Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Question,

If you had the chance to do mod your zook over again from scratch.

What would you do differently i.e. what mistakes do you feel you made???

hahaha.. bring on the ".... in hindsite... " type responces...

Here's my answer...

Though i am happy with the car as it stands now, there are a few things i could have done along the way to help save some money / get to this stage faster... these are:

1. buy a soft top from the start.
2. buy a narrow track 1.3 - that has the spring hangers under the chassis (assuming i can get some widetrack diffs)
3. weld the rear - don't air locker it (i love the arb, but welding it would have been cheaper.
4. not buy a bull bar (there aren't too many kangaroos in melbourne)
5. decided what my suspension was going to be first off, not do it in several steps (each step costs money)
6. decided what tyres i was going to run first off, not upgrade several times (each set of tyres cost money)...

i guess the other consideration is the lwb vs swb... but face it - lwb are not as cool.

so basically - set yourself a super clear goal of where you want to get to, and aim directly at that (don't try to just get close enough)... when you get there - at least you know you have taken the fastest possible route, and saved the most money possible too.

I would have welded the rear diff years ago, best $10 I ever spent (diff oil). I would have started with a 1300nt, and fitted one litre t-case. (easier than 1300 conversion). 2nd best thing I did was grind off all the bolts hanging down. a good thing would be the spring plates that use the bolt/nuts beside the spring. LWB is best for a family man, more room, but much dearer to find. extending the wb of a shorty may be cheaper? christover

I would Sell The Zook........ and Buy a RANGIE
Hope that helps

AnthonyP wrote:I would Sell The Zook........ and Buy a RANGIE
Hope that helps

...and move back in with your parents...

well - if you are going to take one step backwards, you may as well take another

(sorry nam )

AnthonyP wrote:I would Sell The Zook........ and Buy a RANGIE
Hope that helps

Um................yeah like totally

I would start with a 1.3 sot top body, I agree with Greg about having a vision of where you want your modification adventure to take you,
tyres, axles, engine, brand and type of winch, seats, cage and gears all importannt decisions to make, but you also have to balance that with your intended use, eg local, interstate touring, comps, solo or 5 pasengers lots of camping and recovery gear or go "commando".
there is always a few compromises, it is up to you where you draw the line in the sand.


1.6 forget the rock hopper and go striaght to a Thorax, not that I don't like the R/H, because I do, it's just that with a Thorax I can go back to a 3.9/4.1ish diff ratio and save reving the ring out of my engine on the road (4500rpm@100KMH) and still have gears galore, I also get a big gearbox and a large clutch to suit.
I would go for a tyre like Gregs over the claws.

So other than the clutch, gearbox, transfer case, diff gears and the tyres I wouldn't change a thing
Peter.

i will have all 3 - zook + rangie + parents

I have the rangie, Building the suzuki. But N*A*M you can have the parents.

droopypete wrote:I would go for a tyre like Gregs over the claws.

Would you get an enginees cert with swompers ???

love_mud wrote:

droopypete wrote:I would go for a tyre like Gregs over the claws.

Would you get an enginees cert with swompers ???

When my guy engineered my 33" BFG's he said he wasn't interested in any thing bigger.
But at the moment I have 5 diferent sets of tires to pick from so complyance isn't a huge issue.
I think Gregs 34's are a good all round tyre (OK mabe not so round )
the claws are a great tyre, on the 1st Toolangi night run I got up a hill that I wouldn't have with the larger swamper simply because of the agressive side wall allowed me to climb the side of the rut, but I would go the swamper for the extra height (I know it is only 1/2 an inch on paper, but if you let both tyres down to 3 PSI it is more than that).
Peter.

Peter.

Not bought the Vitara....

Not installed Kings Springs.

Not welded the rear diff.


I think the first point sums it up. It's just so much harder to work with than a Sierra.

I woulda started with a 1000 dollar Zuk instead of a 10000 dollar one....

Other than that I love modifying it so no issues with me redoing stuff

It's only money after all.......