Offroad-Express

I'm looking at purchasing a '91 Rugger, 2.8 turbo diesel, but know nothing about them. I would use the vehicle as a farm and transport vehicle, not for competeing or any really hard stuff!, and would like some pro's and con's about them, if anybody could help me.

dont know much about them, but think they have hilux gear in them. had two on the last trip i went on, one on very worn all terrains, and it went almost everywhere. fairly robust to i think. jsut wait to hear from jerry... he has one....

The running gear is not toyota , its Daihatsu . The diffs are typically 3.3 ration and no aftermarket stuff avalible for them , but they are strong enough . The offset is all to the right . Its also not a toyota motor , the toyota blizzard ( rebadged rugger and start of the prado ) but they also changed the engine to the 2.4 toyota diesel .
Don't have one so can't comment on how well they go but buy all accounts reliable .

Chris

Motors and gearboxes are Daihatsu built and come in 2.8 incl turbo versions, motor is also supplied to Toyota for use in Surfs etc (incl some cruisers), there are a lot of toyota parts on it eg electrics etc,

Plenty of power, economy is good, parts can be hard to find, and that also applies to off the shelf mod bits as well, being a swb to mwb is an advantage, Tow power is good (is 3.5t in the uk), Tyres max without mods is 31", stud pattern is 5 stud (Zuk) ....just need to make sure rims is the right offset to stop it rubbing at the front), reliable too...

Mine is a 87 2.8td with a factory hardtop which is removable, removable roof, factory PTO and adjustable suspension. seems to be a tough little beast, doesn't get stuck often .....good for towing jeeps

http://www.daihatsu-drivers.co.uk/
http://groups.msn.com/AussieDaihatsuRocky
http://www.warfs.org/

let me know if you want more info, pics or advice, should be ideal for farm work and shiny to medium trips...

Diffs are Daihatsu which means difflocks are hard to find off the shelf

PS

NZ New Rocky is the Import Rugger (Jap) or Fourtrack (UK)
NZ New Feroza is the Import Rocky (Jap) or Sportrack (UK)

told you...

Man I'm embarassed now...the other rugger got up that hill that I didn't with bald AT's (and I have mud tyres!!!)

dont beat yourself up. i made it up easier (i think) with sumitomos than blackbetty with simexs. it was hard ground up there... there was a bit more right foot from dave than you aswell...

So... cheap to buy, aftermarket is a bit awkward, cheap to run, can have lotsa fun on bald tyres.....
Sounds like a goer!
Now all I have to do is sell some other things before other half has a fit, at least she loves watching 4WD on the telly. Should be able to convince her. Her drive is a '98 Musso turbo diesel. OK for towing on the road, doesn't like to get dirty tho...

i know a chap that has thrown money at a rugger and given it a 2 inch lift with prado axles and 33's..

[quote="niblik"]i know a chap that has thrown money at a rugger and given it a 2 inch lift with prado axles and 33's..




Hmmmm, Oh well.

They have pretty good entry and departure angles. Theres someone else that lingers on here that had one, (dont know if hes posted yet, speak up Lenny) and he could go a lot of places quite easily too, and his was standard, on not so flash tyres either.

He did belly on the odd bank though, lol

I'm a little curious about this stuff (a mate got me to look at a rugger he was looking at buying a while ago.)

All this stuff about toyota/daihatsu engines etc. is confusing.

The Rugger I looked at had a non-crossflow head and that confused me, because......

if the 2.8 litre engine in the rugger is the same as the 2.8 litre engine in the hilux (3L) then would'nt it make sense that it would have a crossflow (intake one side, exhaust the other) head? I hav'nt seen a 3L but I do have a 2L in my surf, and it's a cross flow head, as the 3L is a newer updated engine to the 2L (same block) it would be odd if toyota went back to a non-crossflow head.

So there you have it, if the 2.8 litre engine in both vehicles is the same why would the Daihatsu have a non-crossflow head and the Toyota have a crossflow head?

I don't know

MULLET

A friend had an 88 Rocky with a 2.8 in it. It definitely was not a hilux motor

Have got a 91 Daihatsu Rugger, 2.8 turbo intercooled (unmodified as yet). Impressd with its power - definitely makes a difference having the turbo (test drove a non-turbo and it was like a tank in comparison).
Manages steep loose scree/boulder strewn hills ok but haven't had a chance to try it in mud yet. Found the engine braking a little lacking for a diesel - had to use the brake coming down slopes even in low ratio second and first. Also found it jumped out of gear a couple of times in low first under stress. But the hills were steep.
Suspension is crap on tarmac - can feel every lump and bump but it zips up hills like a dream - yay at last I can pass stuff !
The turning circle is pretty wide for its size (it is nowhere near as good as a Zuk).
But having said all that it's definitely growing on me. I've only had it for a few months but it runs really well and have had no problems with it. And was a snip at half the price of a Zuk !

