How to

[Raven]

I need some advise on fitting the new 36in Simex on the zook, what kind of mods will I have to do? I also plan on fitting a GM V6 maybe the super charged version, are the GQ diffs as good as every one says they are what kind of mods do these need to fit? The what kind of axels to go with these?

[Guy]

Leaves or coils ?
LWB or SWB or in between
street registered ?
The GQ diffs as as tough as the come but your a bit limited in gear choice.

Any reason yor doing a Zuk as it sounds like you want to change basically everything on it to another manufacturer .. wold it be easier to start with a Lux or somthing like it ?? (more room for driveline etc)

[bigsteve]

I need some advise on fitting the new 36in Simex on the zook, what kind of mods will I have to do? I also plan on fitting a GM V6 maybe the super charged version, are the GQ diffs as good as every one says they are what kind of mods do these need to fit? The what kind of axels to go with these?

Thats a lot of work for a sierra, but I guess on GQ axles it would just about tuck the tyres outside the guards so tyre clearance wouldn't be an issue.

[DeWsE]

Hey start with a search and a general look around on this section and the members section. You will find heaps of info that has already been posted

Love_mud, greg, nam, grimbo, bigsteve are a few good names to seach with.

[bigsteve]

Hey start with a search and a general look around on this section and the members section. You will find heaps of info that has already been posted

Love_mud, greg, nam, grimbo, bigsteve are a few good names to seach with.

Hey mate dont go making any false acusations that any of us have ever said anything useful

[antt]

Love_mud, greg, nam, grimbo, bigsteve are a few good names to seach with.

all i ever seem to hear is repetitive dribble about spoa vs spua's

[Raven]

At the moment it is stock as a rock so a ground up build is whats in order. I love the Zook I just intend to make it better, going for a alround theme might do the outback challenge in a couple of years, need to be reliable and tuff as nails.

LWB with leafs,

[Raven]

Plus I want some thing to beat OTIS

[Guy]

Plus I want some thing to beat OTIS

That shod nt be to hard ... even Antt can beat OTIS

[greg]

Love_mud, greg, nam, grimbo, bigsteve are a few good names to seach with.

all i ever seem to hear is repetitive dribble about spoa vs spua's

I think we spend a lot of time hanging it on vitara owners too antt

[bigsteve]

Plus I want some thing to beat OTIS

Then go light, a GMV6 vs a GMv6 isn't really that interesting,

Lets see, a 13b turbo with auto & s3 and axles like the overkill buggy would have balls and be light.

Its just an assumption but if otis shags sierra springs with hilux axles then what are even bigger, heavier diffs going to do to them.

What State are you in???

[greg]

I need some advise on fitting the new 36in Simex on the zook, what kind of mods will I have to do?

Say hello to a Spring Over, or goodbye to you headlights... 36" simex's are going to be a lot of work.

Regardless - show us the pics when you're done

Start thinking about your gearing (luv_mud - could you tell us what gearing the GQ diffs come with?) - then you can start working out what gearing requirements you are going to need to spin those 36's (based on the idea that someone else will know what the best rev range is going to be for the V6 motor you want)...

There's a LWB Sierra with 35" 'pedes in Victoria - that's the closest i'm aware of to what you are running - otherwise check out Liam's on Q78's - that'll be close to showing you fitment issues too.

edit: sp.

[grimbo]

If you need to ask that many questions it probably means you are going to need to do a lot of research. What you are purposing is a major rebuild that will require a lot of well thought out modifications to get it done properly. Search for Mickbj42s buildup of his zuk with Hilux axles and 39" Swampers. What you want to do will make a capable vehicle for certain types of terrain but maybe not all.

You won't be able to compete in that type of configuration for Outback Callenge I'm pretty sure. might be worth getting touch with all the major comps and find out what can and can't be done. Also talk to an engineer before you do anything. NAM on this board tried to do a LWB Zuk with a Rover V8 and portals all properly thru an engineer and was unable to do so because, from memory. the Zuk platform was deemed to be not strong enough.

Also expect to pour some serious $$$$ into it to get it right. Look at Otis that is $17 -20,000 of Zuk. Alot of money that maybe buying a $10,000 Patrol could do the same.

[antt]

Love_mud, greg, nam, grimbo, bigsteve are a few good names to seach with.

all i ever seem to hear is repetitive dribble about spoa vs spua's

I think we spend a lot of time hanging it on vitara owners too antt

only cause you're all jealous of my motor

[Guy]

OK .. so if it is going to be in the OBC it needs to be somewhere near RWC and possibly engineered as well.
It will also be a narrow track.
You will most likely need to move the spring hangers out a bit (see redzook rebuild thread for outboarding hangers) so they will clear the diff centre, with all the weight of the commadore cast iron lump you will be best off with something alot heavier and to get flex with the heavier spring, spring length will also be important, so a chassis extension will be in order ( have search on chassis extension threads) will clue you up a bit on the requirements of engineers as well.

It would not be all that hard to fit up the 36's the problems you will face will be from the word I have repeated about 100 times so far .. engineers ..

They will questin the strength of the Zuk chassis with diffs and tyres that heavy as well as a motor with that much grunt ..

