Offroad-Express

About 3-4 months ago I decided I needed to upgrade the rear diff.

Went to the wreckers and they had a late model bare diff housing but couldn't tell me what it was out of but had all the big bearing sizes.

I found the 100 series cruiser bearings would fit it so bought a kit.

Bill "WJW" got me a Yukon hilux Ring and pinion but when it arrived would have needed nearly 3mm of shims to make it work so did more research and bought a Yukon Toyota V6 ring and pinion but still not sure whether that is the correct one or not .

I also bought a V6 shim setup kit which was useless

The parts arrived Friday and Yukon told me the pinion shim needed is 0.67 thou.
Not even in the paddock.



I then added .75mm or 30 thou up 97 thou and this is how it looked



Too deep so I removed 5 thou to 92 and it looked good. At this stage I threw all the Yukon shims away and used just one toyota one of the right size



Time to fit the solid spacer. Started doing up the drive flange and something is wrong. Pull to bits and found the solid spacer won't fit through the oil retainer on these diffs so out with grinder.
Next problem. The shims in the kits only come in multiples of 5 thou and this made it impossible to get the right preload. Went from no preload to 25 inch lbs

Back to the drawing board. Toyota have 10 shims a bit over 1 thou apart from 2.70 to 3mm so went down to Kevins place "OlBlue" and used his lathe to reduce the solid spacer and use the cruiser ones I keep in stock.

Toyota use just one shim that is the right size as opposed to a whole lot of little ones in a pack so is miles better.

So after a whole day of mixing and matching I am completely happy with the end result and now have a brand new diff with the latest ARB locker





So next weekend I will fit and test ready for the North Is trip in 11 days.

Cheers Richard

Pulled the old rear diff with ARB RD 23 out for the last time hopefully tonite

This is why I am replacing it with the latest RD132

Upon inspection the Whole diff is in perfect condition Except for another broken cross shaft in the locker. This is the 3rd one I have broken now.

The pin in the DR 23 is 16mm . This has been upgraded in the RD 132 to 18 mm so is a lot stronger.

RD 23



RD 132



Different shape of the teeth between Yukon and Toyota. Yukon on the left



Tomorrow nite fit the new diff

Cheers Richard

If you are after robustness Then replacing that copper air pipe with one made from brake-line would be a good idea. The copper will fatigue and fail. Might last longer with some vibration coils in it but much better to be made from steel brake-line.

Im using Mudzilla's computer. And Jafa's acc.

Jafa ,Mudzilla and myself have had a very good week.

Poor old hilux not looking much better for wear after the experience of Waitawheta.

Dents on dents

Would have to be the hardest track I have ever done. Took us 9 hrs going clockwise up hill



Cheers Richard

Dents on dents

We expect nothing but Jaffa
Al

Jafa wrote:Im using Mudzilla's computer. And Jafa's acc.

Jafa ,Mudzilla and myself have had a very good week.

Poor old hilux not looking much better for wear after the experience of Waitawheta.

Dents on dents

Would have to be the hardest track I have ever done. Took us 9 hrs going clockwise up hill



Cheers Richard

it looks like she has taken a beating poor little truck , i hope you are going to show her some love soon bulletproof

walked the track to recover some tracks once , showed the wife the start of the track but don't think i will take me safari in the there again

did ya drive the hill , how wet was it in there .

Where's the track, more pics. You's have wet my appetite for a good hard track. Need to get up north .
Al

lexlux wrote:did ya drive the hill , how wet was it in there .

NO.... Lost count of how many winches to the top .. Even Jafa.. It was a beautiful clear day, but rained the day and night before. We found out rock crawlers are no good on tree stumps .. (BP and I managed to climb over ) Jafa had to dig a hole and push the stump into so he could drive over it . He still out drove us nearly every where else tho . It's changed a lot since last time I was in there.. 9hrs, 3 trucks, Not a bad time as we had no winch bitch's, We had to do a lot of walking back and forward helping each other. We are all a bit Fkt as we spent the previous weekend in Pureora and yesterday at Thompsons to finish our week off.. Now got a few things to fix on the truck .. Hummm, maybe I should go back to Winch Challanges... Nah.
We have had an awesome week, Meeting Richard and Janet and Having Jafa up here again, Meeting guys and girls from Naki and Welly, Lots of laughs and tough 10 days four wheeling.

albundy wrote:Where's the track, more pics. You's have wet my appetite for a good hard track. Need to get up north .
Al

Hi Al

Arrived home 11.30pm last night.

The Waitawheta track when it is wet is miles more challenging tha anything I have done in the South Island.

Even with our three modified trucks it still took 9 hours. Wayne told me that most electric winches burn out in there.

It is in from Paeroa and is a 16k circuit. Many people spend the whole night in there so we took sleeping bags incase.

Janet has taken a real action packed video so when I put it on a DVD, if anyone wants a copy they can PM me . with postage will be 5-10 dollars.

