Offroad-Express

Hi Guys,

I currently have a S1 Landie, and am considering upgrading to a better truck. Also i want it to be road legal so i can drive it to trips instead of towing the thing all the time. And power steering is a must!!!

Im just starting out and my budget is for around $4k all set and ready to go. So, does anyone have any suggestions as to what i should do? Am looking at a safari or toyota lux or mabye a suzuki, but not really sure, so any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Dick

How hard do you plan on offroading?? That sort of budget and beeing that you want power steering, then I would possibly look at a vitara?? Are you likely too have another $1k in 6 - 12 months too throw at it?? Then maybe a early hilux and save for an engine upgrade. Plenty of options pending on your planned use??

Im not going to be getting to hard core - just club runs and stuff like that. No Trials or events etc. Are those suzuki's any good off road, being they are not that big? And i could possibly put another grand into it. Cheers

Find a cheap safari, strong as shit. You might be lucky and get an early model GQ for that coin.
Al

2nd that get a cheap coil safari, strong reliable club truck

swampa wrote:2nd that get a cheap coil safari, strong reliable club truck

get a landrover disco or range rover and put nissan safari diffs into that......far more superior to any safari and they come standard with v8's

Buy one of these, http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing ... &key=36054
Cheap to run
Soild Axle
Coils
Not an old rusty heap
cheap parts
reliable

mroffroader wrote:

swampa wrote:2nd that get a cheap coil safari, strong reliable club truck

get a landrover disco or range rover and put nissan safari diffs into that......far more superior to any safari and they come standard with v8's

But will i be able to get a disco and put safari diffs in it for 5 g? And wouldnt the diesel be nicer in respect of fuel economy?

Also, would a safari with say 260,000kms on the clock be ok with the higher kms? Here is a Suzuki - Are they any good??

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=94988468

albundy wrote:Find a cheap safari, strong as shit. You might be lucky and get an early model GQ for that coin.
Al

I second that

For that budget, I'd be inclined to stick with something smaller with a petrol engine, like a Suzuki.

There's a good chance a bigger truck, especially a diesel, for that kind of money is going to start costing money in the next little while & if you have a 6 cyl diesel, any problems with it will be fairly expensive to rectify.

A Vitara would be a good, inexpensive truck for club runs. I'd probably go for a 413 though if it was me for the extra capabilities off road, but obviously a Vitara would be more comfortable on road

Cheers

hinsonberger wrote:For that budget, I'd be inclined to stick with something smaller with a petrol engine, like a Suzuki.

There's a good chance a bigger truck, especially a diesel, for that kind of money is going to start costing money in the next little while & if you have a 6 cyl diesel, any problems with it will be fairly expensive to rectify.

A Vitara would be a good, inexpensive truck for club runs. I'd probably go for a 413 though if it was me for the extra capabilities off road, but obviously a Vitara would be more comfortable on road

Cheers

Thanks for that. By a suzuki, would something along the lines of this be good?
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Cars/Suzuki/photos/a-94988468/p-36571738.htm

Are they any good offroad? WHat about having no power steering? would this be difficult to steer off road, like my landie is? Thanks.

In budget and set-up!!

Gotta be a winner, seriously cool looking little truck

that thing would hold is own off road easily enough id imagne

Dick wrote:

hinsonberger wrote:For that budget, I'd be inclined to stick with something smaller with a petrol engine, like a Suzuki.

There's a good chance a bigger truck, especially a diesel, for that kind of money is going to start costing money in the next little while & if you have a 6 cyl diesel, any problems with it will be fairly expensive to rectify.

A Vitara would be a good, inexpensive truck for club runs. I'd probably go for a 413 though if it was me for the extra capabilities off road, but obviously a Vitara would be more comfortable on road

Cheers

Thanks for that. By a suzuki, would something along the lines of this be good?
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Cars/Suzuki/photos/a-94988468/p-36571738.htm

Are they any good offroad? WHat about having no power steering? would this be difficult to steer off road, like my landie is? Thanks.

nope those zooks are reasonably easy to steer.... I would be very very cautious of that zook rust wise!!!! see those checker plate panels, they are where zooks rust out (behing the original flares) it looks lik he has roughly taken off the flares and replaced them with that checker plate (its not even on straight!!! be careful!!

As mentioned, be careful about checker plate. Often used to hide a multitude of sins Having said that, the truck you linked to may be pretty rust-free. You'd have to have a look, or get someone who knows what to look for check it out for you.

If it was me, I'd go for a nice standard truck & then add some subtle modifications to enhance the already excellent 4WD capabilities of the vehicle.

Buying a vehicle already modified will be cheaper than doing it yourself, but then modifications may not be done to a high enough standard, plus the vehicle may have been modified in ways you don't need or want? If you start off standard, you will learn what your vehicle can & can't do before spending money on modifications.

Modifications are such an individual thing!

Also, what have you done to your Series I? The steering should function fine & not be difficult to steer, especially offroad??

Cheers

Im not to sure as to why the steering is difficult off road with the series 1. Someone has done a mod on the steering, and welded the top link to the relay box so i cant adjust it, and when your doing tight turns slowly, its quite difficult. Thats not because of the weld i think, its just when the suspension is not level it gets really hard.

The new truck i want to have a wof/rego too so i can drive it everywhere and just be a bit more confortable. Is there any truck you would recommend that i start off with from factory?

Also, would a safari with say 260,000kms on the clock be ok with the higher kms? Here is a Suzuki - Are they any good??
You can put 500,00 K's on these motors with no problems. Some of them in Oz have 1,000,000 ks + on them.
Al

albundy wrote:Also, would a safari with say 260,000kms on the clock be ok with the higher kms? Here is a Suzuki - Are they any good??
You can put 500,00 K's on these motors with no problems. Some of them in Oz have 1,000,000 ks + on them.
Al

Ok cool. thanks. Even the suzukis? Cool. What about the diesel injector pump shitting itself on the safaris with 260,000kms on the clock? Is this common and costly? Thanks.

