Coiling 75 series

[rockcrawler31]

OK. So, i'm in China and when i get back i should have a few dollars to spend on the truck instead of saving for a house , and i won't have a licence for another 3 months so i will have a bit of time on my hands .

I was already going to do a chop on the truck, and a little while ago i was going to do an 80 series diff swap. I'm still thinking about it, and if i'm gonna take it off the road i may as well do it properly.

I'd like to do something like this

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/PHP_Modul ... c&start=30

I like the idea of going for set of custom links and mounts because i'd hate to try and use standard 80 arms and mounts then have to spend even more money trying to get more than 4 inches to work properly.

I have heard people say both that it can be done, and that it can't be registered/engineered.

I'd like to try and get a definitive answer whether in Qld it can be engineered, how hard it will be to get engineered, what sort of money i should budget for (can't weld) and how to go about it. If there's any doubt about roadworthyness i will bin the idea.

Further, how hard is it to swap coils back and forth between soft play springs and firmer load carry springs?

[DamTriton]

OK. So, i'm in China and when i get back i should have a few dollars to spend on the truck instead of saving for a house , and i won't have a licence for another 3 months so i will have a bit of time on my hands .

I was already going to do a chop on the truck, and a little while ago i was going to do an 80 series diff swap. I'm still thinking about it, and if i'm gonna take it off the road i may as well do it properly.

I'd like to do something like this

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/PHP_Modul ... c&start=30

I like the idea of going for set of custom links and mounts because i'd hate to try and use standard 80 arms and mounts then have to spend even more money trying to get more than 4 inches to work properly.

I have heard people say both that it can be done, and that it can't be registered/engineered.

I'd like to try and get a definitive answer whether in Qld it can be engineered, how hard it will be to get engineered, what sort of money i should budget for (can't weld) and how to go about it. If there's any doubt about roadworthyness i will bin the idea.

Further, how hard is it to swap coils back and forth between soft play springs and firmer load carry springs?

No point in asking if it can be done here. Contact Queensland Transport directly if you want a definitive answer, and make sure you walk away with a piece of paper from someone there that says you can. I think you have to apply for permission to even think about it up there, let alone actually doing anything.

[rockcrawler31]

Alternatively, would all the dramas and hassle of whacking the body on a 80 chassis be cheaper in the long run?

[rockcrawler31]

ask Qld transport for a definitive answer??

would anyone else here from queensland like to answer for me

[rockcrawler31]

But you are right i should rephrase

has anyone here actually DONE it in queensland and gotten it past DOT, not just your engineer.

[midi73]

But you are right i should rephrase

has anyone here actually DONE it in queensland and gotten it past DOT, not just your engineer.

Yep. I know someone who put a 75 onto an 80 chassis and took it staight into the transport department and got it approved, so long as he got a surrogate chassis number stamped onto the 80 chassis.
He just told them he did a chassis swap, and left out a lot of other info that they did not need to know.

[killalux]

i beleive it is possible to do if you put the 75 body onto an 80 chassis, however you will not be able to put the 80 diffs under the 75's chassis,
as the track width will be incresed. it states in the national code of practive that you can only increase track by 50mm, i think the 80 diff are about 100mm wider than 75.

i looked into this for my hilux.

[-Richo-]

As far as im aware the track increase only applies to the diffs you are running, so if you swap in wider diffs and keep them as standard youll be fine, thats how it is in NSW anyway, i have no idea how it is in QLD.

Best bet is to find an engineer in QLD and call them, i honestly cant see why putting 80 diffs under a wedgy isnt possible if you do a good job.

[Shadow]

QLD transport will approve any suspension re-design aslong as you have an engineer putting his name to it and it conforms to all relavent ADR's.

Its suspension modifications DOT wont approve.

Would be easy enuf to just cut all the suspension components including chassis and diff brackets off an 80 series and use all of that. Im sure an engineer would approve this.

[rockcrawler31]

i'm guessing if it starts going into the too hard / grossly expensive basket i may go the chassis swap. But i really shudder at how finicky it would be.

