GQ SWB or LWB

[TimMQ]

G'Afternoon everyone

Im planning on getting rid of my XR6 for a more tow friendly car to tow my boat..

Ive decided on a GQ but am unsure whether to go LWB or SWB. I have a missus and 13month old. So i suppose the major factor would be can i put a child seat in a GQ SWB?

I would prefer to go SWB to cut down on the sheer bulk factor, i feel you can throw them around more. Hopefully help with the fuel bill and they look better IMO

Is there any size difference between an MQ shorty and a GQ shorty? I have an old MQ basher, so i can get an idea from that.

Cheers
Tim

[bogged]

Pttin kids in the back seat of any 2 door sux specially if you end up with another sooner rather than later with the added shit you need to take for multi kids and parole officer.

MQ and GQ shorties are approx similar size.

[wrksux]

if towing, LWB hands down
for no family swb
ive got a shorty and its a pain in the arse putting anything in the back seat let alone a small kid.

[chimpboy]

I sold my SWB and got an LWB. It's a tiny bit harder to park, but in every other way it's a million times more practical.

Off-road, opinions will differ but for most uses I reckon they would be pretty equal, swb a bit more maneuverable in tight spots but lwb more stable on steeper stuff.

Fuel capacity is greater on the LWB if you go dual fuel or are after a long range fuel tank. And more than 2-3" lift is more of a struggle on a SWB due to prop shaft angles.

A GQ SWB is just about an MWB when compared with other bigger fourbies anyway. So imho you give up a lot of interior practicality for what is not really a huge reduction in wheelbase.

Sounds like I am bagging the SWB but I'm not, they look massively better than LWBs and are a really cool car, but overall I am much happier with the extra room in the LWB.

Where are you and how much do you want for the XR6?

[TimMQ]

deep down i know all this, im in denial

im not sure i can grow to love a LWB, huge step from an EF XR6 5sp to a small apartment on wheels.

Another thing, am i stupid to even consider import Safaris? I wouldnt usually consider an import for reliabilty reasons, but nice aussie spec GQs are few and far between

[TimMQ]

Ill be looking at the 10k mark. theyre not worth a lot these days though so ill see what happens Custom paint, lowered, 18's, Xtreme clutch, DBAs all the fruit, 115,000kms. I know ill regret getting rid of it but thats life.

[jessie928]

gidday

i have both, LWB and SWB.

I was going to jump camp, and have a few LWB's but in the end i just found the LWB to big for my liking.

so i bought another shorty, and love it.

BUT.

here is what you will notice

SWB like a small 4cyl car to manouver
SWB does not need alot of lift
SWB faster and more economical
SWB looks heaps better
SWB just enough luggage space, ( have a spare roof basket anyway)
SWB is a rougher ride
SWB is OK to tow large loads ( i used to regularly tow over 2.5t but lwb is better)
SWB easy to park/find parking for)
SWB did i mention it looks better?


LWB pain in the arse to manouver and park
lwb slower and more juice
lwb heaps more luggage space that you dont use
lwb smoother ride than a swb
lwb needs more lift than a swb
lwb will tow larger loads alot more comfortably

In all honesty, i love both, but i love the SWB more.

forget about the kids all the time anyhow, just buy a missus a small 4cyl

Jes

[TimMQ]

Hmm all good points.

What i say goes so the missus wont mind the SWB

Far as towing goes, Boat is only a 385 quintex explorer, so weight wont be over a tonne.

Rougher ride is a good thing, lets you know your alive.

SWB defeinately looks the goods.

Now to find a 5sp deisel....

[GRINCH]

with the child seat i would definly go lwb a shorty would be a pain in the ars to get the kid in

[TimMQ]

Front seats fold forward right?

[jessie928]

yes they do fold forward.

JEs

[waxhead..]

yeah, but the doors aren't overly long, like say a lancer. Its do-able, but as everyone has said, a little more hassle in a shorty.
We have a GU LWB, GQ LWB, and a GQ SWB in the family, Long and short, they are both good.
But off-road - hands down to the shorty, that much more fun....
Towing - LWB is far superior, driving our 5inch lifted shorty on gravel with a couple of moto-x bikes on a trailer on the back is down right scary...

[Beastmavster]

GQ SWB is a pretty big SB - almost as long as some of the LWB from other people.


From memory when i put a tape measure to mine it was 98".....

I love my shorty..... would swap it for a 110" midwheelbase but not a long wheelbase.



Hmmmm... what year XR6?

[weeman]

shorty is fun to drive,

But have the kid and requiring the use of the back seats i would go the LWB, much better option.

[cooki_monsta]

GQ SWB is a pretty big SB - almost as long as some of the LWB from other people.


From memory when i put a tape measure to mine it was 98".....

I love my shorty..... would swap it for a 110" midwheelbase but not a long wheelbase.



