Rear end only lift - simplest way? Not affecting the suspension/handling?

[Subaruist]

Hello.

You who know Brats, especially the 2nd gen ones know how the top-side of the bed walls slope slightly from the cab to the tailgate.

 

I want to hi-jack the rear so that the top-side of the bed walls become a (mostly) level line.

 

I know the most obvious method, but people here have over and over again proven to have the best ideas, and I want to know what my options are to see the best alternative. This is going to primarily be a street vehicle. - Just in case, air shocks are out of the question, lol.

 

So far, the only real draw-back is tomy plan to cover the bed with a deck of diamondplate aluminum. - Lifting/tilting it like this will obviously cause water, snow, etc to run towards the cab, and if it gets under the deck, will gather either against the cab, or against whatever divider I may put down under the deck. I plan on putting things together with close enough tolerances, tight enough fit, and sealing it up to hopefully prevent this, and to also put some drain holes in the right places in case water does get in anyway.

 

I Photoshopped an image to show what I want the finished tilt to be:

 

http://s1309.photobucket.com/user/abacene/media/BratHi_Jack1B_zps8ae98cd0.jpg.html

 

I would appreciate any/all options for hi-jacking the rear end with as little affect to the suspension and handling possible.

Thank you very much in advance.

[bratman18]

Crank the torsion bar? But most people lift the front to get things evened out. Brats usually have the cat in heat stance to begin with.

[Subaruist]

73 views so far and only one reply ?!?

C'mon guys, I'm really fishing for some ideas here, lol...

[Gloyale]

any change to the suspension will affect the handling.

 

it's just a matter of for better or worse.

[djellum]

depends on what you mean by not affecting the suspension.  any mods will change things as stated above, but lifting the rear doesn't change the angles or way the suspension moves, it just spaces them down equally.  do you not want to mess with the suspension at all, or just want to maintain the stock angles and geometry?

[Subaruist]

depends on what you mean by not affecting the suspension.  any mods will change things as stated above, but lifting the rear doesn't change the angles or way the suspension moves, it just spaces them down equally.  do you not want to mess with the suspension at all, or just want to maintain the stock angles and geometry?

 

Thanks for the genuine input!...

Here's the deal with my fussy preferences... Normally I might not care, even if the suspension was affected... but in this case, with a Subari Brat, and the phenominal way it handles and just does whatever I want it to do, I would rather not screw that up.

I like being able to do super-tight turns at speed, or half-donut U-turns, etc. Its just so fun!

BUT... what if I were to change things, and then when I try such or simlar manuvers, and the rear end would skip-skip-skip-skip sideways instead of either gripping or sliding? What if the center of gravity + leaning was seriously affected? I could even guess that in extremes, it would be more likely to roll, and although raising up the rear end would increase that chance just a little, maybe HOW I raise that rear end up could either compensate a little or at least not make it even worse...

 

On one hand, I could tweak/extend the torsion bar, and then I would have to of course extend the shocks as well.

But maybe I could add some kind of extension to the torsion bar that keeps it as stiff as possible?, or I could add something that gives it some flex?

Should I keep it stiff or give it extra flex? Extra flex could mean more leaning into a turn, keepingit stiff or making it stiffer might cause it to skip-skip-skip-skip in a hard turn. There is also the possibility of angling the shock absorber a bit if I have to use a different mount...

 

- Am I making goodly sense???

Edited October 13, 2014 by Subaruist

[djellum]

like said the actual lift that people install, simply takes all the suspension and spaces it down whatever distance they want.  if done right it will make minimal difference and won't change the way the suspension operates.  whether or not it will be out of your desires isn't something any of us can tell, your own butt dyno will have to be the judge.  I don't think an inch or 2 will make a ton of difference though.  

 

also if you do go with a standard style lift, its 100% removable if you don't like it.

 

if you want to add a mod to stiffen the rear you can add a rear sway bar.

[Adam N.D.J.]

One of my first lifts on my Brat was just simply 2 inch blocks.  Just get some longer bolts and bolt them in where your suspension connects to the body. (4 at torsion bar mounts, and 2 at the rear diff hanger mounts). Then just get some longer shocks, I no longer remember what ones I used, but I think they were late 80s Nissan or Toyota pickup shocks.  I did it as a full lift (front and back) but would not be hard to do just the rear.  The 2 inch did not effect my handling any, it drove just the same as with no lift, although that was also with a slightly larger tire too.

If this is not something that you would like to fab up yourself there are a few lift builders on here that are quite cool to work with and you could most likely talk to them about a rear only set-up.  Hope this helps some.  -Adam-

[Subaruist]

Thanks.

 

- So how do I find these guys / lift kits?

[djellum]

check out SJR, or High Guys lifts.  also check the 4x4 section here for some more do it yourself designs.  with your generation of subaru you will want to do a full drop, don't just push the struts down.

[bratman18]

Thanks.

 

- So how do I find these guys / lift kits?

You're on the same forum we are. They openly advertise on here. Just look around.

[ferp420]

If you just lift the rear you will change the stearing geomitry it will be slightly looser and won't return to center as well and you will change the balance of the rig the center of gravity will move slightly forward alowing the rear end to break loose easyer would be a lot of fun at slower speeds but high speeds it might get squirly I did it to my ferd ranger along time ago but I lifted the rear about 6" but all this sounds like it might work for you oh and it dident seem tippy with the back end up high because it was lighter try it you might like it also you can move the front struts forward alittle to fix the steering and your just left with a light rear end and you could run some extra wait in the bed for everyday use and or in bad weather and then take the wait out and its playtime

[Subaruist]

If you just lift the rear you will change the stearing geomitry it will be slightly looser and won't return to center as well and you will change the balance of the rig the center of gravity will move slightly forward alowing the rear end to break loose easyer would be a lot of fun at slower speeds but high speeds it might get squirly I did it to my ferd ranger along time ago but I lifted the rear about 6" but all this sounds like it might work for you oh and it dident seem tippy with the back end up high because it was lighter try it you might like it also you can move the front struts forward alittle to fix the steering and your just left with a light rear end and you could run some extra wait in the bed for everyday use and or in bad weather and then take the wait out and its playtime

 

Thank you!!!  - Just the kind of input I need!

 

I am guessing that I will need to lift the rear end 3 - 4 inches to get the effect I am looking for.

I was wondering about the very points you made. Such things do concern me. I am not into high speed, so that may not be much of a factor, - depending on your definition of high speed. Aside from this likely project I have never noticed what some people complain about regarding weight in the back.

I once bought a Brat for parts that had a 100+ lb custom bumper for that compensation, but honestly, I have never had any such problem with any weight or lack thereof.

 

If I am able to do all that I want, there will be a secondary fuel tank across the front third of the bed, at the front end of the wheel (swells? inner fenders?, can't remember the term) -But that would be almost centered in the vehicle, slightly biased toward the front. I will have near 100 lbs or more cargo in the bed, but I am trying to cut down on that, as I love how these things can be driven with little or no extra weight.

 

I'm not sure about how to move the front struts forward, seems likeit would be impossible at the top end, so maybe I should assume you mean down at the hub? I hope I will not have to, I already have a long list of mods I want to do, lol.

Thanks again.