crazy D Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 gAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!! (1984 wagon) i have been spending the past couple of weeks trying to get the lift off and get the car running. unfortunatly, all the odds have been against me...but lets get to where i am now... im in the process of getting the trans and engine X members mounted back up, and the strut towers out. what seems to be the problem with the x members is that when i dropped the trans and motor, everything seemed to almost twist around. i've got 2 of the three bolts in on the passengers side trans x member and 1 of the three bolts in drivers side trans x member....everything should F****king line up now, but it doesnt. then i said f**k it and moved on to the motor x member. i got one bolt in on drivers side towards the front, but the most far back of engine xmember seems to sag and cant reach a jack to it. on passengers side the part where it mounts to the body seems to have slid about 1/2 foreward and yet again, cant reach a jack to it. so , no bolts in pass. side. then i was told to undo the trans and motor mounts so that i could take the pressure off of the x members and bolt them up....well i did so do that(along with unbolting the exaust) and started to raise the engine and trans, and then i noticed i started to raise the car. so im stumped there too. should i just undo what little progress i made with the x members and put a jack on the back of the trans? then i thought, that getting out the strut towers would be easy and i dont know how to get the damn things out! i undid the 2 little nuts on the top, but i dont know how you take the struts out to get to the blocks....AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! help me here guys, im an extreme noobie and jumped in way over my head, oh and keep in mind that im doing this all in gravel!!!!!! and there is no way that this car is moving. please help and pictures are always helpful. thanks the subaru kid -Dalton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeshoup Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 Dunno how much this will help, but... When I was reattaching the trans crossmember after tightening the flywheel down on my 1984, I had to loosen the bolts on the radius rod plates so they were free to wiggle, then I was able to wiggle them enough to get the crossmember to bolt up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
75subie Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 and with the struts, you are going to have to pull them completly out. bolt the top back in loosly, then take both bolts out on the bottom, and jump on the hub a few times or hit it with a hammer towards the ground. you have to push them down quite a ways the clear the bottom of the strut, but its self explanitory once you dig in. then unbolt the top, remove block, and reinstall. the x-members, well good luck with those lol. i put my lift on w/o any help, and lineing the x-members up was a pita. sooner or later, with patience you'll get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazy D Posted August 9, 2007 Author Share Posted August 9, 2007 and with the struts, you are going to have to pull them completly out. bolt the top back in loosly, then take both bolts out on the bottom, and jump on the hub a few times or hit it with a hammer towards the ground. you have to push them down quite a ways the clear the bottom of the strut, but its self explanitory once you dig in. then unbolt the top, remove block, and reinstall. the x-members, well good luck with those lol. i put my lift on w/o any help, and lineing the x-members up was a pita. sooner or later, with patience you'll get it. hopefully....do you think removing the trans and motor from there mounts was smart or should i hook them back up? the subaru kid -Dalton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86BRATMAN Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 From our conversation earlier I'll add this, is the car on level ground? What do you have it supported with(jackstands, wood blocks) I probably already asked that but I don't remember. If the car is unlevel where it is sitting that could be part of the issue. Now Lest go a step at a time and hope it goes easier. Take off the wheels, you'll see the strut bolts onto the hub with two bolts that Jon mentioned, both are 14mm heads, one at the back of the strut is a pinch bolt that clamps the knuckle around the strut, the other will be one the side of the strut going through a flange into the knuckle. Take them out and use a rubber mallot or something of the sort, and hit the top of the knuckle to get the strut to come out. It will take a few minutes to get it out, just be patient and don't bend the backing plate too much. And watch out for the brake line, it should be attatched to the strut as well. You can take it loose from the caliper if you like, but it will have to be bled afterwards. When you get the strut loose you'll be able to get the lift block off of it. Now slide the strut back in its hole on the knuckle, or if you removed the brake line set it aside. Repeat for other side. Radius rod plates. Grab your 17mm wrench and socket, and take loose the bolts on the lower control arms on each side(2 bolts per side). Put something in place to hold the weight of the tranny, and remove the 4 nuts holding the tranny crossmember to each radius rod plate. When you've got them free you can position the plates exactly where they need to be. Engine crossmember, aka complete pain in the rump roast... Go ahead and put both of the plates in place that have the bolts attatched to them. as long as you have them on the correct side the small hole in them will line up with an equally small hole. Put a screw, like the ones that hold the interior peices in place, into each hole and tighten them up. That will keep you from pushing them back up and out of place. This would be a good time to lower the body of the car a bit if you can, that way the floor jack and bottle jak you are useing can be more effective. You'll have to fight, cuss, kick, scream, beat, and beg this thing into place, but it will go... Eventually... When you get all the peices put in place make sure its all torqued down, then reinstall the radius rods to the lca's, struts bolt back to the towers first, and then install into the knuckles. Raise tranny back up and install crossmember. Tighten all the motor mounts and go around and give everything you've loosened another check just so it doesn't come apart. I can probably get pictures of most all of this stuff tomorrow evening, about 2-3 pm your time if you need it. And if you need help over the phone tommorow I'll be availible by cell... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazy D Posted August 9, 2007 Author Share Posted August 9, 2007 wow im screwd. lol i was gonna say i cant mess this up anymore then i have but, i betcha i could. i got some work cut out for me the subaru kid -Dalton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86BRATMAN Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 Radius rod plates Radius rod to lower control arm Radius rod plate to tranny crossmember Strut to knuckle bolt 1 Strut to knuckle bolt 2 All parts shown have been exposed to the east coast. Actual apearance my vary:lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazy D Posted August 9, 2007 Author Share Posted August 9, 2007 geez.... ok i was out there this morning and F**ked everything up again... i cannot get that strut out of that bottom knuckle. i tried and pryed it, and beat on it.... and jumped on it and it doesnt want to come out.(yes the bolts are loose on the top). so i just left that alone..... next when i tried to deal with the crossmembers when i try to pull the engine tranny up, it pulls the car up with it:eek: ... what am i missing, no x members or mounts are conected. GAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! is anybody near reno this week or next week??? cuz i could use some help. :dead: and i'd really hate to resort in dragging shannon all the way from tazewell virginia the subaru kid -Dalton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86BRATMAN Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 Are the strut tops loose or completely unbolted? Got any penitrating oil you can spray in are the bottom of the strut to help break it loose? Or if all else fails, got full coverage insurance, gas and a lighter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
75subie Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 gas and a lighter always seems to make things easier you must be a light weight cause when i jump on a hub to brake a strut loose, it always seems to come right apart:lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86BRATMAN Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 gas and a lighter always seems to make things easier you must be a light weight cause when i jump on a hub to brake a strut loose, it always seems to come right apart:lol: I myself am about 160lbs. I haven't had much luck getting things loose by jumping on them either:-\ ... I didn't want to suggest this earlier because I was being hopeful... But I have to use my 4lb mini sledge to "finness" the struts loose... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomRhere Posted August 12, 2007 Share Posted August 12, 2007 2 things I haven't seen mentioned of being removed yet; 1. engine pitch stopper. 2. steering shaft flex joint section. Both of those have to be extended when a lift kit is installed. When removing a lift kit, they need to be replaced with stock units. Could be cause of things not wanting to play nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazy D Posted August 12, 2007 Author Share Posted August 12, 2007 hmmmm.... i dont think so about th steering but you may be on to something Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now