Offroad-Express

Well, The Club Isuzu guys asked for a one-piece story of what I'd done to the MU, so I sat down and wrote it all out before I forgot

http://www.4wdstuff.co.nz/mu

Its here, although most of the links are back to the various posts I made here at least its all compiled which should help anyone looking at doing a SAS on any IFS truck, or definitely on a MU or Bighorn

If anyone is interested, the truck is currently running and going really well. Its been for a pre-cert checkup with Wayne Martin, and with the exception of a couple of small things it should pass ok according to him, including the flipped arm setup - and although he would be happier with a plate rather than 4 spacers/nuts between the arms, he was happy that everything was tied together and couldn't move or come apart.

The other interesting thing is he told me one of the springs mounts was crap and needed rewelded before cert... ARGH! Ammusingly enough, its the factory Isuzu one I have never touched The rear chassis ones for the rear springs... I need more hot metal in them to pass I can do that...

Only problem I'm having with the suspension thus far is a common one to the Hilux rear spring swap - the drivers side pack is already inverted! I need to pack out the pack with more leafs and a nice thick one at the bottom to stop it bending back so easily... hopefully I haven't trashed the pack as it was brand new and I've only really had it offroad about 5 or 6 times... I still have the untouched third leaf and a couple of other packs with stiff leafs to borrow from.

Other than that, its all going to plan and I'm pretty happy with it. I've cut a hole in the front bumper for the winch to fit in, and that looks like it will tuck in nicely and shouldn't affect my approach angle too much at all - that should get mounted over the coming week.

Steve

Nice Steve. Very
Have one in our club about 2 weeks from completion getting an SAS done - coiled though I think. Will see if I cant hunt down some pics and/or info.

Rex

nice little link steve,good job mate you deserve it and its prob opened a few more doors for selling bits and pieces for ya.

i still reckon dark army gloss green,black rims and in small writng on the side in camo....HIMULUX EXPRESS

so get to it

Hey, that and the links are a great read, especially if you are about to embark upon the same journey. Really like the look of that MU with the axles all twisted, was trying to picture U-571 doing the same. Gonna have to knight you as the sth island SAS King there Steve.
Al

The South Island SAS King? Bloody hell, I'm not the only one doing them, I'm not even the only one on HERE doing them... I just take more photos than anyone else

But I think I've got the Surf ones down pat, and the MU one I could replicate pretty quickly and tidily again now I've done all the stumbling and bumbling on mine.

Terranos tho? Hmmm... well, the only thing that I'll have to get my head around is that output being on the wrong side for the axle... that WILL take some getting used to

Oh, and as for the camo thing... ummm... let me think about that... no.

I spent too long in the military to want my vehicle to remind me of it. I'm thinking maybe I'll just leave it how it is. I've already got the next 3 projects in mind and I need to prioritise and decide which ones next... but a 1-tonne rock crawling space-frame seems like a fun project... 3.8V6, 5-speed, dual t/cs, 37" MTRs... oh my mind does wander... what were we talking about again?...

Steve