Notice: We request that you don't just set up a new account at this time if you are a previous user.
If you used to be one of our moderators, please feel free to reach out to Chris via the facebook Outerlimits4x4 group and he will get you set back up with access should he need you.
Recovery:If you cannot access your old email address and don't remember your password, please click here to log a change of email address so you can do a password reset.

Dual tires on a sierra

Tech Talk for Suzuki owners.

Moderators: lay80n, sierrajim

Post Reply
Posts: 838
Joined: Wed Apr 28, 2004 10:00 pm

Dual tires on a sierra

Post by Wesley »

Im after any pics of a sierra running dual tires. Ive had a look but cant find any.
Posts: 5457
Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2002 9:49 am
Location: Sydney

Post by Shorty40 »

Check Pirate.

There is an orange zook running dual swampers. Well he used to anyway, not sure if he still does.
Posts: 529
Joined: Thu Jun 03, 2004 6:07 am
Location: SEQ

Post by munga »

The Crustacean
It's Orange, Has Eight Tires, and Crawls Sideways

By Chris Collard
Photography: Chris Collard

Moab's Easter Jeep Safari has become an annual show-and-tell for the off-road world, and the cool, new stuff that shows up never ceases to amaze us. Some of the products are so cool, the ideas so twisted, we're jealous we didn't come up with them ourselves, while others are downright scary, and we're just thankful we didn't have to bum a ride from the guy. As avid four-wheelers and magazine groupies, we get to hang out and ogle at all this cool gear just to bring you the latest and greatest four-wheeling. This is where the Samurai gurus at Trail Tough Products come in.

With eight tires, a bright-orange paintjob, and the ability to crawl sideways over just about any terrain, this wild, 'wheeling creation from the mind of Brent Bradshaw, owner of Trail Tough Products in Medford, Oregon, has been affectionately dubbed the Crustacean.

Image

So, how much of this rig is actually Suzuki? A bunch! In addition to a Samurai tub, most of the drivetrain and running gear is Suzuki. With a focus on stealth, stability, and reliability, Bradshaw's vision was to design the ultimate, lightweight, high-tech rock buggy. Working with Trail Tough tech engineer Randy Rodgers, they took a bundle of 1-5/8-inch, 0.072 tubing and an arsenal of Suzuki components to created this ornery-looking but highly functional machine.
At the heart of this exoskeletal creation is a 1.6L, 16-valve, SOHC multiport fuel-injected Sidekick motor. For reliability, it was left completely stock with the exception of a K&N air filter. Spent gases are expelled via a 2-inch exhaust system and a DynoMax/MagnaFlow muffler from Mike's Muffler Advantage in Ashland, Oregon. To achieve more responsive throttle control, a Suzuki Swift GT flywheel, pressure plate, and Centerforce clutch disk were installed, reducing rotating mass by 7 pounds. For some serious 'crawling, the cogs of an OEM five-speed couple the featherweight mill to a stock Sami transfer case, which transfers power fore and aft via a set of Australian 6.129:1 Rockhopper gears. A Trail Tough combination skidplate/crossmember supports the entire assembly.

Image

Checking out the nearly identical front and rear axles is where things get interesting. The axles are both Big Suz-Anas, an appropriate name for a hybrid axle that incorporates Suzuki Sidekick centersections and Dana 44 outer knuckles. The two are joined by 2-1/2-inch DOM, 3/16-inch tubing. The diffs are fitted with ARB air lockers, Sidekick 5.63:1 ring-and-pinions, and 27-spline Dana 35 side couplers. Warn chrome-moly axles were re-splined to match. Wrapped around Samurai rotors, hubs, and spindles are Suzuki Swift cable E-brake calipers that can be operated independently to control brake steering.

The fully hydraulic steering is motivated by an AGR Saginaw pump and controlled by an Eaton/Charlynn valving system. The steering fluid is dispensed to dual front and rear AGR rams, which are mounted to Trail Tough Hi-Steer centerlinks.

Steering modes are selected from a panel of dash-mounted switches and include circle steering, side (crabby) steering, and selectable lock to allowing front or rear steering only. Another innovative feature is a pneumatically controlled self-centering device, which precisely and automatically locks the rear axle for safely getting to the trail and back. To allow front-wheel drive only, a toggle controlled, Trail Tough pneumatic rear driveline disconnect sits just aft of the transfer case.

Image

A cleanly engineered front and rear three-link system with a Johnny Jointstyle upper wishbone attaches these goodies to the frame. Levitation is obtained by a set of 185-pound AFCO coil springs and Doetsch Tech 8000 pre-runner shocks. Approach and departure angles have been nearly eliminated by stretching the wheelbase 12 inches.

The Crustacean also features Beard suspension seats, Schroth four-point harnesses, Trail Tough's billet aluminum, quick-release windshield hinges, an immaculate, hand-crafted interior, and a color-matched Warn 9000i spooled with Pull Master 17,000-pound winch rope. Lexan windows were installed in the kicker panels to track tire placement, and the front clip doubles as an air tank. Before final assembly, all of the components were taken to Star Auto Body and Paint in Medford, Oregon, to be sprayed in a flawless Yellow Freight Truck and silver clearcoat paintjob.

As for the eight 34x9.50 TSL Super Swampers on 589 Eagle wheels, that's a bunch of traction. This crabby, side-winding crustacean sticks to the terrain like glue and maneuvers over the rocks like a rock crab trying to avoid becoming part of the food chain. Trail Tough's wide-tracking. Little Crustacean turned a lot of heads at this year's Easter Jeep Safari, and we thought you just might want to check it out, too.
ht zook with bog, rust and mt's

this is my wheelbase |<-------->|
Posts: 7345
Joined: Wed Jun 02, 2004 3:29 pm
Location: Melbourne

Post by Gwagensteve »

That is a really nicely built car. I think it is now running single Krawlers though.

I can't see the point of duals on a sierra. Duals are predominantly a weight carrying thing and I think that any advantages would be outweighed by the weight (sorry for the pun) and the loss of tread flexibility (as each tyre is supporting soo little weight)

The load on the axles/bearings/steering etc would be very high.
[quote="greg"] some say he is a man without happy dreams, or that he sees silver linings on clouds and wonders why they are not platinum... all we know, is he's called the stevie.[/quote]
Posts: 1397
Joined: Sat May 29, 2004 6:58 pm
Location: West Australia Posts: Less than DeWsE

Post by jeep97tj »

Gwagensteve wrote:
I can't see the point of duals on a sierra. Duals are predominantly a weight carrying thing and I think that any advantages would be outweighed by the weight (sorry for the pun) and the loss of tread flexibility (as each tyre is supporting soo little weight)

The load on the axles/bearings/steering etc would be very high.


It does looks cool though :D
Posts: 1183
Joined: Thu Jul 01, 2004 5:05 pm
Location: Tewantin

Post by flyinwall »

i like the "holy sh!t" handle in the last pic but allin all it is very neatly done and a well presented rig
R.I.P. Darryl "DAZZA" Mutch 02/08/1978 - 26/08/2012 aged 34 years ... You will be missed my little brother.

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=39190&start=150
Posts: 838
Joined: Wed Apr 28, 2004 10:00 pm

Post by Wesley »

Yeah that was the rig i wanted to see its :cool:
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 5 guests