Monster wagon

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T'subaru
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Post by T'subaru » Sun Nov 08, 2009 1:16 pm

That wagon is cool dude! Wish mine was a touring, love the roof lines.

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AndrewT
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Post by AndrewT » Fri Nov 13, 2009 6:35 pm

Okay well I drove it home from the workshop the other night (~50kms). She drove pretty well but there was quite abit of vibration from the tailshaft.
Drove it to work the next day, another 40kms or so up the freeway, by the time I got to work the tailshaft vibrations were much worse! So at lunchtime I drove it back to my workshop and swapped back into my Legacy.

Pulled the tailshaft out. The rear uni was starting to fail, and the yolk at the front really wasn't going far enough onto the splines of the output shaft from the gearbox. Also noticed the brand new unis on the front part were not quite perfect.
So took it back to the tailshaft place and got some stuff done to it.
- Brand new uni joint on the back (only cheap chinese, won't last too long)
- Re-tubed the whole thing and added a whole extra 50mm length to get it further onto the gearbox splines
- Replaced front uni joint under warranty.

Shoved it back in and I'm driving it for work today.
Much better :)
Still getting abit of a noise on decelleration but on the whole it's working well now. After all this is only temporary until I can get the transfer case and front diff in sometime.


I'm quite happy with how it handles. I was expecting it to feel alot more unstable than it does. Still goes around corners very easily. High speed on the highway is a little disconcerting for me but I havn't been driving a lifted car for a very long time now, been getting around in the Legacy GT, so when the car moves around depending on strong crosswinds I'm still crapping my pants slightly! But it's just a case of getting used to it again.

The 4.111 clutch LSD diff seems to propel the car along nicely by itself.
I'm still running 100% stock L series rear end, no strengthening at all to the moustache bar or anything so I'm abit hesitant to smash the clutch to try and spin the big 29" tyres for fear of breaking things.

It's quite weird driving it. It's kindof crossed that threshhold of feeling more like driving a "real 4x4" than driving a "car that goes offroad too" now. It sortof lumbers along like a big beast. I think the big wheels are mostly the culprets.

On the lookout for some free stock Liberty rims with crap tyres and I'll find out how well it does a skid :)

At some stage I'll try and get some videos happening. Maybe some from my driving point of view. It will still be a while before I press on with the transfer case and front diff so no offroading yet, at least not in the boggy stuff!



quick side note - I chucked in the early WRX seats Alex used to have in his wanky-wagon. Bloody hell they are a billion times more comfy than the L series ones! Very very highly recommend doing this! The early ones are very cheap to buy, and if you can get blue ones they match into the blue L series interior very nicely.

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AndrewT
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Post by AndrewT » Tue Dec 14, 2010 11:27 am

Long time since updates again.
She hasn't changed recently. Basically since that last post she has been parked up not driven for ages as I've been too busy, but a couple of months ago I pulled the Legacy off the road to upgrade it's engine (putting in an EJ20R) so I've been using the L series as a daily.
It's been fun, gets lots of looks haha.
Hadn't really planned to do that, the L series really needs more work to make it a bit nicer to drive and iron out all the teething issues, but the Legacy really needed a new motor so I had little choice.
I've racked up probably about 10,000kms in the L series over the last couple of months driving it daily just in RWD, but unfortunately just last week something bad happened in the driveline. As in "crack, bang bang bang, no drive". It's one of either 3 things.
- welds on the centre diff broke (unlikely, they were pretty decently done)
- rear drop gears in the gearbox have smashed (could be, it's an aussie spec RS with ratio changing drop gears, not really designed to take 100% of the drive)
- rear diff has died
No time to troubleshoot it at the moment, so the car stays in the yard at work until I get time.

So at this moment both my Subaru's are off the road, hopefully the Legacy will be finished soon, I'm almost finished piecing it together but then need to book it in to get a tune on the PowerFC.

I'm putting around in a little Diahatsu Mira now lol.

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Alex
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Post by Alex » Tue Dec 14, 2010 1:03 pm

AndrewT wrote: I'm putting around in a little Diahatsu Mira now lol.
do they make them for men too?

alex
my07 Outback
my13 Hyundai i45(shhhh)
my02 Gen3 Liberty limited ed.

previously
L-series wagon, LSD, EJ20turbo, 29in tyres, 'wanky wagon'
2000 gen3 outback, lifted, otherwise stock.

