The Skippy 101

[MAHINDRACJ4A]

Enclose the back and make a little bobtail ute thingy will go better without all that heavy canopy

like one of these ?

would look pretty different

[Jerry]

plenty of space to chuck all your deer on

[Dick]

Enclose the back and make a little bobtail ute thingy will go better without all that heavy canopy

like one of these ?

would look pretty different

Yeah that would be kool and different all rite. But what about if i put the seats back in, as i have done on the 'odd' occasion?

Im happy with it being like it is now anyway, but it would be cool indeed with that cover thingee you said.

[Dick]

Bit of an update on the bar work.

Sidebars, and a good part of the roll cage tacked in place.









Rear view
.

[turoa]

Looking good Dick

[Sadam_Husain]

I want some

[Dick]

Thanks guys. Its all possible cause of the fantastic skill of Klem, at Performance Mechanical, Taupo.

[Jerry]

Thats slowly being turned into a hillbilly hunting wagon

Like this...

[Dick]

Thats slowly being turned into a hillbilly hunting wagon

Like this...

No way, the skippy will look MILLIONS times better that that, and its a Diahatsu, NOT a suzuki, so its a whole class above already!!

[skid]

Thanks guys. Its all possible cause of the fantastic skill of Klem, at Performance Mechanical, Taupo.

don't let him touch it this morning, hes still pissed from last night.

Quote" I'll be at work at 6.30am Skid"

yeah right, last I heard he was going to town to get pissed and at 7.30 this morning he was nowhere to be seen.

Hey Dick you're rugger thingy is gonna feel silly after you have a drive of Klems supercharged lexlux today.

[rokhound]

Hey Dick,
What sort of tube are you using and what is the paper you are usin to stop the spark damage?

[Dick]

Hey Dick,
What sort of tube are you using and what is the paper you are usin to stop the spark damage?

Um I think its 35mm plain steel pipe (pretty much water pipe). Im not doin it myself as im not much of a welder and dont have the gear, but im pretty sure that its 35mm plan steel pipe.

The paper, once again im not too sure on exactly what it is called. When i put it on the truck it was quite stiff and strong, but yeah, I dont really know what you would call that stuff.

Sorry I cant be of much use there!!

[Dick]

Hey Dick you're rugger thingy is gonna feel silly after you have a drive of Klems supercharged lexlux today.

Yeah man, that truck is soooooo mean. I really enjoyed havin a drive in it today. I mean there is soooooo much power there, you just dont know what to do with yourself.

One day, ill love to put a powerplant like that in the Rugger. Now that would be kool!!

[Dick]

Update time.

Skippy has been bar-ed!



Better photos to come, when the rain stops!!

[basics]

looking good

[Jerry]

Looking good you need to try out that fron bar on a tree or 3 I'm assuming that you pulled out the PTO winch bit and threw away the rest of the old winch bar , also how did you protect the PTO drive?

[Dick]

Looking good you need to try out that fron bar on a tree or 3 I'm assuming that you pulled out the PTO winch bit and threw away the rest of the old winch bar , also how did you protect the PTO drive?

More like try the front bar on Landrovers!!

PTO bit is still in progress. Its been pulled apart and welded, just needs to be put back together and back on the truck. The old winch bar has been cut up and used as a base for this one as it is very strong. Protected, still working on that. Looking at a skid plate once the pto drive is put on. Thats happening on wed so will give an update on that then.

Cheers.

[Jerry]

Hey Dick have you seen this http://www.offroadexpress.co.nz/modules ... 6317#86317

[Dick]

Well I think it’s time for an update. Things have been sooo busy here, that I haven’t even had time to keep this truck progress build up to date, so now that I’m on holiday, here goes… (Sorry if it’s too long!)

Bar work was completed, as in the pic above. This exo cage covers the bulbar, sidebars, rear bars, windscreen bars, roof bars, and a few other bars in-between. This has been awesome, and I am very glad that I spent the money on the bars early, before I took it out. Each time i go out, i am very thankful for those bars!!

Next was the winch pto setup. This is all on now, and I am extremely impressed with this little winch!! After having it on, I don’t think that I would like to go off roading without a winch, ever, as it has saved me numerous times. We have made a strong skid plate to protect the pto drive, which had to be done as the pto drive really does hang down a fair bit.





However, not long after doing all this, tragedy struck. I was in Minginui, looking forward to a weekends 4x4’n, when at around 11.00am on the FIRST day, going up a rut, my timing belt broke. Bugger!....I was not happy. So later that night, I had an ‘interesting’ to say the least, tow over the hill and back home (2.5 hours ). Special thanks to a mate with his v8 cruiser and Dad for the assistance in towing me home safely.

This could be a reason why the timing belt broke, look at all the dirt:



So Back to the workshop. Off with the head, and even more bad news. Not only was 2 conrods bent but there was many cracks all through my head. Anyway, on went a brand new head, gaskets, conrods etc and she was back up and running again. YES!!!



Here is the head and where some of the cracks are:






The head cracking has been predicted to be caused by the engine overheating or running hot. Anyway, A new 2.5in straight through exhaust has been put in, which has allowed me to gain a few more horses, keep the engine cooler, and allow the truck to sound like a truck…..well, sorta anyway.

Now that the beast is back up and running again, I have been out as much as I can and am loving it. The truck is going great, however I think it is time for a new radiator and some suspension work.

