The AUSubaru.com.au Forums

Hi there, first time poster, long time viewer. Got myself a '91 L series Sportswagon, now looking at whether to raise it or just cut out the guards to get the clearance to run some Dunlop Adventurers on some Desert Rats. Before I go to the trouble of all that, I am wondering how drivable a standard EA82 motor will be given the new tyre diameter will be around 26" instead of the current 23".

I have heard that I wont be using 5th gear anymore, which is OK, but will the car be suitable for general off-road driving on sand anymore, or do I need to consider ways to get more power out of the car? Still at uni, with a mortgage, so money is an issue to me at the moment.

On a related matter, I saw the BYB lift kit going for $500 on the website, and was wondering what extra items will need to be bought to install it, like brake lines or anything else. I am not 'overly' mechanically minded, but have some good mates who are, but I am wondering what sort of money will be needed on top of the lift kit to get it installed and going, as the kit comes with instructions but that is only once I have bought the kit.

If the cost is much more, then it looks like cutting and bashing of the guards will be the order of the day. Not overly concerned with looks (black rubber strips can cover the worst of it) but looking for the cheapest way to get to enjoy my subi on the beach so I can get to the important stuff - fishing!

One last thing while I am at it, does anyone have photos or plans on building a spare tyre rack for the back of a Sportswagon?

Thanks for any help you can provide,

Crundle

G'day crundle,

Welcome to the site, i'm sure you're familliar with it already.

One question first: how many k's does your L have?

A few people here are running larger tyres than the 26 inch, most go for the 27 inch tyres i think. AFAIK the EA82 will be rather sluggish off the mark with the larger tyres, but if your after off road ability rather that street performance this won't be a problem. If you don't have a dual range gearbox, i'd be looking for one of these (most L's are part time dual range 4wd, but there are some single range part time boxes out there) You will still beable to use fifth... until you see a hill.

As for the lift kit, it will come with everything you need from new. If its a 2 or 3 inch the brake lines will move enough for you to install this kit without needing extensions in the lines. If the kit is second hand, enquire about what it may be missing.

I think it is worth getting a lift kit if your going off road. Dunno about the beach though.

spare tyre rack... its gone cold for now but check it out here. I've posted on there for some finished pics... i'd like to see them myself.

Happy subi'n mate.

what revs would you be looking at 100kmh in L series with these tyres?
Cheers
AP

26" tyres won't be a prob with a standard ea82.I ran 27" with 2" lift and ea82 and auto .

Thanks for the replies everyone, great advice as always. My subi has 340K on it, but still runs sweetly for an old beast, compression is still good. The only thing that was bad with it has been the radiator and water pump needing replacing.

It has low range also which is great. The kit I am looking at is a new one, just got an email from BYB's saying that it has everything I need, which is good to know. Looks like I will be getting some mates around and some beers (for after!).

Will have a look on the link for the tyre rack, keen on it either being on the back, but might see how it fits on the bonnet itself as suggested on one of the forums here if I can still see over it.

Not sure how many revs it will be doing at 100kph as I don't have a tacho running on it, but I gather it will be humming nicely in fourth gear and should climb OK in third gear. My CV's are on the way out, so I will be replacing them pronto.

Just the other day I was resigned to putting on Toyo 720F's (13" tyre) and no lift, and not being able to get to some of my favourite fishing spots in SA, then had a look at some of the beasts running in the forums and got my interest going again - many thanks for that.

Waiting on tax money to come in then will get car done - can't wait.

Cheers,

Crundle

AlpineRaven wrote:what revs would you be looking at 100kmh in L series with these tyres?
Cheers
AP

100km/h = 100,000m /hr .. /60 = 1666.66666666666666667 m / min

26" x 2.54 = 66.04 x 3.141592653589793 = 2.07m rolling distance..

so ~ 800 rpm for the wheel/tyre.. times whatever the gear ratio is, which i have no idea.

(yes i was bored )

Cooloothin, I don't know what you were on mate, but there must be some method in your madness...

At 100 km/h the L series with 3.7 ratio diffs should rev at about 3100 rpm with standard wheels. I love my taco since putting it in (GL dash), i know roughly what the engine is doing almost all the time - i say almost all the time cos after an hour or so with the heater on the taco needle becomes sticky

Subaru's dont have the best vision for whats directly in front of you like other 4wds i've been in, add a tyre on the bonnet and you reduce it even more... the other way around it is to get some sturdy roof racks and tie it down on them...

that'll do me for today.

Cheers

hey im in woodcroft i just did my 3 inch lift a week ago so if ya need any info give us a yell

kai

thanks for that Brumbi, will keep an eye out for you then! Waiting eagerly for the tax cheque to come in.......

