winch truck/offroad challenge truck recipe?

[mrgrumpysleeps]

This has probably been bought up a million times.

I want to buy or build a winch truck. seeing there is not really much up for sale other than that white single cab lux with coilovers, i'm looking at what i can knock together. im not going to spend a million dollars, i want to get out there with the my mates and have a blast, comps and playing around on weekends, i've navi'd before but now i want to drive my own truck.

i just sold my extra cab 80 turbo 1HZ, airbag ass, too much hastle with the cops as i wanted to use it as a daily as well.

There was a purple and silver extra cab 80 at the mackay offroad challenge for 10k but someone beat me to it. that would've done the job, just pay and play.

so if i build one I was thinking light and bit of poke and reliable. light because it will spend a lot of time on a trailer, and also need less Hp to get it moving.

90 mod or newer extra cab hilux
GQ diffs coils steering etc f&r lockers
ls1 or lexus v8, not sure about box? possibly auto
37inch treps
mechanical bead locks
tube bar front integrated into full exo
twin motor highmount with air free spool


ideas or opinions?

[5inchgq]

go a set of GU diffs bit wider and apparently stronger than GQ......

[Elmo]

that sounds like a pretty good recipe mate, but if you want to be legal, why not try stauns internal second-air beadlocks... mechanical ones will get you pulled up by mr plod everytime...

diff wise, if you wanted to go patrol diffs behind an LS1, definately spend the expense and go to GU... you could in theory go the big H233 i think its called in the back and std GU in the front, although they could still be beefed up even more if you so wish

oh and personal preferance i know, but for me, with the type of truck your describing, yeah i would go auto, so much simpler... and the LS1 comes with one of the best already attached to it, with many readily available adaptors to suit various transfer cases depending which one you end up choosing

but anyway, thats just me, hope it helps in someway

[NICK]

i am currently putting a very similar thing together with the same design in mind. Light with HP

i have a 92 extra cab hilux with a 1JZ with Gu diffs. i am running a surf auto which is the same as the soarer one so bolted up without an adaptor. the same thing can be done with a 1UZ. I am yet to buy a chain to gear transfer case adaptor. I have dual cases.

If i wasnt on a tight bastard i would have used a nissan case with a T700 to the 1J. i personally think this would be a stronger combo than what i have now.

NICK

[A.J.]

H233 is the "normal" GU/GQ diff.
H260 is the large one. Found mostly on leaf utes and some other models, there seems to be no real pattern, they just used them here and there.

If you go the H260 you will have to "shave" the bottom of the pumpkin, they are huge and will get you hung up on rocks and ruts.

You WILL blow front diffs if you run 80series/Hilux diff, they are weak, especially with a LS1 pushing......

that sounds like a pretty good recipe mate, but if you want to be legal, why not try stauns internal second-air beadlocks... mechanical ones will get you pulled up by mr plod everytime...

diff wise, if you wanted to go patrol diffs behind an LS1, definately spend the expense and go to GU... you could in theory go the big H233 i think its called in the back and std GU in the front, although they could still be beefed up even more if you so wish

oh and personal preferance i know, but for me, with the type of truck your describing, yeah i would go auto, so much simpler... and the LS1 comes with one of the best already attached to it, with many readily available adaptors to suit various transfer cases depending which one you end up choosing

but anyway, thats just me, hope it helps in someway

[Elmo]

i thought i was wrong with the H233, yeah H260 is what i meant... been awake too long.. TIRED

And yeah i agree about the lux diffs with an LS1, just didnt want to see him go GQ when GU is so much stronger

[ludacris]

Dont forget that it has to be registerd and it will be a lot cheaper with less hassle to just use a GQ cab and chasis. Register it first then modify. Patrol H233 rear is strong enough but a GU front is stronger than the GQ front.

By the way if your budget is $10 000 forget it. I would say you will spend $40 000 + on this type of build mate.

GQ $3000
Engine conversion $10 000
Suspension $4000
Roll cage custom barwork $5000
Winch $7000
Ute chop $3000 inc paint
Tyres rims beadlocks $5000
Front GU $1500
Lockers compressor $3200
Cromo arms $600
Harnesses, fire extigishers, big wire cables, time plus more. $$$$$$$

price might be a bit high or might not.

Cris

[Spartacus]

i agree with using a patrol cab chassis.
coils are there and bolt in quality shocks and your racing.

[RUFF]

GQ,
6" Coils,
High mount winch,
Cheezy front bar,
Turbo,
36" Simex,
Beadlocks,
Lightforce lights.

Isnt this how all winch challenge trucks are built?