Therefore, plans for now are to:
-upgrade suspension
-install intercooler, and cut holes in bonnet to allow heat dispersion
-install extra oil pressure and temperature gauges
-new radiator
-steel snorkel

I am keen on suggestions (please!!!) as to what I should do with the suspension, (ie spring reset vs. new springs), however I am looking for as much height as I can and new shocks preferably, and also ideas as to the best ways to install intercoolers.

Cheers,
Dick

[skid]

[color=darkred]I am keen on suggestions (please!!!)

Cheers,
Dick

buy orange

[Dick]

[color=darkred]I am keen on suggestions (please!!!)

Cheers,
Dick

buy orange

I would love to mate. i really would. However i have spent to much money on this truck to buy another!! But i have a shed it can stay in if you want, and i can take it for the occasional 'run' to keep her batteries goin while you are away!! haha.

[skid]

[color=darkred]I am keen on suggestions (please!!!)

Cheers,
Dick

buy orange

I would love to mate. i really would. However i have spent to much money on this truck to buy another!! But i have a shed it can stay in if you want, and i can take it for the occasional 'run' to keep her batteries goin while you are away!! haha.

too bad I towed it to welly on the weekend for another tyre kicker to look at

if it not sell, I'll be sure to bring it up one day and tow your ass round the bush

[Dick]

[color=darkred]I am keen on suggestions (please!!!)

Cheers,
Dick

buy orange

I would love to mate. i really would. However i have spent to much money on this truck to buy another!! But i have a shed it can stay in if you want, and i can take it for the occasional 'run' to keep her batteries goin while you are away!! haha.

too bad I towed it to welly on the weekend for another tyre kicker to look at

if it not sell, I'll be sure to bring it up one day and tow your ass round the bush

HAHAH. We will see about the 'tow' part my friend. The xmas trip was cool as to. U should have been there!!

[Jerry]

SKID ... You told me that its going to Rallywoods and the firewood loop ....Sig said that his truck is better than yours....better prove him wrong....

[skid]

SKID ... You told me that its going to Rallywoods and the firewood loop ....Sig said that his truck is better than yours....better prove him wrong....

you said the firewood loop, and his truck is better than mine.

more cubes, lockers, winch, coils, bla bla bla

do I have to say anymore

[Dick]

Right, time for an update I think.

Well i have been humming and haring about my suspension. I have tried new custom made springs. this didnt work out as planned so they went back. Looked at putting hilux springs into it, but that didnt give me the height that i wanted...So finally, i did a SOA.



Im really happy with the height, and the flex, for the springs im using. Standard springs and shackles in back, minus the overload leaf, and plus 2 of the bottom most leafs from a hilux spring. Front, we are using some OME hilux springs, with a 2" lift, however, they sit flat on my truck.



But so far, everything has worked out as planned. I have moved the centers on my wheels, to increase the wheelbase and compensate for the height gained. There is only one issue that is a result of the SOA - the STEERING. With the SOA, and the standard steering setup, i couldnt turn full lock left, as the steering arm from the box to the wheel, was hitting the underside of the spring. This also occured when the vehicle flexed certain ways...So for the mo, i have done something very very bad with my steering, and i bent the steering arm. ( i have 2 arms, so my good, original arm is still factory strait)



However, as this is bad practice from what i have been told, i am looking at an alternative to fix the problem. i cannot just put different steering arms (i think they are called) on each of the swivel pin housings (i think they are called) as you can with a hilux, because my steering arm works off the other 'cross'? arm. I dont know the terms, the pic explains what i mean.



So does anyone have any suggestions as to what to do here? Once i have my steering sorted, its cert time. I think that if i could get a steering arm that was factory bent, it would do the trick, however that may be difficult.

A few more pics:

[86-surf]

so wen are the bigger wheels coming?

[Dick]

so wen are the bigger wheels coming?

The day the toyota diffs go under Skippy, is the day the bigger wheels go on.

[Andrew1706]

I've been contemplating a SOA on my Blizzard for a while, being an engineer I can machine up my own stuff so it wont cost as much.

You got any details on exactly what you did for it? Swap and flip the mounts and then just u-bolt the axle down or did you make another cradle thing for the axle to rest in...?

[Dick]

I've been contemplating a SOA on my Blizzard for a while, being an engineer I can machine up my own stuff so it won’t cost as much.

You got any details on exactly what you did for it? Swap and flip the mounts and then just u-bolt the axle down or did you make another cradle thing for the axle to rest in...?

We made new spring mounts, it’s just easier than cutting the old ones off, plus we used the olds mounts, as a base for the shock mounts to be welded off. Rear drive shaft was ok for length; front one needed a 20mm spacer as it was too short.

Shock mounts needed to be re-made. I used the original ones, and welded the entire bar (cut it from the original plate) to the old spring mounts.

Brake lines needed extending. 110mm was about right for all 3. (Provided you springs sit flat) Breathers needed extending, which is easy as. Hand brake lines were ok for length, but needed to be unbolted from the mounts, and be held on by a loose cable tie as they get to0 tight when you flex.

Steering is the only big issue at the minute. The arm from the box to the wheel hits the bottom of the spring. Haven’t sorted it as of yet (except for the bad bending as shown above). Thinking along the lines of putting a higher steering arm off the kingpins like the hilux do. Still working on that however.

I think that covers most of it. You have to be aware of the castor angle in the front diff, and the drive shaft angles for both diffs.

Also, when you go up in height, you should also go out. I have made a bigger offset in my rims, giving me approx 60mm wider wheelbase, which was in order to compensate for the height gained. Don’t go to wide though else you will be forever doing king pin bearings.

If you have any questions, or require certain pics, because I have probably missed something, fire away.