Roobaflu Posted February 26, 2005 Share Posted February 26, 2005 I've gotten in way over my head on this one, between the ea81 car and ea82 parts, I've got my only vehicle torn apart for almost a week now for what should have been a tranny swap, with the parts incompatibility issue, that led to a front crossmember and tranny member crossmember, to a modified front cross member with ea82 knuckles struts and axles, control arms and a rack with modified tie rods that will only accept ea81 tie rods (which are too big to fit in the hole in the knuckle, a tapered hole at that), the guy that sold me the parts car told me the pedal assembly was complete but it wasnt, everything on the side of the pedal box that the clutch cable mounts to isnt there. we had the classic tranny clearance problem (auto to manual swap)and I didnt want to cut or hammer the tunnel so I said the heck with it and put a 1.5 inch lift on it while we were at it (had 1.5 inch square tube, didnt want to do the washer shim idea), while the car is laid up, I figured I'd swap in the ea81 4wd rear sub frame... this was the latest problem... I now have a ridiculous amount of camber and toe-in in the rear. I dont know if its the ea82 trailing arms are that different, I thought of putting my ea81 FWD trailing arms on that subframe just to have it drivable (dont have rear axles yet anyway) but the subframe has been drilled out to accept the ea82 pivot bolts, so if I put the ea81s on there, there will be play in the bolt. To top all of that off I'm on disability for heart problems and wound up in the hospital last night from pushing myself too hard this last week. I don't know what I was thinking when I got into this, but I'm way over my head :[ I don't know it even can be put back to stock now, and if it can, I'm sure not physically capable of doing it. What do I do now? part it out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caboobaroo Posted February 26, 2005 Share Posted February 26, 2005 time to call on Miles Fox. He might be able to help you since he is like the Subaru king in that area... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthWet Posted February 26, 2005 Share Posted February 26, 2005 I'm not sure about Miles being the king (if so, I guess I should have done more bowing and scraping when we met last month), but he DEFINITELY is a resource that you could/should use. Big plus is he is local. I have little doubt that Miles could figure out how to set things straight, which probably would include backing off of all of those EA82 suspension pieces. Sounds like your tech resource had you chasing stuff down rat holes. Continuing to fret over this can't be good for your condition. So, relax, take a breath, forget the Sube ( ) for a while... and then get some help from your local Subaru support group. Your Subaru will drive again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roobaflu Posted February 27, 2005 Author Share Posted February 27, 2005 Miles is my tech resource. He's the one thats been helping me. He's the one who modified the crossmember for the ea82 stuff and the one who drilled the rear subframe for the ea82 trailing arms Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthWet Posted February 27, 2005 Share Posted February 27, 2005 Oh. The relax suggestion still stands. Do you still have the original parts? Maybe we can come up with a simpler conversion method. For the rear subframe issue (enlarged holes) do you weld or know a person who does (not yet sure if needed). Do you have any remaining budget for completing this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roobaflu Posted February 27, 2005 Author Share Posted February 27, 2005 I still have the original supsension components, except for the steering shaft, which has been lenghthened. So I'm kinda stuck with the lift. it wasnt much, just 1.5 inches between the cross memebers and body, but if gave the tranny clearance needed. I dont know if I can run stock suspension height or if that will hurt the CV joints. or if I can devise a spacer between the strut and strut tower to take up the 1.5 inches. I had a bad axle on the hatch, but the axles on the parts car (ea82) were bad, another reason miles wanted to do the ea82 front end, so we could use ea82 axles. As far as the rear end, I do have a wire welder, hadnt thought of welding the holes in and redrilling them, I just hope I can get them centered. I am guessing I could give up on the 4wd conversion and put the 2wd subframe back in :[ seems like an awful waste after all the trouble to get the 5speed dual range in there. Maybe I should put the auto back in somehow? the only one I have to help with the labor is Miles, and I dont think he's going to want to go "backwards" on this project Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushbasher Posted February 27, 2005 Share Posted February 27, 2005 Just put the fwd rear subframe in, and get around to the conversion later. You can run stock front suspension height in the front, your cv angles and camber will be better than stock in the front, but you will lose 1.5" of ground clearance. No big deal. It sounds like you just need to get it back on the road and give yourself a break. Is your clutch working now? Not sure about the knuckles/balljoints issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roobaflu Posted February 27, 2005 Author Share Posted February 27, 2005 guess I better pull the lift blocks out of the back end then or its going to look REALLY silly with the back end that much higher looks like I'll be dropping the front suspension tomorrow :\ ahh well, a grinding, popping, clicking ea81 axle on a drivable car is still better than a good ea82 axle on one thats not movable you can put the ea81 2wd rear