Lifting Woes

[WoodsWagon]

i keep screwing myself over while lifting my loyale. The directions are a bit vauge at times, adn I'm a bit overzealous at removing bolts. I've managed to tweak the engine and tranny in the body and can't get it back straight. I stripped the threads of one of the new bolt in the process.. seemed to be going in a bit stiff. i screwed up the steering linkage, and I can only get one strut in. All the things that have gone wrong are my fault, and I get feeling stupid and have to take a break. Christing A' this thing should be rolling by now. I'm postponing the D/R and Ej22 untill I get some road miles on this thing. My lack of self motivation is really dragging this project out.

[Svengouli7]

Hang in there. Sounds like you may be at a point where you just need to loosen it all up and retace your steps, making sure you are supporting/jacking what needs to be.

 

If you screwed up a bolt, bring it in to a specialty fastener shop so they can replace it for you. If that doesn't work there are other options (tapping hole to next larger- 1/2" fine thread might work, or drill all the way through nut and floor and use hardened threaded rod w/ bearing plate)

 

Good luck

[diluded000]

I had all sorts of problems lifting my wagon as well. I'm guessing its one of those things that if you have done it before, it seems easy, but the first time is tough. I was building parts for the lift as I went along, so the strut tops took a week of evenings, and still aren't all that great. If I recall, when I did the engine and transmission crossmembers I put a piece of plywood between the oil pan, and a jack, removed the crossmember bolts, and dropped it all down. I think the I got hung up on the radiator hoses, when I did it. A long, soft, prybar (read 2x4) can be good for shifting things around to get the bolt holes lined up. I had a really tough time with the steering linkage as well. You may have already seen that the bolts holding the collars to the shafts have to come all the way out to clear the groove on the shafts. I wound up putting one of the collars on half way, then drilling through both the collar and shaft, and pinning it with a good bolt. For me, the linkage is hard to see, hard to get leverage on, and hard to get a wrench into. Finally, I tapped a couple of bolt holes for 1/2" coarse thread, since that was the easiest replacement bolt to find around here. This might work for your stripped holes. Hopefully this is some help.

 

- James B

[TheSubaruJunkie]

I only ran into a few problems. one of them being the old bolts were rusted in place. While removing a couple, i did strip the threads out. I went to Ace Hardware with one of the bolts from the PK lift, and bought the same length bolt, but just a larger thread size (make sure its not TOO large, it still has to fit through the lift blocks). Then I bought a tap of the same thread, and re-tapped my holes. When I installed the lift, I used locktite and i have not had to mess with it since. That was 2 years ago.

 

Anyone about to install a lift should expect to run into a couple problems, just take your time and try not to break any knuckles (punching the car, or the garage floor).

 

The steering linkage was very difficult. Primarily because the protective coating PK applies, makes the inner diameter of the linkage smaller. I just used a flathead screwdriver and wedged it into the gap on the linkage to widen it... then alot of patience and cursing and it finally went into place.

 

The engine and tranny will be hard as well.. expecially if it isnt lined up correctly. Dont tighten anything until every bolt is in place. Loosen anything that might make it difficult to manuver the engine/tranny. Once you have your blocks in place, carefully thread the bolts into the old spots. This is where your going to strip something... if one bolt is off, dont force it. Just take your time and think things through.

 

And make sure you have a BFH handy

 

-Brian

[carfreak85]

Anyone about to install a lift should expect to run into a couple problems, just take your time and try not to break any knuckles (punching the car, or the garage floor).

 

-Brian

 

I just gotta ask if you know this from experience.

[TheSubaruJunkie]

Yes.

 

-Brian

[WoodsWagon]

Well, I broke the handle off of the BFH throwing it at the wall, so I'm in the same temper controll category as the subarujunkie.

 

I'm going to let it sit for a few days and come back to it when I feel more optomistic.

[Numbchux]

Well, I broke the handle off of the BFH throwing it at the wall, so I'm in the same temper controll category as the subarujunkie.

 

I'm going to let it sit for a few days and come back to it when I feel more optomistic.

 

hehehe....I've done that....and yes, it really is funny when everything's done and working. I've never done a lift, so I can't help you specifically with that, but, as is the case with many large projects, sometimes it helps to stand back and think for a few minutes (though if does feel really good to throw something...)

[Vanislru]

Anyone about to install a lift should expect to run into a couple problems, just take your time and try not to break any knuckles (punching the car, or the garage floor).

-Brian

When I was wrestling with the steering knuckle and a cv on my 4" lift I was pushing against a shelf that had a pretty good size turbo on the third shelf up. The damn thing fell off and bounced it's way onto the top of my skull which pretty much knocked me flat. Well I was pissed and of course being a complete idiot I punched my car and wound up with a honking dent in the front drivers quarter panel. Had one bolt break in the frame rail of the car too.