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Hey all!

We just got our hands onto a little '88 targa brumby. Very nice! Few problems:

1) the gear stick is really sloppy - how do you fix this? Is it just a case of removing the pin and putting a new one in on the gear selector shaft or do you drill it out and put in a larger pin? Or just stick a 5 speed in there (on the cards already, more q's to follow about that)

2) The wiper switch has 4 positions: off/off/lo/hi Apparently this is a problem for the road worthy certifier here as when the dial says lo the wipers are off and when the dial says hi the wipers are lo. I dont think this bloke tried turning the dial more than it indicates.

3) Tail shaft - we apparently have a dodgy CV in there but i cannot for the life of me find any play in the tail shaft joints at all. Are these CV joints replaceable by a machine shop or can i just hammer them out and put the new ones in myself (like you can with the old holdens)?

4) The brakes: They work well, but the pedal moves a little too far down the range before there's any action. Is this a common problem and what would it most likely be? I have not checked the condition of the pads/shoes and this is not normally what happens when they wear down in my experience. Could it be air in the line?

5) we have rust in the doors below the hinge on the inner side. I'm going to get a quote to get it removed professionally but its probabily going to be costly. The other option is to get another set of doors and put on for the road worthy, take the originals and do a cut and shut, treating for rust prevention then put them back on when the road worthy's done.

And then to cap it all off, the "certified mechanic" doesn't do up the front left wheel nuts. When it got home and i checked the problem 3 nuts could be un-done by finger... dunno if we'll be going back to that place.

Final q: what's exactly involved in a 5 speed conversion? - i'm guessing a custom cross bar needs to be made...

I'll try and get some pics up but it could take some time...

Any input would be good

Cheers

The answer to number 2 is you probably have the dial from a touring wagon in there, the 1st position would be intermittant. you could just get a switch from a base model my or brumby to rectify.

The rest of your questions, NFI, let some others with more experiance answer them.

1 - the little pin and it's surrounding hole flogs out over time, you drill the hole slightly bigger and put a bolt through.

3 - if the tailshafts on MYs are the same uni-joint wise as L series (I think they are) then they are "non replaceable". ie, they can be replaced but a driveshaft place really has to do it.

4 - yeah sounds like air, give her a bleed to start off with.

For 5spd I believe you need a longer tail shaft (and some other stuff I can't remember right now!)

re q1:
Split the female part (the part that slips over the shift shaft coming out of the trnsmission) about half way lengthwise with an angle grinder and then use an 8mm bolt and nyloc nut instead of the original pin. Make sure the bolt doesn't foul anything as it ends up being a bit close to the extension housing. The bushes and boot at the bottom of the gear stick are all available from Subaru and are not very expensive.

Further to above post - some genuine part Numbers:

Gear lever to Shift rail:
Rubber bushes # 7332-29010
Nylon Bushes # 6331-24170
Steel Sleeve # 6330-42030

Bottom of Gear Lever:
Bush # 7331-46090
Boot # 6315-04021
Clip - For Boot # 90918-0004

I can do you a write up to fix the first 4 of the 5. It will be a little long and i have to take some pics to help you out. I could help with the 5th , but you are to far away. The first 4 we come across with each car we restore.

Let me know if you would like the write up.

El_Freddo wrote:Hey all!

We just got our hands onto a little '88 targa brumby. Very nice! Few problems:

1) the gear stick is really sloppy - how do you fix this? Is it just a case of removing the pin and putting a new one in on the gear selector shaft or do you drill it out and put in a larger pin? Or just stick a 5 speed in there (on the cards already, more q's to follow about that)

There was a write-up around and Subarino found it for me once when i to asked this question.
Here it is


3) Tail shaft - we apparently have a dodgy CV in there but i cannot for the life of me find any play in the tail shaft joints at all. Are these CV joints replaceable by a machine shop or can i just hammer them out and put the new ones in myself (like you can with the old holdens)?

The Joints are called Universal Joints bit different to CV's lol. but as expected they wear otu with old age and shuld be replaced. can cause alot of damage if it breaks on u. they are usually replaceable by a shop altho i heard u can do em urself.

4) The brakes: They work well, but the pedal moves a little too far down the range before there's any action. Is this a common problem and what would it most likely be? I have not checked the condition of the pads/shoes and this is not normally what happens when they wear down in my experience. Could it be air in the line?

If the Rear drums arent adjusted up properly or worn down to far the pedal will have alot of excess travel in it. but also culd be air if it feels 'Spongy'

Final q: what's exactly involved in a 5 speed conversion? - i'm guessing a custom cross bar needs to be made...

Can use the MY one as Subarino told me once. im sure someone will pipe up tho.

I'll try and get some pics up but it could take some time...

Any input would be good

Cheers

hope it helps ya somehow.

(good ole Subarino always helping out)

I did the uni joints in my 92 brumby ar christmas time . Got the part from auto one $15 each .Very easy to do just remove the tail shaft remove the circlips and hammer out the old uni . Lube up new uni and tap in . Replace the circlips with the new ones supplied .Bolt in the tail shaft . Hint , mark the flanges on the diff side so as to put back in the same position . Hope this helps

>>The answer to number 2 is you probably have the dial from a touring wagon in there, the 1st position would be intermittant. you could just get a switch from a base model my or brumby to rectify.


Or better still get a dial from a MY sedan so it actually shows intermittant. It just pulls off, takes about 15 seconds in total. If it is a dud switch, it's easy to change - take out the cover under the dash (4 self-tappers), pull off the the dial, undo the nut with a shifter and pull it under the dash. If it's stock it will have a bright PINK connector which doesn't connect to anything, if it's got intermittant it will have a silver canister about 3 inches long and 1 1/2 inches in diameter attached (a relay I presume).

