Rwd Svx? [Archive] - The Subaru SVX World Network

immortal_suby

10-27-2003, 06:33 PM

Someone did this - I think it was KevinL or Kastle? Not sure - could probably search and find it here. He ended up welding something inside the tranny to make it not use clutches for the rear drive - just a solid connection.

immortal_suby

10-27-2003, 06:35 PM

Here it is

http://www.subaru-svx.net/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=809&highlight=rear+wheel+drive

Chicane

10-27-2003, 07:01 PM

Hrm. That's kinda neat. :D

- Rob

cxt2001

10-27-2003, 09:12 PM

Thats cool...But can the rear take all the power instead of usual power split in AWD???

alacrity024

10-28-2003, 10:01 AM

Originally posted by cxt2001
Thats cool...But can the rear take all the power instead of usual power split in AWD???

see that's kinda why i asked.. i mean, obviously removal of the front cv axles will dictate all power to the back wheels, but can the rear diff and the rear axles take 230hp and 230ft/lbs? they're designed to take 50% of that at peak level.... i imagine the rear diff and axles would need to be replaced with high-strength units..

-adam

(gonna read that post now)

Phast SVX

10-28-2003, 10:31 AM

with the 5spd, im under the impression that the center diff would need to be romoved. Can someone jump in here and explain the difference? the 5spd is locked 40/60 correct?
phil

GreenMarine

10-29-2003, 06:39 PM

No, the 5 speed is a viscous coupling unit that is 50/50 just sitting there... However you can feel when the power gets transfered to the rear under hard acceleration... All it does is steadly transfers porer to the front or rear that has the most grip... Viscous units use a liquid that turnsinto a "semi-solid" when heated, the slipping causes that heat to be generated... Do this... Find a big area of grass, Turn the wheel all the way to the right/left then romp on it and feel as the rear comes on stronger and stronger... First you start to understeer as the fronts start to slip on the grass then all the sudden the rear gets more and more tail happy until you are doing perfect 4wd burnouts... I don't think that I even answered the question that was asked but try the above thing... It is a blast to see how low the RPMs are when the tail kicks out... We have so much more torque than a WRX !!!!! :D:D:D:):cool:

Subafreak

10-29-2003, 07:28 PM

Adam, what are you getting at now?

With a welder any Subaru tranny can be made RWD, but RWD Subarus SUCK in the snow, even with snow tires. I drove home from work ( 25 miles) sideways in my RWD XT with snowtires on it and had to run it into the snow pile at the bottom of my driveway just to get it off the road. No fun digging it out the next morning. But if all you want is a toy I got a RWD RX ready to go, $200 :D

GreenMarine

10-30-2003, 06:40 PM

I'll just stick with the AWD thanks :D:D:D

alacrity024

10-31-2003, 08:03 AM

Originally posted by Subafreak
But if all you want is a toy I got a RWD RX ready to go, $200 :D

hahahaha i might take you up on that one :D

Phast SVX

10-31-2003, 08:20 AM

ive played with the idea, thinking that it would make my car moticably qiucker. Who knows though, i dont want to destroy the center diff, plus i wouldnt want to light up the rear tires....too much......

::heads to garage with tools and a welder::
phil

NomadTW

11-05-2003, 01:15 AM

hmm after i get my transmission replaced i'll have a perfectly broken 4eat... i might try welding the center diff for fun
the front diff is blown, and the awd is shot so welding it together would be the only real usefullness it would have...

Bwana

11-05-2003, 12:30 PM

Here's a post over on NASIOC about a guy who made his RS RWD, and he's doing pretty well in the drift scene.

