Help Me Make the Perfect Cruiser

[lilpigzuk]

You made the comment you want a perfect cruiser but this raises the Question.

Perfect for what ?

It is impossible to have a perfect work truck and a play truck at the same time.

good lord I agree , knowing what these cost new (assuming you got it new) then why not buy a cheap lux and mod that and leave the cruiser as a work hack. The cost on what you want too achieve (and void new car warrenty - again if this isnt a concern then why not have one for work and buy another for the weekend ).
Im just jealous I want one for a tow wagon

[lilpigzuk]

what happened to your o8 lux on 35s??

[gimmemud]

You made the comment you want a perfect cruiser but this raises the Question.

Perfect for what ?

It is impossible to have a perfect work truck and a play truck at the same time.

good lord I agree , knowing what these cost new (assuming you got it new) then why not buy a cheap lux and mod that and leave the cruiser as a work hack. The cost on what you want too achieve (and void new car warrenty - again if this isnt a concern then why not have one for work and buy another for the weekend ).
Im just jealous I want one for a tow wagon

Thanks for that.........given that most of my offroad stuff will generally be clay, mud, snow and scree etc........I'm thinking then that norrow is the way to go.....not often I am in the likes of peastone...river crossings are the norm.....but normally high country rivers.

So if I go 35x10.....what size rim am I going....7inch....or 8inch......

[Petemcc]

pretty sure the aim was to mod the work truck so it will be a good 4wd for work not just a toy

[fweddy]

I thought the same Pete - I may be wrong but from reading his comments I took it that treeman was using this machine for work as a serious 4x4. Not a work vehicle that he goes to play in later.

My bro-in-law does wilding pine work on high country areas and is accessing a lot of remote areas for work, although his hiluxes are not really kitted out because most of the remote work has to be done on foot. He also has done pest control monitoring where he was carting quads and hundreds of traps into the back country but he used 2x Nissan Atlas trucks and used the quads for the rough stuff.

What sort of work do you do treeman?

[extreme_treeman]

You made the comment you want a perfect cruiser but this raises the Question.

Perfect for what ?

It is impossible to have a perfect work truck and a play truck at the same time.

A work truck needs springs to carry weight ,a play truck is flexible with no overloads etc, so you can have the best of both worlds.
Therefore everything is going to be a compromise and the tyres as well need to be something that does both. I personally would stick with a good set of radials and let the pressures down when needed.

Cheers Richard

Gidday Richard,

The Truck is purely a work truck....no playing.....but I am inthe fortunate position that a lot of the environemtn that I work in would be considered a play play by most.....lol.........So no real need to compromise..........work truck...but needs to get into some pretty mean places.

[extreme_treeman]

those swampers were bought off Pete at Otago tyres only a week or so, he had them on trade me for $1 reserve as he bought them for his STX and they didn't fit... i'd buy them and use them till they bald as they're cheap..

My only issue would be finding a choice of tyres that woudl suit those rims in future..........17inch doesnt seem to have a lot of choice.

[extreme_treeman]

what happened to your o8 lux on 35s??

The 35's got shelved.......as I gave that truck to the boys when I brought the cruiser.....it is due to have the kit from snake racing out into it when I have finished this one.....so I can fit the 35s.........(at the moment have gone back to 31s on it...becasue the staff hated how much power the tyres sucked out of it.......especially when they are towing with it).

[extreme_treeman]

I thought the same Pete - I may be wrong but from reading his comments I took it that treeman was using this machine for work as a serious 4x4. Not a work vehicle that he goes to play in later.

My bro-in-law does wilding pine work on high country areas and is accessing a lot of remote areas for work, although his hiluxes are not really kitted out because most of the remote work has to be done on foot. He also has done pest control monitoring where he was carting quads and hundreds of traps into the back country but he used 2x Nissan Atlas trucks and used the quads for the rough stuff.

What sort of work do you do treeman?

I kill Sh*t........lol............I am in pest control too. Cover from Nth Canterbury down to Sthland.......have three offices and thirty odd staff out there doing it for me.

[fweddy]

I kill ........lol............I am in pest control too. Cover from Nth Canterbury down to Sthland.......have three offices and thirty odd staff out there doing it for me.

