Dancing Hippo Build-up...what would you do?

[walker]

I have recently started a build-up of a 1987 Rangie. What I would like to get is as many opinions/ideas as possible as to what you would do to her.

It is going to be a weekend off-roader only and will carry over much of the gear I have on my other Rangie but I am going to spend the next year doing everything properly and trying not to let money (or lack of) get in the way of what I want to do. I will be removing the body from the chasis so it will give me a good chance to do any mods.


These are the basics of what I have already:

It will be a Rangie ute with tray back
4.6l V8 most likely run on straight LPG
Maxidrive axles and rear locker
ARB fron locker
35" ET2's with beadlocks

What else would you recommend doing?

[Slunnie]

Longfields, and if its purely to beat on then also a 4.1/4.3 toy centre conversion with those tyres and 30 spline axles front and rear. I think all of the manuals respond well to crawler gears from what I've seen.

First bit of having fun is making it not break.

[walker]

Ok, a few things I did not mention.

I already have the Ashcroft 4.11 C&P so I will be keeping the axles and diffs I have.

It's funny, after the pounding I have given the drivetrain over the past 2 years the maxidrive axles and diffs seem to be doing ok.

It will aslo be running a ZF auto

There seems to be a bit of conflict over the auto. Some people are telling me the old ZF is ultra tough and no need to modify it while others say that there is a kit you can get (from LRA I think) to strengthen it otherwise it will break.

[GURU]

I would try tho set the suspension up with a front 3 link and panhard rod and the rear A-frame but with longer Arms all round. capture the springs and run a 12" travel shock. If you want to run a 37 (I would) you would have to look at either toy swap or complete diff swap like nissan or cruiser.

If you cut it into a tray back you should have an exo over the cab that ties in with the tray

If money was no option this is how I would like to do a 4dr one day.

How come you want to run the 4.6 on straight gas?? whats wrong with just injected petrol??

-Cut it into a body style 2 dr ute and bobtail at the same time,cause it would look cool
-4.6L running petrol
-maxidrive low range gears in transfer
-Patrol front diff and 80 rear (offset rear gives better clearance when wheeling) with ARB's front and rear
-37" tyres and cut the guards.
3 link the front end and keep the rear as an A-frame but with longer rear arms

[walker]

Thankyou, this is the sort of stuff I was after.

[walker]

Nothing wrong with injected petrol but at the moment I have the 4.6 running with carby and it just doesnt work, cant get enough air in.

If I inject it I will have to get a new manifold and computer whereas if I install straight gas I can get rid of all my emission crap and claim almost the entire amount back on the rebate. I have worked out I can fit 2 100l tanks under the tray. It will make things very simple and for what I do with it the slight lack of power isn't a problem.
Once it is converted to gas then later on I can look at changing to gas injection if I think it need more power.

I was thinking of exo over the cab but everyone talked me out of it saying it is ugly.

There is no way I will get 37's engineered so 35's will have to stay.

How does a 3 link at the fron work?

[Davidh]

Here's a few suggestions based on the weaknesses I encountered:

When you have the body off the chassis, stengthen the top coil spring mounts, trailing arm mounts & radius arm mounts.
Make up/buy some beefy trailing arms.
Replace/rebuild the A-frame mount on the diff housing.
Replace & strengthen the coil spring retainers.
If you haven't already, replace drag link and tie rod with beefy ones.
Move the steering stabiliser to the drag link ala Defender style.
Get custom tailshafts - major weakpoint!
Use Jag engine mounts for motor and transfer.
If you're really keen, replace all wiring! Should be easy on straight gas.

That's all I can think of now. But being a Rover, I'm sure there's more!

[walker]

Here's a few suggestions based on the weaknesses I encountered:

When you have the body off the chassis, stengthen the top coil spring mounts, trailing arm mounts & radius arm mounts.
Make up/buy some beefy trailing arms.
Replace/rebuild the A-frame mount on the diff housing.
Replace & strengthen the coil spring retainers.
If you haven't already, replace drag link and tie rod with beefy ones.
Move the steering stabiliser to the drag link ala Defender style.
Get custom tailshafts - major weakpoint!
Use Jag engine mounts for motor and transfer.
If you're really keen, replace all wiring! Should be easy on straight gas.

That's all I can think of now. But being a Rover, I'm sure there's more!

Man, I really have a lot to do, don't I!
But thanks, they are all really good suggestions. I am making a list already.
I thought I drove pretty hard but obvioulsy I dont. I have never broken a maxidrive diff or axle and I have not broken a tailshaft yet either.....although I do seem to replace uni's very often.

[walker]

What are peoples thoughts on steering boxes? I have always found the steering box on my Rangie to be a week point. I have beefed up the drag link (the back one??) but I have never been game to beef up the steering arm because I have always thought I would rather bend the steering arm than break the steering box....and I have bent plenty of those arms.

Is there a better steering box around or does everyone just use the standard Rangie one? If so...3 bolt or 4?

[mickrangie]

What are peoples thoughts on steering boxes? I have always found the steering box on my Rangie to be a week point. I have beefed up the drag link (the back one??) but I have never been game to beef up the steering arm because I have always thought I would rather bend the steering arm than break the steering box....and I have bent plenty of those arms.

Is there a better steering box around or does everyone just use the standard Rangie one? If so...3 bolt or 4?

FWIW the 4 bolt is stronger but they still suck! I have beefed up all my steering links and since 2000 i have had 4 steering boxes :( try and put a hilux or 80 series box in i think they were close as i looked into it a few years back.

Mickh

[muddydigger]

This was something I was planning when I had this 79 Rangie. I know its only bad photochop but you get the idea.
The front was going to cut as well to improve angles. I was going to moun the radiator on top of the engine as well hense the bonet bulge.
Ah well n one day I might play again