UFO Buildup - Hilux Fronts, SPOA.

[alien]

Nic is correct - sticking to zuk diffs, using lux fronts all round SPOA.

[alien]

FINALLLLLLY some progress on this thing! the rear end is pretty much done now, heres some pics:


Sizing rear spring


rear mount all done


front of rear pretty much done - still needs boxing in to the chassis


just shows both rear mounts in.

once the front of the rear mounts have been boxed in, we'll chuck the diff under and get the perches on it, chuck on the tyres and see how the rear looks. Should be able to do that tuesday night. (although im sure something will delay it as usual!)

once thats done the rear is basically finished (except for shock mounts and shocks).

The rear pic also shows basically how ill be running the zuk - without the spare ON the back, but rather IN the back... this is going to help the swerve test heaps, as its required i have a full size spare on the vehicle.

Number plate will go where the spare used to sit.

[nicbeer]

Sweet.

U got any more side pics of your rear shackle mount as that is where mine is probably moving to.

have u still got ur old WT spring mounts? if they are cheeep and cut off neatish i may grab them off ya.

cheers

[Gutless]

I love how the bloke in this pic aint't wearing shoes in the workshop, but on the left side shed wall there is a saftey sign for boots

[alien]

ahha tell me bout it! he got so many bits of molten metal on his shins n feet welding and grinding =) i did point that out to him too! haha

Nic - mounts were savagely removed, kyle has whats left of them attached to the rear springs... lol

[Red_Zook]

wethepeople sticker 2
u rider or was it on the zook when u got it?

[alien]

rider =) the other stickers on the gate are my flatlandwa logo and address... www.flatlandwa.com

spare wheel also had a sticker: "FLATLANDER: 2 wheels, 4 pegs & a slab of concrete"

Getting out of riding and into paintball right now though, so stickers are gonna come off...

[Dee]

flatland is hard.

i say screw the paintball. Put the money towards this thing.

[nicbeer]

Zookin = 4 wheels and a right foot needed only,


Any more of the side view of that rear mounts?

cheers

[alien]

nic, yeh got some - wil lpost up 2nite if i get a chance

[alien]

This ones for Nic:


Pretty much finished the rear tonight, shocks arent in and theres no Ubolts or anything, but its done enough that we got to whack on the tyres and see how high itll ride... ground to bottom of rear flare is roughly 950mm.

Totally cut everything off the front end tonight in preparation for chassis extension, hopefully have the front springs under by the weekend (although im sure something will delay us again as usual =)


Perch on the diff


MmMM tall...


Its sitting taller here cos the front is down, once loaded it compresses about 2-3 inches more... but its a cool pic =P

[jeep97tj]

UPDATE (may include minor vendor bashing):

After the supplier of my perches (Opposite Lock Balcatta) totally screwing up the measurements after 4 weeks of waiting, i cancelled my order with them (I strongly urge everyone NOT to deal with these guys - i waited 8 weeks to hear from them that my steering was 8 weeks away!) I have since ordered my gear through overkill, who have been excellent to me, although theres been 2 weeks delays due to courier issues.

Unfortunately for me, all this delay may have cost me the chance to have my zuk engineered... the swerve test is due to happen next week and theres no way in hell we're gonna have it done by then... which means getting everything done and checked, but no swerve test till mid to late next year. Leaving me with an unroadworthy zuk. (if i get yellow stickered im screwed).

We are still going ahead though, hoping the swerve test gets delayed, as its being arranged by Russell at opp. lock - and with his track record im thinking we have a few more weeks up our sleeves... I HOPE!!![/b]

Hahaha this is the first time i have read this thread and was going to advise u to steer clear of Opposite lock Balcatta, but u now know. But feel better in knowing your not the first to be stuffed around.

Looking good hows the swerve test going?

[alien]

Got quite a bit done this afternoon...

Finished the chassis extension, including welding the front hangers on.


this shows one of the fish plates on the extension - you can see its an odd shape - thats to dodge the steering box mounty bit.


completed chassis extension (a winch fits PERFECTLY on there!) front bar will come up off the chassis (bolt on). The hangers im thinking of boxing in to add some strength for the beating theyre gonna take!!!


Diff sitting loose on the springs to size it all up... 85" wheelbase!!! The front is all jacked up and rear has stands under it, so thats NOT ride height, but its not tooo far off.

welding the springs under on monday night (fingers crossed!)

[alien]

Got the front all welded in tonight, so its standing on all 4 wheels un-assisted now:

Springs are still brand new - so its gonna sag a fair bit once we test drive it =P floor to bottom of flare on front is 1m. Front diff measures 4" forward, rear diff is 1" back.

