Offroad-Express

Ok, we'll looking good anyway.

Having some fuel pressure problems. Pump loses prime on an angle with the nose up. It's not great as when I'm stuck and winching out, wanting the engine to keep running so the alternator charges the battery. Also on long hillclimbs she fades. Will move the fuel pump down to near the tank. Wanted it up top of the engine bay to keep it up out of the mud and water and mud. Just have to carry another one in case of failure.

Snapped a cv, could have been easier to change. That stub axle mod is looking like a good idea.

The fuel pump is on the left, blue non return valve further left. Pressure regulator right of the pump,

Cert guy did not like the bits4vits steering spacers. Had to get a block machined. I like it better this way.

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Does this replace the rubber disc in the steering?

Yes it does. Lack of flex from the block has been no prob. It is drilled and tapped.

Gears.

Ring and pinions have some noise on deceleration. This is from the set up, waiting to hear back from the guys who did the install. After some web searching seems like the preload on the pinion. It's weird when driving it doesn't happen until 70km, then you would swear it is coming from the front, but I'm driving in a straight line in 2wd.

I've got an auto 3 speed box. So taller low gears. With the new diff gears its quite good on the highway (I think I mentioned). It's good off road too, the auto box gives good crawl ability from the lock up torque converter.

If I had the 4 speed auto, it would be a bit lower. Manual 5 speed is lower than that again.

So I can go slow and lock up both diffs, I need to do more testing, but maybe in more controlled way where one of my axles is not submerged in mud (lol).

I like it heaps now, probably would not go bigger tyres, I guess the auto box will define the way I learn to drive it and drive it. But also the auto box is much softer on the transmission and drive train.

crzyfl wrote:Yes it does. Lack of flex from the block has been no prob. It is drilled and tapped.

Wow I'm surprised the certifier would let you get away with that, it's a classic fatigue scenario and potentially very dangerous. You just got to hope it's the firewall flexing and not any of the steering components cause you wouldn't want them to break!

Not sure you understood. The block is not flexing. Firewall is not flexing. The block is made of tensile steel. Where it is now is much stronger than the arrangement that was there. I can't see the need for any flexibility in that join. You would only need that if the bodies position in relation to the chassis (where the steering is mounted) was moving.

If I am wrong set me straight though, that's my immediate idea.

There's defiantly relative motion between the chassis and the body. That's why there are rubbers on the body mounts, the brake lines have a rubber section between the chassis and body and the steering has a rubber flex joint in it. I've seen this mod done before but couldn't understand why. If your worried about the slop in that joint you can tighten it up by changing out the plastic spacers for larger diameter ones.

Diffs,
Installer was excellent. Took zuk down to him on trailer. They rebuilt the back three more times, testing after each rebuild. Front twice more. Picked it up from him. Drove home from Wanganui. Still a noise from the back on deceleration. Got home. Drivers side of the axle is now hot after driving on road. Front locker leaks air out of the breather, meaning they probably damaged a seal on one of the rebuilds. Found that also the drivers cv is snapped again too. It was a second hand one though.

When you guys break cvs do you buy new or used ones? Do new ones last a while?

Put a bits 4 vits spacer in the passenger side to put the axle back into the housing.

Pissed off.

New plan.
Remove spring spacers and strut spacers. Suspension lift will be then 3". Struts will lose some down travel, which isn't good for the cvs. Change body lift blocks to 3" ones. When the front end is in pieces we will do the widening mod, stub axle conversion, and make explorer hybrid cvs. Will remove the diff carrier and check for leaks. I think it will be the o rings in the ring gear bolts, so I'll have a set of those handy.

So will have less suspension, more body lift, stronger front end. Locker that doesn't leak. (Then next set of rubber will be 33s)

Interesting at the LandSAR 4x4 course last weekend.

Autos - stand on the brakes (left foot) and use enough accelerator to overcome them in a controlled way. Can get very low crawl speed. Can back down hills without truck taking off.

My only problem was broken cv which made the front wheels lose traction when backing down a hill using the technique. Truck pulled to one side and nearly rolled. Should have scared me more than it did. Annoying though as I really wanted to try some of the other obstacles. Instructor said couldn't do it in my truck with the broken cv (rightly so).

Took bits4vits spacers out, strut spacers.
Cv angle looks great. Down to just 3" fts springs and 2" body.

Did the widening mod too, but had to reverse that as the drivers cv sits out of the diff too far and isn't in the sidegear. Cv shafts and stub axle are being made, at which point will go to wide holes again.

Strange thing though is that noise from back diff went away. There is still an occasional click, but the noise that occurred on deceleration at highway speeds is now gone.

Right,
Got stuck on the 42 traverse, shouldn't have, front locker not working. Stripped the front end, found the bulkhead fitting that goes from the flex plastic lines to the inside of the diff copper lines was leaking. Second time. Sorted that. Put it back together with the widening mod back. (second time I have stripped the front end and rebuilt for that locker bulkhead fitting).

Went wheeling, camber bolts don't ever last the trip, end up coming home on heaps of negative camber. This time broke both front CVs, (explorer ones still not completed). Moved top strut mounts, camber fixed, can now do away with those camber bolts.

Spring spacers back in, was all set up for the extra lift.

Can climb really well with lockers, just need some gears in the t-case now.

Negative camber soaks up a lot of power on the road.

Experiencing some brake fade, is this common? Anyone got a fix for it?

Bump selling

Hi just wondering where you got you flares from, how wide are they and what was the $/m?

They are flexi flares. Low range off road. 100mm wide. Can't remember the price.