Adapter plate/ offset bolts question.
- mrmattyking
- Junior Member
- Posts: 27
- Joined: Sun May 30, 2010 9:27 pm
- Location: tas
Adapter plate/ offset bolts question.
Hi guys,
Whats the best way to set up the offset bolts (top two bolts) when fitting ej-ea gearbox?
I have seen pics of elongated holes in the top of adapter plate for using two bolts welded togther.
Is this the way to go? if so is there an easy way to weld the bolts the correct distance appart?
Has anyone had any luck with any other solutions?
I was thinking about drilling the thread out of the top EJ engine boltholes and just weld all 4 bolts (Minus bold heads) into the adapter plate, then fix with 4 seperate nuts?
Anyone done similar?
Whats the best way to set up the offset bolts (top two bolts) when fitting ej-ea gearbox?
I have seen pics of elongated holes in the top of adapter plate for using two bolts welded togther.
Is this the way to go? if so is there an easy way to weld the bolts the correct distance appart?
Has anyone had any luck with any other solutions?
I was thinking about drilling the thread out of the top EJ engine boltholes and just weld all 4 bolts (Minus bold heads) into the adapter plate, then fix with 4 seperate nuts?
Anyone done similar?
- El_Freddo
- Master Member
- Posts: 12626
- Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2005 10:00 am
- Location: Bridgewater Vic
- Contact:
Another one I've seen I think is to drill, tap, and install one stud then do the same process for the other one.
Personally I've done mine without the adaptor plate for this reason - plus I wanted to avoid engineering as an adaptor plate comes under this category. Turns out that Vicroads basically wants any mods to be engineered even when it's stated in their mods list that you don't need a certificate, so my non-adaptor plate EJ conversion needs certification
Cheers
Bennie
Personally I've done mine without the adaptor plate for this reason - plus I wanted to avoid engineering as an adaptor plate comes under this category. Turns out that Vicroads basically wants any mods to be engineered even when it's stated in their mods list that you don't need a certificate, so my non-adaptor plate EJ conversion needs certification

Cheers
Bennie
- 2nd Hand Yank
- Junior Member
- Posts: 674
- Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2011 11:26 pm
- Location: SE Brisbane, QLD
Was it worth it for you to drill, tap and install studs instead of buying an adapter plate?El_Freddo wrote:Another one I've seen I think is to drill, tap, and install one stud then do the same process for the other one.
Personally I've done mine without the adaptor plate for this reason - plus I wanted to avoid engineering as an adaptor plate comes under this category. Turns out that Vicroads basically wants any mods to be engineered even when it's stated in their mods list that you don't need a certificate, so my non-adaptor plate EJ conversion needs certification
Cheers
Bennie
Sounds like potential weight, space and cost savings.

- El_Freddo
- Master Member
- Posts: 12626
- Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2005 10:00 am
- Location: Bridgewater Vic
- Contact:
2nd Hand Yank wrote:Was it worth it for you to drill, tap and install studs instead of buying an adapter plate?
Sounds like potential weight, space and cost savings.
That's it shuffbag!shuffbag wrote:He didn't use an adapter, he combined a ej and ea box. Front ej to bolt up and rear ea to retain pt4wd
I've used the EJ gearbox front casings, shoved the L series internals in and retained the L series rear casing. No adaptor plate, no clutch modifications, no crossmember modifications or tailshaft mods (both EJ gearbox related).
It's all EJ from the front of the engine to the gearbox input shaft

Cheers
Bennie
Hey Bennie, was it particularly tricky to swap the gearbox casings? Im looking at doing something like that to my L too, as i want to EJ power ecconomy etc, but with the Part time 4x4
Alex
Alex
THE WEEKEND WARRIOR: Scooby- "90 L-Series 'Sportswagon' Alloy B/Bar; with 2" lift, 14" sunnies with BFG's, stainless snorkel
THE DAILY DRIVE: "Thor" "89 Liberty GX Sedan, Auto FWD, 16" mags, 5" cannon
THE DAILY DRIVE: "Thor" "89 Liberty GX Sedan, Auto FWD, 16" mags, 5" cannon
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
- El_Freddo
- Master Member
- Posts: 12626
- Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2005 10:00 am
- Location: Bridgewater Vic
- Contact:
It really depends on how much you can bite off more than you can chew - and deal with it!
Seriously though, if you're not really good with engines I wouldn't be looking at gearboxes! If you've got some skills with pulling complicated things apart and have the ability to put them back together so they work you should be right.
When I did mine I didn't bother with the backlash adjustment, I just swapped shims from the donor box to the new cases with the "matching" gearsets. "Probably not the way to do it" but it worked for me. With the diff centre's side plates I just wound the LHS one up until it got tight, then did the right one up until there was resistance - now you can't turn the diff, so back off the LHS a little etc etc, keep doing this until you're happy with the feel of the pinion shaft when turning both diff stub axles front and back, you'll hear the knock when it's way out. I just tried to minimise this noise.
I know this isn't the way to do it but I just wanted the thing in the subi, it's so far done 60k+ km without any issues, I don't have any funny noises so all must still be good in there... I hope!
Cheers
Bennie
Seriously though, if you're not really good with engines I wouldn't be looking at gearboxes! If you've got some skills with pulling complicated things apart and have the ability to put them back together so they work you should be right.
When I did mine I didn't bother with the backlash adjustment, I just swapped shims from the donor box to the new cases with the "matching" gearsets. "Probably not the way to do it" but it worked for me. With the diff centre's side plates I just wound the LHS one up until it got tight, then did the right one up until there was resistance - now you can't turn the diff, so back off the LHS a little etc etc, keep doing this until you're happy with the feel of the pinion shaft when turning both diff stub axles front and back, you'll hear the knock when it's way out. I just tried to minimise this noise.
I know this isn't the way to do it but I just wanted the thing in the subi, it's so far done 60k+ km without any issues, I don't have any funny noises so all must still be good in there... I hope!
Cheers
Bennie