It's been two years since I've got back from the islands so I thought it's about time I got the surf out of the shed and road legal.
Rear disc conversion is almost done. Just finished modifying rear bar for receiver hitch plus two extras which allow for motorbike frame and recovery points. Strengthened for towing trailer with landy on it.
Next steps. De rust front. Pull off front bar and paint. Replace flares, Take for cert. Build draws and bed in back
Attachments
Bit rusty underneath. Time for buff and under seal.
So the surf is now certed, wof'ed and rego'ed. Got a last minute wheel alignment from upper hutt tyres (cheers skid) and then gave it a 2000km test drive to the Bay of Islands and back.
One little issue with the front hubs where the CV goes through rattling away. Fixed by finally getting some free wheeling hubs in whilst in rotorua. That commercial and 4x4 wrecker there is awesome!
The torque converter lockup mod I wired in the day before leaving was magic. I pretty much drive it like a manual now. Just need the intercooler on it to give it that slight edge on hills.
then scroll down to grant-man post on Thu Apr 19, 2007 1:56 pm
which has 6 pics but basically you just cut this wire and insert a push button toggle switch which is capable of on|on so it toggles between a common(wire to lock up solenoid) and two power feeds. Feed 1 being the ecu which is normal mode and feed 2 being 12 volt supplied from somewhere like your radio or something.
Mine is a 94 and it was the same as this pic for the wire to cut.
I got the push button switch from jaycar, nice little unit with lots of pins so you can wire up some power and the light will come on.
Should have done this mod years ago. Was way to easy and worked straight away.
You can drive it like a manual, well sort of. Going up hills no more torque converter slipping. It will be very useful for towing at lower speeds. Running the 33's my converter doesnt lock up till around 90 and in overdrive. Now I can lock it in any gear except 1st. It pulls a lot nicer when it's locked. I don't put to much strain on it, and if it's getting up there I just release the switch. Made the 2000km's I did at xmas a lot nicer for a lifted surf on 33's doing 100km/hr .
Another mod for the surf spruce up, an intercooler Just pulled all the hoses to the turbo and into the inlet manifold off and sat the intercooler on top. I'll offset it for ease fitment and venting through the bonnet. Hopefully it doesnt look too weird offset, I've seen them before on other 4wds and it looked ok from what I can remember. But then that was factory. Offset I'll get a fan under it which will act as a heat shield which is a bonus. I've got a 2" body lift so there seems to be plenty of room to play with. I'm trying to get it done this week so hopefully be driving with it on the weekend and sort the bonnet scoop after.
I have the intercooler already. Off the next gen engine to mine so almost a perfect fit. No doubt you have a prado one that fits perfect! Scoops are only like $30 so might as well keep it with yours to keep the seat. Someone else will want it now
Thanks for the offer though sig
