RX Turbo Sedan tranny tunnel narrower?

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 11:53 pm

The exact area I am referring to is the distance between the sides where the rear gearbox crossmember goes on Automatic models, on manual models a small "crossmember" which seems to just serve as a safeguard to catch the tailshaft if it drops.

On my 1990 MPFI Touring wagon this distance is approx 310mm.
On my 1986 RX Turbo sedan this distance is approx 240mm.

http://members.iinet.net.au/~carine3/IM ... 10_red.jpg

No huge problem I guess, it just means I can't make an exact copy of my modified Liberty gearbox mount which I already have on the wagon. I'll have to make another one from scratch to suit this smaller distance on the RX!

Chris_Rogers · Post by **Chris_Rogers** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 6:46 pm

series 1 and series two shells. the later was meant to house a 4eat.

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 7:24 pm

Ah so that makes mine a series1 I guess.
I hope it still fits the RS Legacy 5spd awd!

AlpineRaven · Post by **AlpineRaven** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 7:32 pm

Yep, I've heard people have modified in that area - Cannot remember where, same goes for automatic to manual conversion - I dunno if RS gearbox would fit... is it going behind EA81T? (I'm concerned about RS's 5th gear being pulled behind EA81T?)
Cheers
AP

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 7:39 pm

Nah I'm putting Legacy EJ20turbo with it's matching 5spd AWD gearbox into this car (tranny tunnel pictured in my first post above).

`86 RX turbo (it would have been EA82T anyways not EA81T)

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Mon May 09, 2011 6:31 pm

Digging up an old thread here, but this has lifted a lot of confusion from my mind

I was trying to work out why the l series rear gearbox crossmember i have doesnt seem to fit under the RX

Now i know why

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Mon May 09, 2011 7:14 pm

Gannon, when you say 'rear' gearbox crossmember you mean the rather flimsy 'brace' that bolts across the tunnel further back from the xmem holding gearbox in place?

When I pulled man gearbox from my 11/87 TW to shove in my SEP85 born , 3/87 compliance plated 4GLTA, the main gearbox crossmember fitted up fine, thought I'd use the brace, just for added 'engineering' . Don't believe it ever went in. Do you need the brace or its holes for EJ AWD box crossmember or sumptin'?

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Mon May 09, 2011 7:55 pm

steptoe wrote:Gannon, when you say 'rear' gearbox crossmember you mean the rather flimsy 'brace' that bolts across the tunnel further back from the xmem holding gearbox in place?

Well i never really looked at the crossmember in my last L series, but I seem to recall that it attached to the rear of the gearbox near an exhaust bracket.

This is an EJ gearbox crossmember setup, which looks very similar to this Vortex setup from the FSM

God i wish i had my RX nearby so i could have a look under it

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Mon May 09, 2011 11:23 pm

That pic is of an EJ box in an EJ born vehicle going by the wishbone mounts there in extruded alloy. Definitely only the bigger stronger xmem on my 85 L Sedan used when I fitted the DR 5 speed man box, now not sure if the brace came from the 87 wagon and did not fit the 85 sedan, come to think again, that is what it was...I think.....????

Trotting out in the not so hot conditions (see Mark - NOT complaining of the cold eh

) to take a pic of my L before Gannon gets to sign off

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Mon May 09, 2011 11:28 pm

just a moment please.... taken them, now off to imaghack....

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Mon May 09, 2011 11:32 pm

submit a crash report on imageshack

Here is a shot if it helps of the Dr 5 speed in my 85 4GLTA sedan, you should be able to see the plate I used and bolts, to cover the bolt holes where the 'brace' was, or could have been if it fitted. More memories come back, the 87 had the brace that did not fit the 85 sedan body, so just used the washers off the brace rubbers

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

T'subaru · Post by **T'subaru** » Tue May 10, 2011 4:08 am

This got me curious so....
This shot is the mounts on a '87 RX
front mount 524 mm's center to center
rear mount 279 mm's " "

This is an '89 RX using a rear mount my fsm doesnt show being used.
rear mount 346 mm's center to center

This is the ej trans I installed on my '90 turbo wagon using xt6 front and rear mounts along with an ej center section.
front mount 524 mm's center to center
rear mount 346 mm's " "

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Tue May 10, 2011 6:20 am

Wow you guys are amazing.

A picture tells a thousand words, but what is the mount in the 89 RX supporting?

T'subaru · Post by **T'subaru** » Tue May 10, 2011 7:02 am

Suparoo wrote:Wow you guys are amazing.

A picture tells a thousand words, but what is the mount in the 89 RX supporting?

Not a thing, its flat across top and doesnt have any hole prep for mounts at all, directly above it the shifter linkage attaches to the trans.

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Tue May 10, 2011 9:03 am

That little thin mount at the very rear which doesn't actually support anything is just a safety device. If the tailshaft drops off for some reason, that will catch it and prevent it sticking into the ground and possibly flipping the car.
At least that's what someone told me once and I guess it makes sense

In automatic model L series it's not there, but the holes in the body are used for part of the auto trans crossmember.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Tue May 10, 2011 9:28 am

I can see someone else uses a dremel style rotary tool to clean their gearbox

Notice also the cat converter halfway down the car. My 85 has it directly off the turbo in the dump pipe.

Looks like the rearest gearbox mount bolts can be used for EJ box as a brace across the mount holes and that brace can connect forward to the front gearbox xmem?

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Tue May 10, 2011 9:43 am

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Tue May 10, 2011 9:46 am

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Just for your info Gannon, these two shots are of an EJ box behind an EJ20G in a Brumby, well it's gearbox mounting anyway - running in sleeper standard height body

T'subaru · Post by **T'subaru** » Tue May 10, 2011 11:56 am

AndrewT wrote:That little thin mount at the very rear which doesn't actually support anything is just a safety device. If the tailshaft drops off for some reason, that will catch it and prevent it sticking into the ground and possibly flipping the car.
At least that's what someone told me once and I guess it makes sense

In automatic model L series it's not there, but the holes in the body are used for part of the auto trans crossmember.

I'd buy into that, drive line safety loops are a big thing and required in alot of motor sports to prevent just that. Seems I remember seeing a factory list of part numbers and instructions on how to beef up an rx to factory rally car specs, and the holes are there to suit the auto trans cars anyway.

T'subaru · Post by **T'subaru** » Tue May 10, 2011 12:02 pm

steptoe wrote:I can see someone else uses a dremel style rotary tool to clean their gearbox

Notice also the cat converter halfway down the car. My 85 has it directly off the turbo in the dump pipe.

Looks like the rearest gearbox mount bolts can be used for EJ box as a brace across the mount holes and that brace can connect forward to the front gearbox xmem?

I would have used my dremel on this one but it had a dead battery and I only had 1 brass wheel, so I used an old toothbrush and alot of elbow grease:)