EA82T 1986 Dual Range questions?

[EA82DM8]

Hello, could you please tell me how the 4WD system is best shifted. Can you change from 4wd lo to 4wd hi at 50 kph or not? If a system has difficulty selecting in and out and is hard to get out of 4wd what are the usual causes? If the car has a lift kit and bigger wheels and is stuck in 4wd is this likely to stress the 4wd system or benefit it? Thanks in advance and apologies for so many questions.

 

Karl

[Subaru Jim Maple Ridge]

You can shift on the fly if you want, just watch the revs. Hard shifting is usually caused by mismatched tires or uneven tire pressure. When it is stuck in 4WD, you can release the pressure on the gears by backing up with the front tires straight while holding pressure down on the transfer lever.

You may want to check that the ratio on the rear diff matches the tranny. Someone might have converted your car from an auto and not changed out the 3.77 rear. Good Luck

As for larger tires. yes, they stress everything. Wheel bearings, CVs, clutches and brakes. You just have to decide for yourself if they are worth it.

[mikeshoup]

The causes for difficulty of shifting out of 4WD is probably because you're using it on pavement? The 4WD system is only supposed to be used on places where the wheels can have a limited amount of slip (IE: dirt, gravel, water, snow, ice, etc). Also, if you make tight turns with it in 4WD, even on some slippery surfaces, you'll still get a little binding. Binding is what makes it difficult to shift out of 4WD.

 

As far as shifting to/from HI and LO, the owners manual recommends not shifting between the two at speeds in excess of 30mph (50kph). The proper way to do it, is to put in the clutch and then shift between the two, and release the clutch.

 

Also, 1986 Turbo Dual range still had the crappy low range (1.2:1) and 3.7 gearing. Keep that in mind if you plan to lift it. You'd probably want to put in the N/A DR with 1.5 low range and 3.9 gearing.

[EA82DM8]

Thanks you two.........the knowledge people have on here beats any owners manual or dodgey advice from the so called main dealer experts. I appreciate your help. Interestingly enough the soob I was looking at buying was in fact converted from auto to manual so you are spot on about the diff not quite suiting the gearbox. Cheers....more questions to come.