Soobie off-road modification queries

[Radeon]

Hi there. Was wondering if anyone could help me with a few queries I have regarding turning my leone (not sure what its called in the US) into an off-road buggie.

 

What sort of rear diff should I use. I have a full-time 4WD lsd diff I am planning on using. Is it true its not the best one for off-road use?

 

Secondly I have broken 2 gearbox's in other cars by 4WDriving around a river bed. They are permantly in 2WD despite the fact they are supposed to be in 4WD, and drive is only delivered to the rear wheels. Are these gearbox's just unreliable or is it me?

 

Also how do people raise their cars so much, I mean the drive shafts wouldn't be long enough would they? How do you extend them?

 

Thanks for any help.

[Numbchux]

We don't have a name for them in the US, just GLs and DLs depending on their trim..

 

I will be using the LSD from a turbo car (probably F/T) in my rig starting this year. I like going out for short runs and don't want to be pulling an axle every time. If you go out for a long time, you should look into doing a welded spool, and then pulling a rear axle before/after wheeling. (just noticed your other post...if this isn't street legal anyway, DEFINATELY go with a welded rear end!)

 

broken 2 tranny's??? in subies?? dang! Are you sure it's not a front axle? if you blow a front axle you loose front Wheel Drive (and it makes some horrible sounds if you try) but locking the transfer case into 4WD it sends the power to the rear (very fun in a wagon!)

 

no driveshaft extensions needed, this is essentially a body lift, which drops the tranny, diff and everything, keeping very stockish angles.

[Radeon]

We don't have a name for them in the US, just GLs and DLs depending on their trim..

 

I will be using the LSD from a turbo car (probably F/T) in my rig starting this year. I like going out for short runs and don't want to be pulling an axle every time. If you go out for a long time, you should look into doing a welded spool, and then pulling a rear axle before/after wheeling. (just noticed your other post...if this isn't street legal anyway, DEFINATELY go with a welded rear end!)

 

broken 2 tranny's??? in subies?? dang! Are you sure it's not a front axle? if you blow a front axle you loose front Wheel Drive (and it makes some horrible sounds if you try) but locking the transfer case into 4WD it sends the power to the rear (very fun in a wagon!)

 

no driveshaft extensions needed, this is essentially a body lift, which drops the tranny, diff and everything, keeping very stockish angles.

 

What do you mean by pulling an axle? and by a welding spool do you mean open it up and weld the diff up?

If the front axle is the problem would the gearbox be damaged or is the axle in the gearbox? I probably sound like a retard asking these questions but its better than pretending to know what your talking about. It does make horrible sounds.

Yea, with lifting the car, I don't just want to raise the body, I want to raise everything so the car doesn't ground itself? Would this pose a problem with the drive shaft length?

[Zefy]

What do you mean by pulling an axle? and by a welding spool do you mean open it up and weld the diff up?

If the front axle is the problem would the gearbox be damaged or is the axle in the gearbox? I probably sound like a retard asking these questions but its better than pretending to know what your talking about. It does make horrible sounds.

Yea, with lifting the car, I don't just want to raise the body, I want to raise everything so the car doesn't ground itself? Would this pose a problem with the drive shaft length?

 

yes he means taking your rear diff and welding the spider gears together... then when your off the trail taking out one of the axles so your rear end doesn't explode when you go around a corner on dry roads...

 

the axles are outside the gearbox... if you look under your hood there should be 2 of them on either side going off the gearbox and into your wheels... look at the 2 rubber boots on the axles(on either ends of the axles... so there is a total of 4 boots on the front section of your drivetrain...)... if they are torn and water gets in them they will get ruined really fast... there would also be an excess of grease laying around in there...

 

it sounds like you want a suspension lift... i'm sorry to tell you but that is near impossible... you'd have to make pretty much all the suspension parts from scratch to make it fit right...

 

a body lift is pretty much your best/only option... the lift itself will only give you better approach and departure angles... the real height of these vihicles comes from the larger tires that you'll be able to stuff under the fenders after you lift it...

 

and finally... Welcome to the board!