Hmmmm... what year XR6?

i like my lwb better for touring and more stable, anyway he said the xr was an ef so that pits it 95 - 6 before they introduced the el in 97

[TimMQ]

yep feb 96

[Doggy]

As much as I love my shorty and think it looks 10 times better then a LWB, for a family, it would be impratical. Instead of taking 5 secs to get a kid in a rear door it would take a substantial amount more time and effort to get the above said kid in through the front door or through the back and over the seat.
As for room, I have no back seats in mine anymore and with a behind the head roof console I made up and a roof rack there is plenty of room to store crap for my fiance and I to be able to go away for up to a month or so.
As for towing, my diesel safari aint exactly the perfect towing beast with 35's and a 5" lift but for towing my 12ft fibreglass skiboat its alright I spose, not a speed machine on the highway but it will comfortably sit on 100 - 110km/h with the boat behind.
Fuel wise I get around 450 - 500 km out of a 65L tank of diesel, so Im not complaining. Thats with the 35's on as well

[TimMQ]

Thanks for the replies, has given me a few things to think about.

Another Q, how much faster is the SWB than the LWB? TD42 5sp

cheers
Tim

[gqroo]

I put my young fella through the sliding window, heaps easier then mucken round with the seat, as for towing 4.8 freedom sport no worries

[Suspension Stuff]

I have had both long and short. My advice is the LWB. I found it out performed the shorty off road especially on hill climbs. Too scarey in a shorty.

The back seats were always empty in the shorty. The only way to get stuff in and out was through the window

If you plan to lift it then steer clear of the shorty unless you don't mind spending an extra grand or 2 on vibe maintenance.

The shorty is better for city parking and manouvability.

Go LONG WHEEL BASE.

[TimMQ]

"If you plan to lift it then steer clear of the shorty unless you don't mind spending an extra grand or 2 on vibe maintenance"

even with just a 2inch spring, 2inch body lift?

[gqroo]

2''spring and body u wouldn have a prob.

[Jimbo]

I have a lwb a besides parking in certain places and U turns its great.

I drove a shorty for the first time the other day offroad and didnt like it much. It has a similar setup to mine and was deffinately a rougher ride. My LWB 4.2efi goes a lot better than my mates swb with carby 4.2.

Cheers

Jimmy

[AdrianGQ]

This is Turps (not my computer and cant be bothered changing log on)

I am on my 2nd shorty. Had them for the last 8yrs. I think for a single person or one with another half (ie GF). Then the shorty is fantastic. I have done some big trips in them no problems. But did need to use a roof rack.
I enjoy driving them. There fun to drive and where I live there a little different to everything else.

But my next GQ will be a LWB just to be more practical. For general camping and outback trips.
AS went away for a weekend with some mates and 4 blokes in a SWB with enough grog to open our own pub. We struggled for room big time (oh and the rear springs are far to soft). And we had no spares, bugger all tools and not much camping gear to live more than 1 or 2 nights.

But for 2 up touring SWB wins.

[Beastmavster]

Thanks for the replies, has given me a few things to think about.

Another Q, how much faster is the SWB than the LWB? TD42 5sp

cheers
Tim

Faster? Not much difference in speed since it comes down to aerodynamics.

However, if you meant mow much faster does it accellerate, then the answer is HEAPS for a RB30 (petrol), a LOT for a TB42 (petrol) version and not that much for a TD42 (Diesel).

The diesel is just so slow to spin up anyway the extra 700kg or so makes little difference.

[Beastmavster]

"If you plan to lift it then steer clear of the shorty unless you don't mind spending an extra grand or 2 on vibe maintenance"

even with just a 2inch spring, 2inch body lift?

2" spring 2" body should be no issues.


Unfortunately a lot of BS gets posted on lifting GQ's. 2" spring is generally the limit without significant changes on a SWB. Some get 3" with no issues, but that's pretty rare.

A few even have issues with 2" on Shorties and need the minor adjustments of gearbox packers.

On Long wheelbases, people quote 4" as being easy. I know of a few who have faced major issues on even 3" lifts.

Every GQ is a lottery that way, but generally you'll get another inch of lift out of a LWB.

Mind you, to compete offroad with a shorty (with the exception of hill climbs) you'll need at least 2" more lift than a shorty in a LWB.

[Jimbo]

"the extra 700kg or so makes little difference."

What is the weight difference between the same spec swb and lwb?

[Beastmavster]

Well, roughly speaking its about 1900 odd versus 2500-2700.


Exact figures vary depending on exact spec, rims and tyres, auto or manual, tb 42 versus td42 versus td eyc.

[Jimbo]

Shit i didnt realise my lwb gq was 2500+Kg

[Beastmavster]

From memory the LIGHTEST GQ LWB spec was 2525... i'll find my manual and check, or you can check redbook