Bigger Wheels on stock 85 Brat

[millhouse]

Howdy, 

    I am looking to put bigger wheels/tires on my stock 85 Brat. I wanted to get some ideas on the best way to do this. 

 

I do not know if this would work, but ideally- Id like to throw some 5 bolt 15" wheels on it. Would this mod be fairly simple or should I just look for some 14" 4 Bolt wheels and go from there. I understand that I may have to cut into the fender and I am OK with that.

 

Any input would be greatly appreciated. 

 

As always, thanks!

 

-Andrew

[bratman2]

I have steel Peugeot 14" wheels. I have run 195/75-14 all terrain which scrapped when new if I hit a sharp bump with the wheel turned. Trimming the inside the front mud flap did help and cranking the front adjuster bolts up an inch. But that does reduce axle life. After 12k miles or so I had no more scraps and was able to drop the front back down a 1/2". Running new 185/75-14 tires now with no issues and adjuster bolts on the front all the way down. A 185/70-14 or 195/70-14 should have no problems fitting at all. The specs on the 195/75-14 were 25.6" tall. The 185/75-14 are 24.9" tall. Just for reference.

[coronan]

What are the adjuster bolts?  Pic?

 

I've read about lengthening a trailing link to move the wheel center back 1 inch.  Does this allow a bigger tire without lift?

 

Sorry I'm new.

[bratman2]

Should be a nut to adjust the struts up. One in front and one in back when facing the struts at the base of the springs. Some replacement struts do not have this adjustment so it depends on what struts are on your Subaru if it is an EA81.

Edited September 14, 2014 by bratman2

[coronan]

Thanks for the reply.

 

I peaked behind the tire.  New struts but not adjuster bolt.  The hub clamps on to the strut.  

Here is the article i was referring to.

Radius rod extension to fit 27" tires no lift.

http://offroadingsubarus.com/83-subaru-leone-4dr-4wd-radius-rod-mod/

http://offroadingsubarus.com/radius-rod-extensions-increase-caster-angle/

[bratman2]

Reading the post you linked it looks as if they are moving the tire 1-inch forward. I can see it helping with what the author claims but at the same time I believe it would ruin your control arm bushings also. The scrapping I had with the 195/75-14 tires was at the rear of the front fender, mostly on the mud flap, so that may help trimming them like I did. For much over 25" your going to need a proper lift.

I just went through all the bushings in the front of my Brat. I would like to keep them intact as they were hell to replace. Mainly why my new tires are 185/75-14. There is still two that I know of 195/75-14 all terrain tires available, Goodyear and B.F. Goodrich. Removing the mud flap all together on the front may get you by. If your control arm bushings and radius arm bushings are worn they will allow the tire to drift further to the rear. Replacing those may also help you run a 195/75. With the horsepower of an EA81 I decided to stay one size smaller. Plus I rarely offroad my Brat anymore. Just my thoughts on it.

Edited September 17, 2014 by bratman2

[coronan]

Got part numbers for your bushings?

I found these but its a little sketchy.

http://www.ausubaru.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25245

 

I have an EA81T   Plenty of power.

 

Maybe I need a ball joint.

 

I picked up a set of 15" Toyota rims yesterday.  But they turned out to be 15 x 8 instead of 15 x 7.  

Its not going to work is it?

 

Really I want bigger tires to get my rpms down on the hwy.  Its a quicker solution until I find all the DR 5 speed parts.

 

I've been looking in the realm of 26.5 dia for about a 300 rpm drop.

 

I do a lot of rafting.  Commute on the hwy, then crazy dirt roads to the river.  I think the brat will be sweet for this.

[bratman2]

Can't help you with the part numbers off the top of my head but give me a little and I could look them up for you. I think I used Rock Auto looking up parts for a 84 Brat to save confusion with EA82 parts. Then I searched Ebay over a couple of months getting everything together. Some parts I did get from Rock Auto. I replaced control arm and strut rod bushings. Also replaced a ball joint, a tierod end, front/rear wheel bearings, and all brake lines. Installed my second set of front struts and new high pressure shocks. This is what I have seen with my Brat on the larger tires. The 195/75-14 tires give me 60 mph around 51-52 mph indicated, the 185/75-14 tires give me 60 mph at around 53 mph indicated and last a set of 185/80-13 tires gave me 60 mph at around 55 mph indicated.  I don't know how accurate the speedometer was with stock tires because I went up in size on the very first set I bought 17 years ago. I guess what I am saying is I don't think you will have to go as big as a 26.5" tire to get what you want unless you want the extra ground clearance. I checked the speedometer and tires of different sizes against radar trailers and speedometers on wife's car with stock tires. Her cars ( a Mustang, Legacy and last a Forester XT) all check within 1 mph with GPS. I would say my numbers are accurate for my Brat when tires were fairly new.

[coronan]

Thanks,

 

What kind of MPG's are you getting???

 

I checked my speedometer against my phone and its accurate.  A better check would be against my garmin gps.  But thats not my concern.

I have 185-80-13 as is listed in the door.

 

With the 4 speed manual the Tach reads 3600 rpm at 65 mph.  

Using rpm calculator It should be 3000 rpm. 

http://www.csgnetwork.com/multirpmcalc.htm

(3.9 diff, 24.7" tire, .885 5th gear)

 

The truth is probably some where in the middle.  

 

Where I live, My daily commute is flat.  The speed limit is literally 70 mph. But you better be in the slow lane.  80 is acceptable.

 

75mph puts me at nearly 3500 rpm.   Too high for cruising.

80mph = 3750 rpm

 

Last mpg check was 26 mpg.   If i get the rpms down, I bet i could get close to 30.  I do a lot of hwy.

 

Change the tire diameter to 27 = 300 rpm drop.   

If only I could find some pug rims I have some 27 x 8.5 R14 in the back yard.

 

Once I get a .78 5th gear I could be cruising 80 at 3000 rpm and keep the turbo lightly spooled.

[bratman2]

I see a big part of the differences between our Brats in your post. Mine is an 87 with the .769 overdrive fourth gear. You have an earlier 4-speed with the lower top gear. Early 80's Brat?  I guess we both should have clarified that at the start. The 5-speed would be a big help for what you are trying to achieve plus it has a lower low range also for offroad work. I don't think 185/80-13 tires were ever stock on a Subaru. Stock should be 185/70-13 unless I am confused or they were on an 87. I have used two sets of 185/80-13 tires on my 87. One day my wife pulled up to the house behind me laughing her butt off. I asked her what was so funny, she said it looked like bicycle tires on my Brat from behind because they were so skinny, lol! The 5-speed and some 195/75 tires would have you in pretty good shape. Don't worry to much about the rpm. Many used these same motors in experimental aircraft running under pretty heavy loads in the mid to upper 3k range. Many make it to 1000 hours before tear down and still pass spec. A good turbo EA81 I would love to have. Mine seems to have more rump roast in the idle to 3.5k range, pulls redline okay but not a ball of fire. When corrected for speedometer error I get around 29.5 average mpg. I live in the sticks so mostly putter around at 60 mph actual with little traffic. I lucked up on some 14" steel pugs years ago, so glad I got them now as 185/80 tires are nearly impossible to find. To skinny too! Every now and then a set of Pugs shows up in the classifieds. You could also keep running an Ebay search. Talk to several local salvage yards even if they are in neighboring cities. Mine came off an old diesel turbo. You will need the lugnuts also as they are special. The 27" tires will require a lift. They are not that expensive and they show up sometimes too in the classifieds. Good luck on your search.

Edited September 18, 2014 by bratman2