Shiney Axle Swap ;)

[spanky]

watch the damaged auction sites and find a supercharged commodore thats rolled or something , it doesnt take much to write them off now as they are worth bugger all, a mate of my old man runs them in both trial trucks of theirs and the motors are pretty much bulletproof, if you go with auto use an early th700 so its not electronic.
vaughan

[Engineer]

Donor

[Petemcc]

nice. you had better be done when i am down next. you got till mid nov

[Engineer]

nice. you had better be done when i am down next. you got till mid nov

the suspension will be done by then (hopefully, waiting for kits to arrive )..gotta work out what im gunna do for adaptor yet.

[Engineer]

Ordering transfer case adaptor tomorrow
wanted..petrol 3L V6 petrol tank with fuel pump out of surf

Cheers
Ryan

[Engineer]

well got the adaptor for transfer gunna put it all together this week hopefully if i get time.
im thinking of going for prado front end now. really dont know!! after being navi at 4wd rally this saturday and havn seen acouple more prado front ends put into surfs it is sooooo tempting!!

[Petemcc]

depends what you do to the prado set up. the front end you got in your kit should perform better than standard ish prardo.

[Engineer]

right its done, got a prado chassis front cut sorted (sorry jafa again),pick it up saturday all going well.
think its for the best
it wont articulate newhere as well as the TG stuff would straight up but having bought another car and getting a new job ive got more time and more $$ to bugger around with it.

Ryan

[UBZ]

Sorry i don't follow
Why would you go with a standard Playdo front end. Over a trial gear triangulated 4 link?

[Engineer]

Sorry i don't follow
Why would you go with a standard Playdo front end. Over a trial gear triangulated 4 link?

it wasnt a 4 link i was going leafs.

[Si Lux]

i could show you 3 getting done right now around town, holden motor and auto with a adaption plate a mate of mine makes up, up to a hilux transfer case, he has done 6 or 7 so far

Sorry to jack this thread... What is involved if one wants to bolt a commy engine in, but keep the standard manual trans in a LN61 surf? Bellhousing adaptor...?

[Steve_t647]

Sorry to jack this thread... What is involved if one wants to bolt a commy engine in, but keep the standard manual trans in a LN61 surf? Bellhousing adaptor...?

The Commodore V6 engine can be adapted to Hilux / 4Runner petrol or diesel. Using 5 speed gearbox.

You will need a bellhousing that has to be designed to space the engine away from the firewall
The clutch is coupled to the gearbox by a special gearbox input extension shaft. It has the GM spigot diameter with external spline on the engine end and Toyota spigot diameter with internal spline on the gearbox end.
The Hilux / 4 Runner diesel 4 cylinder slave cylinder must be used. It will need to be re-sleeved to 11/16” bore. This is required to give sufficient throw for correct clutch operation.

They ran a Holden clutch in it, a V8 clutch on a modified flywheel (was auto engine) the new supercharged engine

The problem he has had is he keeps breaking diffs as the torque into the standard dif heads during gear changes is too savage the auto smoothes all that out and makes the power more useable

[rangimotors]

i could show you 3 getting done right now around town, holden motor and auto with a adaption plate a mate of mine makes up, up to a hilux transfer case, he has done 6 or 7 so far

Sorry to jack this thread... What is involved if one wants to bolt a commy engine in, but keep the standard manual trans in a LN61 surf? Bellhousing adaptor...?

flick comilux on here a pm, he is in the middle of doing it and found a place in auz to supply a full kit at a good price unlike marks adaptors which are common.

[Si Lux]

Thank you both very much for your response! Gives me something to ponder over... haha

Apologies again for thread jacking, as you were!