suspension back in, and get around to it later, if your objective is to get it back on the road. A 5spd fwd is still better than an auto fwd You can run stock suspension height in the front, you will just lose 1.5" of ground clearance, and your cv axles will be better than stock. Just get it back on the road, and go at things 1 at a time from there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushbasher Posted February 27, 2005 Share Posted February 27, 2005 guess I better pull the lift blocks out of the back end then or its going to look REALLY silly with the back end that much higher looks like I'll be dropping the front suspension tomorrow :\ ahh well, a grinding, popping, clicking ea81 axle on a drivable car is still better than a good ea82 axle on one thats not movable Why cant you just leave all the lift blocks in? If you have extra struts you can weld another strut top on top of your struts with some flat stock or a 4 1/2" diameter tube to give you the extension you need. Or just run a 1.5" difference front to back. That wont look TOO bad. Why cant you just use an ea82 steering rack? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roobaflu Posted February 27, 2005 Author Share Posted February 27, 2005 Miles said the ea82 rack would work, but we'd have to use ea81 outter tie rods Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomRhere Posted February 27, 2005 Share Posted February 27, 2005 Miles said the ea82 rack would work, but we'd have to use ea81 outter tie rods Why do you "have to use" the EA-81 outters? Is it do to the over-all length of the whole assembly? IE: EA-81 outters are shorter than the EA-82 outters? You using the EA-81, or EA-82 knuckles here, and if the EA-82 ones, why? Just trying to get the full picture here is reason for all the questions. Not 100% on this.. But, I'm thinking you could purchase a tapered ream to enlarge the hole in the knuckle for the EA-81 outter. (I do know you can get one for Detroit Iron, actually, there's 2 different tapers for them that I know of.) But it's something to look into. Miles has used various sizes of drill bits to step-taper the hole, but I don't think I really like that idea, myself. Or, if it's due to the tie-rod itself being to long. Maybe you could get a thread die, cut the rod down, and re-thread it. I do know that's been done in the past. I'll be using the EA-82 suspension under my '82, myself. But I'll be using everything from the EA-82, engine cross-member, steering components, knucles, ect., ect.. It will all be incorperated into the lift I'm building. I'm doing so 'cause I want the wider stance under the BRAT. If you do go back to the 2WD stuff under the front, I have a steering shaft here, from an '86 BRAT. Just have to figure out how to get it to you, faster than mailing it. Miles may be up here to my place today, or tomorrow. I can send it out with him... Otherwise, email me your street addy, and I'll toss it in the mail after work tomorrow. And I agree with the others that said so. The extra 1-1/2" in the rear won't look all that bad. Above all,,,,, Take it easy!!! Bum ticker ain't no picnic. Got one of those myself. Usually good to go, but there are times that it wants to get finicky. Hasn't put me in the hospital in a while though, (knocks on wood). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roobaflu Posted February 27, 2005 Author Share Posted February 27, 2005 the deal with the ea82 components was as Miles put it, for availability, because they are easier to find. The swap uses his modified ea81 crossmember, modified outter tie rods, ea81 tie rod ends, and everything else is ea82, axles, control arms, ball joints, knuckles, and struts. The rear subframe was off an ea81 wagon, but he drilled the pivot holes to accept the larger bolts for the ea82 trailing arms. He says this all works, no offence miles, but I cant for the life of me see how you can use ea82 trailing arms on an ea81 subframe without having camber and toe in issues, the geometry is slightly different. as far as the earlier question on the clutch, no its not working yet, since the pedal box was missing the mounts for the cable, I fabricated one but got the angle wrong, so now when I step on the clutch, instead of pulling the cable it just moves it up and down, a relatively easy fix , just need to move the bracket I made to a different angle. The problem is getting the pedal box back out :[ I can still here my mothers voice echoing in my head, she's said it a MILLION times "Why don't you just leave things alone" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomRhere Posted February 27, 2005 Share Posted February 27, 2005 'Cause Mom, it's in the blood, and it's a Subaru!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roobaflu Posted March 4, 2005 Author Share Posted March 4, 2005 well I seem to have the suspension issues sorted out, got the 2wd trailing arms on the 4wd rear subframe... not sure why but the back end came out higher than I expected, weird, but the camber and toe in probs are no longer there. Front end is sorted out except for the tie rod ends, still "brain storming" on that one. Pedal box and cable came out great (Thanks Tom) but now I have to figure out how I'm getting that tranny back out, and then back in :\ thanks for the encouragement everybody, I can't tell you how much I appreciate it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calebz Posted March 4, 2005 Share Posted March 4, 2005 This is probably a dumb question.. But where's fox? I have seen him online since this whole fiasco started. Why no guidance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roobaflu Posted March 5, 2005 Author Share Posted March 5, 2005 fox is my main source of guidance on