PRO'S AND CON'S OF A RANGIE

[toughnut]

Hey all, I've had the fortune or misfortune ( depends how you look at it) of being given a rangie cut down to a ute for free. (the first good point). I really don't know too much about them other than stopping to help Chris Hummer fix his electrics all the time. So I'm after the pros and cons of owning one. I'll be using it for club events on the odd occasion but mostly as a very capable tourer and weekend fun machine. It doesn't have a motor or box at the moment so I was going to put in a 5L V8 and auto. GU diffs. Not sure about the transfer case. Coil suspension. What are the things you would change / strengthen. Ie. on the chassis or drive line etc. Where do they break.....Other than electrics...

[ISUZUROVER]

GU rear will give driveline vibes unless you use a T-case with a centred rear output. The most popular axle setup is GU front and 80 Series rear.

The LR LT230 T-case is as strong or stronger than any nissota T-case - 3.32:1 low range stock, with 2 aftermarket lower gearsets available. The ZF Auto is quite nice and there are plenty of adaptors to 5L V8s around. Alternately, that rangie would have originally had an LT95 4-speed with integral t-case. A VERY strong package, just noisy and need to shift slowly.

[stuee]

Hey all, I've had the fortune or misfortune ( depends how you look at it) of being given a rangie cut down to a ute for free. (the first good point). I really don't know too much about them other than stopping to help Chris Hummer fix his electrics all the time. So I'm after the pros and cons of owning one. I'll be using it for club events on the odd occasion but mostly as a very capable tourer and weekend fun machine. It doesn't have a motor or box at the moment so I was going to put in a 5L V8 and auto. GU diffs. Not sure about the transfer case. Coil suspension. What are the things you would change / strengthen. Ie. on the chassis or drive line etc. Where do they break.....Other than electrics...

With the GU diffs you will probably find you have vibration problems due to the centre rear diff pumpkin. I believe Maggot 4x4 fist used GQ diffs then changed to 80 Series diffs to stop the vibrations. I believe his is a tourer too (still jealous of those fraser island pics he posted a while back ). You wont have problems with the electrics if you replace them all and if your putting in a new motor you may as well gut it and rewire it yourself.

Lift wise most people seem to advocate a 2" suspension lift and 2" body lift and leave it at that. With guards and offset rims it should accommodate 35's. Heaps of threads on everything you've asked about, so if your really keen have a look. Heaps of useful info on here and AULRO.com

edit* I spend way to much time typing...

[toughnut]

It's a diesel at the moment but the engine will be used elsewhere. I thought about the holden auto for ease of parts etc. with perhaps a nissan transfer to align the drive shaft correctly. The gear box that is in it has siezed apparently so I'll be replacing it anyway. What about the chassis? Where do they need to be strengthened? I've seen a chassis break in half at the rear lower control arm mounts. That was team Tigger at OBC 05.

[ISUZUROVER]

It's a diesel at the moment but the engine will be used elsewhere. I thought about the holden auto for ease of parts etc. with perhaps a nissan transfer to align the drive shaft correctly. The gear box that is in it has siezed apparently so I'll be replacing it anyway. What about the chassis? Where do they need to be strengthened? I've seen a chassis break in half at the rear lower control arm mounts. That was team Tigger at OBC 05.

If it is an LT95 box it shouldn't need much to get it going again. And spare LT95s sell for a couple of cases of beer these days.

The chassis strength is one of the best features. I have never seen a non-comp rangie with a cracked/broken chassis except if it was very rusty.

Coil turrets can break, but usually only if the coils are binding.

EDIT - is it a VM (factory) diesel??? If so - those things are only good as boat anchors.

[TRobbo]

the chassis is not usually a problem on full bodied trucks but they do experience more flex when cut down to cab chassis utes.

Extra bracing is applied on the underside of the chassis up behind the front wheels and in front of the rear wheels.

these cars have a great wheel base as standard and with uprated diffs and axles provide for good wheeling. with a stinking v8 it will be a heap of fun. make sure it is an alloy v8. The cast iron chev's are too heavy for the car.

These vehicles are now getting on a bit and you dont know how many clowns have played with the electrics. A new engine & ancillaries will rid you of many lucas bits. So as Stuee said, for reliabilities sake, just rip the wiring out and start again and you will have a package that will be tough as..

