Hatch Questions

[e3mt]

Alrighty -

 

Impulse buy led me down the road to an '87 Hatch 4wd. Plain-Jane model. Radio delete, no a/c. Minimal rust for these parts.

 

It has 2 round headlights. Would this be a DL?

 

Also, has a locked up right rear wheel. Owner said it's the bearing. All my manuals are in storage (just moved). How diffcult is this procedure? Can a backyard mechanic perform this or will I need help?

 

Thanks for all the help. Will post a message with a couple of parts needs as soon as I look her over good.

 

Mark

[MilesFox]

the 2 round headlights for 85 and up means you have the STD model. if you go to the parts counter, for 87, hatchback will come up(ea82 3-door) and STD will come up for what you have. i am not sure if you have the vented or solid brake rotors, but other than that, any parts for 8's wagons and brats will fit.

 

your motor ids the "fat case" ea71 1600, which will share parts with the ea81 1800. it also has the bigger ea81 valves in the ea71 head.

 

the starter is also on the side, which means that it also has the ea81 bellhousing, which will also accept an ea81 or ea82 motor, or, the existing motor will bolt up to any 2wd, 4wd, ea81 and ea82 transmission

[MilesFox]

actually, now that i have re-read your post, being a 4wd, it should have the ea81 motor. you can tell by looking for the letters EA81 cast on the top front of the motor, lust to the right of the seam down the middle.

 

your rear end parts will interchange with any ea81 wagon, hatch, or brat.

 

its possible the rear brakes fell apart. it may be easier or more cost efficient to swap the whole rear trailing arm as a whole.

 

ea82 disc brakes will bolt up the same, if the brake are shot, give that a consideration.

 

if ea81 parts are hard to come by, an ea82 rear trailing arm will fit with slight mods.

 

also, ea82 drum brakes, which are slightly larger, will swap also.

 

try and get the drum off and report back with your findings

[e3mt]

So I am running out of time to mess with this thing tonight, but should the rear drum come off pretty easy?

 

Beat on it with a mallet, but no luck. E-brake is off, by the way.

 

mt

[MilesFox]

the parking brake is on the front wheels...

 

be sure you have removed the axle nut first. the drum should slide off. sometimes the brake shoes will hang up, making it difficult. soak the threads i npenetrating oil.

 

if you cant get the drum off, try removing the axle from behind with a 3 1/6 drift punch. then you can beat the spindle thru with a hammer. you risk damaging the thread on the spindle. thread on the avle nut upside down so its flush with the spindle. use a block of wood. you can replace the spindle if its damaged.

 

if that dont do it, replace the whole trailing arm as one unit.

[e3mt]

Copy that. Thanks Miles - Mark

[MilesFox]

cool. it might not be the best way, and some would disagree with the method, but i tell you what.

I had a drum on a 4x4 83 turbo wagon that wouldnt come off for nothing. i beat the spindle thru(take the axle off, or just one end) thru the bearing, that was the ONLY way to get it off.

 

driving around with the nut off, doing slides and such, and an 80 dollar tool rental from autozone still didnt work.

 

i got it off by beating it with a hammer(use a big hammer, dull heavy blows, not quick sharp blows)

 

if there is enough meat on the spindle before the threads, you can grind or file away the "mushrooming" from the impact.

 

its not hard to replace the entire trailing ar, should you mess it up.

 

would you rather drive your car after replacing the rear trailing arm, or leave it up on jack-stands until you devise a way to get it apart?

 

price around and consider a replacement, before you rack your brain.

 

but if you get it apart, then more power to you!