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=447940

CigarJohnny

11-05-2003, 03:13 PM

Is it me or is that guy's RS insanely fast especially since it is RWD and has less traction??? Here is a clip of it racing. His RS is the first one running in it:

RWD RS movie (http://homepage.mac.com/ibrandon/.Movies/brandon_rwd2.mov)

I'm rather impressed but still not sure I'd want to give up AWD on my SVX :)

subapowas

11-12-2003, 09:17 PM

Originally posted by GreenMarineSVX
No, the 5 speed is a viscous coupling unit that is 50/50 just sitting there... However you can feel when the power gets transfered to the rear under hard acceleration... All it does is steadly transfers porer to the front or rear that has the most grip... Viscous units use a liquid that turnsinto a "semi-solid" when heated, the slipping causes that heat to be generated... Do this... Find a big area of grass, Turn the wheel all the way to the right/left then romp on it and feel as the rear comes on stronger and stronger... First you start to understeer as the fronts start to slip on the grass then all the sudden the rear gets more and more tail happy until you are doing perfect 4wd burnouts... I don't think that I even answered the question that was asked but try the above thing... It is a blast to see how low the RPMs are when the tail kicks out... We have so much more torque than a WRX !!!!! :D:D:D:):cool: Actually we don't really have that much more torque than a WRX, and they are quite a bit lighter. Not praising the WRX.... just correcting

Phast SVX

11-12-2003, 10:15 PM

we have tons more tq at low rpms,,, if you have ever driven one you will now none of their tq is generated belowd 5k rpm(a stock on especialll).
phil

LarryIII

11-13-2003, 04:49 AM

Originally posted by alacrity024
is it possible to convert an SVX to RWD using a 4EAT? could one install a rear diff and half axles from a RWD car and somehow match them to the driveshaft on the 4EAT? just curious..

-adam

One question; "WHY?"
What do you gain?
I would much rather see an AWD system with the torque normally biased toward the rear then going to 50/50 split when the need arises. I think the new Outback VDC has a similar system.
I really really would like to see a sysem where the driver could set the torque bias from 10/90 F/R to 90/10/F/R. However I don't have much faith in the average American driver to inteligently control this function. It would force the driver to think, which is something most American driver's don't do when they get behind the wheel.

alacrity024

11-13-2003, 10:19 AM

Originally posted by LarryIII

One question; "WHY?"
What do you gain?

a more balanced ride, reduced hp and torque loss, one less thing to break, maybe even improved economy by 1 or 2 mpg, and of course, the ability to burn tire at a whim :D

-adam

Porter

11-13-2003, 04:36 PM

I may do this to my SVX in the spring... I'm thinking a Nissan RWD 5 speed transmission from a 240 or a 300ZX would be just right.

:)

alacrity024

11-13-2003, 04:54 PM

would you do a bell-housing transplant? or would you just cut the "bolt-up end" of a 4EAT and weld it to the nissan tranny?

can you buy a "generic" transmission from Getrag and then buy a mounting kit or something?? i'm sure if you use a dedicated RWD tranny instead of an AWD one with the front axles removed, you'd be saving considerable weight too, right? no front diff..

porter, i'm interested in what you're up to.. let me know when you decide on a gearbox..

-adam

ps.. if you can use a nissan tranny, try shipping one from a Silvia turbo over.. close-ratio goodness :D

Phast SVX

11-13-2003, 05:54 PM

you just need to have a bellhousing adapter made....well not too much work...and then there is the positions of thes shifter, and spacing, and......yeah
phil

Porter

11-14-2003, 05:27 AM

I've done a little more research... and now I'm thinking perhaps American iron.... maybe a Borg Warner T5 World Class out of a Z28 or a Mustang Cobra? Junkyard special, baby. :D

The bellhousing won't be too hard since I live in the land of NASCAR, nor will having a driveshaft made... the only difficult bit will be figuring out whether it will fit in the transmission tunnel.

:D

Phast SVX

11-14-2003, 08:19 AM

and the dimensions of the flywheel, the bolt pattern, how to match the SVX;s, spline pattern from the transmission to hte clutch....

wawazat??

11-14-2003, 08:26 AM

Use the diff section of a junked 4EAT for the bellhousing. This will give you a good starter mount. The T56 can be bolted to the 4EAT diff section and used to send power to the rear diff. A soild 3" driveshaft WILL NOT FIT (I've tried some 3" dia. PVC for a test fit :D). Clearance around the fuel tank is minimal and it will not bolt to the rear diff.

Todd

Porter

11-14-2003, 11:28 AM

Originally posted by Phast SVX
and the dimensions of the flywheel, the bolt pattern, how to match the SVX;s, spline pattern from the transmission to hte clutch....

