Problem installing lift kit

JP147 · Post by **JP147** » Sun Feb 22, 2015 9:14 am

I have been installing a 2" body lift on my MY wagon this weekend, and I have got a major issue.

The steering shaft rubs very badly against the inner front CV joint.

It looks like I might have to take the shaft out to drive it to work.

Another issue is that the front struts now rub against the body on the inside.

Does anyone have any ideas what the problem is?

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Sun Feb 22, 2015 9:52 am

Can't really comment on the steering shaft problem, Is this the right extension for this kit/car?

How much to the front struts rub by? Possible to loosen the top nuts in the engine bay and pull the strut/block away from the inner guard, enough to stop the rubbing? If they're rubbing on the inside you can't have the blocks around the wrong way...

As for removing the shaft, you still need something bolted in the hub side with the big 36mm nut to hold everything together, I've seen just the outer CV cup bolted in there once.

JP147 · Post by **JP147** » Sun Feb 22, 2015 10:46 am

I thought it was the right extension, maybe not.

I didn't have to pull the shaft in the end, I used a bit of the extended shaft to make my original shaft longer.

The piece on the left is bottom part from the extended shaft. It is clamping a small splined shaft and the original steering shaft coming from the wheel.

It was difficult to get on though and I ended up putting it 180 degrees out. Will this cause any issues or can I just put the steering wheel on upside down?

It is not rubbing so much that the wheels don't turn, but it does make some noise.

Thanks

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Sun Feb 22, 2015 10:58 am

You can just move the steering wheel, as long as you can get full steering motion with no binding it looks like you have that sorted

Funny thing happened the other day; I was at the local shops and when I came out there was a beige MY wagon parked behind me, looked exactly like the one in your sig pic with the windscreen visor, bull bar and everything I thought I recognized it as yours. A minute later the owner comes out and we got talking a little bit, wasn't you though he'd never even heard of AUSubaru

JP147 · Post by **JP147** » Sun Feb 22, 2015 11:16 am

Mine is actually yellow, with a beige front door. There is one at upullit lonsdale that is also yellow with a beige front door.

I am glad the steering is sorted now, but I am concerned about the rubbing. The top spring retainer rubs on a small welded nut, and the spring rubs all the way down. Should I just take a hammer to it?

Post by **TOONGA** » Sun Feb 22, 2015 2:08 pm

Did you put the body and engine crossmember blocks in?

Your CV angles look really severe.

If your struts are rubbing against the body I would look at how have installed your blocks. they may need to be adjusted in the upper slots.

TOONGA

TOONGA

JP147 · Post by **JP147** » Sun Feb 22, 2015 3:24 pm

I think the angles just look funny because the car is on stands and the wheels are hanging down. I wouldn't be surprised if at some point taller springs have been put in though, because it generally has a fair bit of camber and I find the strut a lot harder to get out of the knuckle than other cars of the same model. All the front blocks are in in those pictures.

How do you recommend adjusting the blocks in the upper slots? They are a pretty tight fit, I don't think they will move much.

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Sun Feb 22, 2015 5:32 pm

Post up some pics of how youve installed all the front underbody blocks

taza · Post by **taza** » Sun Feb 22, 2015 9:22 pm

Needs a full body lift. Did you fit the body blocks or just the strut tops?

Post by **Bantum** » Sun Feb 22, 2015 10:19 pm

Something don't look right there ... this is from my Brumby :

Your CV ends are different, longer than normal ...

Ciao, Bantum ...

JP147 · Post by **JP147** » Tue Feb 24, 2015 8:10 pm

I got a wheel alignment done and the car drives better than ever now. I ran out of time to do the rears because the bolts took so long to get out but I will do that next weekend.

All the blocks are installed in the front, you can see here:

This is the angle when the car is on the ground:

Does that look better?
I know the cup looks a bit different, my other side looks like the green one. I am not sure why this one is different, it is a Protex one I got through work for half price so I am not complaining. Only concern is that it wobbles a bit on the transmission, it could just be the stub that is loose though.

If the struts rubbing becomes an issue, I will just hammer the metal a little more, but it seems ok for now.

