How to lift your Tercel 4wd

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teranfirbt
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My tercel:: '86 SR5 4WD, 5AFE, lifted rear, 195/70/14 tires
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Re: How to lift your Tercel 4wd

Post by teranfirbt »

That's badass. Any issues with only having open diffs? I'd feel a lot more comfortable off road with a rear locker...
The Professor
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My tercel:: 1987 Tercel SR5 4WD wagon
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Re: How to lift your Tercel 4wd

Post by The Professor »

Abra-Cadaver wrote:
teranfirbt wrote:That's badass. Any issues with only having open diffs? I'd feel a lot more comfortable off road with a rear locker...
What do you mean you'd feel more comfortable? No ones doing anything in a Tercel that requires a locked rear. You can't lift them enough to make real rock crawling etc feasible... You can have more than enough fun with this set up on medium terrain with good driving skill.
Funny you say that, because over in the '80's Subaru world a rear LSD or Lincoln Locker is a must-have for offroading. We've even sent a group of BRATs and GLs to the Rubicon trail several years back and they wouldn't have made it past the Gatekeeper without some sort of traction aid.

My point is that, even at stock ride height, I've been in situations in my 1984 Subaruwhere a LSD would have kept me from getting stuck.
1975 Subaru SuperStar wagon
1984 Subaru Turbo-Traction wagon & hardtop
1987 Subaru RX 3-door
1987 Subaru RX Type-RA 3-door
1987 Toyota Tercel SR5 wagon
1999 Subaru Forester S
2002 Subaru WRX sedan
2019 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited
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Petros
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My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
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Re: How to lift your Tercel 4wd

Post by Petros »

the subaru rear diff is common to a lot of other cars, they come in Nissans (with IRS) and others, so it is not surprising their is an LSD available for it. Both Subaru and Nissan have or have had active racing programs to make these kind of parts available. Unfortuantly Toyotoa came late to sponsoring racing programs as part of their marketing, and the Tercel was not only not raced, but it was discuraged becasue the wizards of smart at Toyota did not want that racy image for the Tercel, so we are kind of stuck with do-it-yourslef solutions.

No one makes an LSD for the small diff in the tercel4wd, but there is a heavier rear axle than came in the corolla wagons that may have an LSD available, but you would have to swap out the whole axle housing. The older RWD Corolla GTS came with an LSD in the rear axle, it can be adapted to fit in the TErcel (same width and same mount points), but there would be some custom parts to fab, adapt the bolt pattern on the axles, and have a custom driveshaft made with the larger rear flange that bolts to the larger diff input shaft. lots of work, and it would add weight, and not sure the transmission would hold up well if you beat it hard off road.

There are these inexpensive LSD kits that can be installed in the diff that supposedly makes it act more like an LSD, but not quite as grabby, but they are inexpensive and better than an open diff, and better than welding it. There are youtube vids of how to modify the spider gears to use the kit. Looks like a decent way to go, though many hard core off-road LSD types think it is inadequate. If you had 300 hp likely it would be, but we have 62, and even modified or with a 4ac swap we are till talking only about 90 hp. And the cost is less than $100 for the kit, so it is something I would like to try out after I get my 4age swap done.

it will certainly help in mud or deep snow and ice. And a welded diff is not acceptable for a daily driver.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
The Professor
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Re: How to lift your Tercel 4wd

Post by The Professor »

Petros wrote:And a welded diff is not acceptable for a daily driver.
In SubieLand if you've got a spool, just pull one of the rear axles when on pavement. :mrgreen:
1975 Subaru SuperStar wagon
1984 Subaru Turbo-Traction wagon & hardtop
1987 Subaru RX 3-door
1987 Subaru RX Type-RA 3-door
1987 Toyota Tercel SR5 wagon
1999 Subaru Forester S
2002 Subaru WRX sedan
2019 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited
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Petros
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My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
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Re: How to lift your Tercel 4wd

Post by Petros »

The Professor wrote:
Petros wrote:And a welded diff is not acceptable for a daily driver.
In SubieLand if you've got a spool, just pull one of the rear axles when on pavement. :mrgreen:
not possible on a T4wd....I tried it once when a bearing seized and the axle withdrew while driving down a busy freeway.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
teranfirbt
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My tercel:: '86 SR5 4WD, 5AFE, lifted rear, 195/70/14 tires
Location: Seattle, WA

Re: How to lift your Tercel 4wd

Post by teranfirbt »

Abra-Cadaver wrote:
teranfirbt wrote:That's badass. Any issues with only having open diffs? I'd feel a lot more comfortable off road with a rear locker...
What do you mean you'd feel more comfortable? No ones doing anything in a Tercel that requires a locked rear. You can't lift them enough to make real rock crawling etc feasible... You can have more than enough fun with this set up on medium terrain with good driving skill.
I've managed to put myself in a situation that a locker would have gotten me out of, although better driver skill would have done the same thing so you pointed out ;)
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Petros
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Re: How to lift your Tercel 4wd

Post by Petros »

I have been having fun running up and down our ice sheet of a driveway (about 250 ft long, curving and 40 vertical ft climb to the house and garage). After my wife rolled the Mazda on its side in Dec she is afraid to drive the Lexus AWD (with traction control) on any of it, so it stays down on the edge of the roadway. I hate marching cargo and groceries up the driveway on the ice, so I manage to drive to the top every night, and back down every morning (it was 23 deg F this morning).

