Travis' 88 Wagon FIX "Build"

[Travisthedrumer]

I'm sorry if this is a re-post, I searched and couldn't find it.

 

88 DL non turbo, FWD.

 

I need the thread pitch for the control arm castle nut. Mine got lost.... then the arm fell off while driving. *NOTE* just using a cotter pin, not a good idea in retrospect. I managed not to f anything up too bad, I think. I just need that size by 1700, CST. (5 PM) I have a job starting on monday, and all the parts stores around me and within 50 miles close on the weekends. Does anyone know the thread pitch?

 

It's the passenger side, not sure if it matters. But yeah. Help please?

Edited May 23, 2010 by Zap
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[idosubaru]

i think your car is an EA82, but not sure?

 

pitch is 1.25 and it's a metric size. if it's already off, just unscrew it and take it into the store with you to make sure. you could also remove the other side nut, take it in with you and match it up. stick a few bolts in until it's the right size, then get a matching nut...etc, lots of ways to figure it out.

 

attached with just a pin, are the threads still good?

 

good luck!

 

Hey - what happens when a tie rod falls off, that sounds terribly dangerous?!

[somick]

I beleive it is M8x1.25, like garry said.

 

While in the store get few different sizes

 

Good luck,

 

Sam

[Travisthedrumer]

Well. I would, except I lost the nut. When it falls off, your tire does some stupid stuff. Mine rubbed the backside of the fender wall, then lost all camber control. Luckily I was 30 feet from my house, so i basically go jacked it to my house. I never really understood what that arm did until it fell off. It keeps your effin wheel straight! the camber on that wheel is so messed up now, plus the wheel isn't really centered. I'm hoping that putting a nut back on it, and tightening it all the way down, will straighten it back up. And the threads looked slightley boogered, so hopefully they aren't boogered to the point of killing it. If it is, I'm screwed. Thank you guys. So much. Soob fourms are a lifesaver. No joke. And yea, Its the 82. EJ, AWD swap will come one of these days when i'm rich. xD

[idosubaru]

I meant take the nut off THE OTHER side, it's the exact same nut. Take it in the store with you, then match it up.

 

He's got a good idea though - nuts are like 15 cents each - get the M8x1.25 like he said and size or two up or down to be sure if you can't remove the nut on the other side for some reason.

 

If the threads are hosed I have two recommendations. The first is to chase the threads with a die to clean them up. If you don't have a die - buy or borrow one.

 

The second suggestion is to tigthen it very slowly and oil the threads. Turn it, as soon as it gets tight go grab a drink. Then go tighten a bit more and if it's still tight to turn, go check your email. Keep doing that, this allows it too cool and greatly improves your chances of getting the nut on tight without completely stripping the threads. But they'll likely be really bad next time you ever go to remove it. If you tighten it all at once, the metal heats up from the friction, expands, and gauls the threads quickly.

 

In the future...or right now...all the average sized nuts on a subaru are the same 1.25 pitch, there's only a very few that differ, but none the size of what you're talking about. So if you find another nut that's the same diamter anywhere on the car it'll fit right on that tie rod end. I've done that before, borrow a fender, engine, diff, whatever nut I can do without to sure something else up.

[Travisthedrumer]

Okay. I may have gone to an idiot for a parts store. But M8 seems WAY too small. M8 refers to the size of the bolt right? 1.25 thread pitch? It looks like a 12 or 13. So... yeah. The bolt I have, looks like a shock tower bolt.

[Travisthedrumer]

Haha, nuts*** not bolts****

 

anyway. Nuts are like 1.40 here. so, im gonna go exchange them until i get the right one. Having no job, i literally have NO money.

[donnieru]

Hello. If your are talking about the castle nut that holds your ball joint in the control arm it is the same size and thread pitch as your lug nuts.

[idosubaru]

it is friday so you'd hate to spend that Forty money on a nut! :lol:

 

I guess M8 is to small come to think of it, that's like timing belt bolt size. those are 12mm bolt heads - that castle nut is a 17mm i think so it's much bigger. 1.25 pitch is definitely right though.

[Travisthedrumer]

so it is. 12x1.25... awesome.

 

thanks. all in all, i've spent 7.15

 

5.25 for the Die, .50 for the nut, 1.40 for the nut the first time

 

neat.

[Travisthedrumer]

alright. I've run into another problem....

 

I've f'd these threads up real bad. their a complete solid line of steel up to the 4th thread now... its bad. I can't even get a Die on there straight. Well... i've never really done the die thing before, so... some help with that? I like to pride myself on knowing how to do things like this, but, i dont. :[ sad...

 

Alright, so anyone wanna help me out here?

 

The lug nuts fit though, thank you. The pitch helped gross, so don't feel too bad. The M12x1.25 fits, i think its like a 17mm.

 

I couldn't get the other side off because its a pain, and that sides threads right on the bottom have been butchered like a mofo. bottomed out it looks like. with a hammer. yeah. So it was a nice try, but the lug nut trick worked perfect. took a back one off, took it to car quest, and bamo. New nut.

 

but yeah, Die tips? is there like a tool im supposed to use, or just use a wrench?

[idosubaru]

dies are typically 1 inch - wrench, socket, or die wrenches.

 

put a jack under the tie rod and push it up through the hole int he hub with the jack under and jack it up enough to put some of the weight ont he car on it an dhold it in place. otherwise it'll just turn with the die - you've probably already had that happen.

 

gotta go, good luck.

