MorganM Posted August 24, 2003 Share Posted August 24, 2003 Yes! I'm finally starting to install my BYB/Ozified 3" lift Did a few of the steps on the instructions. I was boogled by how to remove the stock stearing universal joints. I completly removed the bolts in the "pinch bolts" that are around the splined stearing shafts. Tryed the crow bar + BFH and the air hammer. Any suggestions? Any other hints tips and tricks for the rest of the installation? Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Svengouli7 Posted August 24, 2003 Share Posted August 24, 2003 can you shim the pinch open w/ a cold chisel? think that is what I did w/ a good bit of juice.. and wiggling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcbrat Posted August 24, 2003 Share Posted August 24, 2003 if everything is loose, when you actually drop the engine/crossmember to install the blocks, the stock steering slides right off... (this is on the ea81) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calebz Posted August 24, 2003 Share Posted August 24, 2003 should do that on an EA82 as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganM Posted August 25, 2003 Author Share Posted August 25, 2003 As predicted the linkcage came undone when the main crossmember was lowerd; thanks for the tip A friend and I got alot done on it this weekend. Hope to have it all in soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganM Posted August 27, 2003 Author Share Posted August 27, 2003 Still going at it as hard as I can. Usally puting in an hour or so after work and after I get my son to bed. Hit acouple other obsticals. 1) how do you drive out the bolts from the brackets that hold the main cross member to the unibody? I have no vise but I did hang it just over the edge of my bench and released the BFH on it. I was doing more damage to the bracket then anything. Air hammer is impossible to keep on target. They are soaking in some of my home brew penetrating lube. I can tell they are pressed in as there are no signes of welding. The end of the bolt near the head actually flares out slightly which leads me to belive its only pressed in and not welded. Ideas? I was thinking of just making new ones =P or really BIG washers LOL 2) how the heck do you get the steering knuckle off the strut leg?? Removed the 2 bolts and got it to slide about half an inch down where it is now stuck. Used crow bar, BFH, air hammer, 1" chizel and variouse combinations of them all Still stuck on. Otherwise things are going relativly smoothly. Deciphering all the instructions I find harder then most of the work. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Svengouli7 Posted August 28, 2003 Share Posted August 28, 2003 For the x member brackets a chisel and hammer will pop them out of place- whack between head and bracket To lower your knuck further perhaps knock out the pin holding the inside doj- that'll allow the axle to slide out a smidge when pushing down... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m_sub Posted August 28, 2003 Share Posted August 28, 2003 If you haven't disconnected the sway bar you might try that for some extra room on moving the steering knuckle. I have an EA82 with the 3" BYB/PK kit. I was going to go wheeling last weekend and I haven't been driving the car for a while (my wife is) so I went about tightening the lift kit bolts. Well, I snapped one of the bolts on the strut tower extensions. When dropping the strut outta there it was helpful to undo the auntie-sway bar as well as spraying penetrating lube into the knuckle and spreading it a bit with a flathead screwdriver. Hope this helps. Dont forget to take photos, y'all. Ross in Idaho Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archemitis Posted August 28, 2003 Share Posted August 28, 2003 i'll come over this weekend with a picklefork and a crowbar, and a bfh of course! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByTheSea Posted August 28, 2003 Share Posted August 28, 2003 Those long bolts that hold the subframe to the unibody are pressed in. Put the bolt vertical on a block of wood. Putt something like a deep socket just slightly bigger than the bolt head over the bolt head, pressing against the bracket and whack it with a hammer. This spreads the force all the way round the bracket. If you just support one edge on the bench it will just bend the bracket. The strut. As mentioned loose the sway bar bolt, spread the knuckle with a hefty screwdriver(think about the angle before you drive it in with the hammer or you'll be sorry) and push the knuckle down with your foot. I'm assuming you haven't taken the three bolts out of the strut top yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganM Posted August 28, 2003 Author Share Posted August 28, 2003 A friend came over lastnight and we got the knuckles off. Thanks for the suggestions tho! What did it was jacking the main X member and engine back up another 2 inches to give the suspension more play. Then it was just a matter of the BFH and 1" chisel. As for the brackets I'll try that trick for sure ByTheSea. If that dont work I'll just make new ones. The guy that came over lastnight has easy access to a drill press at the bicycle shop so I'll just buy some metal, measure up everything and have him drill them out for me. We also had a rough time getting the last rear strut out. ONe of those THICK bolts that hold them in SNAPED! LOL Guess we went a little overboard with the 18" breaker bar and 24" cheater but after the impact wrench and 120 PSI at the tank we had to do something drastic. Any ideas how to get the remainting half inch of STUCK bolt out? I'm thinking lots and lots of drilling IT was AWSOME however putting on the first blocks! Bolted on the