Help with 91 loyale 4wd

[highopen]

I own a 83 brat and a 91 loyale with a 5 speed push button 4wd.When the brat is in 4wd high or low it will go just about anywhere.The loyale on the other hand doesn't do much better in 4wd than it does in 2wd.I know the 4wd is engaging like it should,but it isn't very impressive.Is there any mods or upgrades that I could do to the loyale to make the 4wd go better in snow?I don't expect the loyale to go anything like the brat,but some improvement to the loyale 4wd system would be great.

[85Sub4WD]

The best mod you can do is to swap a 5-speed dual range 4WD into it - it should go just about as well as the brat in 4WD because the tires are the same (or very close spec) for both cars, and the wheelbase is very close - you have to rev the loyale up a bit more than the brat because it has a different engine (Loyale - EA82 - 1.8L OHC; Brat - EA81 - 1.8L OHV) the loyale has more horsepower too

[highopen]

The best mod you can do is to swap a 5-speed dual range 4WD into it - it should go just about as well as the brat in 4WD because the tires are the same (or very close spec) for both cars, and the wheelbase is very close - you have to rev the loyale up a bit more than the brat because it has a different engine (Loyale - EA82 - 1.8L OHC; Brat - EA81 - 1.8L OHV) the loyale has more horsepower too

I noticed that if you you put a brat or any other older subaru in 4wd on asphalt (or any surface that isn't slick)and try to steer you can feel the true 4wd by the binding and the transmission raising up.In the loyale it doesn't do that.When did subaru change it 4wd system to the 1 front 1 rear tire engaged 4wd system and is there a way to do some kind of locker so when 4wd is engaged it is all 4 wheels grabbing for traction?

[Snowman]

Actually, both the brat and the loyale should have open diffs in the axles and no diff or anything in the center. The loyale should bind up when turning on pavement in 4wd because of the difference in speed between the front and rear axles. If it's not, then something might be messed up with the 4wd system. Can you actually verify that the rear wheels are being driven when it's in 4wd?

 

If everything is working right, the Loyale should be able to keep up with the brat in the snow. Well, the brat does have a low range, so maybe not quite, but it should be close.

[torxxx]

with a Dual Range 5 speed from a 85-89 GL wagon would make the loyale go everwhere the brat will. I've driven probably 100 different EA82 cars and I still HATE the single range. Seems way more gutless then my 86 carb'd D/R wagon

[subarubuddy]

Actually, both the brat and the loyale should have open diffs in the axles and no diff or anything in the center. The loyale should bind up when turning on pavement in 4wd because of the difference in speed between the front and rear axles. If it's not, then something might be messed up with the 4wd system. Can you actually verify that the rear wheels are being driven when it's in 4wd?

 

If everything is working right, the Loyale should be able to keep up with the brat in the snow. Well, the brat does have a low range, so maybe not quite, but it should be close.

its true..i had a 91 loyale also (automatic though) . it did bind on pavement in 4wd and it NEVER got stuck in the snow. even if i got plowed in to the top of the wheels (rims not the tires). all i had to do was get the snow off the windows and dig out the door so i could get in. then put it in 4wd and that was it. sucked in FWD though, so you should check it out and see if 4wd is actually working right.