A Subaru fitment flywheel and clutch will work fine.. the only issue to work out is the spline from the trans to the clutch, and that's easily achieved with off-the-shelf parts. In the worst case scenario we could always have the end of the input shaft resplined.

Chicane

11-14-2003, 03:03 PM

Originally posted by alacrity024
ps.. if you can use a nissan tranny, try shipping one from a Silvia turbo over.. close-ratio goodness :D

Why? Our engines aren't real 'peaky'. We can get away with wider gears since we have such a juicy powerband. :)

- Rob

Porter

11-14-2003, 05:36 PM

Originally posted by Chicane

Why? Our engines aren't real 'peaky'. We can get away with wider gears since we have such a juicy powerband. :)

- Rob

We'll see how it works... this is all in the planning stages now, and all the American gearboxes have fairly long ratios so it should work out OK. I wonder how a 4 on the floor would be in an SVX... LOL. Japanese muscle car, baby!

Ok, I'm a freak. Somebody shoot me now. :p

Subafreak

11-14-2003, 06:57 PM

Bang!

A 77' 280Z and a 94 nissan PU have the same driveshaft spline as a Subaru. If you care.

Porter

11-14-2003, 09:40 PM

Originally posted by Subafreak
Bang!

A 77' 280Z and a 94 nissan PU have the same driveshaft spline as a Subaru. If you care.

OOOOH! :D :D :D

Thanks, man!

arondale

11-16-2003, 08:41 AM

I know this isn't a RWD comment, but you can pull a fuse/jumper and get FWD. A light in your guage cluster will indicate this as "FWD" light comes on when you do this.

Question though: since all of the power is going to the front wheels, would this be similar in power? Obviously RWD is preferable (as you can kick the back end out) but it would seem the same in power, just a handling difference.

When I pulled mine to experiment I did not notice that much had changed, except it did feel as solid.

arondale

Phast SVX

11-16-2003, 06:57 PM

Originally posted by arondale
I know this isn't a RWD comment, but you can pull a fuse/jumper and get FWD. A light in your guage cluster will indicate this as "FWD" light comes on when you do this.

Question though: since all of the power is going to the front wheels, would this be similar in power? Obviously RWD is preferable (as you can kick the back end out) but it would seem the same in power, just a handling difference.

When I pulled mine to experiment I did not notice that much had changed, except it did feel as solid.

arondale

you actually put a 15amp fuse into the "FWD" fuse spot in the box under the hood. IT has never been found to cuase problems unless on a dyno(hence the diff is not being drug at the same speed) Do a search for it and youll find tons of threads
What fuse did you pull? There is a solenoid that controls the transfer clutch, i dont know how you would have pulled that as it sits inside the 4heat.

On a side not i put the fuse in, and seemed to detect no difference in handling charecteristics at all? Maybe one of my electronic control solenoids is shot? anyone have a diagnosis
:D :D :D ;)
phil

subapowas

11-16-2003, 08:02 PM

Originally posted by Phast SVX
we have tons more tq at low rpms,,, if you have ever driven one you will now none of their tq is generated belowd 5k rpm(a stock on especialll).
phil Well, I guess that's true. I was just looking at the horsepower/torque numbers. However, you do have to admit it is a highly tunable car for the money. Don't get me wrong, I love my SVX. I just can't pass up a good turbo car.

Phast SVX

11-16-2003, 08:07 PM

oh im by no means dissing it. I love the WRX as well. And i had a GST between SVX's, fun car.
phil

subapowas

11-16-2003, 08:11 PM

arondale

11-16-2003, 09:41 PM

Yes, I remember now. I was pulling a fuse to replace it. I went to the store to get some different fuses and came back. I thought I had pulled to sinces the FWD one was empty. I drove it and saw the indicator.

So, I did add a fuse instead of pulling one.

arondale

oab_au

11-17-2003, 02:40 PM

Originally posted by subapowas
Actually you have to put a 10 amp fuse in to make it FWD, not pull one out. But it is kinda fun to smoke the front tires.

