I like my RWD setup. Maybe some wider tires in the rear though. 205 all around isn't too bad. I just welded the side gears to the housing of the differential. Too out the front axles but put in outter CV units so it'll hold the bearings in. I have a 4.444 OPEN rear diff in the back and makes it really fun to drive with the 2.5RS tranny. I get wheel spin though when turning and getting on it. My suspension setup is oversteer(drift) madness. My toe alignment is set .36* toe out front and rear. There's too much slack in the rear diff...I don't like it. I want it tigher, unless it's just the bushings that suck. Really....I'd get a front LSD, CUSCO Tarmac center diff, and rear LSD. I only did this because I like messing with tranny stuff. I went through several stages: 3.900FD AWD open front/rear diff, stock viscous center diff 3.900FD AWD w/ welded rear diff, stock viscous center diff 3.545FD FWD open front diff 4.111FD AWD w/ viscous rear LSD, stock viscous center diff 4.111FD AWD w/ welded/locking center diff, stock viscous center diff 4.111FD RWD w/ viscous rear LSD, welded center diff 4.444FD RWD open rear diff, welded center diff next........probably stick my welded diff in the rear.
buy a truck or a 240... no one is ever satisfied with what they have... awd is awesome man it's not fun tractionless
AWD is great. And subaru does a great job at it. But like JiDM WeRX, I've thought that maybe a RWD summer setup might be good. One of the difficulties that I could see is that the R-160 is a weak diff. Any sort of wheel hop is going to wreck that thing. That would be my major concern. I'd also want some wide tires in the rear. That costs money. Otherwise, I don't see why not. If you have a purpose for your car and that purpose requires RWD, the solution is not always, "go buy a RWD car then." Some of us, me included, don't have that kind of money. I have seen a kit online that's an option, I'll do a search and post the link if I find it.
Ultimately....I'd get a CUSCO 1way front LSD, CUSCO Tarmac center diff, and CUSCO 1.5way rear LSD staying with the AWD setup.
Tanabe service makes custom AWD --> RWD center diff kits. i foudn them on one of teh JDM parts sites. around 800 dollars and your RWD.
Thanks for all the great responces guys. Yes, I have read that the R160 diff is prone to breaking when your rex is RWD. With these converstion kits...is this something I could do myself? (I have rebuilt engines before but I dont know too much about transmissions..gears and sutch) ..also, I assume I will have to take the transmission off to convert it? Thanks agian.
You don't need to remove the whole tranny to do it. Just the tailhousing/transfer case. You might not even need to remove the whole housing, possibly the rear cover only. I can't remember though.
Your best bet would be to talk to Fuji K. That dude is the mad scientist of Suby transmissions. I'm sure he can tell you EXACTLY what you'd need to do to go RWD safely. You might be able to source an STi rear end. An R180 dif might be a little bit beefier than the R160.
they are now swaping the r200 reear diff out of 280zx's (i think) into wrx's now... its a bit harder..... but its not as hard as one might think
Center diff This....you drop the catback section of your exhaust system. ALSO you drain your tranny fluid. Drop tranny brace. Then take off the exhaust bracket that's on the pass side of the tranny. Punch out pin that holds linkage onto tranny and ALSO lower linkage where the shifter bushing is. Disconnect driveshaft OR you can actually slide the driveshaft off the tranny when you take off the rear transfer case cover. SO take off the bolts that hold the rear transfer case cover. This will come off with some pounding....then the transfer gear and center diff will be able to slide out of the tranny. The front axles You will take these off. BUT you need a outer CV joint to hold the hub bearings together. I forgot about these and had to run to UPULL for a set of front spindles, then just recently replaced the lower balljoints.