, some later ones the cover plate is bolted, not welded. Like an EA82. But the welded ones just drill out the spotwelds.

 

My 84 Sedan w/ps is like that, bolts on.

 

PS EA81 or EA82 or even EJ rack bolts in to the same location. *note EA82 inner tierods would need shortened to work for this. EJ also + other mods for lines. Point is hthe mounting location of all the racks is same.

 

Make a u-joint shaft by cutting/sleeving/welding an EA82 or EJ steering coupler. Very easy. Gonna need to make it custom length anyhow with the lift, so no need to find an original EA81 ps/ coupler.

[Mr. Brat]

The p/s racks for the ea and ej are retally available. I just need to find a p/s crossmemeber for an ea81. Im still looking but have not struck gold yet!

[Yo'J]

just drill out the spotwelds.

, bolts on.

 

PS EA81 or EA82 or even EJ rack bolts in to the same location. *note EA82 inner tierods would need shortened to work for this. EJ also + other mods for lines. Point is the mounting location of all the racks is same.

 

 

Dink!

[swampbrat]

I don't remember it being that hard. Back in 03 I put power steering on my brat. I know I cut the welded plate off the bottom with a 4" grinder. I may have drilled holes for the lines with a uni-bit. Engine and steering came out of a GL10. Sorry I can't remember much. There was some pics of the motor swap on subarujunkies old site.