soobscript Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 So I have a wrecked RX donor car and an opportunity to buy a Brat. RX - 1988 EA82T D/R-manual coupe | Brat - 1984 EA81 4speed manual I would like to take ALL the RX gear and swap it to the Brat. engine, transmission, LSD, struts, springs, brakes Engine/Tranny seems simple enough. What kind of modification is needed for the suspension? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted May 2, 2006 Share Posted May 2, 2006 You are going to have trouble with the inner DOJ's on the axles - the RX tranny is 25 spline, while the EA81 axles are 23 spline. They never made a 25 spline EA81 axle - custom axle are possible with the right parts from the right years. Now if you swap the entire suspension you could use the RX axles, but you will have to do some fab work to get it all in place. You'll have to move the lower control arm mount on the cross-member, or make custom lower control arms. The EA81 control arms are too short, and are not compatible with the EA82 ball joint. The struts will be interesting too as the strut top is different - two bolts on the EA81 and three on the EA82... Have to be very careful with your calculations and fab work so as to keep the camber accurate. It can be done tho. Might as well go to 5 lug while you are at it. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subyrally Posted May 2, 2006 Share Posted May 2, 2006 i was wanting to do this a while back, but i couldnt find a brat in good enough shape to bother with. keep us up to date if you go through with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soobscript Posted May 3, 2006 Author Share Posted May 3, 2006 You are going to have trouble with the inner DOJ's on the axles - the RX tranny is 25 spline, while the EA81 axles are 23 spline. They never made a 25 spline EA81 axle - custom axle are possible with the right parts from the right years. Now if you swap the entire suspension you could use the RX axles, but you will have to do some fab work to get it all in place. You'll have to move the lower control arm mount on the cross-member, or make custom lower control arms. Was planning on using the RX axles, knuckles, and hubs. So cut and weld the control arm mounts... Then drill some holes at strut tops... (maybe get some adjustable-type top mounts) Then hook the front suspension up? Which tranny crossmember should I use? What about the rear? Leaf springs scare me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caboobaroo Posted May 3, 2006 Share Posted May 3, 2006 Was planning on using the RX axles, knuckles, and hubs.So cut and weld the control arm mounts... Then drill some holes at strut tops... (maybe get some adjustable-type top mounts) Then hook the front suspension up? Which tranny crossmember should I use? What about the rear? Leaf springs scare me. leaf springs????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zefy Posted May 3, 2006 Share Posted May 3, 2006 What about the rear? Leaf springs scare me. well its good that no subies have leaf springs! now you won't have to worry!:-p if i'm not mistaken the ea81 cars have torsion bar in the rear... and look in the off-road forum to learn how to put coil-overs into the rear... but perhaps you could just swap the whole rear suspension assy...? i know on my car its 4 inches to wide... but the gen2 i'm pretty sure its the same or really darn close... if i were you i'd swap in the whole rear suspension set-up... then you could run the bigger swaybar from the xt6... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnnyboy Posted May 3, 2006 Share Posted May 3, 2006 I've done this myself recently... 88 RX coupe into 83 Brumby... I used the EA82T (loom and computer etc), 5 Speed D/R constant 4wd gearbox (with diff lock), two piece tail shaft , LSD and rear disks from the 88 RX coupe . Plus the powersteering rack and interior gear shifter ,surround and pedal box (due to the extra switches on it). I used front ventilated disks from a EA81 RX coupe. I had to get 25 spline inner DOJ's, but they were an off the shelf part (basically a 25 outer with a 23 inner), I'll have to look up the code. I then used the existing brumby axles + CV's. I felt this was the best way to go, with a view of it being super easy to get replacement parts, over having to replace a custom made part. I kept the front and rear (The 4x4 adjustable type) struts/shock setups, although they are new inners and gas rear shocks. I personally don't feel the coil overs where that great for a light ended ute IMHO. I had to do a few tricky things with the powersteering rack, as the brumby tierods has female fittings and the 88RX rack was also female fitted. it only envolved a double ended, threaded plug with two sizes to suit. Plus a bit of mucking aorund to mount it nicely. Then i just made a combination steering shalf out of the parts i had from both vehicles. The hardest part for me was the chassis rail trimming to get the EA82 to fit in the EA81 brumby engine bay, i took my time and did a tidy job, certification was not a drama at all. The engine mounts are standard, you just need to elongate the cross member holes on the standard Brumby unit and make a little more room for the Turbo up pipe. The gearbox mounts just need a slight elongation of the holes, so simple there too. Then you just need to fabricate a mount for the centre bearing of the two peice tail shaft, once again, i figured it would be easier than forking out for a single custom tail shaft. If you are interested in seeing pics Soobscript, i can show you the chassis cuts etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88HatchMonster Posted May 3, 2006 Share Posted May 3, 2006 I had to get 25 spline inner DOJ's, but they were an off the shelf part (basically a 25 