this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballitch Posted March 5, 2005 Share Posted March 5, 2005 sounds like your just about over the hump, so to speak. ~Josh~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roobaflu Posted March 5, 2005 Author Share Posted March 5, 2005 sounds like your just about over the hump, so to speak. ~Josh~ not so much... got the tranny back out today because it wanted to move whether you were on the clutch or not, we installed a bad pilot bearing(I was just told that tonight) and its currently stuck on the end of the input shaft on the tranny. I dont have another bearing, I also saw once I pulled it back out that the clutch disc is VERY thin. This project is over officially now. I am on disability, and I'm already behind on my utility bills, in other words, I have NO money to put into this project, especially not enough for a clutch. It was fun while it lasted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calebz Posted March 5, 2005 Share Posted March 5, 2005 Just set it aside in a little pile and come back later when life allows. You'll get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roobaflu Posted March 5, 2005 Author Share Posted March 5, 2005 Just set it aside in a little pile and come back later when life allows. You'll get it. life won't allow, I'm perpetually a month behind on my bills, the only way this project was even thought possible is I traded my last car for this one plus some cash, once the cash was gone, that was it. guess I'm going to be selling some hatch parts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomRhere Posted March 5, 2005 Share Posted March 5, 2005 Whoa, whoa, whoa!!!! Slow down there abit Vincent. All is not lost yet. That Sedan that you and Miles towed up here has a 2WD 5 speed in it. The clutch is bad, but the pilot bearing should be okay. I also have a couple other EA-82 type flywheels here, with pilot bearings in them. I also have the clutch assembly off of the ER-27 sitting here. You won't get the flywheel, but the clutch pack is good. I had the XT-6 running before I parted it out, clutch no slip at all during the wail-on-it test drive I took in it. I'm putting all new clutch parts in when I ever get the chance to work on it somemore, so I won't be needing these. Parts are yours, just get yourself up here, or give me directions to your place and I could bring them down. If you come up, call my cell first, just to be sure I'm around 517-425-4384 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted March 5, 2005 Share Posted March 5, 2005 DAMMIT yo its almost finished! i can come over after jims, i need to go to toms anyway to get my keys and some things i left in the sedan. if we are going to end up taking out the motor/tranny to inspect things, i DO have a fwd 5spd at jims, its the one that came from an 82 glf ea81 hardtop. i can bring that if you want to consider going that route if it means going that route to get you back on the road, so be it, the rest can come later at least you have all the parts i will be at jims thro today, looks like tom wont be making it down there tomorrow so i will swing by on my way up. probably not working on monday till night time dont abandon the project right yet, but lets get you back on the road whatever it takes did you figure out the clutch problem yet or not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roobaflu Posted March 5, 2005 Author Share Posted March 5, 2005 if we are going to end up taking out the motor/tranny to inspect things, i DO have a fwd 5spd at jims, its the one that came from an 82 glf ea81 hardtop. i can bring that if you want to consider going that route if it means going that route to get you back on the road, so be it, the rest can come later at least you have all the parts did you figure out the clutch problem yet or not? thanks for the offer on the 2wd 5 speed... doesnt seem like it would be worth doing though, as far as I know, this tranny is good, the mounts are already done, and I've already got the carrier bearing mounted for the rear drive shaft. the problem was the pilot bearing , its seized and it is stuck to the input shaft, it will be off later today, the tranny is already out. the clutch plate also looks warped or bent... its still on the tranny, got to get the bearing off first so i can pull the clutch and pressure plate back off and see Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roobaflu Posted March 5, 2005 Author Share Posted March 5, 2005 got the bearing off the shaft, thank god for gear pullers, and it gets better... we had to use a slide hammer to get the clutch off of the input shaft! remember I said something about I didnt think it was lined up, well when we forced it together with those bolts, we forced the clutch onto the input shaft, bent the clutch too but had a tranny guy look at it and he said judging by the look of the hots spots on the pressure plate that the disc was already warped, no wonder it didnt want to line up, looks like the input shaft is ok though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted March 6, 2005 Share Posted March 6, 2005 yeah sorry about the clutch, it came from a junkyard xt i did notice the heat marks. hearing the disengage issue made me think pressure plate related. tom offered his set first maybe we just went too fast its like building legos, you build something big, but the little pieces keep falling off. but eventually you get it all put together. i know how "project daily driver" can be but its much easier when you have more than one car. if you had 3 cars you would find yourself swapping the same part between whatever car you will be driving for the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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