The only thing that would be better is my studded snow tires, but since the ten plus miles to my work is mostly dry pavement I do not want to wear the studs for just the last 250 ft. No matter, so far no issues with the Tercel4wd.

yes, a locker would be a nice addition, but so far I have not needed one.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
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C130
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My tercel:: 1984 SR5 280K Lift and 195 75 14.

Re: How to lift your Tercel 4wd

Post by C130 »

Abra, Knocking out this lift today. The coil was a PIA doing it by myself. Figured out that placement of the compressors to kind of bend the coil end outwards to seat first was key. Also thinking about about those retreads too. I think its 270$ shipped. Turns out retreads aren't legal here in CA and I would have to kick it old school and break out a tire iron... ANy issues thus far with the lift? Knocking, settling, sway bar etc? Thanks
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cromagmom
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My tercel:: 84 Tercel 4wd
Location: Boise

Re: How to lift your Tercel 4wd

Post by cromagmom »

Got the rear part of the lift done today. I also replaced a noisy rear wheel bearing while I was at it. Weird thing though is that there is now a terrible shuddering at low-speed that replaced the noisy bearing. Any ideas as to what could be causing that?
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C130
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My tercel:: 1984 SR5 280K Lift and 195 75 14.

Re: How to lift your Tercel 4wd

Post by C130 »

Yeah since the vehicle weight is back on the coils its in there. One thing I did encounter was when I hooked up my torque wrench to the top nut for final torque (weight on wheels). It twisted the coil out of its seat $%#$@. Had to pull the strut and reseat. This time just making it man tight with the impact wrench. Looks reeeeeelll good! Thanks again
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cromagmom
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My tercel:: 84 Tercel 4wd
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Re: How to lift your Tercel 4wd

Post by cromagmom »

I hope the bearing isn't crooked because I paid a subaru shop wayyy to much to put it on!

Once I forced the rear sway bar back on, the shuddering definitely died down a bit. Still a lil' something, but not bone shaking. We'll see once I get the front done what the situation is.
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Petros
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Re: How to lift your Tercel 4wd

Post by Petros »

If up jack it up to spin the wheels, also check for a bent wheel, or any uneven or lumps in the tire tread (signs of delaminating). even if balanced, it would still cause a vibration.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
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C130
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My tercel:: 1984 SR5 280K Lift and 195 75 14.

Re: How to lift your Tercel 4wd

Post by C130 »

A bit redneck but if driveshaft angle is a potential cause you could have a buddy ride in the back of the wagon and see if the sound goes away or gets better. I'm sure there are other less fun means of adding weight to decrease the angle. Oh and 195 75 14 retreads from tire recappers will be here on Tuesday. Refinished some MR2 triangles in white today too, should be a good look for her. Cheers.
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C130
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My tercel:: 1984 SR5 280K Lift and 195 75 14.

Re: How to lift your Tercel 4wd

Post by C130 »

Abra-Cadaver wrote:
C130 wrote:A bit redneck but if driveshaft angle is a potential cause you could have a buddy ride in the back of the wagon and see if the sound goes away or gets better. I'm sure there are other less fun means of adding weight to decrease the angle. Oh and 195 75 14 retreads from tire recappers will be here on Tuesday. Refinished some MR2 triangles in white today too, should be a good look for her. Cheers.
3 of my retreads needed over 10 oz to balance, and they still shake.. I'm wondering if the CRX wheels are slightly bent :|
let me know what happens with yours.
So just got home from work and my tires had arrived. They look massive. I mean I aint no tirespert but the sidewall symmetry on these don't look so good. I have a feeling its the tires. Ill find a tireshop with some really good balancing equipment and see what happens. May be a few days as the weather is rolling in. On a lighter note I stripped primed enameled and clear coated these MR2 Triangles. Hand painted in the tayoda emblem. Looks pretty neat, pretty neat.
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C130
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My tercel:: 1984 SR5 280K Lift and 195 75 14.

Re: How to lift your Tercel 4wd

Post by C130 »

Found this on theyre site too:
"Tire Recappers is not responsible for ride disturbance, balance or any condition that is caused by changing sizes from OEM( Original equipment manufacturer)."

ABRA-Have you had another shop give it a shop with different equipment?
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