Number 5 - use an L-series tailshaft (cheap option) with a support bracket, or get a custom made 1-piece tailshaft. There's a fairly thorough write-up on USMB.

Dean.

dfoyl wrote: Number 5 - use an L-series tailshaft (cheap option) with a support bracket, or get a custom made 1-piece tailshaft. There's a fairly thorough write-up on USMB...

Not sure how that fixes the rust problem LOL

For 5 speed conversion I think you need a matching tailshaft, or one shortened / lengthened to suit, but I could be wrong here. Can someone also confirm if the top ratios are the same in both the 4speed and 5speed boxes.

L-Series tailshaft unis are non-replaceable type, MYs are. I fyou are looking for a new tailshaft that is not a cheap option. Last quote I got was $1100

Never cease to be amazed at some of the things mechanics pull up for roadworthiness - surely if the wipers work it is roadworthy, regardless of the speed compared to the switch location. Some cars only have 1 speed and some have a high speed slower than my low speed.

#1
Some info from our international counter parts
http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/sho ... hp?t=49954

rtcb65 wrote:I could help with the 5th , but you are to far away.

Its a bugger that you're so far away... I didn't get around to finding out how much it was going to cost for a professional job... And i've been thinking of mates who could do the job but are yet to contact them about it.

Matatak wrote:hope it helps ya somehow.

(good ole Subarino always helping out)

That's what i've heard and he's very good at helping out too. That info you got was good, i'll have to check it out closer to see if its the shifter and linkage or just the linkage.

I don't want to do a whole shifter rebuild as i'm hoping to have a 5 speed in there in the next year...

SUBYDAZ: The brumby feels like it wants another gear on top of its 4th, plus there seems to be a fair gap between gear changes...

Thanks everyone for the info, I've got some stuff to work on now

Cheers

Bennie

I have read the rest of the posts, they all sound good to me . i have only a couple of slit differences in mind.

With number 1, we have made a slight mod to the Z bar.( i have called it that, the piece that goes from the rail on the box to the gear lever. ) it allows you to adjust the bar if it gets sloppy.

Number 2, Instead of changing the switch, as it sounds like a intermittent switch look under the dash and look for a wiring plug with one yellow wire looped back into the same plug. All you need is the relay , if you take the looped plug out and plug the relay in , you will then have intermit wipers. ( dont take the looped plug out till you have the relay. ) I can send you a couple of relays if you wish.

Number 4. All advice is sound to me , I only have one small thing to add. If the master cylinder has bleeding ability , Bleed it first. I have come across the same thing as you wrote and it turned out to be a bubble in the master and it didn't travel to the lines for some reason.

Best of luck with the repairs.

Rtcb65: thanks for the tip on the master cylinder bleeder, i'll check it out when i can (brumby's in benders and i'm not )

Does anyone know if the roof glass can be taken out for open top crusing? There seems to be a place behind the seats for the glass but can't workout how to get it off - i don't want to break anything.

I priced some gearbox mounts - $110 each. Insane, but we apparently need them. I haven't looked at them yet but the RWC dude reckons they need replacing...

I might have to hit up last celtic warrior for on of those windscreen corners too - another thing to check out...

Anyway, i gotta go back to work

Bennie

i'm pretty sure i only paid about $80 for the pair of box mounts. just got non genuine ones from an auto parts shop. just make sure they order the ones for the EA81 brumby not the EA82..... (yes i know it doesn't exist but you try to tell them that....'that's what is listed mate. did you do and engine conversion?')

El_Freddo wrote:
SUBYDAZ: The brumby feels like it wants another gear on top of its 4th...

So does the 5-speed. I think the ratios are the same, but yeah would like some confirmation to ease my mind.

rtcb65 wrote:All you need is the relay , if you take the looped plug out and plug the relay in , you will then have intermit wipers. ( dont take the looped plug out till you have the relay. ) I can send you a couple of relays if you wish.

That'd be great if you could, I got another switch today but couldn't see this white wire or relay... You may have the answer with that relay

rtcb65 wrote:Number 4. All advice is sound to me , I only have one small thing to add. If the master cylinder has bleeding ability , Bleed it first.

Found the master cylinder bleeder - there's two of them and i'll give it a go first - anyone know how to do this (as in 1 at a time or 2 at the same time?)

rtcb65 wrote:Best of luck with the repairs.

Cheers - got a mate onto it tonight and we got some doors off a GL5 coupe - gotta change the glass over to fit them for the RWC... Should be a month and we'll have her up and rego'd.

Pics will be a while - we don't have the car here anymore and i wasn't that quick thinking before we took it away...

Point: the items I was quoted for were apparently non-genuine. We got some good second hand ones today. -> The one's on the brumby are cracked so defenetly need replacing. And you're story of the parts "specialist" seems to be common place too

SUBYDAZZ: Now that you mention it you could be right there. I think the L box is slightly lower though - having the L box would still close the rev gap between gears (that's what i'm thinking anyway).

now to PM celitic w for some plates...

Cheers

Bennie

Yes, the roof panels come out.....if you want I will scan the section of the owners manual that shows how to do this.

Hamish71 wrote:Yes, the roof panels come out.....if you want I will scan the section of the owners manual that shows how to do this.

Thanks mate, found out his info a while ago, I don't think I posted it...

Car is still being repaired, a little later than expected/wanted. Also found a shot ball joint on friday so will have to wait a little while for the part to come in (then the time to fix it).

The shifter linkage fix worked a treat! Pretty easy to do too.

Cheers

Bennie

have a look at my site to do a 5spd swap.

the 0ne piece custom tail shaft cost me $400 bucks from the only custom tailshaft builder in syd.

but i should have gone with the l series tail shaft cause there isnt as much room for error.

go on do it!

you wont look back