Offroad-Express

Hi all, im about to take possesion of a slightly grazed LN130 but everything (sterring, chassis etc) seems to be all in good nick..
I was wanting to pull the body off the chassis and shorten the wheel base to make it around the same length as say a toyota blizard..
After this i was going to give it the hell lift and tyre treatment..
Even maybe repower it.
Would this work well off road, if not what could i do to make it work?
Oh as for body panels, i was going to use the least i could get away with as i want it as light as poss.. And im trying to do this on the very cheap!
And i want to try my new welder out on the roll cage!

Why shorten it? I thought surfs were about 105"WB?

what you should do is drive it a bit ( after its goin/driveable? ) and just see what ya think it needs and in what order, even come out on a few outings where a few lads have got lux's with a wide array of mods, so you'll be able to see and natter to someone whos 'been there done that'..

if 'cheap' is your angle, dont just go throwin money at it... it'll come back to bite ya and you'll end up spendin twice, so to speak....

Damm that was some sensible advice there Nib....

and as fun killing as it was.... very good advice, worth noteing


As for shortening it, for a large tire truck (35") there's nothing wrong with standard length, hell even if you push the axles out a bit at each end to improve entry and departure it wont hurt

I'm guessing your guestion was what do we think you should do....
we need more details.... what do you want to build... a club truck, challange truck, rock crawler.... or what ???
Is it gona be road legal ??
How big is your budget ??
What sorta skills do you have / access to ??
How sick do you want to go

More info

Cheers Reece

Thanks for your input and as said, some very sensible advice..
Im mainly going to be using it for trials and basicly for anti bog manouvers..
im mainly wanting the swb for more agility and lighter weight and im looking at some 35-36" swampers because i just organised a transplant i should have little trouble turning them..

Im also going to do a solid axle swap as funds become more avalible

Please keep the responses coming..

Oh as for budget its not really too (within reason) much of an issue as im doing it over a couple years and as for ability Im a very competent welder but i just really need ideas..

Don't piss around shortening the wheel base. around the 100" is the ultimate wheel base to have. The SAS should be your first major engineering priority.
But as Niblik said, just and go and use it, you will have no idea what you are after until you have done some trips out and about.
As your driving skill increases, then you will find the need to alter the truck to suit.
We have guys down this way who have the trucks from hell, as far as being set up and kitted out, but whats the point if you won't, or don't know how too, use it to the fullest capability.

Get out and start having some fun with it now

yep i second niby and rockhounds comments

i currently run a LN130 on/off road and have different probs but i can see what you mean about the wheel base..

I find the truck entry and exit angles to shallow but once ive modded my off roader it wont be a prob.


OK im convinced about not modding it too much but im going to do the SAS
and i managed to secure a high tourqe high revving light weight engine for 400 this morning..

So, plan so far Modify the hell out of the body
: Fit 36"+ boggers
: Give it a lift
: Engine Swap
: SAS
: 38 inch boggers LOL

Sounds good.
Post lotsa pics for the boys (and girls)

I'd put that SAS a bit further up the list. 36" rubber will grenade that cheesy front diff in very short order.

Cheers
Clint

I second the post by clint, The ifs diffs are crap. I am in the process of rebuilding mine as i managed to destroy all but the crown wheel in one go . AND THIS IS WITH 31's . So just a word of warning. unless you like changing diffs or cv's SAS it asap. I would If i had the cash. (mayb over summer )

Order of things as I see it

Buy your wheels this is great motovation
Buy a new front axle and a set of coon springs for the rear, easy way to lift and swing the rear, and possibly a new set of rear leaves for the SAS depending on what your ones are like

Engine swop, you've aready got this so go hard

run it till you kill the front end might as well have some fun... also help you with pannel work tag the panels that need to be removed with dints and crush marks

When its dead SAS, lift and boggers

Take it out and kill the remaining body pannels

Strip it off and buggy it with a cage etc

Hmm yea that about covers it Oh and lots of pics

Cheers Reece

doesnt he have coils in the back???