A few questions

[rockit]

Hey guys as some of you no im new to the hole suzuki thing and keen to get on board still wondering if to buy a built car or build my self, can you guys help me out with a few questions i want to no whats required to fit say 35's or 36's i want a wide wheel base and some good power to. can you point me in the right direction im going to go to a suzuki meet this month but keen to see what every one rekons

[mr green]

sounds like what your after should be worth about $12-$15k buy one thats already built. it takes a lot more effort than you might think to do '' a few simple mods''
jason

[just cruizin']

Hey guys as some of you no im new to the hole suzuki thing and keen to get on board still wondering if to buy a built car or build my self, can you guys help me out with a few questions i want to no whats required to fit say 35's or 36's i want a wide wheel base and some good power to. can you point me in the right direction im going to go to a suzuki meet this month but keen to see what every one rekons

Wide Wheel Track & Suzuki = NO (in comparasion with other vehicles)
Good Power & Suzuki = NO
35 & Suzuki = WHY

Not to push you away for Suzuki but the whole joy of these things is that the are small and narrow, relatively low on power, ok very low on power and you don't need to run big tyres.

Not knowing you, we need more info, what do you want from the vehicle, what terrain are you going to be driving. How much experience have you got in both 4WD and Suzuki's. But going to a Zook meeting is the best idea, go on a couple of run and jump in various ppl's cars to see how they go.

[rockit]

mmmm yeah i see what your saying, i have very little exp with suzuki's but no problem with exp off road, i guess i want somthing thats looks tuff real tuff that goes where ever i point it, i live in vic so muds the go, when it rains haha and steep incline's and declines,just dont want somthing run of the mill,want somthing out there.

[just cruizin']

For steep incline and declines you need a long wheel base. Seeing you're talking huge width and tyres I take it this thing won't see high traffic public roads too much if at all other then on a trailer. If that is the case cut the hell out of the guards and an exo are the go. You could cut the whole rear end off and go tube with a coil setup or airshock. I'm good at spending other people's money so what's the budget.

[rockit]

ok the car will see very min road use just to get there and back, got a work car so weekends and thats it , budget thinking 10-12 grand, what do you think

[just cruizin']

That's a good budget for a zook, buy something mostly done

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/ftopic148945.php

Done

[GRPABT1]

If it's going to see any road time AT ALL I wouldn't reccomend anything over a 33" tyre MAXIMUM. The things required to make larger tyres than that safe and driveable on road on a zook (regardless of legalities) could get very time consuming and expensive.

[rockit]

Guys to you who replied thanks for the info i will take it all on board, and try and figure out what i want to do, ill attend the suzuki meet and take it from there, thanks again

[MART]

Yeh , rockit , need to go on a few runs and see how people's cars perform with which mods and driver techniques , some less modified trucks can go just as well as fully modified rigs due to driver expertise and confidence. Take it slow and good luck , Cheers Paul.

[Gwagensteve]

I've built a heap of cars running over a 33" tyre and don't see it as a problem, but the way I build cars is pretty labour intensive. Basically, a 35 is quite possible but yes, you are pushing the limits of suzuki hardware even in Vic and the amount of work involved in setting up a car to run that sort of size is incredible, and it's mostly in working the body to fit the tyre.

If you choose a SWB car, don't get too carried away with width. Going too wide doesn't help the car on climbs - they want to get across the hill too much - the same goes for 12.5" tyres - they're far too wide for a suzuki in Vic when it's wet. In any case, all that width starts to diminish the advantage of suzuki's - they don't fit very well when they get too big.

I'm running 34X9's on 4.5" rims and my car is just amazing in greasy conditions- It's far better than anything with 10.5" or wider tyres.

Most of the hassle in fitting a tall tyre is dealing with the width. If they're narrow, they're a lot easier to deal with.

Just crusin - I'd coil or airshock the front of a sierra long before I did the rear. the #1 result of coiled/linked rear ends is low rear roll stiffness and that sucks the big one on the hills he have here in Vic. In any case, that sort of work is going to blow the budget unless rockit is a very talented fabricator, and having been involved in a car that was basically back halfed, I can say that it's a PITA going for a day drive and not having anywhere that's not covered in mud etc, which is part of the reason a full body has it's advantages.

rockit - "minimal" road use is still road use - even forestry tracks/state park tracks are public roads and you will have to deal with how illegal you want your car to be. wide tyres, lots of width outside the body, no mudflaps and a loose floppy looking car will get all the wrong kind of attention. if you plan on driving your car from home to the tracks, then you will want to keep the build neat and the width/height under control to stop it standing out too much. That's one advantage of a LWB - the extra length hides a bigger tyre, and it's also why I like working the body to fit a tyre rather than more lift - the car keeps a lower profile.