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D3V1L
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Post by D3V1L » Tue Dec 14, 2010 7:14 pm

failblog.com :)


davo
no more subarus


[/SIZE] [/color][/B][/color][/SIZE][/color]http://community.webshots.com/user/D3V1L9



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spike
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Post by spike » Wed Dec 15, 2010 10:22 am

are we talking mira mira off the wall?? Autospeed.com
Kinda like the Rex kie class car, 660 cc engine, 4wd, turbo, intercooled

Theres one in sa thats all fiberglass and carbon that goes like stink

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TOONGA
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Post by TOONGA » Wed Dec 15, 2010 10:52 am

Alex wrote:do they make them for men too?

alex
D3V1L wrote:failblog.com :)

davo
very mean

Im sure he is very comfortable driving it.....















in a disguise

TOONGA
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PJ Gone but not forgotten
JETCAR AKA the sandwedge Rusted in pieces

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AndrewT
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Post by AndrewT » Wed Dec 15, 2010 10:53 am

haha not quite so extreme, no turbo on this one.
It's a 660cc 3cyl EFI engine with 5spd box and very very slow.
And yeah it is quite girly (even more than yellow bash plates) - it has flowers on the seat covers and matching flower floor mats - I bought it off an 18yo girl who just got her P's. Gets me from A to B about as cheap as possible. Only annoying thing is I've got some sand and bricks to shift and this thing aint going to do it!

Hopefully Monster will be back and running soon, just gotta find time to get under there and diagnose it. I'm suspecting rear diff actually now - thinking about it, this rear diff has been in the car over 6 years now with many kms and it's never been a good one, it has whined ever since the first day I put it in. Will find out soon I hope anyways.

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AndrewT
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Post by AndrewT » Wed Dec 15, 2010 7:18 pm

Just separated the tailshaft from the rear diff.
Confirmed it's definitely gearbox end, the diff is fine - rolling the real wheels around everything is nice and smooth. Rotate the tailshaft in my hands - bang bang clunk clunk, lots of random chunky resistance.

In the next few days I'll drop the gearbox oil and take the rear cover off the gearbox to see what's happened. Should make for some juicy photos I'd say.

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cooloothin
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Post by cooloothin » Sun Jan 09, 2011 8:22 pm

ouch. hope juicy doesn't mean pricey. good luck andrew. (been lurk-following this buildup since you started it, glad to see you're nearly there)

dave
RIP: stock '84 Sportswagon 4sp SR (sold after 13 years loyal service, to the wreckers for $100 :( )

'08 79V Forester X 5sp DR + subaxtreme bullbar, sump guard, Yoko geo ATS, kybs & 1inch kings (daily driver and go-anywhere tourer)

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El_Freddo
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Post by El_Freddo » Tue Jan 11, 2011 12:01 pm

AndrewT wrote:In the next few days I'll drop the gearbox oil and take the rear cover off the gearbox to see what's happened. Should make for some juicy photos I'd say.
And where are said photos?

Hope it was a simple fix!

Cheers

Bennie
"The lounge room is not a workshop..."
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El Freddo's Pics - El_Freddo's youtube

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AndrewT
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Post by AndrewT » Tue Jan 11, 2011 8:43 pm

said car has not moved from said parking spot since.
No time.

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RSR 555
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Post by RSR 555 » Wed Jan 12, 2011 1:16 am

AndrewT wrote:said car has not moved from said parking spot since.
No time.
LOL.. know the feeling :)
You know you are getting old when the candles on your birthday cake start to cost more than the cake itself.

RSR Performance
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El_Freddo
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Post by El_Freddo » Wed Jan 12, 2011 6:40 pm

RSR 555 wrote:LOL.. know the feeling :)
My thoughts exactly!

Bennie
"The lounge room is not a workshop..."
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RSR 555
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Post by RSR 555 » Wed Mar 09, 2011 11:01 am

AndrewT wrote:As requested.... snapped a few with the mobile when I went past this evening. My appologies for the poor lighting and quality! (and the messy workbench).