[mrgrumpysleeps]

can be rego'd but never driven on the road, there are a million trucks out there doing the same, or i'll get island rego. We wont start this argument again about regos so anyway.

Dont want to go GQ, to big, too heavy, yes they are tried and tested and proven but i'm not racing for sheep stations, just abit of fun with my mates, Laurie Sternbeck is an example of light truck with power and reliable, and very very capable driver/navi combo, goes a long way.

I can get a hilux for around 6k, thinking of extra cab body on single cab chassis as its 200mm shorter.

Lexus V8 and auto <$3500

Cage and bar work <$1000

winch 4k max: - second hand high mount 1k
- crazy eyes widened drum and air freespool 2k
-twin motors 1k
Not sure on cost of GU diffs and steering yet

then lockers second hand, 2k max

tyres,rims,beadlocks- 3500

car trailer 2k tops

a few cartons of beer and some weekends of work = :-)

thats about it, i'm a fitter/welder by trade so i'll be doing it all.

Cheers for your input

[HLX4B]

mate personally before you jump on the nissan is better than toyota bandwagon how about you talk to the dgr blokes they have a nissan and they have a lux guarantee you will be suprised at what they reckon about the hilux strength. I dont have any proof that toyota gear is stronger than nissan but i can pretty confidently say that nissan gear isnt the be all of setups i cant say iv ever heard of someone with a 80 series having trouble with front diffs and i know there are alot of v8 hilux's getting around these days pretty sure they dont run nissan gear and pretty sure they all seem to hold up pretty good.

[NICK]

i personally think i can build my car for less than 10 grand, although when i started that was my budget. I have a tilt tray, no need for a car trailer.

I bought the hilux from buddy for $2000 and sold the 22r for $1100 and the rear diff for $400. so it owes 500.

I bought a complete soarer rolled for $1000 and sold $1800 of parts out of it, and kept the motor and box.

I bought an 86 4runner for 600. sold the 3Y for 800, swapped the complete diffs and powersteer kit and 500 for a pair of 4.6 GU diffs. wrecked the rest of the vechicle out and made 700, spent this on 37" MTR's.

at this point i was neutral in my build, hadnt spend any money, just time.

I went to america at the start of this year and got a dualcase adaptor, 14in travel bilstens and ram assit kit along with some other crap for $1000.

left to buy.... Killa lux engine loom $650
Adaptor to auto for duals $750
Lockkers $2000
Winch $3000 (second hand, found it, have to pick it up)
bar work $1000
other random crap $2500 pulls me up alittle over the 10 grand mark.

I dont plan to win, i plan to have fun in a realiable truck so fingers crossed it pans out that way.

NICK


on a side note there is a celsior on EBAY at the moment for $1500 whioh will have your 1UZ conversion in it.

[blackarrowilly]

It comes down to dollars and how hard you want to go.

[mrgrumpysleeps]

love your work Nick, Thats awesome. ShortyIQ brilliant actually haha.

blackarrowwilly, im not running tough truck, im running local winch comps and offroad challenges. yes i agree to a point that money plays a very big role, although, reliability, capability, driver and navi ability and some times sheer luck all have to line up to be good at it. Research Laurie Sternbeck in his 1UZ luxy, not a million dollar truck, no 1000HP motor, just everything in balnce.

at the end of the day you can spend a shit load for a real tough powerful truck, but if you cant drive your finger up your ass you million dollar truck does F@$% all good for you.

[mickyd555]

-twin motors 1k

where do you buy these from?

[pigletracing]

a RECIPIE THAT WORKED FOR ME ( but like all challenge class illegal on road)

(1) SURF CHASSIS, (most wreckers usualy them away) it weighed 1/2 the amt of a GQ chassis & is already 5 link rear end.(legnthen your trailing arms)
(2) Graft on GU front diff & GQ rear (a skinnier track in the rear for cornering) 4.88 ratios (from H4)
(3) light weight motor, I went V6 commy & auto trans (got the complete car with computer ect for $300) had more than enough power to turn 37",(used to reach 130klm in low range b4 hitting the rev limiter) but you could go a factory supercharged V6 for not much more coin.but more zoomzoom.
(4) marks adaptors have all engine mounts addaptors for trannys ect you will need & that cost me $2ish"K" (I used a hilux trany.
(5) BODY ist about now you can start thinking of what you want to use.
you dont have to use surf/fourrunner or hilux just because you used a surf chassis, you probably wont use the factory chassis body mounts. As the body you pick will be moved back to gain maximum approach angle, & the radiater/oil coolers thrown up on the tray to keep them away from mud & sticks. I used a Feroza & because it was a soft top I only had 1/2 the body to cut away, theres millions out there & arnt worth 2cents at the wreckers. If I did it again Id pick a Zook body & cut it into an extra cab or get a rav 4 thats been ass hit & cut it down.
(6) TRAY & Finishing
#NB go to your enginere 1st..
have a rough plan of what your doing IE- chassis, engine,body.
he will tell you what you need to do, as he will be doing the certificates for road worthy. leave 31's on it at 1st & never say your making a race car, just a project 4wd for trips & light club stuff.
after its regoed then go the biger tyres & lift.