I wouldn't buy a car already built unless you add up the parts in the car and they're worth more than the car itself. Mostly, there will be a heap of little niggly problems with a built car and there will often be heaps of effort in fixing them all - enough that you might get really frustrated. IT's pretty common to see a built car sold then the new owner rip it apart trying to fix all the little problems like "it overheats, throws unis and has a leaky rear main... I'll strip it down" then the next thing you know, you looking to put coils under it or something and 2 years later your folks are threatening to burn it if it's still in the driveway at the end of the week.

Personally, I'd find a neat nearly stock car, throw a 2" BL on it, a rear diff lock, some transfer gears and some 31's or narrow 32's and get out there and learn the car. Then you can plan the bigger build as you go when you know what you want the car to achieve. Suzuki's aren't anything like bigger cars - they are sooooo much more capable right now you couldn't even being to imagine what you can drive in a big sierra - start with something that's easier to relate to and build as you go.

heres a couple of big tyre cars for some inspiration, despite what I've been saying. These guys all started small and worked up to these builds.



9/34 swampers, 2" BL, OME springs



35 13.5 BFG Krawlers, 2" BL, OME Springs, about 12 months worth of bodywork to make them fit...



33 9.5 BFG MT's, 2" BL, OME springs


Q 78 swampers on the same car after a rebuild.

Thing is, building a car like these takes lots and lots of time as much as anything and start like this:



So we're not talking about a few weekends and you're away.
Thing is, the owners of these cars have contemplated bulding another sierra with just 31's and a locker to do the easier trips and to have to work a bit harder - these cars make hard tracks easy and to tell you the truth, they can get a bit boring - you kust point them at stuff and they do it - it's hard to find stuff that stretches them. At this stage it's really more about the building than it is about the driving, although, both the black car and the grey car are comfortable, EFI, auto, reliable, and cruise well, even on those tyres. It's a long journey though.

Steve.

[just cruizin']

Well said Steve, my post was merely just to point out the extremes some guys go to with their Sierras. Full tube and mud don't mix well in my mind either. Mud sux, a 2 hour drive takes 4 hours of cleaning and that's not worth it in my mind.

[GRPABT1]

I'd love some vistorian style tracks up here, we have mega steep climbs on loose dirt with nasty rocks but little rain.

You kinda confirmed my point steve, I wouldn't reccomend more than 33's on a street car to anyone who had to ask a question on how to build it. Things like brakes and stability are more important on road IMO than flex and clearance.

[Gwagensteve]

I wouldn't reccomend more than 33's on a street car to anyone who had to ask a question on how to build it.

That's actually a fair point. It's far better to work up to it.

Steve.

[GRPABT1]

Thanks for the new sig Steve

[greg]

Phaw!

That black car on the krawlers is Horn* steve!


* - for a BB for car owners, there can never be enough mechanic speak.

[foolsp33d]

9/34 swampers, 2" BL, OME springs
Steve.

same zook??



edit: Yep, same zook Go Greg

[greg]

Yep, same zook Go Greg

mcstevie was driving... I'm the fellow at the bottom laughing (in a nervous / relieved sort of fashion).

[Gwagensteve]

And I had my doors on Greg's car. As it was going over all I kept thinking was If I roll Im going to stuff my doors....

Steve.

[greg]

most embarassing when i think about it.... a photo of my car with doors on it.

[GRPABT1]

I thought that vid was of the old capsiz?

[Gwagensteve]

It is - that's Greg's old 660cc car.

[GRPABT1]

Sooooooooo gregs the owner of capsiz (the white rig IIRC) and races it? Well there you go, learn something new every day

[christover1]

Sooooooooo gregs the owner of capsiz (the white rig IIRC) and races it? Well there you go, learn something new every day

Nah wrong capsiz. Thats another doooood.
We just named it that, tho I don't think gerg ever accepted the name.

[Gwagensteve]

The name was almost Greg's idea. I believe it predates the other "capsiz" and we called it that because it was cap powered and built to roll.

Steve.

[rockit]

fuuuuuuck that looked nuts nearly over.

[Phantomzook]

Are these the same doors?
http://s215.photobucket.com/albums/cc17 ... e95624.pbr

[grimbo]

that was funny. Did you do any damage Steve? Also you should post some pics of your exo, very cool probably the nicest one I've seen on a Sierra

[GRPABT1]

The name was almost Greg's idea. I believe it predates the other "capsiz" and we called it that because it was cap powered and built to roll.

Steve.

Aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh I always thought the car in that vid was the same as the white one or same owner.

[foolsp33d]

jeeze eh, now that took things off topic slightly. ahh well...

Yep, same zook Go Greg

mcstevie was driving... I'm the fellow at the bottom laughing (in a nervous / relieved sort of fashion).

mcstevie being Gwag. or Big steve? if the latter, that boy goes missing WAYYY to often.. anyone heard from him of late?! surely he would have a whole pit crew of rug rats by now!???