I could do with some hints on how to make selecting reverse a bit easier though, incase someone needs to borrow my car.

Thanks for the help everyone

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Tue Feb 24, 2015 9:08 pm

JP147 wrote:it is a Protex one I got through work for half price so I am not complaining. Only concern is that it wobbles a bit on the transmission, it could just be the stub that is loose though.

I would bet the Protex part is what is wobbly/loose fitting. I put a pair of Protex shafts on my Brum and they clicked, popped and made grinding noises from the first drive. As well as the inner cups being loose as a goose on the g/box stubs. Won't touch them after that experience.

Good to see you got it all sorted in the end, a job like that can be daunting for a weekend job when you have to get to work on Monday

JP147 · Post by **JP147** » Tue Feb 24, 2015 10:12 pm

How much do you pay for shafts? This Protex one was $100, others I have found are $180+. I have even got a rebuilt one for $140 once, but that only lasted a few months.

I was a bit worried about getting it to work on Monday, usually I have my Datsun as a last resort but the clutch master cylinder has seized and leaked everywhere for the 3rd time.

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Wed Feb 25, 2015 4:29 pm

JP147 wrote:How much do you pay for shafts? This Protex one was $100, others I have found are $180+. I have even got a rebuilt one for $140 once, but that only lasted a few months.

I was a bit worried about getting it to work on Monday, usually I have my Datsun as a last resort but the clutch master cylinder has seized and leaked everywhere for the 3rd time.

The Protex ones I got (must be a year or more ago now) were $150 each from Motormate/Autopro, and like all "new" after market shafts these days use the tripod design in the inner cup with 3 bearing races. I got my money back on them at least. Now I only use genuine Subaru ones that have been rebuilt, these have 6 separate ball bearings in a cage inside the inner cup, not a problem since. I paid $160 each for them but if you've already got them just getting them rebuilt is cheaper. Also the genuine ones have a smaller rib in the rubber boot to clear the steering shaft better. The protex ones the rubber boot actually rubbed the steering shaft and split open in about 2 weeks, that's about as long as I could stand the clicking popping noises

JP147 · Post by **JP147** » Wed Feb 25, 2015 6:25 pm

Where did you get the rebuilt Subaru ones? I have a few shafts around the place, but I am not sure if they are genuine or not.
The rebuilt one I got didn't have a tripod style joint, but it started clicking on the inner joints after a few months, later on the rubber split.

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Wed Feb 25, 2015 6:41 pm

Driveshaft & C.V. Centre, 12 Deloraine Road Edwardstown. They know all about the problems of old Subaru's and do a rebuild service so you have to take some old ones or some you find at a wrecker. The way you tell the genuine ones are they have ribbing all around the outside of the inner cup or you can just cut the boot open and see if it has 6 ball bearings.

JP147 · Post by **JP147** » Wed Feb 25, 2015 7:26 pm

I do know the ribbed one you are talking about, though I don't think I have seen one in real life.
That is actually the same shop I went to where I bought my shortest lived driveshaft yet.
I am not too worried now though, my shafts are holding up well and I will worry about them when the time comes.

mattw · Post by **mattw** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 10:26 am

+1 for Driveshaft and CV Centre. They do exchange shafts (every one I've bought over many years have been rebuilt OEM shafts) or they'll rebuild yours if you want to keep them. As Silverbullet said, they are very knowledgeable in their field so know Subies old and new.
If you had a drama with one of their shafts you should've go back to them about it.

JP147 · Post by **JP147** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 11:01 am

mattw wrote:+1 for Driveshaft and CV Centre. They do exchange shafts (every one I've bought over many years have been rebuilt OEM shafts) or they'll rebuild yours if you want to keep them. As Silverbullet said, they are very knowledgeable in their field so know Subies old and new.
If you had a drama with one of their shafts you should've go back to them about it.

Alright, I'll go back there. The shaft lasted something like 6-8 months or more so it wouldn't have been under warranty. I still have it in the garage, I will take it in and see what they make of it.

mattw · Post by **mattw** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 10:10 am

I'm interested in hearing what experience anyone else has had with them. I'm assuming you have probably missed the window for any warranty discussion, but interested in what they have to say all the same.

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