Thought you might have been, going by the name and the terrain. There is not much work to do in the high country if you are not a farmer or recreation except pest control of some sort....

Nice choice of vehicle for it btw and nice place to work... except for the harsh weather and hard physical activity at times.

[Bulletproof]

I like the sound ofthat......but sometimes I am in the high country where tracks and the like are rocky scree and washed out etc whereI thought the 35's may give me a little more diff clearance? I knwo the tyre size that you mention is one that the guys at Munros said would only cost me about 1/2 a gear.

Because you have to carry weight there is probably not much you can do for the suspension except a lift.

I used to work in the forestry on steep tracks and the problem is you can go to work in good conditions and then it turns to custard so what might have been safe in the morning is quite dangerous on the way home with slippery grass and clay and big drop offs.
We used to use the SATs because they were narrow for the clay and strong enough in the side wall with their 6ply rating.

Because of the scree you need strong side walls and because of the clay you need tractor treads.

Now days there are simex ETs that are similar. The 35x11.5 would probably suit your needs .On the road you would need a compressor to pump them up to 40lbs but off road with tractor tubes you could lower them to 5lbs to give the needed traction for saftey if needed.
A winch is definately needed and I would also buy a turfir incase you slip over the edge.

Cheers Richard

[darinz]

I like the sound ofthat......but sometimes I am in the high country where tracks and the like are rocky scree and washed out etc whereI thought the 35's may give me a little more diff clearance? I knwo the tyre size that you mention is one that the guys at Munros said would only cost me about 1/2 a gear.

Because you have to carry weight there is probably not much you can do for the suspension except a lift.

I used to work in the forestry on steep tracks and the problem is you can go to work in good conditions and then it turns to custard so what might have been safe in the morning is quite dangerous on the way home with slippery grass and clay and big drop offs.
We used to use the SATs because they were narrow for the clay and strong enough in the side wall with their 6ply rating.

Because of the scree you need strong side walls and because of the clay you need tractor treads.

Now days there are simex ETs that are similar. The 35x11.5 would probably suit your needs .On the road you would need a compressor to pump them up to 40lbs but off road with tractor tubes you could lower them to 5lbs to give the needed traction for saftey if needed.
A winch is definately needed and I would also buy a turfir incase you slip over the edge.

Cheers Richard

With the power that this truck has, below 10psi and ET's without beadlocks will spin the wheel inside the tyre. Ultimately ripping out the valve stem. For regular on road ET's at 35lbs handles a lot better than 40 but they do wear a little bit more at the lower pressure.

[Bulletproof]

With the power that this truck has, below 10psi and ET's without beadlocks will spin the wheel inside the tyre. Ultimately ripping out the valve stem.

Not a problem if you sand all the high gloss paint from the rims and put a flat grit paint on and then fit tyres with no soap.

Cheers Richard

PS A friend of mine who has the 4.2 cruiser has just blown the front diff on his one with the electric toyota locker. I understand it is the week link. Toyota have just replaced the entire front diff under warranty.

[extreme_treeman]

Hey All...Im back from Wellington...(geez I hate the traffic there).....and as promised here are photos of the lifted truck with the ARB 50mm kit.



From the side




Rear look including dog box.....the dog beside it gives a perspective of how tall it is at the moment...and thats just with 33's....the 35s are coming


And close ups




Hope that looks ok....
'
Now I have the old springs and shocks and bushes etc that have ony done 7k....thought I would sell them...any ideas of a value?

Cheers
D

ps...Have decided to put the ARB winch bar on it...s am awaiting the order from Aussie....more pics to come.

[Sadam_Husain]

Looking at those rip collars on the back of your truck are they paying you to chase pigs down there you lucky bastard


Trucks looking good mate but I'd be ripping those steel mud guards off the back wheels and replacing them with something that wont wreck a tyre when they get bent

[extreme_treeman]

Thats a valid point ......I hadnt thought of that....and yes........I get paid to chase pigs...amongst other things

[skid]

Hey All...Im back from Wellington...(geez I hate the traffic there).....

maaaaate , you should try auckland if ya think welly is shite


truks looking good, by the way