Offroad-Express

Hi, I just arrived from the Uk where I was massively into to Offroading. I mostly owned Suzuki's, starting with a Vitara (think you call them Escudo's here) with a 2" lift and 29" tyres, then quickly upgrading to a SJ running 32" tyres, then I stepped up and had an SJ with Toyota axles, Ford Diesel Engine, Full Roll Cage, RockLobster and running 34" simex's. I sold this shortly before leaving england and decided to go down the light weight root and cut the roof off my spare parts SJ.

Welcome mate

I see you catch on fast everyone loves pics round here.

Nice zuki mate, What you thinking of getting here?

Cheers

Caleb

Hey man welcome aboard. Always good to have another Suzuki fan here. Vitara we have both escudo and Vitara, escudo being the jap import.

Cheers
Lincoln

A big welcome to another Suzuki Man, We wil excuse you for most things as we know you are English, but you do have the like the right sort of vehicle

Thanks for the welcomes guys. I been traveling for a few months and its been killing me not offroading. Im constantly looking at trucks.

I want another SJ as I just think their great and you can make them so good for the money but I dont have the gear over here, YET. The building in the backround of picture 1 is my Bro's workshop so all the weird and wonderful build idea's took place in there which was sweet. He's the one who got me into offroading but sadly theres no helping him, he's a Landrover guy.

I was looking at getting a truck that I could maybe compete in and I read somewhere that the production weight has to be more than 1300kg to stay in the bottom production class so that takes out all Suzuki's except the Vitara Diesel. So I was looking at a Pajero SWB 2.8 or 3.5 as I read these have more arch space than the other engines and can squeeze 33s on without much work.

This is my first SJ running 34" Simex's

This is my 2nd SJ running Toyota Axles and the same style tyres but just an inch wider

What are you thinking of competing in? there is Samurai's in the National winch comp and they have done very well
Al

What you have been told is an obscure rule from the national trials rules applicable to only 1 of the 6 ( or 7 with G ) classes . These events are typically only held in the north island .

Need to let us know what sort of event you are talking about or would like to do and the guys that know that event can help out . The events are a bit different to the video's of uk events I have seen . I do like the teams recovery events I have seen in video's from the uk . Wish I could get more interest here in them .

Cheers
Chris

My Bro used to do the Winch challengers and I would sometimes by the Co-Pilot Winch Guy but I would normally compete in what we refer to as Trails but not sure its the same as yours.

It was basically a series of courses laid out by tape and you had to drive them without stopping or touching the tape otherwise you got deducted points. This was perfect for the SJ as it was so light. I been looking at the 4x4trails.co.nz but looking at the video's this seems pretty serious and has some real speced out trucks competing. In England we had classes ranging from Stock trucks that were only allowed 2" lift and 31" tyres right through to 1 off customs buids with basically no limits. Don't know if its similar over here and if that 4x4trial is the same sort of thing.

That would be the two main types of events in NZ , of course the clubs have local stuff .
The trials roughly has three levels , A/B class , E/F class and C/D class . A/B sounds similar to what you describe , engine /gbox swap allowed and 31 tyres max . E/F allowed front susp changes and axle swaps . C/D anything goes pretty much but max 35 tyres . Rules are on the 4x4trials web site . A/ class rather small and the bulk are C/D trucks now . Its hard to pedal an A class truck around the hazards these days .

Never done a winch challenge but sure someone would comment . They seem to rule under the challenge rules and they are available on a web site somewhere .

Chris

Thanks for everyones help.

Thanks very much for the all Dr_PC it is very much appreciated. Looks like I am now on the look out for a 413 or Vitara.

Thanks again