Crundle

I've got the 3" lift kit the same as the BYB one. I also have a stock EA82 with 320,000k's on it pushing the same Dunlop Adventurers you're talking about. Over 3years, I've had them last 45,000k's, gone over everything I can chuck the Subie at: mud, water, clay, rocks, dirt, road, gravel and they're great. No punctures either. On road they're a bit sluggish off the mark but once started it's fine. Honestly, it's a matter of gaining momentum on road and they handle on-road like rails (mind you, I also have a full heavy duty Pedders spring and shock set up too). I think it would ride a little smoother with standard springs. As for the guards, even though I fitted the whole lift and suspension before the bigger wheels, I don't think there's an issue really at standard height anyway for that size. Just get rid of the front mud guards as the tyres will otherwise scrub on the lowest screw.

The only thing I haven't liked a lot is the fact that they have a reputation of not rolling perfectly round.

Hearing that the same setup works well for you makes me a happy man. Its always good to hear of someone else having success before you attempt something yourself.

Except for my series 1 RX-7, I have never had powerful cars, so I am good with the use of momentum to get me where I need to go.

need the lift kit not only for fitting wheels in, but also to help entry and exit ground clearance for a few fishing spots, the car will get me to about 80% of them now I guess, but the last 20% are the best ones....

And damn the cars with lift kits look good!

Crundle

crundle wrote: And damn the cars with lift kits look good!

Can't agree with you more there... can't wait to get mine lifted... question is, 2 or 3 inch lift???? 3 inch not deemed legal over here in vic though, but some on this forum have them and the insurance company doesn't have a problem with this...

Cheers

El_Freddo wrote:Cooloothin, I don't know what you were on mate, but there must be some method in your madness...

At 100 km/h the L series with 3.7 ratio diffs should rev at about 3100 rpm with standard wheels.

so with my rough bit of maths assuming it's just a direct ratio from the gearbox.. i got about 3300rpm for the 23" which is close enough to your 3100 for me to say that crundle is looking at about 2600-2900 rpm with the 26".

but really, who knows i could be barking up the wrong tree. i know maths but not gearboxes.

cooloothin wrote:so with my rough bit of maths assuming it's just a direct ratio from the gearbox.. i got about 3300rpm for the 23" which is close enough to your 3100 for me to say that crundle is looking at about 2600-2900 rpm with the 26".

but really, who knows i could be barking up the wrong tree. i know maths but not gearboxes.

Nah mate, your on the right track there i'd imagine... Just that looking at your math from the layout of these posts it looked really messy, that and i wasn't in the mood for maths at that time didn't help...

Knowing the circumfrence of the wheel, diff ratio, final drive gear, rpm and a selected speed, you should beable to work out pretty accurately the rpm with the change of wheel circumfrence... I'll be doing this when i get into playing with my gearbox, havn't had much time for it yet though.

Cheers

With the Dunlops fitted the speedo reads 15-16% slow - tried that with my GPS on several occasions. Most of the time I'm in speed camera areas (some suburban areas or highways) I like to use it as my speedo and ignore the dash. My father is in the business of vehicle guages and he's made a ratio box for me to fit if I really want to bother with getting the speedo correct.

As for rev's, I don't even have a tacho in mine, just bear in mind that you will most often use 4th and only use 5th on flat areas without a great headwind. It will sit on a constant speed a lot easier in 4th.

All this said, I'm thinking seriously about going for a set of 27's next, the Dunlops are down to their tread wear indicators all around. The taller gearing is a concern but there's a good compromise in the Dunlop's 185's.

Just on the subject of 27" tyres instead of the 26" Dunlops, what are others running on 14" rims that would go ok in sand? I guess whatever it is, I would be looking at 195 width, as going wider is just going to make the car work harder, even though it gives more flotation on sand.

Any success stories to follow here, or tyres that I should avoid? Obviously cheaper is better to a degree, I think I read in this forum that Hankooks are not bad? (I think that is the name).

Crundle

ive got 195/65s on 14 desert rats and they ran well in sand
altho they are studless snow rally tyres off a car imprted from japan
probly cant get them over here lol

I am looking at the 3" lift, even though its over what is legal. Want to be sure that scrubbing is not an issue, and for me I need entry and exit clearance for getting into the places I like to fish, especially after Nissan Patrols have been through and the tracks throw the car around lots.

Narrowed myself down to either Dunlop Adventurers or Nankang Super Trippers, mainly road driving but offroad will be mainly sand, with a bit of mud for fishing the Murray River.

Might have to fix a tacho to the car to see what engine revs I am doing anyhow, although the quality of my 'additions' to my car have been laughed at as being rough at best, like the cheap stereo that sticks out over an inch from the dash, but I am happy as long as it works. Anyhow, the lift kit and wheels should take the attention away from that.

Crundle

crundle wrote:the quality of my 'additions' to my car have been laughed at as being rough at best, like the cheap stereo that sticks out over an inch from the dash, but I am happy as long as it works.

This is normal... mine's the same and so is anyone else's with a CD headunit...

Nankang,s are great in sand.