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Hi all,

Now I'm back in Aus I have time and a mate's garage to finish off my projects! First up is my rear bar, and if I have time after that it's lift kit and exhaust to be finally completed. Who knows how much of it will actually get done...

So, the lift kit...

I have body spacers ready, no questions on them.

Strut tops: 5mm plate for top and bottom? 8mm round for the spacer itself?

The tops I'm making are 2" (50mm). I have a set front and rear 3" Liberty lift blocks from my last car for the pattern (outback struts onto liberty body) and will use that for dimensions of the hats and bolt pattern. I know the bolt pattern onto the liberty body is different, will just use the template from the bottom .

Engine stay rod - current one is 9mm in diameter. Will get whatever is similar at the suppliers... Will cut to length once the lift is in...

Steering Shaft Joint (this thing) - currently, it's 15.5mm in diameter. I'll see what rounds the supplier has. Try and make it as close to visually the same as possible. Also, I plan on cutting the whole length out and replacing it with a new one of correct length, instead of adding a length in of different aged/stressed steel as a cut and shut. Good idea? Will make a jig before cutting it up to keep things to spec.

There are a few things hanging low after body lifts, and I felt my liberty was a little exposed, especially in muddy/rutty conditions where I felt the lift blocks were exposed to direct blows, damaging captive nuts... So after ripping out a captive nut on my liberty when it was lifted, I'm also going to add bracing around the front gearbox crossmember and transverse links, and potentially around the tail shaft's centre bearing and around the trailing arm mounts. Not sure how I'm going to do it... will fit the lift and go from there . Suggested thickness of plate for bracing? I'm thinking 3mm plate, or maybe angle?

I think that's it... What am I'm missing?

Thanks,
Owen

ScubyRoo wrote:Engine stay rod - current one is 9mm in diameter. Will get whatever is similar at the suppliers... Will cut to length once the lift is in...

Is yours the metal type rod? you may not even have to modify it with only a 2" lift??

ScubyRoo wrote:Steering Shaft Joint currently, it's 15.5mm in diameter. I'll see what rounds the supplier has. Try and make it as close to visually the same as possible. Also, I plan on cutting the whole length out and replacing it with a new one of correct length, instead of adding a length in of different aged/stressed steel as a cut and shut. Good idea? Will make a jig before cutting it up to keep things to spec.

Problem with removing the complete shaft is that you have to get it spot on when you put the new one on or you'll end up with tight and loose spots whilst turning the steering wheel. Also welding close to the knuckle allows too much heat near the uni-joints and boils the crap out of the grease. Sounds like too much work, I'djust use the tried and tested method which works well and I've not heard of any failing

ScubyRoo wrote:There are a few things hanging low after body lifts, and I felt my liberty was a little exposed, especially in muddy/rutty conditions where I felt the lift blocks were exposed to direct blows, damaging captive nuts... So after ripping out a captive nut on my liberty when it was lifted, I'm also going to add bracing around the front gearbox crossmember and transverse links, and potentially around the tail shaft's centre bearing and around the trailing arm mounts. Not sure how I'm going to do it... will fit the lift and go from there . Suggested thickness of plate for bracing? I'm thinking 3mm plate, or maybe angle?

I'd just box in the lift blocks and then sikaflex the block to body surface. Also use plenty of anti-sieze on the bolts. Bracing I find is only required on the front lower arms blocks and the best way is to make them joined as one. The back ones at the front of the laterial arms should also be done the same.

RSR 555 wrote:Is yours the metal type rod? you may not even have to modify it with only a 2" lift??

Yep, metal type. Hopefully I don't need to lengthen it, the less work the better! But when I lifted the liberty the old one was too short, so I'm expecting the same again.

RSR 555 wrote: Problem with removing the complete shaft is that you have to get it spot on when you put the new one on or you'll end up with tight and loose spots whilst turning the steering wheel. Also welding close to the knuckle allows too much heat near the uni-joints and boils the crap out of the grease. Sounds like too much work, I'djust use the tried and tested method which works well and I've not heard of any failing

The say assumption make an arse of us all, so I'm clarifying that you mean 'cut and shut' as the tried and true method as I've not heard of anything else?