 

i hope this helps you out...

[Numbchux]

Well, I just happened to have a good picture just for this topic!

 

THAT is the rear end out of my '85 GL wagon. See the diff in the middle? on either side of the diff is an axle. as zefy said, with 2 rubber boots on either end of one axle (making 4 boots for the rear end too). This is an independent suspension setup, as in the diff stays mounted tight to the body, and either wheel moves up and down independant of that, making for 2 places that the axle needs to flex between there.

 

A Solid Axle design means that the diff, axle, and hubs/brakes all move as one, usually with leaf springs. most commonly used in full size pickups.

 

The importance of this, is that you cannot change the angles on those axles much (especially in front) without severly shortening their life! which means you have to do a body lift. This isn't bad, because the only thing in the middle that get's dropped down is the driveshaft and exhaust (which can be fixed, if you know how), so lifted, on stock tires, you're still not too bad off. THEN you put on big tires, and you're set.

 

Example, my GL stock wasn't too great, then I added a 4 inch lift kit, which made it better, but the drivetrain was still left at essentially stock height, then I added tires that were a total of 6" higher in diameter (only half of that actually raises the car) so 3" higher over all. That means that the bumpers came up a total of 7" total!

 

here's a broken rear axle:

 

another pic for comparison, stock tires on the front, and 28's on the back! see the height difference, and I never would've gotten those tires on the unlifted car.

 

here's a pic of my rearend after the lift, notice the axle angle, this is the absolute farthest that you can increase these angles. I tried going a little higher and broke 2 rear axles (one being the one pictured above...)

 

and one more. I'm no stranger to the RWD wagon...

[Radeon]

Well, I just happened to have a good picture just for this topic!

 

THAT is the rear end out of my '85 GL wagon. See the diff in the middle? on either side of the diff is an axle. as zefy said, with 2 rubber boots on either end of one axle (making 4 boots for the rear end too). This is an independent suspension setup, as in the diff stays mounted tight to the body, and either wheel moves up and down independant of that, making for 2 places that the axle needs to flex between there.

 

A Solid Axle design means that the diff, axle, and hubs/brakes all move as one, usually with leaf springs. most commonly used in full size pickups.

 

The importance of this, is that you cannot change the angles on those axles much (especially in front) without severly shortening their life! which means you have to do a body lift. This isn't bad, because the only thing in the middle that get's dropped down is the driveshaft and exhaust (which can be fixed, if you know how), so lifted, on stock tires, you're still not too bad off. THEN you put on big tires, and you're set.

 

Example, my GL stock wasn't too great, then I added a 4 inch lift kit, which made it better, but the drivetrain was still left at essentially stock height, then I added tires that were a total of 6" higher in diameter (only half of that actually raises the car) so 3" higher over all. That means that the bumpers came up a total of 7" total!

 

here's a broken rear axle:

 

another pic for comparison, stock tires on the front, and 28's on the back! see the height difference, and I never would've gotten those tires on the unlifted car.

 

here's a pic of my rearend after the lift, notice the axle angle, this is the absolute farthest that you can increase these angles. I tried going a little higher and broke 2 rear axles (one being the one pictured above...)

 

and one more. I'm no stranger to the RWD wagon...

 

Thanks a lot guys, my knowledge has just greatly increased. I know the difference between all the different types of suspension (independant, fixed, etc.), and if you had called the axles, drive shafts then I would've known what you were talking about the entire time. I suppose thats the disadvantage of living in different countries! ha ha.

I'm gutted I can't lift the engine as well cos that means the car is lower to the ground than I want it even with big tyres. I like to drive through deep rivers and ruts so there is obviously a problem. It would work if I lengthened the drive shafts wouldn't it?

My two stuffed gearboxes do have ripped boot covers on both of them so that is probably the problem. I now understand the importance of having them full of grease!

One problem I see with raising the car, as I see in one of your pics, is when you block up the springs without lengthening the arm, then the tyre is not flat on the ground but on a slight angle. Now you wont get as much traction cos the whole tyre is not on the ground. Is that right?