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They were a PITA to fabricate, which is why I went with Miata uprights this time. A compromise is to use bolt-on hubs to a much simpler fabricated upright, but I didn't want to make builders go to the extra work. The only bolt-on hubs I know about I learned of here.

I read in the sticky in running gear that the STi has bolt on hubs. Does that help?

Thanks for the input Kurt. Simple is good in almost everyone's book, but as you said.. your tailoring it to a certain crowd and that typically means teaching to the lowest common education level in the class. I can see why that avenue wouldn't apply easily to your situation. Who wants to try and build a car that is too difficult? KISS, right?

The pic below shows the bearing I plan to use with the Subie Diff. These are from Outbacks and Legacies. They should work nicely for a light little Locost. I looked at the Subie uprights, but I don't see a way to "adapt" them without a lot of excess metal. I might be missing something or just not looking at it properly.

Any simple way to use the Subie, apparently we need to qualify, non-STx/STi uprights in a typical Locost?? I now think I see the reason for the confusion as the STx/STi uprights look to be a nightmare with their dual brakes and all!

KS

When I first read the post in the sticky I thought it was wrong, but further digging today did seem to indicate there's something to it. The next question is axle spline compatability.

EDIT: didn't see the pic above till now, while somehting like that would help avoid making a bearing cup for your fabbed upright, you'd be better off with the type that has an integral hub (wheel flange and axle splines) like Timken HA590119 or HA590118

I believe that is how they'd come on the Legacy. I was just using the example of the bolt-on bearing. No pressing in bearings.. Count Me In!!

There is no spline compatibility issues if they come off the same car you take the diff from unless your looking to use a different hub and change the bolt pattern, right? If I can't find a Subie rim I like, I' rather have the wheel redrilled than to modify the hub/upright to suit.

KS

All this talk of milling/drilling has gotten me looking again at Smithy 3-1s. Leaning towards the 1220 XL. I don't think I'd ever really use the LTD!

I was looking at them a while ago when I was building R/C Helis for friends and family. Custom parts were too expensive so I was going to copy them. Prices went down and it wasn't as lucrative. Wish I would have now!!

So I'm going to look to see if it's in the future budget and see if we can swing it. It would eliminate the issues with finding the proper uprights and suspension parts if they could simply be made, and given my propensity for tinkering and projects I'm inclined to use it for other things which makes it a feasible purchase!

What do you guys think.. I know it's a guy thing to have mega power tools and a 3-1 really qualifies, but if you could, would you? Or would it be just another tool collecting dust after it's all done?

I'm going to start a post in the Tools Forum.. Put your answers and comments on the subject there!

Thanks,

KS

I may have missed it but why not steel sheet/plate uprights with a bolt on hub? No or minimal machining required. If you did it right, the cost of paying someone to do the small amount of machining would be negligible compared to buying some "jack of all trades, expert at none" 3 in 1.

That's the plan so far, but trying to pull a Carnac the Magnificent and see into the future. The envelope please!!!

I'm tossing out the idea to folks that have been there before and trying to find out in hind sight, if they had the knowledge then that they do now, would they have done it differently? Is it a tool they wish they had?

I realize that nothing on this car requires it. But as a "man" I am bound by man law to collect tools! I will have one eventually, I have too many hobbies that could benefit from it (R/C Cars and Helis, Paintball, Air Rifles...) but is it something truly useful for me now?

KS

OK.. got some major headway done today. The local pick-a-part was having a 66% (I don't get it either!) sale, so I dug in and grabbed the Subie spindle parts from the very same car I got the diff from. So now I basically went hub to hub from the rear of a 93 Legacy 25th Silver Edition.

I got home and started to place and fit it all in to it's respective location. I decided to move a couple of the mounting points for the diff as it turned out a bit low when using the Subie uprights. The only down side I can see so far is that I'll have to fab up a bracket to get the shock mounting over the center of the upright, but it'll be far less intense than making my own upright was going to be!

I am using a Toyota W55 trans and I was able to get a portion of the drive line I needed. I managed to get everything lined up to the point that if both of the flanges didn't have "outies", I would have mated them up!!

Wife was impressed when she got home and look in on me.. Honey!! It has wheels!!!

So here are a couple of the highlights from the day...

Enjoy,

KS

lol, teardrops, sweet!

Yeah, they are the old spares from the 84 Jetta that I sold to start this. They're looking for a new home if you know anyone who could use them!!

I did find out that that the Subie and my 05 Jetta have the same bolt pattern, but I was to involve with finishing the tunnel (got it all done except the diff mount!! woo hoo!!) that I forgot to try them and see. See how a Locost looks with 18" BBSs on it!!

Oh well, gives me something to do this week!!

KS

18 inch BBS RS wheels? I would like to see a picture if you do bolt them on, I have a set of 17's that I am planning to run on mine...someday

Kent

Here is a pic of the spare.. I didn't have time to raise the car to get the RSs off. They are within 1/4" of size height wise, so it'll give you good ideas about just how little these cars are by modern stds (if you didn't already know!! ) The axle center didn't move.. I lowered the platform the tires were sitting on to fit these on.

The other issue is Subies are studs where the VWs are bolts. I didn't feel like hanging my RSs up there and having it fall.. it was a hard enough juggling game to get this one up there, but it did fit and will bolt up, so rim options just took a humongous leap!!

Think I'm gonna stick with a slightly smaller tire/rim combo!

Enjoy!

KS

Wow... Time flies when your having fun! I didn't even realize it's been nearly a month since I posted anything about the build!

In the down time, I was figuring out a couple of things and have some new directions:

Going to use Fiero spindles on the front. They are 5x100 without adapters, so they'll match up with the Subie parts in the rear! Yeah!!! I don't have to mix and match rims or use adapters!!

I've built a Staniforth String Computer and am currently determining the best placement and length of the a-arms.

Christmas showed up early for me!! I got my rod ends and shocks I bought from the forum (Thanks BlueDevil!) arrived so I can start to place items in regards to them.

Good thing I got a 3 day weekend.. gonna be a busy one!!

KS

You might want to use that free Wishbone program instead of that string computer think. Trust me I tried that and while it is fun and moderately amusing to play with, you will learn volumes more useful information spending an hour playing with Wishbone. PM me if you have any questions once you get around to it. Now that you have all four uprights and tires you can get the numbers you need into the program and get started.
Good luck.