Dopn't know anything about the zuks. As for the diesel pump , all the ancillary stuff will need replacing on the motor at some stage, just the motor itself will last the k's.
Al

If I was starting out on a limited bufget, I am pretty sure it would be a Rugger or such like. I like diesels, see!!

Mah bro had one and it was a great wagon, handled ok, was cheap to run, went more than ok offroad.

Good luck and keep us all posted as to your final choice.

Thanks for that.

Well so far, after talking to a few people, i think i might go for a Suzuki SJ413 cause they are light, easy to handle and maintain and dont cost much. Diesel would be good however with the new sulphur etc in the gas i dont want to have to pay for a new injector pump on an older diesel motor(after allready paying $1400 for a new pump for my landie).

The zook being a petrol is easy for me to fix and run, while still being able to do everything that i want out of an introductory truck. Safari would be good, however its gonna cost me a bit to get a good one, then there is the thing with the diesel pumps again on that age vehicle, but i can see where you are comming from.

So yeah, i think i will look out for a Suzuki SJ413. See one around by any chance??

Cheers

Dick wrote:Thanks for that.

Well so far, after talking to a few people, i think i might go for a Suzuki SJ413 cause they are light, easy to handle and maintain and dont cost much. Diesel would be good however with the new sulphur etc in the gas i dont want to have to pay for a new injector pump on an older diesel motor(after allready paying $1400 for a new pump for my landie).

The zook being a petrol is easy for me to fix and run, while still being able to do everything that i want out of an introductory truck. Safari would be good, however its gonna cost me a bit to get a good one, then there is the thing with the diesel pumps again on that age vehicle, but i can see where you are comming from.

So yeah, i think i will look out for a Suzuki SJ413. See one around by any chance??

Cheers

I think you MAY have it ass backwards.

I seem to have heard that we have gone to LOW sulphur diesel, not high!!!

Wish we could get "city" diesel like they got in the UK and Europe.

However, a "413" is a real good choice, Mate had one with a 2.0L nissan bolted in and I knew of another that had a 2.0 toyota mota. If you go toyoda way, use the 3S-FS-E series out of Rav, Corona corolla range, you would need the ECU etc, but there are so many around now, they SHOULD be cheapish. damn good donk and being fuel injected, easier to waterproof.

(wait for it, I here a storm of protests coming..........)

What about http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motor ... 117911.htm

Moriarty wrote:

Dick wrote:Thanks for that.

Well so far, after talking to a few people, i think i might go for a Suzuki SJ413 cause they are light, easy to handle and maintain and dont cost much. Diesel would be good however with the new sulphur etc in the gas i dont want to have to pay for a new injector pump on an older diesel motor(after allready paying $1400 for a new pump for my landie).

The zook being a petrol is easy for me to fix and run, while still being able to do everything that i want out of an introductory truck. Safari would be good, however its gonna cost me a bit to get a good one, then there is the thing with the diesel pumps again on that age vehicle, but i can see where you are comming from.

So yeah, i think i will look out for a Suzuki SJ413. See one around by any chance??

Cheers

I think you MAY have it ass backwards.

I seem to have heard that we have gone to LOW sulphur diesel, not high!!!

Wish we could get "city" diesel like they got in the UK and Europe.

However, a "413" is a real good choice, Mate had one with a 2.0L nissan bolted in and I knew of another that had a 2.0 toyota mota. If you go toyoda way, use the 3S-FS-E series out of Rav, Corona corolla range, you would need the ECU etc, but there are so many around now, they SHOULD be cheapish. damn good donk and being fuel injected, easier to waterproof.

(wait for it, I here a storm of protests coming..........)

Have ASS Backwards???? Ok then. I dont know bout the suphur, just that they are changing it, but its all sweet. My mistake - sorry.

Jerry wrote:What about http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motor ... 117911.htm

Really? I was told to stay away from the lada's due to their lack of wheel arch clearance and the 'trouble' (whateva that is) that happens to them???

Worth a look! Cheers

people I have spoken to say they are built like a brick shithouse, a Nissan 1800 or something drops nicely into them, rear difflock as standard, parts are really cheap, great budget truck.

A mate of mine bought one a while ago and

A. that this is a weapon no doubt about that!! &

B. it's sturdy as all hell!

He's been through some pretty ferral stuff and it just keeps on trucking even though he gives it absolute aresholes, Never misses a beat!
I can also vouch for the SJ413 as well as another mate has one that he restored. If that thing gets stuck we're turning around and finding another way!

Just my 2c worth.

Rhys

Jerry wrote:people I have spoken to say they are built like a brick shithouse, a Nissan 1800 or something drops nicely into them, rear difflock as standard, parts are really cheap, great budget truck.

hey, would be a damn good choice.

When new, they had a serious electrical prob, Mate in Huntly had one and the only way he could fix the elec prob was to have a full rewire done.
After that, it was his main pig-hunting truck and knowing Hec, probably still is!!!

Cheap to run and not overpowered for it's running gear, will handle a SR20 Nissan ok too.

What about a '92 - '95 Mitsi Pajero or a 1990-'92 Toyota Landcruiser?

The mitzi's you can get quite cheap, and some are diesel or v6 petrol i think. However with the diesel, im back to the possibility of doing an injector pump in the future, as with the toyota being diesel, and offroad im not to sure if it can get where the zook can??

Any comments on these vehicles??

Cheers.