low range gearbox into XT forester manual

GTsurfer

Forum Member
Joined
May 20, 2011
Messages
40
Location
Port Macquarie NSW
Car Year
2004
Car Model
XT Foz
Transmission
manual
Hi, has anyone had their gearbox modified to have low range, or can you get a dual range and strengthen it and fit to XT?
I have moved to Port Macquarie NSW, and want to do a lot of beach driving, yes , low tide would be fine but once you stop on other tides, how do you get going again in a manual XT?? not much low down torque, could see the clutch burning!
thinking of just buying a little Suzuki sierra/vitara for surfing for $3-4K as think it would cost that to modify the XT gearbox, I already have raised springs in XT.
any thoughts comments greatly appreciated, cheers
 
Yup - just drop a 5MT dual range from a gen3 outback or liberty in it.

There's a few gen3 outbacks running around with turbo engines without too much destruction.

Put in a standard clutch, take it easy and don't go flat shifting or dropping the clutch at 6k.
 
I wouldn't bother with an outback/ liberty/ newer SG+ forester gearbox as their dual range is next to useless.

Really the only viable options that will be worth it are:

1- Go a dual range box from an SF forester. You must be careful not to break it with the turbo power.
2- Get an auto XT. Probably the most capable offroading set up Subaru can get.
3- Get something more suitable for your needs like a suzuki you suggested.

You can get gearsets from all drive subaru to put in a dual range box that have a great ratio and are just as strong as a turbo box if not stronger. Problem is your looking at some serious $$.
 
Just put the SF low range in the SG gearbox and away you go.
 
^ That's the way to go.

As I understand it, the SG 5MT/DR is a much stronger box than the SF box, particularly as regards the synchro and reverse, and probably in other ways as well. One has to realise that the engineers who design these things have some idea of what they are doing ... :poke: :iconwink:.

While I find the 1.196:1 LR pretty good for my N/A series II SG, I know that some want much lower than this. The series I EJ-251 engine torque is much less than that of the EJ-253 in the important crawling range between 1200 and 2200 rpm.

The EJ-253 is already developing 80% of its maximum torque by 1200 rpm. The EJ-251 doesn't get to this figure until around 2200 rpm. The EJ-251 also drops below 80% at around 5700 rpm, while the EJ-253 is still at around 90% at maximum revs (6300 rpm).

The EJ-20 engines have a torque curve shape that's similar to that of the EJ-18 in my '93 Impreza - basically an inverted ski jump ...
 
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thanks for the feedback everyone, was hoping I could just drive it a specialist mechanic that others ha dealt with and he could bolt the low range gearbox parts to my existing box and away I go for $2-3K ,not that simple by the sounds.

then you have the issue of having no diff locks, which I doubt would be an issue on and off most beaches..
don't think I would risk putting a weaker box in as I have 180KW at the wheels.

I might have to take it in some soft stuff with a recovery vehicle and max trax and see would my limits are, I think it would be fine until you stop! I would buy an auto for the beach, but really can an auto be fun to drive on the road unless you drive in stop go traffic??
 
Gidday Ate

ateday said:
Don`t forget to drop tyre pressures to about 15 psi.
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Yup. I find about 18 psi is fine.

RB, I found the 1.196 low to be just about useless. Not so the 1.59.
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I can understand that. The differences in low down torque do make a very substantial difference, however.

It also depends on the use of one's own vehicle. What I want/need is not to run out of revs in 2nd LR. Roo2 pulls around 80 kmh in LR second, so that is unlikely to occur. Having to change into third, or second/HR, could be embarrassing at times with a camper trailer on behind. Huge loss of revs and momentum during the gear change.

Horses for courses, and all that ... :ebiggrin:.
 
Ratbag said:
^ That's the way to go.

While I find the 1.196:1 LR pretty good for my N/A series II SG, I know that some want much lower than this. The series I EJ-251 engine torque is much less than that of the EJ-253 in the important crawling range between 1200 and 2200 rpm.
Click to expand...

Yeh - I find the 1.196:1 on my gen3 fine.. I think for sand its reasonable.. but as you say, and others have noted, not really enough for rock crawling.

To the OP.. bolting a different box on is easier than having someone modify your current box. Its a 2-3 hour job.
 
Where the 1.59 low excels is, as noted above, slow travel over rough surfaces and steep, uneven hills. It is also good for long steep, sometimes soft, sand dunes of which there are many, some 1200, on the Simpson Crossing.
Also towing Pajeros off beaches.
 
I wouldn't object to a LR between 1.30 or 1.35:1.

1.30:1 would reduce my top speed in second/LR to about 74 kmh in second LR (from about 80 kmh).

1.44:1 reduces this to about 66 kmh. Not fast enough for my purposes, as it would require a gear change on long climbs with the trailer.
 
Venom said:
Just put the SF low range in the SG gearbox and away you go.
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Do this :biggrin:

SG LR (1.19) would be ok but not great for firm flat sand but as soon as you hit anything soft or try a dune you need the decent LR (1.45).

I wouldnt bother with an auto conversion, very expensive plus there are other mods you have to do to make a manual engine work with an auto. You'd be better off selling it & getting an auto XT, plenty good cheap ones out there.
 
GTsurfer said:
thanks for the feedback everyone, was hoping I could just drive it a specialist mechanic that others ha dealt with and he could bolt the low range gearbox parts to my existing box and away I go for $2-3K ,not that simple by the sounds.

then you have the issue of having no diff locks, which I doubt would be an issue on and off most beaches..
don't think I would risk putting a weaker box in as I have 180KW at the wheels.
Click to expand...


Its very simple!!! Your in NSW..Ring (02) 9915 9900, ADS, speak to Niazi Helou, tell him your budget and they will do.

You want at minimal the 1.447 L/R kit if your running larger than 216/60/16's tyres, especially with the XT. Gearing is everything!

Tyre pressures between 14 - 16psi IMO

Diff locks, no need. Source a 2nd hand pignose sti front helical LSD and get it machined to fit your SG box. It is cheap to do, ADS can do this also.

Rear diff, ditch the crap VSLD go plated. Whether its a STI or Cusco, 2 way, you will not look back. Amazing the difference it makes.

Keep the centre diff and try and source a 12kg centre diff if you have extra dollars. DCCD will be better as you can alter the front and rear torque bias but more to go wrong and more dollars for intial setup.

Rear diff, centre diff can be done at a later date when you have the dollars.

SG XT's have a Final Drive ratio of 4.44. From memory the SF Forester with dual range 1.447 have a Final Drive of 4.11 meaning that if you were to use the gearbox of a earlier SF, you would also have to change the rear VLSD diff as well. Someone else can chime in to confirm.
 
Hi Catchya, your answer is the one I am looking for! Does sound like lots of $$, but buying another car just to drive along the beach to go surfing! rego,insurance,etc. think I would do it if under $3k, just the gearbox and front diff would be heaps for most beaches. will give Niazi a call and see what he think, thanks
 
catchya said:
SG XT's have a Final Drive ratio of 4.44. From memory the SF Forester with dual range 1.447 have a Final Drive of 4.11 meaning that if you were to use the gearbox of a earlier SF, you would also have to change the rear VLSD diff as well. Someone else can chime in to confirm.
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Correct. Likewise with outback/liberty/any other forester final drive (non turbo).
 
Some good points.

SG XT manual is 4.44 single range but SG na is 4.1 DR. So if you drop in a SG DR box you will either have to change the rear diff ratio, or use the 4.44 XT front diff ratio
 
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