[Travisthedrumer]

Im done. I'm done with this car. You'll probably see it on the for sale forum here pretty quick. The CV shaft broke in half... AGAIN. I JUST BOUGHT THE THING. I was trying to get the tie rod bolt out of the hub, so i could take it to a friend, who... oh yeah, his dad is a metal machinist. He has a lathe and everything. The control arm was on the bolt, so i jack the car up, and pulled down on the control arm. the spring unleashed the beast with the hub onto my shoulder, and the force ripped the CV knuckle apart. good news? Tie rod bolt is perfect. bad news? since the CV was purchased using a warranty, I can't get another one, and i dont have any money. I might keep it... It has grown on me. Anyone near kansas want to sell me a passenger CV like.... well, i better hit the wanted forums. people tend to get ansty about misposting.

 

Thanks for your help guys!

[idosubaru]

wait a second, is it just the front boot that's busted? if that's the case, just ignore it. i've driven 50,000 miles on busted front boots, clicking CV's before. the Subaru axles are going to take a lot of abuse before they actually fail. if it's just the boot, dont' sweat it, ignore it for now.

[Gloyale]

The control arm was on the bolt, so i jack the car up, and pulled down on the control arm. the spring unleashed the beast with the hub onto my shoulder, and the force ripped the CV knuckle apart. good news? Tie rod bolt is perfect.

 

 

Relax.

 

The CV is just hyper-extended. You can open the clamps, put all the guts back in properly, and reboot it.

 

new clamps are $.99

[Travisthedrumer]

Neat. Alright. i now have something to do tomorrow.

 

My brother told me that too, but then we got to looking at it, and it just irked me more. thats what happens when i get in a hurry, I do things sloppy and stupid. but, glad to know i didn't shatter it like the last one.

[Travisthedrumer]

Well, car drives now. But refuses to drive. The disy cap and rotor are done. took those apart and cleaned them. the corrosion was making the contacts. so, it will moce slowly, but anything over Idle its goes.. yeah, no. and dies.

 

So, this is now my "build thread"

 

:banana:

[Travisthedrumer]

Okay. So, fuel filter, Cap and rotor, and a tie rod castle nut are what I'm getting tomorrow.

 

If anyone is wondering, Rallytek is the name of a shop I plan to open, as a branch of another shop that me and a buddy are opening in NorCal, DrifTek, or Drift Depot. RallyTek specializes in Rally, DrifTek specializes in drifting.

 

one of these days, this won't be a fix build, it will be a BUILD build. here's to good times with Subaru.

[Yo'J]

You sound like you are on your way mister and congrats! Patience is a hard thing to learn, following instructions, step by step and keeping all you have learned in mind at the same time while keeping focused on task. Most of us have been there at some point in our lives, sometimes every day. Dont beat yourself up, you have to start somewhere. (Its what I tell every apprentice, I work wood) With old half beaten subies, you will most likely be everywhere on the car and it will be half restored by the time your done and it will be a great runner. I might not know jack about working on cars myself really, but, the USMB gave me the tools and the confidence to try. Patience and focus got the job done. Subaru did a great job engineering a very easy car to work on.

[Numbchux]

http://www.rallitek.com/

 

 

might want to find a different name.

[Travisthedrumer]

well, crap. DrifTek is taken as well.

 

Drift Depot it is.

 

hahaha.

 

Thats for showing me that, I thought ralliart was the only thing taken, and thats by Mitsu oddly enough.

[Travisthedrumer]

Well, that sucked.

 

So me and my brother looked up Autozones hours. It said they closed at 9. it was 530, and its a 2 hour drive.

 

We hoped on his motocyle, and left at 6. We didnt get their till about 830. yeah, they closed at 8. Good news?

 

the other auto zone had my distributor cap. So, I got that. got home at midnight last night, planned on taking my brothers truck to work.

 

well, woke up at 700, had to be at work at 800. Me and my brother decided to fix my car, and get it moving. I found a roll pin last night, threw that in, dropped the old tie rod, put a new on in, and put the disy cap on. Have to get my rotor later.

 

I cant figure out why I have absolutly no "go". If I floor it from idle, the motor dies.

 

Does anyone know what that could be? I mean absolutly ANYTHING.

MAF, intake, and vacuum lines are all good. The plugs and wires were replaced 2 months ago.

 

so, any ideas?

[Travisthedrumer]

okay, got a question and still need an answer to my last one.

 

Alright. My horn buttons are annoying. I dont like them there. So i got an idea.

 

Button start using one of my horn buttons. My horn button will be relocated to the floor, like an old trucks high beam switch. So, I have all the materials to do this, cept the button for the horn, and I never use them anyway, so I might just delete the horn. My question is, How would I go about doing this? Pop the bottom panel off of my steering column and take the "starter" wire and run it to my horn button? Because that seems way to dang easy. So, am I missing a piece here, or is that really all their is to it? I know ill have to make the wire longer, so do I need a certain gauge? I looked up some stuff on random honda forums, and found that everyone seems to go with 10-12ga. wire. suggestions? haters? anything? I'm feeling like going from to

 

My brother also does demo derbys, so I yacked the horns off of his car. I'm gonna run two to the back bumper if I keep my horns, then every time I find a horn, add it to a new place.

[eulogious]

To help with your no go issue, have you checked your timing? Sounds like a timing issue. Don't know if that's mean mentioned before or not... How about your fuel? You got a good fuel pump/filter?

 

As for your horns and starter... It should be that simple I believe. There have been a couple folks on here that have relocated the start, so it should be fairly straight forward. As for is it a good idea, sure why not? It's your car, if you like it keep it, if not change it. That's one of the reason I love these old subies, you can make them the way you want them fairly easily

[Travisthedrumer]

I have not checked timing yet. It started when i blew my tire, and it just dawned on me.

 

When I blew my tire, It took out my wiring harness, and it made my jump around, alot, enough to undo two of my spark plugs. Thats about the time that my car started doing this, which which is why it puzzled me. Now it makes sense, I bet I jumped a tooth or two. Thanks Eul!

 

Ill check it tonight and see where it goes from there.