The Pureora forest also has really good tracks.While we were there a northland 4x4 group took 6 trailer trucks in and only 1 came out by itself.

We managed to tip 1 on its roof.

I will post some picture Later

Cheers Richard

Waitawheta track is off the karangahake gorge between Paeroa& Waihi

Washing the Hilux



Cheers Richard

most of that will buff out soon have back in shape

mudzilla wrote:
NO.... Lost count of how many winches to the top .. Even Jafa.. It was a beautiful clear day, but rained the day and night before. We found out rock crawlers are no good on tree stumps .. (BP and I managed to climb over ) Jafa had to dig a hole and push the stump into so he could drive over it . He still out drove us nearly every where else tho . It's changed a lot since last time I was in there.. 9hrs, 3 trucks, Not a bad time as we had no winch bitch's, We had to do a lot of walking back and forward helping each other. We are all a bit Fkt as we spent the previous weekend in Pureora and yesterday at Thompsons to finish our week off.. Now got a few things to fix on the truck ..

You mad bastards!!!!!!!

Waitapheta is a hard slog in the middle of summer, let alone after the wet (did i say weeeeeeeet!!!!!!!) weather we have had over the last month and a half!!!!

9 hours in winter is outstanding, three good trucks, three experienced drivers, makes all the difference!!!!!

Best part is, next time you go catch up with the Buller Club, you can tell them what real mud is like, they would never believe me

It was a good week.. 3 days in Pureora.. Plus a quick play up Thompson's..Photos to follow.. then Richard and Janet did a 13hr drive home .. and Jafa went on for a weekend at Rallywood's.

DieselBoy wrote:

Best part is, next time you go catch up with the Buller Club, you can tell them what real mud is like, they would never believe me

The nearest terrain to it on the West Coast would have to be Moa Bones when it is wet.

Waitawheta would have to be 20 times worse.

Jafa sums the Waitawheta track up well. He said most tracks you drive a few hundred metres and the do an obstacle and the drive some more.

Waitawheta is the opposite, the obstacles are a few hundred metres and then you only drive a few metres to the next hundred metres of obstacle.

Cheers Richard

Bulletproof wrote:

DieselBoy wrote:

Best part is, next time you go catch up with the Buller Club, you can tell them what real mud is like, they would never believe me

The nearest terrain to it on the West Coast would have to be Moa Bones when it is wet.

Waitawheta would have to be 20 times worse.

Jafa sums the Waitawheta track up well. He said most tracks you drive a few hundred metres and the do an obstacle and the drive some more.

Waitawheta is the opposite, the obstacles are a few hundred metres and then you only drive a few metres to the next hundred metres of obstacle.

Cheers Richard

So true!!!!!

That track can really push the boundaries of whats actually fun

The sense of achievement when you come out the other end rates pretty high though

Really Stuck at Waitawheta



Cheers Richard

Only 3 weeks until Janet and myself have our annual 4 wheel drive get together with Paul and Andy Delis.

Going to Westport this year so that will be a change from Reefton that we have done for the last 2 new years.

I will be busy as the hilux needs a warrant so I will have fix damage from Waitawheta and Pureora.

2nd broken Windscreen this year
Drivers door nearly ripped off hinges
Radius arm bushes need replacing

Can't wait

Cheers Richard

Know what you mean Richard. Have had to relpace both doors and new pins in hinges, body mounts, tyres, front wheel bearings and some serious panel beating after the Reefton Challenge. Enjoy your New Year Trip.
Al

Bulletproof wrote:Only 3 weeks until Janet and myself have our annual 4 wheel drive get together with Paul and Andy Delis.

Going to Westport this year so that will be a change from Reefton that we have done for the last 2 new years.

I will be busy as the hilux needs a warrant so I will have fix damage from Waitawheta and Pureora.

2nd broken Windscreen this year
Drivers door nearly ripped off hinges
Radius arm bushes need replacing

Can't wait

Cheers Richard

and a few hundred thousand ruc's eh mate?

Truck's looking good there Richard.
Was good to catch up earlier. Those videos of your last trip were awesome!

Bought myself an early Xmas present today.

A new Cigweld transmig 250 with 4 metre long leads. So mods and repairs should be easier now. Decided to get rid of my 300amp arc and 175amp mig and just have 1 welder.

Test welds up to 12mm I have done today are good so I am very happy.

Cheers Richard

Bulletproof wrote:Bought myself an early Xmas present today.

A new Cigweld transmig 250. So mods and repairs should be easier now. Decided to get rid of my 300amp arc and 175amp mig and just have 1 welder.

Test welds up to 12mm I have done today are good so I am very happy.

Cheers Richard

Nothing like buying yourself a xmas present. At least you know it's going to be useful.
Nice one Richard.
Merry christmas to ya.

thats a good welder to have at home do you run hard wire only?? you can run flux core with co2 with that

then that will be the strongest weld you can do

yeah with cheaper gas too

howd u do ur rear disks, need sum advice. cheers