[ludacris]

Yeah just sayin if you are on a budget keeping it simple is the cheapest way. Hilux's are a great car no doubt.

Cris

[RUFF]

Research Laurie Sternbeck in his 1UZ luxy, not a million dollar truck, no 1000HP motor, just everything in balnce.

Ill give Laurie one thing he can drive and he has a great cable runner. But you are seriously kidding yourself if you beleive that car is not a big dollar rig. I doubt you could build the same car for under 50k.

[sierrajim]

Hilux with a quad cam.

Car $4k minimum - start with a beater and you'll just waste time/money fixing it
Chromo axles for standard diffs - $2k
Air lockers F&R - $2k
Winch - $2k (before you mod it)
Rope $500
tyres & wheels $2-3k
6 point cage $2-3k
engine $1-2k
adaptor kit $1-2k

So there is around $18k without having thought of sliders, front bar, harnesses, charging system, winch mods etc....oh yeah.....you'd still also be on leaf springs.

Suspension work, if you have to pay to get it done, will cost a small fortune. If you can do it yourself can be done reasonably economically.

[bogged]

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/phpBB2/ftopic206130.php

[1MadEngineer]

http://www.cbtracing.com/the_car_9.html

absolutely dominated winch style events like SSS and Xtreme series in 2009. Good basic recipe.

[5middy]

just reading all the previous posts, wont the GU diff stick out well past the mudguards on a hilux cab? how much wider? This is a mod i am searching trying to find info on. I run a 2003 single cab hilux winch truck, it has an older leaf sprung chassis under it, although fitted with FOX coil overs and FOX hydro bumpstops, limiing straps now, fast PTO winch with modified Highmount backup, 1uzfe supercharged v8, lexus/prado auto with cruiser transfer case currently running through hilux diffs, which have been fitted with 4.88 diff ratios, chromemoly axles and cv's. I dont break cv's and axles anymore, i break diff heads, hence why I am looking at fitting GQ diffs or GU diffs. Also eunning 35simex and mechanical beadlocks. Any pros and cons? peoples Thoughts an opinions on the GU diff swap idea?

[ludacris]

It is going to be wider but by changing to a different + offset rim you should be able to get it close and it will give it great driving caracteristics compared to having the normal wider offset rims.

Cris

[mrgrumpysleeps]

-twin motors 1k

where do you buy these from?

make the adaptor yourselfH

[mrgrumpysleeps]

Ls1 have more power and more reliable than Lexus v8?

How could I couple the ls1 auto to a transfer? And what transfer would be best suited?

[BushTuckerNed]

Ive building (not myself) a hilux atm for winch challenge.

I have a dual cab, 5 litre injected V8, king coilovers all round, gq diffs, 37" treps etc etc.

It will cost you way more than you think it will. But will be good when finished, to many gqs around

[bogged]

-twin motors 1k

where do you buy these from?

make the adaptor yourselfH

7.8hp motors are not free.

[mrgrumpysleeps]

-twin motors 1k

where do you buy these from?

make the adaptor yourselfH

7.8hp motors are not free.

from my understanding 7.8's are no good piggy backed as they destroy themselves.

[mrgrumpysleeps]

Ive building (not myself) a hilux atm for winch challenge.

I have a dual cab, 5 litre injected V8, king coilovers all round, gq diffs, 37" treps etc etc.

It will cost you way more than you think it will. But will be good when finished, to many gqs around

what are coil overs worth approx? Fair bit of fab work to install them properly?

[BushTuckerNed]

bit of work involved in putting them in becasue the lux is obviously leaf springs to start with.

Depends how custom you want to go too. Ive gone a little to custom i think with the front end. Radius arms are a one off and flipped on top of the diff which means i have to get the same arms again if they break or bend and have more work in putting a new front diff in if it bends

I paid someone to put mine in, so the cost of the coilovers where all in one big price, including tuning them which i wont be getting done by him, so lost money there.

Also had to pay someone else to cut it all out and start again from scratch because they didnt know what they were doing

So if your going to get someone to do it for you, make sure you do your homework and check out previous customers cars to make sure the person doing the work has an idea and doesnt bullshit their way through