[Engineer]

due to certain constrants and slight change of plans i decided to pick up a bundera front end. got radius arm mounts welded in. so castor is set approx 4* ..i hope
hopefully end of week itll be sitting on all fours

[Engineer]

due to certain constrants and slight change of plans i decided to pick up a bundera front end. got radius arm mounts welded in. so castor is set approx 4* ..i hope
hopefully end of week itll be sitting on all fours

well...i certainly jinxed myself there!! i cocked up big time i shoulda measured twice before getting excited and welding the mounts in. opps i do know better than that!
because of them being bundera arms they sit inside the chassis and where they were was an ass to get out so..took me couple hours to get them set up and welded in but 3 nights to grind out!!!
then i got myself confused, worried, stressed and walked away from the truck for a week and went back with a head of fresh air to start again with alot more knowledge of how a trucks front end needs to be (thank you to acouple guys on here) and my work mates.
The surf is now sitting on all 4's with 2-3deg castor with 2" lifted springs. its sitting approx the same height as what it did before so about the height of a surf with 2" rear springs in the rear. the axle is 30mm forward of standard.
im still yet to make new panhard mount.
tonight i just started looking at getting the steering sorted. id like to keep the steering box std in the same position but use the bundera pitman arm. looks like i will have enough room to do so.

as mentioned earlier i was going TG kit cos i wanted easy conversion with heaps of flex (flex is sooo cool!!) but then as mentioned acouple constraints were put on me which sucked and then went 4wding acouple times with mates in 4wd clubs etc and decided a well set up club trucks all i need down here in southland/otago etc so that just confirmed it.

The v6 still going to be going in early next year just gotta focus on getting as much done on the suspension as i can before the 19th of this month (thats when i loose the workshop im in).

Im enjoying all this though its been a big learning curve as ive never done any engineering fab on trucks/cars before just fixed plenty of sh*t. people say ohh its all still engineering and it is too but never really knew how the suspension geometry worked etc and whats critical and where things gotta go etc.

I'll post some pics in couple days nothing flash, just her sitting there lol.

Its all fun and games and hasnt put me off at all

Cheers
Ryan

[Engineer]

35" test fit, ive only got 31s on the rear so thats why its sloping down at the back.

mounting shocks when i can be bothered, im yet to the sort steering input shaft out (ive gone with running standard surf steering box in its standard position but done a bodylift) and then fully weld everything up.
then just small stuff like oils breathers etc. i have to move out of my workshop this weekend so the commy wont go in until i can find another workshop to do it in, hopefully early next year itll b done

Ryan

[Engineer]

35' BFG on 10" rims, thanks to swampa for lending them to me, mine hopefully turn up this week!
ive made panhard bracket and ifs hubs on the tires stick out about 2" from the flares! Looks the go. I like the flares so ill rework them so when the wheel flex's up it wont munt them! Plenty of clearance around most of the tire when flexed up but will have to "intimidate" a wee bit of the firewall and will have to remove the factory mudflaps but thats all good.
Having the axle 30mm forward is mint.
I'll be starting to think about what i wanna do for a front bar shortly

[NJV6]

This Surf is looking pretty good, Ryan can update but he couldn't stop smiling when we took it for a spin. Tracks pretty well on the open road for such a tall vehicle, be interesting to see what the figures are when on an alignment machine.

It is very tall and the job has been done very nicely.

[Engineer]

This Surf is looking pretty good, Ryan can update but he couldn't stop smiling when we took it for a spin. Tracks pretty well on the open road for such a tall vehicle, be interesting to see what the figures are when on an alignment machine.

It is very tall and the job has been done very nicely.

i couldnt be happier man thanks for ya help glen!!
got afew things to tidy up, need longer shocks in the front and slight bend in panhard but nothing major. strip and rebuild diff with arb airlocker, blast and paint etc. but im really happy with the outcome!! here are a couple picks ive got a vid of the first drive out of the workshop. how do i put that on?







now to find a workshop to do engine swap.