Smoking the front tyres with the FWD fuse in, can lead to a broken front diff:eek:

Harvey.;)

subapowas

11-17-2003, 08:47 PM

Originally posted by oab_au

Smoking the front tyres with the FWD fuse in, can lead to a broken front diff:eek:

Harvey.;) Very true.... but it's soooo tempting. Also, a broken front diff. = a good reason for a 5spd conversion.

XQsThaiPoes

11-17-2003, 11:38 PM

Would a t56 be blasphemy? I think it is a neat idea considering you will loose alot of weight. Could you move the engine deeper into the fire wall?

want-a-fast-svx

11-18-2003, 12:20 AM

Originally posted by oab_au

Smoking the front tyres with the FWD fuse in, can lead to a broken front diff:eek:

Harvey.;)

I'm a perfect example of this...Seeing as my front diff just grenaded because i never got around to checking why the rear end wasnt engaging...So now its time for a 5 spd just need money now :( :( :(

subapowas

11-18-2003, 03:12 PM

Originally posted by XQsThaiPoes
Would a t56 be blasphemy? I think it is a neat idea considering you will loose alot of weight. Could you move the engine deeper into the fire wall? Mmmmm.....T56.........(insert drooling here). That would be a neat conversion, but who would make a housing to mate it? Asking someone to make a housing to mate a T56 to an EG33 would be like asking a vet to splice a cat and a dog.... they'd look at you kinda funny, but I'm sure there's someone crazy enough to do it. I know I'd like to see it. I personally, however, am partial to AWD. Then that's brings back memories of the AWD Pontiac Gand Prix GTX prototype. Now there's a thought....

GreenMarine

11-18-2003, 03:27 PM

Originally posted by Porter
I may do this to my SVX in the spring... I'm thinking a Nissan RWD 5 speed transmission from a 240 or a 300ZX would be just right.

:)

Dude, I read from some Z car owners and they said that the tranny in that car is also a weak point.... The 300zx from 86-89 that is... Not too sure about the ones from the 90's though Just something to think about... I'd like to see a Cobra tranny in there though, that could be cool... When my buddy WES had his we would just do redlind dumps in it all day and it never missed a beat...

XQsThaiPoes

11-18-2003, 11:34 PM

The t56 is getting pretty comon considering its a 6-speed. Cobra,Viper, F-body, and Corvette share it, and with all that speed finding a wrecked donor is easy. Also they are sold by GM in an generic model so guys with wild ideas can have access to a fresh one.

Hey can you notch the fire wall to move the engine back?

maximvsv

11-22-2003, 02:43 AM

So, say you get the car converted... I see people writing about driveshafts, but what about the rear wheel bearings and axles? Can they be easily substituted with something stronger? And what about the original AWD version? I would like to not have to pay such close attention to bearing noises for once.

Phast SVX

11-22-2003, 09:09 AM

it would be quite a bit of work to get the entire hub to bolt up to the SVX'w suspension system. You would have to get the complete rear hug assy, with breaks and all, and then use the rear end as you said from the other car. Our rearend is fairly strong, if you are worried about it you can go with A an STi rearend, stronger diffs are probably also available aftermarket but i have never seen a need to research this so i couldnt help you. not an easy task, But its possible. The length of the axlse would also cuase a problem.
phil

SeVeX :)

11-25-2003, 09:37 AM

There is one big quirk with the SVX trany. They burn up pretty quick, not enough oil is supplied to the planetary gears giving power to the back wheels. So if you just took out the front CVs you'd put even more pressure on that weak spot. If you replaced the whole shabang it'd work though.

Your friendly neighborhood ~bizzel~

Porter

11-25-2003, 10:09 AM

Originally posted by Phast SVX
it would be quite a bit of work to get the entire hub to bolt up to the SVX'w suspension system. You would have to get the complete rear hug assy, with breaks and all, and then use the rear end as you said from the other car. Our rearend is fairly strong, if you are worried about it you can go with A an STi rearend, stronger diffs are probably also available aftermarket but i have never seen a need to research this so i couldnt help you. not an easy task, But its possible. The length of the axlse would also cuase a problem.
phil

I have a source for Quaife ATBs and Kazz clutch diffs if anybody really wanted to swap the internals for geared or locking type. They aren't cheap but they make a huge improvement in traction.