EA82 Lift idea. Radius rod mounting?

[Gloyale]

So I am in the process of building a lift. Well, part of it. I plan on using SJR 4 inch kit for rear, and possibly those sweet SJR CNC Strut tops for the front as well. (but I might make my own, not sure yet. Getting the angles perfect, and mirror to each other is daunting))

 

But the rest of the blocks I am making on my own. I am using a 4 inch block under the front crossmember.

 

My big question is about the triangular radius rod plate.

 

Has anyone done anything other than just spacer block underneath?

 

My though was to try to make a custom radius rod, longer, with a bit of a bend. So that the mount plate could stay bolted up tight, no spacers. Or possibly only a 1" or 2" spacer only instead fully 4 inches.

 

My other Idea was to cut out the part of mount that the rod goes through, and weld it back on, extended and braced 4 inches down. The rod would then be at the "stock angle" relative to the crossmember. But the plate would be bolted up tight, out of the way of rocks and tree roots. (espescially when you have to back up over rough terrain, say to get a better run at a hill.) Plus I think the plate being bolted tightly to the body helps spread the load off of the bolts and onto the mating surface of the unibody and plate. Less risk of ripping out captive nuts. (that just sounds bad on too many levels)

 

What have you done?

 

What are you're thoughts?

 

Pics of anything like this would be fantastic.

[WoodsWagon]

spread the load off of the bolts and onto the mating surface of the unibody and plate. Less risk of ripping out captive nuts. (that just sounds bad on too many levels).

 

Which is exacly what happened with my car. Linking the 3 blocks is the minumum, cutting and extending the bracket would be better. Putting a double bend in the radius rod would make it even more suseptible to bending when you hit a rock or stump.

[Scott in Bellingham]

on the 4" EA82 lift you can go 3" at the engine crossmember, and 2" at the radius rod, on my white car I have a 3-1/2" lift at the struts, 2" at the engine and zero at the radius rod with a spacer on the rod to bring the tire forward, , now on the radius rod go 2" and it will be fine ,. If you want just the strut mount peices and weld in your own pipe we can do that

[del]

My thought is these plates are also what the transmission mounts to (4-speed auto is different). If you do not space the plates down the engine and transmission will be at an angle.

 

just my 2c del

[Gloyale]

Putting a double bend in the radius rod would make it even more suseptible to bending when you hit a rock or stump.

 

 

If I went that route, I was planning on changing the angle of the mount on the plate. Then just making a longer radius arm with only one bend. Just like the stock one but longer and a bit more angle to the bend.

 

However, I think rewelding the whole plate to have an extension is the best idea. Probably what I'll do.

[Gloyale]

on the 4" EA82 lift you can go 3" at the engine crossmember, and 2" at the radius rod, on my white car I have a 3-1/2" lift at the struts, 2" at the engine and zero at the radius rod with a spacer on the rod to bring the tire forward, , now on the radius rod go 2" and it will be fine ,. If you want just the strut mount peices and weld in your own pipe we can do that

 

 

Cutting and aligning the angle of the pipe is the part I'm most worried about.

 

I can make the plate tops and bottom easy.

 

Cutting the angled pipe is easy.

 

Making sure both tops get welded at the correct angle relative to the bolt holes.... that's the part that worries me.

[Gloyale]

My thought is these plates are also what the transmission mounts to (4-speed auto is different). If you do not space the plates down the engine and transmission will be at an angle.

 

That's fine. Since I'm not spacing the carrier (or perhaps only an inch) The angle will actually help.

 

And my car is a 4spd auto.

[Numbchux]

My though was to try to make a custom radius rod, longer, with a bit of a bend. So that the mount plate could stay bolted up tight, no spacers. Or possibly only a 1" or 2" spacer only instead fully 4 inches.

 

I did something a lot like this with my blue wagon. except I didn't need to lengthen it. I just added a second bushing on the front side of the bracket, and cut the inner bushings at an angle so that the rod could sit at an angle.

 

I then removed the 3 blocks between the bracket and framerail, and put one between the bracket and tranny crossmember so the driveline was still dropped, but the leading rod bracket was still tight against the framerail.

 

 

unfortunately, I sold the car before really wheeling it hard after that (went once, but the water pump was failing, so it spent most of the trip parked while I rode with someone else). it seemed like a pretty tough setup though.

[baccaruda]

My wagon's lift kit is a 4" engine, 3" transmission, and the struts are probably like 5" with the 4" spacer and Legacy struts & WRX springs.

 

I took 2 pairs of XT6 strut rods and cut the forward end off of two of them and the rearward end off of the other two. Then I cut some 1" square tubing and made "stacked" strut rods for each side. I made the length more or less stock, I think, but would give them a few mm each just to make maintenance and disassembly a little easier.

 

Before, there was NO WAY I could get the control arm bolts in; the elevated rear end of the strut rod deflected the control arm bushings too much.

Before I figured this out, I even changed out my car's engine crossmember because I thought I'd screwed up when I drilled out the holes for the control arm bushing bolts (XT6 control arms). The car handles great.