outer with a 23 inner), I'll have to look up the code. I'd like to know that part# and where to get it, thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soobscript Posted May 3, 2006 Author Share Posted May 3, 2006 Awesome! That's what I'm llookin for. Pics please to soobscript (at) gmail (dot) com I had to get 25 spline inner DOJ's, but they were an off the shelf part (basically a 25 outer with a 23 inner). I then used the existing brumby axles + CV's. I'm confused... Are you referring to getting different tranny stubs? Did the PS rack fit onto the Brumby crossmember? Any modification? What about the fluid lines? Was the rear LSD a direct swap? I think you used orignal Brumby axles and stuff, just changed the brakes... I still want to use all the RX suspension bits: springs, struts/shocks, sway bars, knuckles, axles, etc. If I do that, wouldn't the PS/tierod/balljoint issues disappear? Will the RX front struts fit the Brat knuckles? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baccaruda Posted May 3, 2006 Share Posted May 3, 2006 i think that the RX rear suspension would be WAY too stiff for the brat. consider the weight difference in the rears of the two cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnnyboy Posted May 3, 2006 Share Posted May 3, 2006 By 25 outer and 23 inner , it means the slotted socket is for a 25 spline axle stud (gearbox side), but the inner bearing race is for a 23 spline unit. Which means it fits the standard "23 spline" axles/CV and DOJ bearings, but it also fits onto a 25 spline axle stub. Is that explained ok, or am i getting confused myself:grin: The PS rack is a standard fit, although i had to adjust the rubber mounts. The plumbing is completely standard. Fits just fine. The only difference is the way the Non PS (brumby) steering wheel shaft attaches to the PS unit (RX), plus the Tie rods being longer on the RX, due to the wider front track. The LSD is the same size and the RX has the same rear axles as the Brumby. The brakes just bolt on and off with 3 bolts. Just need a new flexible brake line from the hard line to the caliper. VERY easy mod that! For such a excellent performance increase over rear drums. I kept away from the EA82 RX suspension parts, because the axles / arms etc were a wider setup than the EA81, so for Certification in NZ, it was easier to stay standard. Plus i wanted to keep the adjustable front and rear setups on the Brumby as the main point of this vehicle is to go offroad. I just felt it's by far the easiest way to go, i can't see the advantage of going with the RX suspension parts personally, but i'm sure you have your reasons, so thats cool. I've attached a few pics showing what i had to trim out, for the rocker covers and the cam belt pulleys. Please don't mock my welding skillz. I was going to just cut a larger section out, but i was given a recommendation from a local Cert guy, that the less you cut out the better from his point of view. I used 6mm steel plate for the replacement insert. This triming gives me 10mm clearance around the motor / cam belt covers etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carfreak85 Posted May 3, 2006 Share Posted May 3, 2006 Can we get a part number for those axles? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnnyboy Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 Yea, working on it... you know how it is.. you put the packaging aside, cos you just KNOW you'll want it later... well i'll be buggered if i can find it now.. But i won't rest until i find it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnnyboy Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 Ok, the info we all need: NKN I80723 Thats a Subaru 25/23 spline DOJ. http://www.nknjoints.com/ is the company. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themixtoo Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 Can we get a part number for those axles? I have a '84 Turbo Brat and it HAS 25 spline inners. Don't know the correct part # but I'm sure an old OE parts book (if any still exist) would have that #. I do remember it was a different # than the standard 4WD. Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88HatchMonster Posted May 7, 2006 Share Posted May 7, 2006 Ok, the info we all need: NKN I80723 Thats a Subaru 25/23 spline DOJ. http://www.nknjoints.com/ is the company. Any idea where or how to find a USA distributor? Or did you actually buy direct from the company? Thanks so much for the part #, I'm just at a loss as far as how to actually get the item. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnnyboy Posted May 7, 2006 Share Posted May 7, 2006 Sorry mate, I'm in New Zealand, so i just got them from a local CV repair company. They deal with NKN and got them in for me after i told them what i needed. Do you want me to check out some prices for getting them in and shipping to you? or something like that? Or do you want to contact the New Zealand CV repair place yourself? I can send you the details. if any of that will help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88HatchMonster Posted May 7, 2006 Share Posted May 7, 2006 Sorry mate, I'm in New Zealand, so i just got them from a local CV repair company. They deal with NKN and got them in for me after i told them what i needed.Do you want me to check out some prices for getting them in and shipping to you? or something like that? Or do you want to contact the New Zealand CV repair place yourself? I can send you the details. if any of that will help. Wow, that's nice of you to offer to do that, but first I think I will call some US places and see if they can get them. If they can't I might take you up on it. Thanks a lot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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