Surf: Noob Needs Help

[PAID]

hey guys.. fairly new to the 4wd game and thought this would be a good place to start for help. i've read a few of the posts here in the forum and you lot definately look like you know what you're talking about.. here goes..

i've got a 94 TD surf i've had for a few years.. its standard as hell, but it's time i started denting a few panels. im not looking to turn it into a Tuff truck, but want it to handle more than it can now. in short.. im looking for advice on where to start.

from what i've seen on the shiny runs i've been on, i'm gonna start with a couple rated tow hooks front and back but everything else is a mystery

i'm gonna do the diff breathers myself this weekend, a snorkel will follow not long after that.

the tough stuff is suspension.. dunno what i've got, so i dunno how i can change it.. obviously want to lift it so i can fit some mud rubber.

thinking about adding a rear lokka.. read here somewhere i'd get away with just the rear and the front can be a pain in the arse anyway.

the last on the list will be a new bull bar (for a future winch purchase) and a tow bar.. oh and some highlift jack points added at some point.

any help you guys can offer would be greatly appreciated.. i guess we should start with IDing my truck, so we know what susspension's underneath.. right?

[DJ]

hi
first off where are you? sometimes its better if someone has a look to see whats what then advise.
Dont belive every thing you hear about lockers in the front or even about lockers generally Different brands behave differently. Depending on what exactly you are doing LSD's front and rear could be the answer. I have run well set up LSD's for a while. Consistenly can easily out drive some well set up competion winch trucks. this will start disscussion ?? Look at safety issues first. You could start by upgrating the brakes especially the rear as they will give problems as soon as they get wet. then move on to bigger and better things
spend more, have fun, work, spend more, on it goes
cheers DJ

[mike]

I have the same surf as yours and have kept it stock standard except tow hooks and hilift jack points. Ive been through a few tracks and have got the same problems as you, dents. I have them in the rear bumper near the exhaust. This I will remedy by giving it a two inch lift, and putting 32" tyres on. I believe this will see me most places and the next will be the snorkel and then the locker. Of course all of this will come after my "real" 4wd is ready

Mike

[SupraLux]

Sounds like you just want to make it more capable for club runs. Things I would recommend:
fire extinguisher and first aid kit inside
tow hooks, at least one front and one rear
snorkle - not neccessary initially unless you are going to do a lot of river work - maybe re-route the intake to the firewall rather than the front headlight for when doing water play.
50mm lifted springs - easy to fit with basic tools and readily available - pm me for pricing asI haven't got them online here yet.
tweak the torsion bars up a little in the front and replace the front shocks with something a little stiffer like Monroe Adventurers to offset the fact the factory torsion bars are a little soft (especially after 10 years of life).
33" mud terrains will fit with a little "bashing" in the wheel arches under the plastic trim to stop scuffing. 32's normally fit fine, no real rubbing.
Rear brakes, yes as DJ mentioned they dissolve in water - drums suck. Disk brake conversions on Hilux axles are easy enough but I don't know if I would spend money there when they are better gains for smaller money elsewhere. Make a plan, get a budget, get it approved by the good wife then go mad

Steve

[PAID]

hi
first off where are you? sometimes its better if someone has a look to see whats what then advise.

good point.. i'm in auckland.

This I will remedy by giving it a two inch lift, and putting 32" tyres on. I believe this will see me most places and the next will be the snorkel and then the locker.

thanx mike.. a lift if definately on the cards.. but i dont know how to do that.. i'm telling you.. rookie rookie. is there a kit out there i can just throw money at and have installed? or is it substantially cheaper to DIM ?