P.S. The engine number on mine is DL-61 type Q-F71G-MST if that's any use to anyone

Also found it jumped out of gear a couple of times in low first under stress

Common problem for these....worn syncromesh on the gearbox/tcase or bearings, the gearbox etc is the weak point on them, Mine does this, I shove a bungee cord on the 4wd lever and attach to the pto lever to keep it in gear

Common problem for these....worn syncromesh on the gearbox/tcase or bearings, the gearbox etc is the weak point on them, Mine does this, I shove a bungee cord on the 4wd lever and attach to the pto lever to keep it in gear

Aaaaha! the one I test drove made a big ccaaruuunch when ever you shifted from 3rd to 2nd, I figured it must've been a shot syncro. It was one of the main reasons my mate and I were not keen on it.

MULLET

What's the factory default for the tyres on a Rugger ? Mine's got 31" - would this be why the car runs faster than it should downhill in low ratio ?
I know tyre size affects the gearing but it always confuses the hell out of me.

My factory wheels were 28 or 29 skinny things......

Mortisha wrote:What's the factory default for the tyres on a Rugger ? Mine's got 31" - would this be why the car runs faster than it should downhill in low ratio ?
I know tyre size affects the gearing but it always confuses the hell out of me.

the bigger your tyres the higher top speed you will have but less acceleration.
i remember it this way.. higher tyre higher speed.

i know a chap that has thrown money at a rugger and given it a 2 inch lift with prado axles and 33's

me too?


a little something I was working on a short while back and have to complete one day. Not quite a Diahatta but close enought
cheers

DJ wrote:

Not quite a Diahatta but close enought
cheers

is that i toymota blizzard?

I have found why mine is overheating (after the rallywoods trio and those bogs

This is the front of the radiator which is up against the aircon radiator in front of it, I did try and wash between the gap


This is the rear after 2 gentle washes


This is the Aircon radiator after a gentle wash


Does anyone know if this comes out easily?...The radiator is going in the bath to soak for a week......

It comes out easily, but will cost you $150+ to get the aircon system recharged when you put it back together, and you have to release the pressure carefully before you dissconnect the lines to it


In short, if your aircon works ok, leave it in place and steam clean it.

I was thinking of ripping it out totally and putting a couple of auxillary electric fans in the hole (on demand as required activated by a switch) that is left and convert the compressor to an air system instead. (if I get to hot inside all I need to do is unclip the front roof part and clup back in when it rains on the trip....

Also doesn't the aircon system contain nasty gas that is bad eg cfc ? would it be better to get it drained instead?

Jerry wrote:Also doesn't the aircon system contain nasty gas that is bad eg cfc ? would it be better to get it drained instead?

yes it would be wise.. i read a thread on here not too long ago about that very thing..

is that i toymota blizzard?

yep !!and toyota surf front and rear LSD diffs W56 gearbox? with the side plate for a PTO Diahatta springs over the top of the diffs,Lexus V8 Link plus computor Rancho 9000's, roll cage,ARB compressor, Snake Racing Hi steer and on and on and.......

release the pressure carefully before you dissconnect the lines to i

Please dont release this Ozone eating gas get a Aircon engineer to drain this for you
(naught .. bad boy DB)

Please dont release this Ozone eating gas get a Aircon engineer to drain this for you
(naught .. bad boy DB)

I'm not that much of a cowboy!!!!, I'll just leave it in for now.....quite nice on a hot day to have the Aircon on....

DJ wrote:

is that i toymota blizzard?

yep !!and toyota surf front and rear LSD diffs W56 gearbox? with the side plate for a PTO Diahatta springs over the top of the diffs,Lexus V8 Link plus computor Rancho 9000's, roll cage,ARB compressor, Snake Racing Hi steer and on and on and.......

release the pressure carefully before you dissconnect the lines to i

Please dont release this Ozone eating gas get a Aircon engineer to drain this for you
(naught .. bad boy DB)

sounds like a cool project and will be a very capable truck ......lol DB