I would talk to an engineering signatory in your state before I spend and $$ or spin any spanners ..

[Raven]

first let me say thanks for the quick and informative responces, excuse my plebeness but RWC???

I am in Sydney NSW any pointers where to start with in regards to the engineer?

againg excuse my plebness but I though a criteria of the Tuff Track was the truck has toi be road registered, how can this be when some of the modifications they do seam to be the ones that cant get engineerd

[greg]

You will most likely need to move the spring hangers out a bit (see redzook rebuild thread for outboarding hangers) so they will clear the diff centre

MQ diffs - extended - leave the spring hangers as is - as per LJ Extreem

[Raven]

how hard os to get a LWB ute not tray back?

[grimbo]

first let me say thanks for the quick and informative responces, excuse my plebeness but RWC???

I am in Sydney NSW any pointers where to start with in regards to the engineer?

againg excuse my plebness but I though a criteria of the Tuff Track was the truck has toi be road registered, how can this be when some of the modifications they do seam to be the ones that cant get engineerd

RWC = Road Worthy Certificate

Road registered and road legal are two different things. It comes down to how legal you want this to be.

Do a search on this site for engineers it has been gone over quite a few times before. Also talk to Sam at Overkill nad Mick at M&M Engineering both on this board as they are Zuk builders who maybe able to offer advice on how to get it all done properly. But again if you are asking these sort of questions take the time to research it properly as it is a very full on set of mods to do especially for a novice builder

[grimbo]

how hard os to get a LWB ute not tray back?

What?

[bigsteve]

how hard os to get a LWB ute not tray back?

What?

I'd assume he means LWB soft top.

[DeWsE]

how hard os to get a LWB ute not tray back?

What?

I'd assume he means LWB soft top.

I'd assume well body and not flat tray. Is that the same as the soft top?

[grimbo]

how hard os to get a LWB ute not tray back?

What?

I'd assume he means LWB soft top.

I'd assume well body and not flat tray. Is that the same as the soft top?

what the hell are all you people talking about? I don't get what it has to do with the original question or is it one of these self hijacking thread things

[Raven]

I will try to explain, I have seen SWB utes (soft top) i was wondering can you make/buy a LWB ute?

UTE = sides and back on the tray
tray back = no sides or back

does this make sence?

[grimbo]

So what you are asking is are there soft top lwb. Yes. Not are there utes or traybacks as they are the same thing.

Christover has a soft top lwb so does MJ just off the top of my head. Very rare, very hard to find.

[-Mick-]

Yes I have a LWB And they're fuggin hard to find too

Is this what you're talkin about

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/PHP_Modul ... hp?t=14439

One piece tub not seperate tray

[N*A*M]

i've skimmed over this thread quickly but i have formed an opinion. take this with a big grain of salt.

decide what size tyres you want to run from the beginning. that will dictate your drivetrain requirements, and also your wheelbase to some extent. there is a limit to zook stuff and i'm going to say that is 33" tyres. this is just based on my own opinion. big tyres need big diffs, low ratios or big donks. zooks are not trucks for reliable running of big tyres, pure and simple. you cannot make it into something it is not, without redoing things and losing it's soul. if you want to run 36s reliably in competitions - and be competitive, do not get a zook.

[antt]

i've skimmed over this thread quickly but i have formed an opinion. take this with a big grain of salt.

decide what size tyres you want to run from the beginning. that will dictate your drivetrain requirements, and also your wheelbase to some extent. there is a limit to zook stuff and i'm going to say that is 33" tyres. this is just based on my own opinion. big tyres need big diffs, low ratios or big donks. zooks are not trucks for reliable running of big tyres, pure and simple. you cannot make it into something it is not, without redoing things and losing it's soul. if you want to run 36s reliably in competitions - and be competitive, do not get a zook.

yooooou've change maaaaaaaan, you used to be all about the zuks, but now its just about the glory

[Beastmavster]

Remember that a Zook on 33"s is gonna have as much clearance as many of the bigger boys on 35" or 36" tyres?

Look at Kermit for instance....

Do you need 36"s on the Zook, or is 34x9.5" gonna be good enough?

If the 36"s are a must, you're really talking a Zook body on another platform.. in which case you could bolt a Vitara body on a Patrol chassis or something like that

[M&M Custom Engineerin]

i've skimmed over this thread quickly but i have formed an opinion. take this with a big grain of salt.

decide what size tyres you want to run from the beginning. that will dictate your drivetrain requirements, and also your wheelbase to some extent. there is a limit to zook stuff and i'm going to say that is 33" tyres. this is just based on my own opinion. big tyres need big diffs, low ratios or big donks. zooks are not trucks for reliable running of big tyres, pure and simple. you cannot make it into something it is not, without redoing things and losing it's soul. if you want to run 36s reliably in competitions - and be competitive, do not get a zook.

what a load of crap!

You can make a zook into anything you want! Cant run 36's reliably and be competitive? Matt runs 44's and is competitive and quite reliable. I was running 37's and was competitive and reliable. Both are zook drivetrains except for the diffs

I think for a competitive vehicle the zook is the best base to start from. My advice is to not get carried away with wanting horsepower, thats where you start breaking everything.