Sounds like you just want to make it more capable for club runs. Things I would recommend:
fire extinguisher and first aid kit inside
tow hooks, at least one front and one rear

hey steve.. yeah initially i guess it will be club runs, but i wanna do as well i can on those runs already have a Fire Ex and First Aid Kit Sorted as well as a growing list of recovery gear

50mm lifted springs - easy to fit with basic tools and readily available - pm me for pricing asI haven't got them online here yet.
tweak the torsion bars up a little in the front and replace the front shocks with something a little stiffer like Monroe Adventurers to offset the fact the factory torsion bars are a little soft (especially after 10 years of life).
33" mud terrains will fit with a little "bashing" in the wheel arches under the plastic trim to stop scuffing. 32's normally fit fine

now this sounds like what i need to know.. i'll contact you soon regarding more details..

with regard to those wheel arches.. they just plastic right? noticed they hollow which sucks when it comes time to clean the truck.. mud and sand a pain to get out of there.. are there alternatives out there short of ripping them off?

again guys.. thanx very much for the help.. i'd imagine i'll be loaded with questions to start with, but the more i learn the less i'll need to ask

[DieselBoy]

You need two new raised height coils springs to replace the standard coils in the rear, and then adjust the yrosion bars at the front to level the vehicle out.
You can DIM it if you have the tools,time and patience, or if you have planty of $$ to splash around, then get a suspension shop to do it for ya.
Plenty of 4x4 specialist shops up auckland way for ya to choose from.
The same place may even be able to mount the hooks for ya, but again, thats an easy job if ya have the time and tools.
If you go to the Toyota dealer, they sell factory Toyota hooks that match up to the holes in your chassis, would save making funcky brackets to fit aftermarket ones.

What I would do, and thats cause i'm a little different, would be to bull every thing off that could get damaged like rear bumpers, flares and front bumper, put them in the shed for safe keeping so they don't get damaged and replace them with what ever you can get your hands on.
I have seen people put a section of tubing around the rear, from the back of one wheel arch all the way round to the other. Looks very "seriouse" and functional, but deffinatly not showy.
Hav seen the same at the front done, with the relocation of the indicators.

Fares are easily replace with flexible rubber ones, again not pretty, but functional. The holes left by removing the origionals areeasily temporarily filled with biy rivits, you could even get anodised ones for looks.

Basically pull all the shit of that could get damaged and leave it in the shed!!!

Don't get two carried away with diff locks, and get some decent rubber under the gaurds.
There are a lot of small things you can do aswell, like cutting bump stops etc, but we will get to those in time!!!cheers,
Pete

[PAID]

thanx db.. on the hunt now for flexi flares.. plan to pull the bumpers off eventually, but will probably leave those til a bit later.

imma order the tow hooks off the site here and DIM those in asap.. need them the most i reckon. there is a factory hook on the front.. can be trusted if i change the bolts to HTs?

[DieselBoy]

Front hook, well that depends.
Is it a steel eye or loop welded to a backing plate that is then bolted to the chassis, of is it a single piece cast hook that bolts to the chassis, no welds in sight??

If its the former, advertise it on trademe

[SupraLux]

For your own peace of mind ditch all the hooks - you have no idea what the previous owner did to them or with them... a bit like Nissan owners and their Michael Jackson pics on the air freshner or dash Sometimes its safer not to ask... just get rid of it all and start fresh.

The standard aftermarket hooks have the same hole spacing as the threaded insert holes under the front of each chassis rail, and if they still look sound then use them until you can get a decent scab plate welded in to strengthen it (have a ticketed welder do that) as I've heard of those pulling out or stripping over time. Use good quality hardware - a flying hook is a killer.

*WARNING* The bolts which come with most of those standard hooks are imperial but the threaded inserts are metric - buy 2 Metric fine (1.25 pitch from memory) HT bolts from a reputable bolt reseller like Blacks Fasteners to replace them... don't just think the holes are full of mud so a bit more oomph will get them in...

Steve

[DieselBoy]

What Steve said :cheers: :cheers:

[PAID]

you guys rock.. tow hooks ordered.

expect more questions shortly

[PAID]

ok.. whole project stalled as i've been made redundant

have decided at this point i will concentrate on new rubber first.

any ideas as to what i can fit without a lift? plan on keeping my A/Ts.. so will need new rims as well.. any advice would be appreciated.. i'll be keeping an eye on trademe etc

[SupraLux]

I'm pretty sure Conan will be selling his 31" x 10.5 x 15 ATX23's which are in pretty new knick... they look rediculous on his SAS'd surf

They're damn near brand new and are a good tyre for the money

You'll get bigger on, but not much without mods - and even then they'll rub on articulation.

Steve