With bigger diffs and a tray up back you can run 38's under it without too many issues

[toughnut]

Thanks guys. I've been rummaging through the topics to get heaps of info. Seems most of what I've heard on the grape vine is pretty accurate. If I do build this I'll keep all posted and a flame suit ready. lol. I still can't believe that I want to get back into wheeling so much that I'm looking at a rangie.....


OH by the way. Its been cut down to a style side ute. Not a cab chassis.

[Corgie Carrier]

LRA make a chassis strenghting kit for about $48, you just weld it to the inside of the chassis. real simple.
Check out http://www.lrautomotive.com.au

Good luck with the project.

Neale

[cloughy]

The chassis strength is one of the best features. I have never seen a non-comp rangie with a cracked/broken chassis except if it was very rusty.

.

Really? All mine crack, or bend

[ISUZUROVER]

The chassis strength is one of the best features. I have never seen a non-comp rangie with a cracked/broken chassis except if it was very rusty.

.

Really? All mine crack, or bend

Interesting... - never happened to any of my mates with rangies, and neither of the rangie/disco chassis that passed through my hands had any cracks.

Were all your cracked ones utes?

I suppose there may be a strength issue, if the LWB landies (109/110) have a chassis with 3" deeper rails than the rangie/disco.

A mate of mine who built a SIII/Disco hybrid ute claimed that the chassis flexes so much the tray rubbed the cab offroad. Never cracked though.

[Bush65]

I've had rangies for many, many years and the only chassis problem was cracks from bolt holes for the steering box. Later chassis had small tabs added from the bottom of each spring perch to the underside of the chassis.

The LRA strengthening consists of a plate about 3mm thick that welds to the inside face of the chassis and extends from the engine mounts back to the bolt-in cross member. It passes the crossmember, which has to be shortened 6mm to suit the 3mm doubler on each side.

Drive train is weak (only t/case is any good), so replacing the engine and gearbox and diffs is not a bad move.

Rear trailing arms are weak.

Nissan front axle is an easy fit, and nissan radius arms bolt in.

Rear axle swap to l/cruiser is pretty easy, nissan also but centred pumpkin.

Nissan g/box is a bit bulky but several have fitted these.

Front landcruiser springs fit all round and standard height will give about 3" lift to a rangie. Cruiser front shockies and patrol rear shockies.

3" or better lift is better than common 2" IMHO.

Electrics are rubbish.

[cloughy]

The chassis strength is one of the best features. I have never seen a non-comp rangie with a cracked/broken chassis except if it was very rusty.

.

Really? All mine crack, or bend

Interesting... - never happened to any of my mates with rangies, and neither of the rangie/disco chassis that passed through my hands had any cracks.

Were all your cracked ones utes?

I suppose there may be a strength issue, if the LWB landies (109/110) have a chassis with 3" deeper rails than the rangie/disco.

A mate of mine who built a SIII/Disco hybrid ute claimed that the chassis flexes so much the tray rubbed the cab offroad. Never cracked though.

Main issue is where the body mounts, bending in, then cracking at the box section, my current one is also bent, where it sweeps down below the firewall, quite a few others I drive with are the same

[Bush65]

Main issue is where the body mounts, bending in, then cracking at the box section, my current one is also bent, where it sweeps down below the firewall, quite a few others I drive with are the same

I take it that it is local bending of the web, not gross bending of the whole chassis rail.

This sounds like where the later chassis were strengthened by adding small flanges to the body mount outrigger, so they return under the bottom of the chassis rail. The earlier ones finished at the bottom of the web.

The body lift kits that LRA sell, contain similar plates for welding the outrigger and chassis rail.

[cloughy]

Main issue is where the body mounts, bending in, then cracking at the box section, my current one is also bent, where it sweeps down below the firewall, quite a few others I drive with are the same

I take it that it is local bending of the web, not gross bending of the whole chassis rail.

This sounds like where the later chassis were strengthened by adding small flanges to the body mount outrigger, so they return under the bottom of the chassis rail. The earlier ones finished at the bottom of the web.

The body lift kits that LRA sell, contain similar plates for welding the outrigger and chassis rail.

It has a wave in the side section of the box, inside the rail, alot bend the mounts, where its fixed to the outer of the box

[toughnut]

This is all great info guys. Thanks heaps. Sounds like It'll be a pretty good project to do. Not as scary as I first thought it might be. I'll definately be going ahead with it now. Just a matter of funding as usual.