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Brumby conversion EJ22, D/R lib gearbox, Lib shaft and Lib diff... help

Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2009 1:44 am
by greg01
hi guys,

I'm all new here. I wanted to ask a few question and see if i could get some help or advice from you.

I just bought myself a little 89 brumby and was hoping to do a EJ conversion on it. The car runs fine, i have some problems with 3rd gear that refuses to go in when driving. Apart from that she has nearly no rust, some little surface rust here and there which is great.

I was thinking of getthing a EJ22 and also fit a Liberty D/R gearbox with the matching shaft and rear diff. Im not sure of whats involved. I would much appriciate if you could explain me what does that involve and how hard would it be to do.

I am also on the look out for any parts, e.g off previous conversions, a 2 or 3 inch lift kit to do up the beast

Thx a lot
Greg

Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2009 10:54 am
by AndrewT
Gymph's mate I presume?
Welcome to the forum etc :)

Why do u want to use this gearbox?
There is 1 advantage I can see and that is you will have AWD when driving on the road.
This gearbox has a severe disadvantage for offroading and that is the low range gearing - it's hardly any different to high range. To get a decent low range gear ratio you have to strip the gearbox down and custom install the low range gears from a donor EA gearbox.
Another disadvantage for offroading is that the centre diff is not locked, it is only joined by a rather weak centre LSD.
There is also the disadvantage of the bigger job to actually fit this gearbox into a Brumby...

To fit that EJ gearbox you need to do a few things;
- Cut/weld the shifter linkages (shorten) and custom fit the rear mount for this.
- Custom fit the dual range selector.
- Make a custom gearbox crossmember to support the rear of the gearbox.
here's one somebody has just done! - showthread.php?t=14543
- Either use your existing tailshaft or the EJ one, either way this will need a ~$160 job to cut/shut/balance it to change the length to suit.
- If you are matching it to an EJ engine then no changes are required here, just use all std EJ clutch components.
- Assuming this is a clutch cable gearbox, I'm not 100% certain but there may be some customisation required to make this clutch cable work with the Brumby clutch pedal, somebody else can probably confirm this.

In my opinion you'd be better off with a 5spd dual range gearbox from an EA82 L series - this is what Gymph is using in his car. It's front wheel drive when driving on the road, but it is far superior for offroading with it's decent low range and locked centre when 4x4 is engaged. This is one of the most popular gearbox conversions done to Brumby's and is well and truely tried and tested.

I have everything you need for an EJ22 conversion if you want, check my forsale advert. It comes with everything required to adapt to an EA gearbox (adaptor plate and brand new custom clutch).
Also have a standard 3.7 MY gearbox in perfect condition if you need another one to swap out just in the mean time.

Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2009 9:07 pm
by guyph_01
Andrew, ITs GUYPH.... Come's from Guy-Philippe,

We though of using the Lib box, diff etc as i have got everything off a wreak, the one that gave me the engine for my car.

Ok i think we will shift to the EA82 box then. Whats involved in fitting that? Do we still use the same gearbox support, shaft and diff.

Thx i have put a pic on me car with the rear lift kit in:P

Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2009 9:29 pm
by wrxer
dont be a sook put the ej box in. at least you wont break it. you will need to convert to hydralic clutch too tho.
lots of work, but i reckon is worth it

Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2009 9:31 pm
by AndrewT
early n/a lib box would be cable operated not hydraulic, a little easier at least. It's not really much stronger than an EA82 box either. People run EA82 boxes behind EJ22s for years without dramas (unless you are Keffa). Certainly the turbo AWD boxes would be stronger but for an EJ22 you needn't bother with that.

Theres heaps of threads on putting EA82 box in an EA81 car have a search or three. Also the tech manual has a writeup on it. Pretty easy by the looks.

Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2009 9:54 pm
by AlpineRaven
Yeah, another option is to have two gearboxes - EA82 & EJ AWD box, rip out everything from EA box except Dual Range section. And put whole EJ AWD internals in EA casing, that will minimise the tailshaft issues. I think you wouldnt need to modify the tailshaft.

Check my signiture link of low range conversion in EJ box.

Cheers
AP

Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 4:53 pm
by mattl200
you still have to modify the tail shaft its about 210mm to short for an lseries box from memory but take a mesurement on that one as it may be differant

Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 9:56 pm
by AndrewT
Yeah pretty sure you just put an L series tailshaft in and the problem is solved?

Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2009 12:42 am
by guyph_01
Cool cool,

COuld any one support and confirm what andrew is saying? that if we use the L Gearbox, wecan use the L tailshaft and we wont have any length probs?

Also what about the gearbox cross member support? do we use the Brumby one or the L one? or we have to custom make one?

Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2009 1:44 am
by greg01
Also
Does any one as picture of a MY with a 2" or 3" lift kit?
And does any one as a lift kit 2" or 3" for sale?
Thinking it would look good and be practical after the conversion for some fun.

Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2009 10:49 am
by AndrewT
L gearbox to MY;
showthread.php?t=11821
Do a search on the forum, theres heaps of other threads too.

A quick search will turn out billions of pictures of lifted Subarus too.

Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2009 12:13 pm
by El_Freddo
The L tail shaft will fit the MY - the only mod you have to make is a support for the centre bearing...

Cheers

Bennie

Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 9:11 pm
by guyph_01
Hi guys,

Its been a while since we talked on this post but i want to clarify a few things.

Will the EA82 box bolt one the gearbox mounts in the brumby?
Will i have to cut the tailshaft? Is it only new mounts for the centre bearing?
Do we use the brumby diff or the L series one? Or any that matches the gear ratio?
Is the MY the same as a brumby? chassis wise?

We are still reading posts, lol just want to make sure we have everything and we know of all the possible mods/issues before getting started as the brumby can't stay of the road for long.

thx

Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 12:39 pm
by AndrewT
I can answer a couple;

Diffs are all the same externally, just make sure it's the appropriate ratio.

Yeah same chassis wise as far as how all the machanical bits and pieces mount. Obviously the brumby is abit different with the front cab wall etc.

Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 8:45 pm
by guyph_01
So can i use a lift kit off a MY or do i need one specially for a brumby?

Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 9:44 pm
by Suby Wan Kenobi
MY, Brumby the same thing.

I am pretty sure withthe L series tailshaft that you will have to shorten the front by about 70mm

Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 11:47 pm
by AndrewT
Suby Wan Kenobi wrote: I am pretty sure withthe L series tailshaft that you will have to shorten the front by about 70mm
nah this is just with L series tailshaft to suit fitting an EJ gearbox into an L series car.

For EA82 5spd into MY you just need to use a standard L series tailshaft and make a mount for the centre bearing. No cutting of the shaft required.

Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 3:38 am
by guyph_01
cool cool, its good that i dont have to cut the shaft.

Suby Wan Kenobi,
Its proving hard to get a 2" kit for some reason. Would you have any available for the brumby? What is the price tag on one of your kits? Would you have any second hand?

thx

Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 7:27 pm
by Suby Wan Kenobi
I thought it was an Lib box in the conversion, was not alert when i read it.

Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 1:36 am
by guyph_01
Hi guys,

So the progress, The lift kit is in. We also dropped the engine and gearbox in the car. We had to use the Ea81 gearbox mounts to fit the ea82 gearbox, no one mentioned that:S but yeah it works. Now we have to figure out the gear linkages, the L shaft center bearing mounts and the L clutch cable.
ANy tips on those???

We also have to install the fuel pump. I wanted to install it under the cab next to that fuel corner if you know what i mean. I wanted to know, Is that a good spot? Also when i upgrade to EFI fuel lines, do i only upgrade after the pump or even before?

Also any other tips, suggestions that would help would be greatly appreciated.

Thx guys:)