4WD Choices-Thru the years?

[RonVee]

I am looking to replace my old 82 GL wagon which is on the way out due to rust. It is a 4 speed manual, with the Dual-Range 4WD. I live up a fairly steep dirt road and found the Low Range (in second gear)very useful when hauling in water, kerosene etc. It seems to give me the right pulling power and right speed at around 10MPH. I had a 79 Brat 4WD manual and with it in second it was too high and first was to low.

 

I think through searching the forum that the Dual Range was produced from 82-88 (89)?.

 

If I were to get something later than 89, what kinds of 4WD options are there? Where there any that had the lower range? Are all the later ones the pushbutton only? When did Subaru switch to AWD?

 

I notice that the ones after 89 came with a 5 Speed manual. Would those models when in 4WD-second gear be close to the 82 I have or would the gearing be more like the Brat in 4WD -second gear ratio wise?

 

I hope someone can understand what I am trying to ask. I just don't want to invest in a newer model if the gearing isn't pretty close to what I have in the 82.

 

Maybe someone can explain what models had what, 4WD wise. I just never have drove one newer than the 82 in over 20 years!

 

The older Dual-Range models are very hard to find in western N.C. . Most are rusted out like mine.

 

Thanks in advance

Ron

[Qman]

The gearing in '82 is unique to '82. The '83-84 wagons have low range available but slightly different gearing. The same for the Brats '83-87 and the Hatches '83-89. The newer EA82 wagons, sedans and coupes have dual range available from '85-89. Easier to find a dual range in those models from '85-87 but they were available in dual range full-time 4wd in '88-89. I may be off a year or two but others will chime in as well.

[mcbrat]

here's kind of an overview of the 80's 4WD ratios...

 

info is believed to be accurate, but I make no guarantees about it

 

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/80s/mick/gear-ratios.htm

[tailgatewagon]

if your going to be looking for a new subaru. (new to you) and the 82 fit the bill but is now dead then spend some time and find another 82-84 wagon. if you go to 85-89 you will have a good car but its nothing in comparison (reliablity wise) to the 82-84, IMHO though. others may think differntly. , or get a legacy with a manual they will pull up a hill like mad in first.

[tailgatewagon]

The gearing in '82 is unique to '82. The '83-84 wagons have low range available but slightly different gearing. The same for the Brats '83-87 and the Hatches '83-89. The newer EA82 wagons, sedans and coupes have dual range available from '85-89. Easier to find a dual range in those models from '85-87 but they were available in dual range full-time 4wd in '88-89. I may be off a year or two but others will chime in as well.

 

 

 

Qman, correct me if im wrong.

 

i think i remeber that the 86 dr 5speed had a little differnt low range then the other five speeds? thats what you had on your red hatch right? seams like i rember it being somthing like 1.62 to 1 or somthing or my brain is playing tricks with me anyway just a thougth

[WJM]

the fulltime Dual Range trans had 1.196 reduction...normal D/R are 1.5xx something.

 

FT4WD was avalible as an otpion 87~89...and up until the end of the production in 1994, but are RARE.

 

FT4WD Dual range was only in the RX's, 87~89.

[RonVee]

Hi All,

Thanks for all the great info! Forgot to say my '82 is a wagon. The next one will have to be also. What wagons where made after the Dual-Range era ending in 89? Is this when the Legacy Wagon came out? So where they just 5 speed 4WD-with no low 4WD?

 

Anyone have the gear ratios for the years 90-94 period? Is there a big difference between 1st and second gear ratios on these years compared to the 80's. I'd hate to get a later model and have to be in first gear all the time climbing up mtn all the time, esp in summer. Rough on the engine. Guess that's why my 82 wagon stood up so much longer that the 79 Brat. Gears really count IMHO.

 

McBrat: Thx for the link to the chart. Got one for 90-94?

 

WJM: not understanding what you said.

"the fulltime Dual Range trans had 1.196 reduction...normal D/R are 1.5xx something."

 

What is the difference in "fulltime Dual Range and Normal Dual-Range"?

 

Much appreciated everyone.

Peace..Ron

[Subsforever]

Full time DR 4wd is in 4wd all the time, while the regular DR 4 is a part time system and 4wd can only be used on slippery surfaces

[RonVee]

Thanks for all the great info.

 

I think I have all the Manual/4WD tranny options for the 80's sorted out.

 

What are the Manual/4WD packages for the 89-95? I mean what wagons came with what as far as the Loyale, Legacy etc as far as manual/4WD options?

 

I am not familiar with these as I have always been driving the 70-80's Subarus.

 

Also when did they stop the 4WD and switch to the AWD?

 

Thanks in advance...Ron

[Hank Roberts]

Don't trust my answer, I'm way too new at this. My impression -- I was shopping for a manual dual low range -- is that 1988 was the last year they made them. Others here have said, and the Tech Service Bulletins I bought from Alldata also seem to indicate, that they kept making them into 1989.

 

(At least, they fixed a design problem with grinding going into 2nd gear "as of approximately the beginning of the 1989 model year" -- so I assume they fixed the design problem by continuing to make the transmissions using the replacement parts they were recommending for the older ones!)

 

Aside -- my fantasy at first was:

"Hey, Joe, we fixed the design problem with those transmissions grinding into second, finally!"

"Yeah? What did they change?"

"The catalog -- we quit making them ..."

 

But, aside from the maybe 1989 model Loyale, I believe there's nothing since then but all wheel drive. Except the new thread here about putting the good old transmissions into the newer cars, which looks very promising.

[Numbchux]

All 'normal' 4WD trannies have a FWD and a 4WD setting...i.e. PT4WD, or 'part-time...'

 

before 88-89 (unsure which) they also had Dual Range...like yours

 

after that, they were push-button single range....FWD, push the button, 4WD, no low range...FOR THE LOYALES....

 

Legacies are AWD, which started in 90, no lo range, no FWD, BUT....TONS more power. I bet 2nd gear will be plenty low enough, or 1st gear in an auto would be similar to your 2lo now.

 

I think the '85 and later (EA82) wagons have more power too, but with a 5-speed, which means slightly lower 1-4 PLUS 5th.

 

 

WJM is talking about the Full-Time 4WD trannies, which came mostly on turbo models, and all RX's, and I think all XT6's. none of these have a FWD setting, some have a center diff lock (good for off-road/imperfect conditions), and some, I think almost exclusively RX's, have a reduction gear (lo range)

 

 

 

All this being said, I think you'd be good with anything that has a dual range 4WD tranny, or a legacy (since the newer, 'EJ series' motors have so much more low end torque). I like the EA82's, but I'm bias, I have 3. I'd recommend an '88 GL wagon, but again, I'm bias

 

good luck!

[Hank Roberts]

So, did you find a replacement for your wagon?

 

I'm still looking for a known transmission for mine in Berkeley -- rumor of one in Sacramento the mechanic's tracking down now.

 

I've talked to three rebuilders

-- CCR (Colorado Component Rebuilders) does this, and is well spoken of

--the other two (which are near me) say they quit rebuilding Subaru 4wd transmissions, for exactly the reasons I've found problems, nobody is able to be sure what they have by looking at one, parts vary too much, and they cost too much just to figure out what's inside the case to be worth fixing.

 

If you have one you're sure of, from someone who's known reliable -- don't let go of it!