FWD to AWD conversion? '95 Liberty (legacy) sedan

[Terry in Australia]

G'Day Guys, firstly I need to say that I've checked the FAQ's and wasn't able to find this topic, although I'm sure the question has been discussed here many times.

 

I've got my wonderful $450.00 Oct 1995 build FWD Liberty sedan and as a recent Subaru convert, I love it, although I can't help glancing enviously at similar AWD models, and wishing mine was similarly appended.

 

I see plenty of unloved AWD models being sold cheap here in Oz, and I can't help but wonder whether it is at all possible to convert my FWD to AWD, using a similar model donor car for all the bits I'll need, or is it just too hard?

 

Any advice from the collective fonts of all Subaru knowledge will be gratefully received. Cheers, Terry.

[Fairtax4me]

Certainly doable but you're talking about swapping A LOT of stuff to make it happen.

Transmission, driveshaft, rear diff and mounting cradle, rear knuckles, rear axles, rear cross member, fuel tank. Possibly some exhaust parts. Pretty sure all the extra holes are there to mount the extra stuff but its all had 18 years to rust to its hearts content. Not sure if rust is a major issue in your part of the world, here in the US its enough to make an undertaking like this nearly impossible.

 

Much easier to buy a broken AWD car and fix it than to swap a whole drivetrain.

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks mate, I appreciate your input, as always. I'm going to look at a '92 Liberty AWD sedan that appears to be in really good condition, but needs a new transmission, so I'm tossing up whether I should buy it and just install a good transmission, or use it as a donor car (if parts are compatable?) for a conversion. I'm leaning towards fixing the transmission and keeping it, and giving my '95 model to my brother in law, who needs a good second car, but I like the style of the '95's bodywork, so it's a bit of a quandry for me at the moment? Cheers, Terry.

[lmdew]

Keep the 95 and fix and give your brother the 92.

 

Unless you really need AWD, the FWD will get better mileage and will go just about anywhere.

[MilesFox]

Aside from having to swap out most of the drivetrain, it will be pretty much bolt up. you will be able yo use parts from 95-98 for your body style, but even the 90-94 is mechanically identical in regards to driveline and suspension components if you have to source multiple cars for parts. 

 

The strut tops in the rear will be different between the 2 bodies, but all you have to do is mix'n match the parts

Edited August 15, 2013 by MilesFox

[idosubaru]

it is much easier to just buy what you want.  can't you sell the 95 and get an AWD?

 

you never said whether it's currently a manual or auto and what you wanted to install - manual or auto, that makes a difference too, but either way it's plenty doable but time consuming.  i'd just flip one or two to make enough to buy what you want or wait until you see one needing work and fix it.  much simpler.

 

yes the older body styles i agree are not that appealing to look at though great platforms mechanically.

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks Guys, mine has an auto transmission, as does the 92 AWD I'm thinking of buying. I can afford to buy a decent late model AWD car, but I just like playing with this old stuff and I'm not afraid to take on a project, particularly if it's just a bolt up deal. Anyway, no rush, I've just replaced the water pump in my '95 today, and next weekend I'll replace the noisy rear wheel bearing, and clock up some miles as I day dream about AWD conversions. Cheers, Terry. 

[idosubaru]

you have a lot of options actually then if they're both auto's.  you can literally bolt the AWD trans right up and get it to drive in a matter of minutes.

 

1.  install just the 4WD without even plugging it in.  you'll get 3rd gear only and still have reverse.  it'll be "locked" in 4WD, so without the rear driveshaft connected you'll have FWD.  you'll need to install the front half of the rear driveshaft since it seals the fluid in the trans, but it's only 2 bolts to do that, very simple.

 

2.  install the 4WD and try to plug it in - the existing TCU may control it just fine.  i've installed a FWD into an AWD and never swapped TCU's, it worked just fine.  but that was a 96 into a 96...you may be crossing generations a bit so I'm not sure.  my guess is it hardly matters since 4EAT's haven't changed much over time, but just a guess i don't even know if generations are the same where you are. 

 

FWD may not have the Duty C wiring in the harness, not sure, but that's basically the only difference between FWD and AWD auto trans, they are otehrwise nearly identical and that's why they're so interchangeable and mine was literally plug and play (no wiring or computer to mess with) to go from AWD to FWD.

 

all that to say you could get the AWD transmission in place and working as a daily driver easily...almost no extra work really than a simple trans swap.  and then work on the rest as you have time, while using it as a daily driver all along.

 

you'll want to go in this order once the 4WD trans is in place:  install the rear diff - since it can just sit there unused if needed.  then install axles, then connected the driveshaft.

 

once the trans is connected to the rear axles then you'll need to "unlock" the 4WD.  you can just plug it in and let the computer do it like normal.  or you can install one switch and splice into the one Duty C wire and turn it on and off as needed.

 

of course running in 3rd gear all the time they don't have a ton of grunt, i've done it on 6 cylinder Subaru's that have some more grunt and they actually drive fine as a daily driver in the mountains.  4 cylinder would be a little slower on take off, being in 3rd, but picks up as you gain speed obviously.

[Terry in Australia]

Hey thanks mate, that's really good information! I love this site, if I'd attacked my valve timing or water pump install (I'm only a Soobie Noobie, so that's the extent of my mechanical experience so far) using the workshop manual, I'd still be scratching my head, but you guys are brilliant! Cheers, Terry.

[heartless]

you'll want to go in this order once the 4WD trans is in place:  install the rear diff - since it can just sit there unused if needed.  then install axles, then connected the driveshaft.

 

Um - actually, you will want to do the fuel tank BEFORE putting the rear diff in place - there are major differences in the fuel tank between FWD & AWD - the rear diff wont fit using the FWD tank - it doesnt have the indentation that is required for diff clearance. (unless they changed that for the 95 my?)

[idosubaru]

right - sorry that's just the order of the driveline bits to keep the car driveable as long as possible while he works the kinks out.  in other words so he doesn't try to install axles first and then have them hanging and undriveable because it takes a long time to get the diff installed...

 

he will need the fuel tank, rear diff hanger,driveshaft, rear axles, rear knuckle assemblies to make it work

 

and maybe the exhaust if that differs

 

and if he wants added functionality he could install the AWD TCU (possibly one wire for Duty C if the car doesn't have it), FWD fuse holder if he wants that functionality, and instrument cluster if that differs