[Shadow]

i'm guessing if it starts going into the too hard / grossly expensive basket i may go the chassis swap. But i really shudder at how finicky it would be.

I rekon a chassis swap would be much harder. Youd basically need to cut all body mounts engine mounts etc etc off the chassis and start again. All youd be retaining is maybe the front suspension geometry. Its likely the rear would need to change anyway unless your wheel base is very similar.

You shoulkd be able to goto the wreckers and buy a rolling 80series chasis and then just cut all the suspension mounts off that chassis, and weld them onto yours.

You can buy new aftermarket (stronger?) chassis suspension mounts, ive seen them on one of the aftermarket gear sites.

Since toyota has already engineered the suspension setup, im quite certain any engineer would aprove it.

[midi73]

You dont need to change the wheel base and you dont need to move the engine mounts. They are the same engine. Yes you need to cut off and move cab mounts, there are not many of these being a ute, and you need to shorten the steering rod from column to box because the 80 box is in a different place. Not a real hard job really. I will be doing it with a midi, there is a little more involved in this as there are more cab mounts and rear wheels need to line up with rear wheel arches. front wheels are not a problem because of the shape of the 75 guards. the rear on a 75 is not a froblem because you would be putting a tray on it. You may also need to cut a little of the back of the chassis behind the wheels if you find it overhangs to much.

[rockcrawler31]

It's a troopy, but i'm guessing that it should just mean a few more mounts.

What about wiring, fuel like plumbing and room to put the fuel tanks as they are connected to the original body not the chassis

If i was able to find some one who was smart enough to build a well engineered set of custom links i would prefer that to just using original links/arms and mounts. I know you can lift a 80 into the sky, but the amount of work involved would be like doing things twice. I seem to recall a list of Qld engineers contact details on this board somewhere, any one know where it is or can give some contact details.?

[Shadow]

You dont need to change the wheel base and you dont need to move the engine mounts. They are the same engine. Yes you need to cut off and move cab mounts, there are not many of these being a ute, and you need to shorten the steering rod from column to box because the 80 box is in a different place. Not a real hard job really. I will be doing it with a midi, there is a little more involved in this as there are more cab mounts and rear wheels need to line up with rear wheel arches. front wheels are not a problem because of the shape of the 75 guards. the rear on a 75 is not a froblem because you would be putting a tray on it. You may also need to cut a little of the back of the chassis behind the wheels if you find it overhangs to much.

its a troopy so yes ya do have to change the wheelbase.

it also depends what engine he has in the troopy

if its a 2H or 2F, engine mounts need to be changed to match 3FE/1HZ

edit: 91 should be same engine as 80series.

[chunderlicious]

rockcrawler, the list of engineers is in the bible FAQs

there are places in queensland that can fabricate custom to your specifiction suspension links. they dont cost more and they arent hard to come buy, this would make the suspension legal.

give mike topfer a call from on and offroad mechanical in brendale as he knows the numbers for the builders.

[rockcrawler31]

cheers heaps chunderlicious

thats the sorta stuff i was after.
thanks everyone else too.,

[bru21]

ring brett (bluey) from custom offroad in neuman st kunda park he has fitted an 80 chassis to his 75 cab. may do it as a one off.

cheers bru

[midi73]

When I was talking to him he said he wouldnt do it again.

[rockcrawler31]

[quote="midi73"]When I was talking to him he said he wouldnt do it again.[/quote]

Ha ha!

not a good advertisement for the chassis swap. sounds like some one had an epic.

[midi73]

When I was talking to him he said he wouldnt do it again.

Ha ha!

not a good advertisement for the chassis swap. sounds like some one had an epic.

No, no real epic . Just said he wouldnt be bothered doing it again.

[Dane]

A good mate of mine grafted all the 80 series running gear onto his 75 ute chassis. He had to strip it down to only the chassis rails and one latitudinal section and fabricate the rest to suit the quite different 80 series bits. He reckoned if he was to do it again he would just put the 75 cab on the 80 chassis and do the cab mounts and steering coloumn as a much easier option.