Cheers Ryan

[Engineer]

couple more photos.. ive got my onboard air sorted, also got some loud as fukery air horns (louder than truck ones by far ) to put in for a laugh, give some boys racers the hury along





ive got everything i need to do commy swap, but now thinking a 1kz would be the go. cant make up my mind

[J_Dub]

looking friken sweeeet guys, real nice, envious, though i have got an old school yn60 with solid front, it just isnt quite as smooth lookin and im sure as nice rideing as that.. minta

[J_Dub]

oh yea, and stick with the comy v6, you wont be disappointed, there such simple, basic engines with shit loads a torque, look in the engine bay of a supra, then look in the engine bay of a v6 comy and see which one you would rather work on.. everythings easy to get at etc

[hosehustler]

That front axle looks sweet, pity Toyota didn't do it standard
As for the repower, either will be far superior than you have, about 5yrs ago I first looked into repowering my old Surf, I chose the Supra due to price at the time with a new home and young family, I would've preffered the Commy but at the time the commy repower would have set me back 6grand for bell kit and engine, top of my wish list was the 1kz due to the diesel-water thing but 5yrs ago one of them was 6grand just for the motor
I'm no slug with mechanics or electrics but in NZ everywhere we go there seems to be water and...........water gets where water goes, my supra never once died completely where I couldn't get it running again due to water, but it did drop cylinders/run rough or cause me a headache or two.
Me personally the type of adventure 4wd I love where reliability is top of the list the diesels are good, they have excellent torque, make the power in a nice rev range for that adventure type 4x4, have pleasent roadability, and good resale appeal.
In the USA they cream over diesels as they are difficult to get, and you'll pay US $4500.00 for a 1kz
check out Pirate 4x4

[Bulletproof]

Looks like you have conquered it and done it well. People who haven't done it just wouldn't realize the mental stress to mix and match .
My only comment would be to put your tyres on no more than 8 inch rims. Many benefits , Beads are protected more , Treads clear alot better . Many of my friends run 7inch rims.

Cheers Richard

[radar21]

looks the money mate i wish my looked like that i would go with the 1kz

[Engineer]

Thanks for the comments guys.

That front axle looks sweet, pity Toyota didn't do it standard
As for the repower, either will be far superior than you have, about 5yrs ago I first looked into repowering my old Surf, I chose the Supra due to price at the time with a new home and young family, I would've preffered the Commy but at the time the commy repower would have set me back 6grand for bell kit and engine, top of my wish list was the 1kz due to the diesel-water thing but 5yrs ago one of them was 6grand just for the motor
I'm no slug with mechanics or electrics but in NZ everywhere we go there seems to be water and...........water gets where water goes, my supra never once died completely where I couldn't get it running again due to water, but it did drop cylinders/run rough or cause me a headache or two.
Me personally the type of adventure 4wd I love where reliability is top of the list the diesels are good, they have excellent torque, make the power in a nice rev range for that adventure type 4x4, have pleasent roadability, and good resale appeal.
In the USA they cream over diesels as they are difficult to get, and you'll pay US $4500.00 for a 1kz
check out Pirate 4x4

I am the same as you in regards to reliabilty etc and i love my 2lte apart from it not havn any power!! ive been thinkn 1kz for ages but $$ put me off them but im not bothered about that now... do it once do it right
i know afew guys that run commys one of which is in winch comps and the motor runs under water and loves it lol it gives him no worries.
i know the 1kz would also be better on gas and alot of our 4wdn always involves driving for couple hours to get where we wanna go so thats something ive gotta take into consideration but for the petrol savings is it worth spendn another 1500-2000 after i sell the 3.8 and marks adaptor to gain abit of economy?
all i can do is think over it for the next wee while


cheers
ryan

[Engineer]

Looks like you have conquered it and done it well. People who haven't done it just wouldn't realize the mental stress to mix and match .
My only comment would be to put your tyres on no more than 8 inch rims. Many benefits , Beads are protected more , Treads clear alot better . Many of my friends run 7inch rims.

Cheers Richard

Thanks for your comment, at this stage ill run the 10" rims, i like the footprint the 10" rim gives aswell as the offset of the rims gives menice wide stance. i dont deflate my tire pressures, and if i do its not by alot. also BFG state they recommend 10's and im sure they dont spend millions researching that kinda stuff for no reason
ill see how it goes!!

Cheers Ryan

[radar21]

theres a hole 1kz surf in winton for 3g damaged on trade me

[Engineer]

theres a hole 1kz surf in winton for 3g damaged on trade me

thanks, just checked it out. if i go 1kz then ill be going manual.