Outer Limits 4x4 Board

G'day all,

If you were to build your ultimate defender what wheelbase would it be ?

I can't decide what to do. my project is currently 91" long, but is this too short, but is 110 too long? is 100" purfect or is 104".

I'm just after everyones views on wheelbase. My project will have good approach and departure angles no matter what the wheelbase, only the ramp over angle would be different

I'm mainly concerened about down hill rock crawling with the shorty wanting to flip

90" wheelbase. Zero overhangs. Large prod of middle pedal at worst time:

http://www.yorkshireoffroadclub.net/gal ... blebex.mpg

Steve

Longer is better up/down hills
Shorter is better in the tight stuff
jus depends how much of each you want to do! I've been down some hills in the 90 that have had the rear wheels in the air and seen a LWB amble down without any drama. If you're into steep hills go longer and lower and let physics be your friend.

flat4 wrote:90" wheelbase. Zero overhangs.

Steve

90" just too short to take seriously - I vote 100" - if you are custom building then you can make the overhangs what ever you want....

flat4 wrote:
http://www.yorkshireoffroadclub.net/gal ... blebex.mpg

Steve

Get off the brake !!!

100 after building a 90.

100 after building a 90.

How do you do a double post nearly an hour apart Locky?

TuffRR wrote:How do you do a double post nearly an hour apart Locky?

Guess some people have real skills.

110" but zero overhang
must have equal or better than standard turning circle
bring motor back about 4/5 inches.

david

According to strange rover 100" is where it is at !


Tom

i thought the lockless monster was 104" and he wanted to stretch it to 110"??

david

modman wrote:i thought the lockless monster was 104" and he wanted to stretch it to 110"??

david

Re read most of the tube buggy thread and the thread where sam broke the cv in it and I am quite sure it is 100" WD - standard early range rover. He did say he was thinking about moving the axel a couple of inches but I can't see where it says 104" wanting to go to 110". I should have asked today I was down there talking to the boys and asking annoying questions

thanks for your views so far.

I'm still undecided.

How would you get better turning circle in a 110 if I'm using RR diff's ?? and running 35's...ain't going to happen

how often do SWB's lift front wheels crawling up hills??

Is down hills the only problem? due to no weight in the ass end ?

Well they do get their wheels in the air...
http://tinyurl.com/2eavb

In a SWB going uphill you just tend to lose traction on a ledge. For a given height of ledge, a LWB has the rear wheels further back and gets less angle going up - and there is more chance that the front wheels will be over the ledge and getting traction to haul the rear wheels up.

Having said that, I'm staying with my 90. A little more jumpiness on hills is offset by the great manouverability in the tight stuff. I've been on tracks where LWBs had one wheel over a cliff to get around (severe pucker factor) but in the 90 it wasn't even an obstacle you would notice!

IMHO, 100" is a good choice for a general purpose rig.... but you should be running around 35" tyres for breakover clearance. 110" required 38" and becomes too difficult to manoever (sp?) on normal trails.

DAS wrote:thanks for your views so far.

I'm still undecided.

How would you get better turning circle in a 110 if I'm using RR diff's ?? and running 35's...ain't going to happen

how often do SWB's lift front wheels crawling up hills??

Is down hills the only problem? due to no weight in the ass end ?

Putting wheels in the air is more due to suspension setup in the back end than wheelbase. You can have two rangie's i.e. my old one and strange rovers business partner's and mine would put a front wheel in the air and his would not and the only setup difference (weight aside) is the rear suspensions setup i.e. my springs were stiffer and I had less travel.

If you want a better turning circle while wheeling then dis-engage the centre diff and pull the handbrake on a bit.

Tom

more offset allows a better turning circle, you can get a little more lock as well.
sorry raginrover,i was too lazy to chech those threads, it was only a guess
wheels on ground means traction and stability in the front end.
i think i prefer 110 so i can carry all my shite.
i've usually had trays and utes so the rear end gets touch parked every where in the bush.
i guess this helps me use every bit of my wheelbase.

david

modman wrote:more offset allows a better turning circle, you can get a little more lock as well.
sorry raginrover,i was too lazy to chech those threads, it was only a guess
wheels on ground means traction and stability in the front end.
i think i prefer 110 so i can carry all my shite.
i've usually had trays and utes so the rear end gets touch parked every where in the bush.
i guess this helps me use every bit of my wheelbase.

david

Definately each to their own mate and if the 110 suits then that is the go,
you asked and I answered and it was just an opinion so don't worry about it too much !

Build it how want mate
Good Luck

Tom

Thanks for all your opinion's guys

I still can't decide.

I think I will be building a 100" at least...90 is going to be too short I think (but not ruled out), I like climbing rocky hills, but I am also thinking of comps with hills

I really don't know...especially the fact i use to drive LWB Series landy's...the first coil sprung 4wd i have driven has been the RR and I haven't (and don't plan too) taken it as far as i did the Series trucks...

RaginRover wrote:If you want a better turning circle while wheeling then dis-engage the centre diff and pull the handbrake on a bit.

Tom

Nice - I was going to say that.

The WB you want really depends on the WB of the rigs that you wheel with.

If everybody has got SWB then SWB will be fine. But if everybody is driving nissans and toys and cruisers then 90 may be a bit short. Although if you dont lift it much and really sort out your rear suspension then it will be fine. You would really want to work on keeping the weight down low and making it slippery underneith though.

Id make it 100in though if you arnt too far into the project cause Im guessing you are wheeling with lots of cruisers and nissans like the rest of us. Lockless is 100in.

Sam

G'day,

I wheel with both SWB and LWB

rigs range from SWB MQ patrols, one with 37's and leaf over, LWB GQ and GU patrols (with 33's) and a bunch on Hilux's

I think that group covers all the wheelbase's available...

My 90 needs the brakes finished and then it can be test driven...but I'm not worried about making a new chassis with 100" wb and converting all the parts over.

I would leave it at 90 then. If its a problem then try to do something longer and then let the rest of know the difference that it makes.

Sam

The best way to answer that question is "on what tire size"?

I think 100" is the best way to go for 35-37" tires, and maybe 104"+ for +39" rubber...

All I know is that 35" tires are the standard, so a 90 is way too short, and the driving force for the rear wheels would be outside of the traction yone on steep climbs

G'day,

My truck will be running 35's. I wouldn't mind running 37's (when i build diffs to handle the size) but 90" would be too short for 37's I'd say

I have no plans to run 39+ at this stage

I do believe 110 is too long, I think 100" is going to be what I need.

SWB is good, but not for hills really...but what 4wding doesn't involve some sort of hills ....

DAS - isn't the 90 almost finished??? Just finish it an drive it - make sure you install a cage. You never know you may like it, and once you have found it's liumitations you can better decide what you want to do.

Almost finished yes...need a brake proportioning valve and then the brakes are done so i can drive it.

Problem is..it's one thing to drive it...but i don't want to register it and then go...sh1t I want longer and have to re register it again....

90's are fun to drive. If you start driving it , bet you don't change it...

lowbox wrote:90's are fun to drive. If you start driving it , bet you don't change it...

Theres money to made here DAS

Go on make the bet - then change it to 100" - and make your fortune..... This will cover the reregistering and you get to try both at no cost to you.....

Saw a nice green 90 soft top in Noosa yesterday. It looked well enough done that a cursory glance didn't show obvious join marks.

Steve