My BRAT rebuild brainstorm thread

[s'ko]

So as some of you might have seen, I bobbed the back of my crashed BRAT and it looks like this.

 

 

I have been following the thread by Scott and his sedan/now justy build w/great interest.

 

Got me thinking on taking my BRAT, that now has 0 historical value to the next level.

 

This is what I am starting with.

EJ18 BRAT w/EA81 tranny on it’s last legs

5 inch lift

XT6 5 lug conversion,

Bobbed bed.

 

Here is what I am thinking.

 

Replace the EJ18 w/ a EJ25 frankenstein engine. (EJ25 shortblock EJ22 phase 1 heads) Then replace the EA81 tranny w/ either a EA82 5 speed or EJ 5 speed w/welded center diff. Bolt a divorced T-case to the tranny. There will be a full length subframe on this build. I was thinking of mounting the engine/tranny in the stock location w/tabs above the lift blocks. I also wanted to move the front wheels forward so the subframe might even include an engine cage to allow for the front coilovers to be mounted.

 

For the front and rear diffs, I was thinking of using screw in EJ rear diffs. The bad part is that I might have to use EJ rear hubs so it might not be feasible unless I do an adapter, the good part is that I it will increase the track of the BRAT.

 

Well what do you think?

 

I am going to start gathering parts and it might change depending on various opinions. Also need to brush up on my welding skills or make friends w/someone who can really weld.

 

 

BW

Edited March 19, 2010 by s'ko
chain drive idea retracted.

[Scott in Bellingham]

BW

 

you have gone threw many of the same thoughts i and others have gone over, Ive seen the chain swaingarm idea on a sand buggy type rig, if you go that rount that could be your gear reduction with 2 different size sprockets, I wish I had a fully equipt machine shop with a couple workers that would do whatever job I gave them them I would build something like this but since I dont I figure take parts and components from whatever rigs and build a machine from that , what size tire you aimin for? that will determine gearing and how strong the parts will need to be, I picked up a Sand buggy magizine the other day and theres a place makin rear axles out of torshen bars that have flex, this takes the shock and prevents brakage, also they offer a axle with sheer bolts that brake instead of the drive parts, with that method if it brakes you replace the "butter bolts" and your back on the trail 4 min fix , Im lookin into doing that on some subaru axles and testing them out this summer , results to follow , the stock subbie drive train is good if you keep the car light, tire size small and baby it when you drive

[s'ko]

]what size tire you aimin for? that will determine gearing and how strong the parts will need to be,

Right now the wheeling is mixed fire roads and deserts. Mostly med to high speed runs. So crawling is not as important as travel. I could probably get away w/stock EA82 drive train w/27 inch tires. In the future if I move w/the rig back to the east coast we are looking at mud/some rocks, terrain like up on Washington. At this point I was thinking 30 to maybe 32 inch with a T-case.

 

Still want to try the EJ screw in diff for strength. But we’ll see.

 

I should close escrow on my house at the end of the month.

 

So it’s mostly going to be busy cleaning the place up and stuff.

 

Will keep people posted about the progress.

 

So here is where I am going right now

 

EJ25 frankenstein engine

EA82 5 spd w/XT6 clutch