Rear right hub, still standard EA and untouched - for comparison to next pic.
http://members.iinet.net.au/~carine3/IMAGE_068.jpg

Rear left hub, Crossbred backing plate, Lib Handbrake assembly, Crossbred hub all fitted up. Turbo disc rotor on the ground (doesn't fit damnit!).
http://members.iinet.net.au/~carine3/IMAGE_070.jpg

Two RS Lib front struts & springs on the bench....will use them temporarily until I figure out what to use permanantly.
http://members.iinet.net.au/~carine3/IMAGE_071.jpg

Crossbred front control arm & two brand spankers RS Turbo drive front shafts. Two boxes of new brake pads too.
http://members.iinet.net.au/~carine3/IMAGE_065.jpg

RS Turbo front brake rotor freshly skimmed. One of the new Lib ball joints sitting there in a box too.
http://members.iinet.net.au/~carine3/IMAGE_066.jpg

TN Magna handbrake lever (in dark blue to match my L series interior!).
http://members.iinet.net.au/~carine3/IMAGE_067.jpg
Drew.. some of these pics don't match the descriptions :confused:
AndrewT wrote:Here is some info and photos on the front-end lift.

Here's the last pic again with some crude labels added;
Image
Oh.. ok.. I see yours is quiet different to the one Guy and I are making but I think this is mainly due to the lift.. we will be keeping it 2" only. I will have pics once I'm back from work.
AndrewT wrote:the bar hanging down is an old folded bit of metal i used to use as a bracket for a bash plate back in the 3" lift kit days. I bent it down again the other day when I did a quick look-see as to the plate's suitability for the 6" kit. Looks like it will need a few changes to get it to fit. Naturally I really need to make a whole new bashplate from scratch but one thing at a time :)
I've always wondered (since buying your old bullbar) what this was for :cool: I did think it was a very strong number plate holder :p
You know you are getting old when the candles on your birthday cake start to cost more than the cake itself.

RSR Performance
Home of the 'MURTAYA' in Oz
Subaru Impreza WRX based Sportscar
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

Disclaimer: Not my website but hyperlink here to Subaru workshop manuals

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Dann
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Post by Dann » Thu Mar 17, 2011 1:45 pm

*cough* PICS? *cough*

Any progress?
Cheers,
Dann
http://www.ausubaru.com/forum/showthrea ... t=dann%27s

Looking for:
- LSD diff

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IMG_0957 by Dann_Evans, on Flickr

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RSR 555
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Post by RSR 555 » Thu Mar 17, 2011 2:43 pm

Dann wrote:*cough* PICS? *cough*

Any progress?
pics of what? and best get down to a chemist for some cough medicine :p
You know you are getting old when the candles on your birthday cake start to cost more than the cake itself.

RSR Performance
Home of the 'MURTAYA' in Oz
Subaru Impreza WRX based Sportscar
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

Disclaimer: Not my website but hyperlink here to Subaru workshop manuals

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Dann
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Post by Dann » Thu Mar 17, 2011 4:07 pm

haha pics of 'any' progress happening at the moment :)
Cheers,
Dann
http://www.ausubaru.com/forum/showthrea ... t=dann%27s

Looking for:
- LSD diff

Image
IMG_0957 by Dann_Evans, on Flickr

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AndrewT
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Post by AndrewT » Thu Mar 17, 2011 5:47 pm

Well okay, I just went and took some photos just this minute.

The first pic litterally shows the progress since my last post - ie, cobwebs;

Image

Here are two others;

Image
Image

That's where she's been parked since the gearbox packed it in (in the yard at my office). I'm sure it's just a minor issue with just the rear transfer of it - most likely the drop gears because it's an aussie RS box. I'm hoping to swap these out with a standard 1:1 gearset to prevent it happening in the future. But of course I don't really know until I get under there and swing some spanners. Been back from the most recent overseas trip for a few days now but I still don't forsee any time in the immediate future for working on the wagon - putting a house on the market, and doing it all yourself to avoid agent fees is quite time consuming!

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Alex
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Post by Alex » Thu Mar 17, 2011 5:53 pm

nice bullbar and mirrors :P

cant wait till you get her going again andrew, then we will have to go for a spin...still rwd only?

alex
my07 Outback
my13 Hyundai i45(shhhh)
my02 Gen3 Liberty limited ed.

previously
L-series wagon, LSD, EJ20turbo, 29in tyres, 'wanky wagon'
2000 gen3 outback, lifted, otherwise stock.

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