extensions for the top of the front struts. THe blocks dont look that tall just sitting there but when you put it ontop of your strut its like adding another 1/4 of the overal height! It was neat Anyway back to work for me >:| Peace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushbasher Posted August 28, 2003 Share Posted August 28, 2003 drill it out and rethread it, or use a helicoil. My opinion is that if you can't get a bolt out with a cheater bar, your not going to be able to do it with an extactor bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganM Posted September 1, 2003 Author Share Posted September 1, 2003 The front is fully lifted! Getting the steering linkage in now might be a fight. Noticed we forgot to put that in while the whole main X-member was plyable Is it easy enough to slide the whole steering colum up? Reamed out that broke off bolt on the rear strut pretty good but ran out of drill bits. Its much larger then anything I got. Then I found some "easy outs" Never used them... are they worth their weight in salt? Things are going good so far! Stuff is *NOT* easy to line up! Requires lots of ninja crow bar action and 2 guys working it to get any of the blocks to line up. To be expected I'm sure on this wagon. She's been through quite a bit Anyhow I need some sleep before Labor Day's events. Everyone party hard tomarrow and I'll talk to you all next week Peace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calebz Posted September 1, 2003 Share Posted September 1, 2003 I found that instead of prying to achieve the proper angles, using a strategically placed jack to move stuff around was a lot easier. Steve and I did his 87 wagon in one day start to finish... quite feat considering neither of us had done it before Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSubaruJunkie Posted September 1, 2003 Share Posted September 1, 2003 In order to get your steering linkage on... just put the side on the steering column in 1st, it will slide up alittle further than normal so you can get the bottom half into the section that leads to your Steering Gearbox. This might be little too late... but here is how i removed the studs from the bracket that bolts your crossmember to your car... Step 1: Step 2: I have a few other pictures of the lift proccess on my '84 EA81 here: http://usmb.net/gallery/albun85 -Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganM Posted September 1, 2003 Author Share Posted September 1, 2003 Ya I'm really glad I have 2 jacks, 4 jacks tands, 2 big wood blocks AND the crow bar. They are all needed at some point LOL We used the crow bar alot becuase like you said; we'd have one jack holding something up, another supporting the main X-member or transmission and then need to tweak something just a bit to line up the bolts Tried p ounding those studs out ina very similar way. THen tried the socket trick. Mine were rusted inthere good Ended up going to my friends work (bycicle shop) and using a vise t here. Tryed the drill press and it worked fine but found the vise was easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted September 1, 2003 Share Posted September 1, 2003 you could put a board under the motor and a jackstand to hold the motor up, and then drop the whole crossmember,steering,lower control arm. have the strus/knuckle/axle out in one piece before deopping crossmember. unbolt the strut rods from the swaybar, and from the trans crossmember atatchment points. the parking brakes can be disconnected, there will be enough slack on them and make/relocate a mount or two disconnect the front rbber line with the steel line on the car when pulling a strut assembly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSubaruJunkie Posted September 1, 2003 Share Posted September 1, 2003 If you remove the metal shim that holds the front brake lines to the Strut, you can then cut through the metal housing that holds the break line and remove the line from the strut. That gives you enough room to move the engine crossmember and remove the struts without disconnecting your brakes. Seems like he's already past that point tho. You should leave most the bolts loose until your completly finished with the car. After prying and bending subaru sheetmetal to fit the blocks, it might be a good idea to tighten everything when its finished. -Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganM Posted September 3, 2003 Author Share Posted September 3, 2003 It's 2:25 AM and I just got in from the garage. I cant belive it but my friend JLee was able to drill out and extract the broken bolt for the right rear strut bracket! We pretty much finished off the front half and lowerd her to the ground. Still alot of work to get done and parts to get. Its late.. i should ... sleep ...now... :eh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganM Posted September 12, 2003 Author Share Posted September 12, 2003 Was way to tired lastnight to post so I saved it for today. THE LIFT IS IN! Also got the 4WD rear assembly in. The car is sitting on its own weight with all four 30"x10.5" tires! NOTHING touches sitting as it is. This is promiseing. I think I can make enough room to turn and stuff the tires a bit. My biggest concerns are the clearance of the tire and the front struts bottom spring seats. There is literaly 2mm of clearance. Now I've had tires this close before on my Legacy. They never rubbed. Hoping the same will be true here. Time to finish up the engine mods and get her running. Then throw in the 4WD DR transmission and its trail test time! I'll throw some pics up and post under the "Before and After" thread Peace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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