Gen2 BRAT Lift: Drop Diff or Not?

[jmoss5723]

I currently have a 2 inch lift on the front of my BRAT and the rear torsion bar cranked up. I'm thinking about putting the tension on the torsion bar back where it belongs and putting lift blocks in the rear to match the front. With only a 2 inch lift, do I need to drop the differential?

 

I like the idea of keeping the diff a little higher up, but if I do not drop it, will I over-extend my axles when my suspension is fully extended?

 

Will I be putting too much pressure on the CVs? Or will it not matter, since the rear spends 95% of it's time coasting along in FWD, and doesn't steer either?

[Uberoo]

Its not needed to drop the diff with a 2" lift.

[Scott in Bellingham]

I would add 2" on a ea81 , on a ea82 it's more forgiving

[jmoss5723]

So far that is one for the diff drop and one against the diff drop. Anybody else? Anyone have specific experience driving their EA81 with the torsion bar dropped and shocks lengthened, but no diff drop?

 

I'm leaning pretty strongly toward dropping the diff 2 inches with everything else, but I've still got time until I need to make the decision.

[ezapar]

Your car will wheel like crap with the torsion bar cranked up.  You'll have no travel.  That's a bad thing. 

[Gloyale]

If you add blocks to the suspension you will have to drop the diff the same amount at the mustache since the diff is mounted to the torsion tube in front.  Or else it will be cocked upwards in the rear and have terrible U-joint angles.

 

make sure to extend the bumpstops or you will hyper extend on compression.

[jmoss5723]

Your car will wheel like crap with the torsion bar cranked up.  You'll have no travel.  That's a bad thing. 

Yes. That's a big part of why I am doing the lift in the rear.

 

If you add blocks to the suspension you will have to drop the diff the same amount at the mustache since the diff is mounted to the torsion tube in front.  Or else it will be cocked upwards in the rear and have terrible U-joint angles.

 

make sure to extend the bumpstops or you will hyper extend on compression.

 I was just starting to think about it without poking my head under the car because it is over in my dad's garage at the moment. Turns out that I asked a dumb question!

 

Thank you for a definitive answer.

[Phizinza]

For longer shocks. Stock has around 5 inch travel, there are alternatives that can be fitted with 7.5 to 8 inches while still giving the same compression length.

[Gloyale]

For longer shocks. Stock has around 5 inch travel, there are alternatives that can be fitted with 7.5 to 8 inches while still giving the same compression length.

 

rear shocks for 88 Chevy S-10 4wd are a bolt in fit for EA81 with 6" blocks.

 

The 2wd ones might be shorter, work for 2"~4" lifts.

[jmoss5723]

I'm thinking I'll just extend the shocks like this: http://www.subarubrat.com/easyshock.htm

[Uberoo]

you can do that but that doesn't add any more suspension travel.