got an 80... now where to begin

[callumb]

Alrighty then! Im cooch and a bought a cruiser from oxford canterbury and drove it down to Invercargill where i parked it for the night and then took off the sump the next day!! Had heard bad rumors about big end bearing failure so wa quick to investigate.. Not bad but 5 and 3 had bits of shell missing. So then proceded to do manifold gasket and rocker cover gaskets. This now done lets hope she dusnt look so oily for a bit.
So now all i have is flashing dash lights to get rid of and then i .can start thinking about mods . Oh yea th new bearings were acl ones.

Now i will throw a snorcle at it and want a winch sidebars rear bar and a towbar that is still useable with a lift.
Im tossing up how big of a lift to go. I dont want a bodylift bit i also want 33s to clear and not rub even with chains. Unsure if this is possible. I dont yet know the travel of its standard suspension bit want a 2 or 4 imch loft. . Quite a price diffrence. I do use as a daily driver but when offroad i want it to keep up. It also has to be reliable so i guess simple.

[wjw]

I have a 3" lift in mine and run 35's with ladder chains...

You can probably get away with 33's without a lift. I'm sure someone down there could let you borrow a tire or 2 to try it

[petefj40]

Sweet looking truck.
If you're thinking of a 4' lift just to clear chains it might depend on the tire size? I run 33's with a 2' lift and to me there is plenty of room for chains.
Personally these things aren't that quick with 35's and if it's your daily driver the higher you are (with a 4' lift) the worse it handles. But Bill will beg to differ I'm sure. I love mine on 33's. Tows really well too.
Good luck with the mods.

[crazyclark31]

dads got 305 16s on his 80 with 3in lift and has no probs with chains on. Has lined the inside with conveyor belt to stop them plucking the inside of grads out though.
One of the best mods hes done is fitted a rage 3in exhaust. And if he'd listen would up the boost a bit. And do the simple pump mods. Makes heaps of difference.

[wjw]

Sweet looking truck.
If you're thinking of a 4' lift just to clear chains it might depend on the tire size? I run 33's with a 2' lift and to me there is plenty of room for chains.
Personally these things aren't that quick with 35's and if it's your daily driver the higher you are (with a 4' lift) the worse it handles. But Bill will beg to differ I'm sure. I love mine on 33's. Tows really well too.
Good luck with the mods.

I dont disagree, when my AT's need replacing I will be going down to 33's as we will be buying a caravan next year. I will still have the 35" simexs though.

[a80crewza]

I'm running 33s with no lift, still looks to be enough room and could fit chains. I am planning to do a 2inch lift anyway for offroad clearance. I can post a photo if you want. Cheers.

[tweake]

Had heard bad rumors about big end bearing failure so wa quick to investigate.. Not bad but 5 and 3 had bits of shell missing. ......

good to see you caught it in time

[callumb]

I'm running 33s with no lift, still looks to be enough room and could fit chains. I am planning to do a 2inch lift anyway for offroad clearance. I can post a photo if you want. Cheers.

Yeah that would be great. How do u find it off road with it twisted up?

[callumb]

Hey guys. My truck has 31s albeit shagged ones on it but i jacked ot up today for a look. Seems to articulate with very little travel as the bump stops are so long. So going up two inches will give me a bit more but 4 would be a bit further. Id like yo see a 2 incher flexed up and compare it to my photos.

[skid]

Sweet looking truck.
If you're thinking of a 4' lift just to clear chains it might depend on the tire size? I run 33's with a 2' lift and to me there is plenty of room for chains.
Personally these things aren't that quick with 35's and if it's your daily driver the higher you are (with a 4' lift) the worse it handles. But Bill will beg to differ I'm sure. I love mine on 33's. Tows really well too.
Good luck with the mods.

you are gonna get lots of advice like this and lots more advice from others as well

All I can say is to take it all in and then make your own decision

my 80 has 35s for daily with 2" lift, manual and is no different from when i ran 33s, flexes bloody well too

the girlfriend was running my other 35s on hers with no lift, automatic with no noticable difference in speed or fuel consumption and flexed fine with no rub

as I say its up to you which way you go

[crazyclark31]

would say the shocks will be limiting the flex. Pas 80 is running raw shocks with his 3in lift and it can really twist up. Make sure you get the correct length shocks when you lift it. heaps of info on here about that stuff.

[zephyrheaven]

Flashing dash lamps is usually corroded terminals on the alternator two pin plug, pull it off and some dialectric grease in the slides - fixed. Or - if it persists pull alternator for overhaul

[Petemcc]

I don't think that a big lift will help you not get rub with bigger wheels.

You should only get rub when fully compressed. The up travel is limited by the bump stops rather than the springs unless they are stiff enough to limit travel. If they are that stiff its not ideal but maybe 80 series kits are? I haven't had direct experience with them.