STILL TO DO:
- Front Bar (currently being plasma cut!)
- Rear Bar
- Side Steps
- Tcase Gears (sitting in the tray begging to go in)
- Tcase Reinforcement (ROC7OY's Ring is on the way)
- U-Bolt plates & Shock mounts (almost complete)
- Shockies
- Brake Lines
- Driveshafts (Modified Hilux in front and extension of rear)
- Flares
- Mudflaps
- Race Seats in

Dam thats a lot to still get done =) More pics tomorrow night if we get anything substantial done!

[alien]

nothing worth taking pics of tonight.. dropped the driveshafts out so i can get them resplined - probably using a double cardan in the front to better clear the X member of the tcase, as its going to limit travel using a normal joint.

also measured up and started work on the rear bar, it will be mounted to two newly fabbed recovery points on the rear.

Oh - and i measured the approach angle properly, its 62 degrees. far better than previous angle of around 45!

More news tomorrow =)

[Wesley]

Looks will be good to see how it goes when its all done.

[derelict_frog]

Wow there some long springs in the front!! Nice and high to!

Looks the goodz!

[bazooked]

thats pretty high dude, mine is about 960 from the bottom of the guard to the floor

[alien]

Yeah, remember though, these springs are brand spankers... they still have to settle in a sag a bit... the rear when first installed was 1m, just over the past week sitting on its own weight its now 970mm. The front will surely do the same... right now its 200mm over stock (8"), it should sag down to 6.5".

If it goes too far i can chuck the spare leaf we removed out of all the packs back in too =)

Tonight not a hell of a lot got done, finished off a heap of tacked in welds and took measurements for U-bolts, brake lines etc. Hopefully U bolts, brake lines and plates will be all done tomorrow and can install it all over the weekend. Next week will be working on front and rear bar and side steps while drive shaft gets resplined.

Certainly getting to that wonderful point where things are really starting to take shape. Cant wait to see how it flexes!!!

[cutzook]

Looking alien. Should work good.

[DeWsE]

Yep you need bigger tires!

[Tim D]

need to move front diff forward "bazook" style i think.

[alien]

bazook style???

its already forward 4 inches!!

[DeWsE]

bazook style???

its already forward 4 inches!!

Tehehe I don't think he knows what his going on about.

Looks wicked mate, you should bring it down on the weekend. Give me a few minutes to convince you need bigger treads.

What brand of shock you using? Sorry if you have already mentioned it. I used the N76 shocks from ARB, but I found them way to soft and they didn’t have enough control of the springs. My theory (formed from mine and Shanes opinion) is that the suspension isn’t going to travel fast like it should in an offroad race, or even touring. But rather, especially with crawler gears it should travel slowly and controlled over the obstacles. Just food for thought

[alien]

its not finished enough to drive DeWsE =P I'm so itching to take it out!!! haha

to keep it legal, i'd like to run 31" simex (measure 32")... but a set of 33's for offroad would be sweet (money permitting)

I totally agree with you on the shocks... once its u-bolted we will flex it up and measure shock lengths. i remember when we first started on this (thinking about it in december last year!) we measured 100 series landcruiser shocks to be about right and nice and stiff... but we'll see =)

shock hoops may be in order on the front! this thing is gonna flex like all hell =P

[sierrajim]

Coming along well mate, you might want to put the extra leaf back in for your sway test. Its tall.

You're right, it will settle, make sure you take this into account if you already haven't when you setup your shackle angle.


Oh, added a couple of things too,

STILL TO DO:
- Front Bar (currently being plasma cut!)
- Rear Bar
- Side Steps
- Tcase Gears (sitting in the tray begging to go in)
- Tcase Reinforcement (ROC7OY's Ring is on the way)
- U-Bolt plates & Shock mounts (almost complete)
- Shockies
- Brake Lines
- Driveshafts (Modified Hilux in front and extension of rear)
- Flares
- Mudflaps
- Race Seats in
- BUMP STOPS
- WHEEL THE HELL OUT OF IT

[alien]

haha yeah bump stops... who needs em!? j/k... i did forget to put it on the list though.

shackle angles were set around 60 degrees to allow for the sag =)

Adding the extra leaf - not too sure as yet, it will lift it higher if we add it, so im hesitant =)

as for your last point - OH GOD YES!!!

[nicbeer]

U putting sway bars on this thing?

Lookin big

cheers

[bazooked]

my 32 inch pedes r up for sale if ur keen, still in excellent cond .

[DeWsE]

haha yeah bump stops... who needs em!? j/k... i did forget to put it on the list though.

shackle angles were set around 60 degrees to allow for the sag =)

Adding the extra leaf - not too sure as yet, it will lift it higher if we add it, so im hesitant =)

as for your last point - OH GOD YES!!!

Yeah very true about the extra lift! Well for a little bushys trick get a fat straight load leaf and slip it in. Then when it comes to the test wedge some rubber between the arched leaves and the flat load leaf. Rubber tube and a cable tie works good. This will load it right up so that the load leaf is always helping. This is also helpful when your loading the back of a zook up with camping gear and you wanna keep the back up at the same level.

Yeah I thought cruiser shocks would work..