RSR 555 wrote: I'd just box in the lift blocks and then sikaflex the block to body surface. Also use plenty of anti-sieze on the bolts. Bracing I find is only required on the front lower arms blocks and the best way is to make them joined as one. The back ones at the front of the laterial arms should also be done the same.

Aye, joining them up was my plan. I have a vague memory of an unused captive nut near there somewhere, so was thinking of making a triangular bracket to join them. What do you mean by 'box in the lift blocks'? Thickness of recommended materials for bracing/boxing?

Many thanks RSR

ScubyRoo wrote:What do you mean by 'box in the lift blocks'?

Check out Nachaluva's lift kit mod thread - that will show you how to join the block and how to box in the lift blocks - it's basically closing off the ends by welding a plate over the opening of the square tubing

As for the steering extension, I think Paul's saying to use the c r o s s b r e d extension as it doesn't use any welding. Or cut what you have in half and put a rod or a tube up the centre of it then weld around each cut edge onto the rod or tube. You'd want a tight fit to do it this way.

Cheers

Bennie

El_Freddo wrote: As for the steering extension, I think Paul's saying to use the c r o s s b r e d extension as it doesn't use any welding. Or cut what you have in half and put a rod or a tube up the centre of it then weld around each cut edge onto the rod or tube. You'd want a tight fit to do it this way.

Cheers

Bennie

That's a good idea, or even a larger diameter tube to act as a sleeve/extension? If you could get a tube where the steering shaft was a tight fit inside. Could do the same if you needed to extend the engine stay rod.

On boxing in the ends, planning on building an MY lift kit soon would it be a bad idea to box in the ends before hot dip galvanizing? thinking enclosed spaces in boiling metal not a good idea.

El_Freddo wrote:Check out Nachaluva's lift kit mod thread - that will show you how to join the block and how to box in the lift blocks - it's basically closing off the ends by welding a plate over the opening of the square tubing

This makes sense. My blocks are turned, not box section, so it didn't make sense to me until you explained it. Thanks for the link to Nachaluva's thread, it was pretty much what I had planned, but great to see it already done by someone else - always better to build on someone else's idea than do it from scratch!

El_Freddo wrote: As for the steering extension, I think Paul's saying to use the c r o s s b r e d extension as it doesn't use any welding. Or cut what you have in half and put a rod or a tube up the centre of it then weld around each cut edge onto the rod or tube. You'd want a tight fit to do it this way.

Cheers

Bennie

Going on what Paul said earlier, the plan is to cut out the middle out and weld in a new section, covered by a sleeve as long as we can make it. I'll drill some holes in the sleeve for spot welds along the sleeve to help strengthen the shaft.

Boxing the ends keeps the mud out & strengthens the block. Connecting the front LCA blocks was tricky to clear the rail & the rear bush housing. I used a jig for this.

The biggest thing is to connect the rear trailing arm blocks together & with the moustache bar block. Its a weak point in lifting a Subie as any time you hit a pothole or put any longitudinal strain on the rear tyre, its these blocks that take the force. A few people have had cracks here & Dulagarl had his captive nuts ripped out!

C r o s s b r e d don't have any steering extensions at the moment, so looks like it's a cut and shut operation. I'll have access to a lathe and mill so I think it'll come up well!

If you want come over & have a look at what i've done

You can cut the end off a steering column and use it with a cut down liberty steering linkage to give you a bolt on steering extension.
Requires you to drill and tap the the cut off liberty coupling.

tambox wrote:or talk nice to me .

Good way to introduce yourself Tambox! It's amazing how tone and body language adds to a comment - I know that Tambox is simply hinting here that if you contact him there could be a unit in the making...

Cheers

Bennie

Sorry, got to remember this is a public board, cannot respond like PM's as it may be/was misunderstood.

tambox wrote:Sorry, got to remember this is a public board, cannot respond like PM's as it may be/was misunderstood.

Indeed - wasn't exactly sure what you were talking about there mate. Fancy sending me a PM to clarify your 'hint'?

Yeah, boxing them in helps with strength and keeps the crap out. I also recommend putting a crush tube inside before boxing the ends in.

As for the steering extension, try looking for an early Outback one and extend it