In addition to this if you get longer shocks and allow more down travel the axle will use the bump stop as a pivot point. This will in turn actually allow the wheel to move further into the guard and make rubbing worse. That's how I see it working theoretically however in practice I'm not sure how much effect this would have?

Cheers,
Pete

[callumb]

Yeah I really appreciate the advice and will make my decisions based on other peoples experiences plus some common sense. liking the idea of a 2 inch lift. Good long shocks but not too long haha. Just want me wheels to be able to drop down into a big washout etc.

[xj]

callum. where did you get the shells from and how much?

Cheers

[callumb]

callum. where did you get the shells from and how much?

Cheers

got em through repco. Talk em down retail for 150bux

[xj]

cheers. I'll try my luck with SC first and see what joy I get. Im picking the part # from ACL is 7M8397.

[callumb]

Another truckdate. Today i slackened off the kickdown cable to the trans as i was getting very hard shifts between gears. Made a world of difference. Also took o
ut the slack in the accelerator cable. The trans kickdown cable was way too tight so hoping it wasnt masking a.other prob as it controls trans pressure.

Also fitted difflock , diff, trans breathers. Got sum plastic hose from mega. 5mm for difflocks.. 6mm for diffs and glued 10mm over the origianal trans breathers. Intresting to not the tubes vent to atmosphere rather than go back into the tube. However they have only been raised to the firewall so not much higher.

[suzolla]

Hi, can do a set of genuine big end bolts for $220 inclu post and have got them in stock. Don't have bearings.
Cheers
Tim

[xj]

Hi, can do a set of genuine big end bolts for $220 inclu post and have got them in stock. Don't have bearings.
Cheers
Tim

Hmm might have to look at finances and grab some on sat when I'm grabbing that gear from Wop-wops

[callumb]

Hi, can do a set of genuine big end bolts for $220 inclu post and have got them in stock. Don't have bearings.
Cheers
Tim

Hmm might have to look at finances and grab some on sat when I'm grabbing that gear from Wop-wops

the big end bolts dont need to be replaced unless they dont meet torque specs. Ill look at bearing p/n tomorro

[suzolla]

the big end bolts dont need to be replaced unless they dont meet torque specs

I am very curious how you are going to determine this.
The initial torque of 27 ft/lbs will not tell you anything about the condition of the bolts, and then when you do the 90 deg turn you wil not be able to tell how tight they are or how much the bolts have stretched.

Not saying you should or shouldn't fit new ones but just be aware of the above.

I imagine there are lots of people that have changed the bearings and reused their bolts with no problems.
FYI when I did my bearings the first time I didn't change my bolts, the next time I do them I will change bolts.
Cheers
Tim

[Jay]

would say the shocks will be limiting the flex. Pas 80 is running raw shocks with his 3in lift and it can really twist up. Make sure you get the correct length shocks when you lift it. heaps of info on here about that stuff.

Exactly ^^ - Im running 6" lift, drop boxes with EFS Extreme's and 35".

[reddog40]

I recon'd my 1HDT motor got everything from STA parts in Auckland they are by the auck airport. Probably the best prices you'll find. Get a petrol head they advertise in that.

[callumb]

Now I can't say I've done anything much atall in the way of mods to me truck in the last while. Saving mode. Not really saving alot though haha. I really do believe there must be cheaper options on lift kits as they're not exactly rocket science plus being a very popular vehicle.

[callumb]

Oh yeah one problem i was having was the auto dashlights werent working at all no reverse lights or buzzer, so with a quick internet search i found that there is a plug in the engine bay that is prone to corrosion so i pulled the plug and cleaned up lights work a treat now!!

[wjw]

I bought my lift kit 2nd hand for 280 just have to keep your eyes open, took 6 months thoug. Was a 6" lift

[callumb]

I bought my lift kit 2nd hand for 280 just have to keep your eyes open, took 6 months thoug. Was a 6" lift

Wow that's extremely cheap

[callumb]

So, found my feet so to speak and bought a set of 33s gt radial saveros (wich I quite like) and then took the truck out for a labour weekend trial, fitted a front tow hook and then pulled the tow ball off so a d-shackle would fit in there. Mate in his well modified safari with a winch and me in my winchless cruiser did serpentine road in Central otago, very good flex at standard height so I think all I'm gunna do is a 2inch lift and keep my center of gravity down too. Loved the truck, got stuck had to be very careful we didn't get both bogged, with a bitv spade work we managed to avoid a cock up, with the safari falling into a hole and me stuck in ruts... But bloody good. Will put some pix up of the tyres

[callumb]

Here's a cupla pics of the truck, anybody heard of those transmission valve body's that are supposed to be good? The change isn't flash on the old girl but ok. Ideas for the truck are a removable bed with underneath storage and a reel out changeroom, like a reel out awning, all ideas.