Outer Limits 4x4 Board

I am looking at purchasing a vehicle (my first) soonish, and am having a hard time deciding what to get. Initially I was thinking about a SWB Patrol/Mav, but a good diesel is very hard to find & expensive, and I'm now seriously considering a clean 60 with a 12HT.

The other options are an early model 80, early model GQ or perhaps even a Bundera. Only requirements are is that it has to be a manual diesel (coils would be nice). My main concerns with the 60 is the leaf springs and they seem to have a fair bit of overhang in the back. However, it'd make a far better touring vehicle than a SWB (I'd be doing club trips and touring, so it'd have to cope with interesting track work too).

So, 60 series oweners - how do you find your trucks offroad? Is it possible ge t a decent amount of travel without doing crazy modifications? I've always driven off-road in dads 80 series (1HD-T, 70mm lift, 285/75 BF A/T's and locked up), so it'd probably be a bit of change...

Any other suggestions/comments?

I get excellent flex in my 60 and it just has aftermarket springs and OME shocks. The rear overhang is an issue...60s drag their bums everywhere, but it's only the tow bar so who cares?

I have lockers in my 60 and the only thing I'd like to improve it off road would be 33in mud tyres instead of the current 31in A/Ts.

Yes. coils would be nice and GQs and 80s have more modern, comfy interiors, but for good value, no nonsense, realiable capability the 60's are hard to beat. If you can get one with a good 12ht turbo diesel, all the better.

If you can get a good, clean 60 for reasonable money...get it and spend a little bit getting it thoroughly sorted.

Decent flex


Handles the rough stuff


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Ouch!

You need sliders. Make some good ones, then send me the plans!

BTW, how are your lockers?

Nothing wrong there at all, for only working the suspension, it's more than I was expecting.

Which motor are you running Diesel 60?

(Yes, your nick finally cliked )

Front wheel tucked up nicely into guard.

Mine's a diesel, slow but excellent off road. I'll eventually get sliders I suppose, but the side steps do the job admirably at the moment and I need to sort out the leaking PS pump, leaking radiator and dead battery first.

The lockers are fantastic, they really do make a big difference in rough conditions. Being entirely mechanical (cable operated) they have bugger all that can go wrong with them. Biggest downside is the knob that actuates the front locker is under the driver's seat facing forward, so I either have to get out of the car to pull it out or use a big shifter as a lever.

My lil monster is still on standard leaf with som ironman up front and old man emu down back given the ride some optimum travel on the stocks. I'm about to do a SPOA to give the ultimate in leaf flex as the ruff stuff is better off done that way (from my breakage experience). The SPOA if done your self is minimal in cost (shocks, ubolts, extended brake line, new mounts etc) and delivers big time...as my maters sixty has shown me.

I want to put a locker at the rear and a slippery diff at the front...any suggestions (budget bound too).

SANGA

Guy From Nowhere wrote:My lil monster is still on standard leaf with som ironman up front and old man emu down back given the ride some optimum travel on the stocks. I'm about to do a SPOA to give the ultimate in leaf flex as the ruff stuff is better off done that way (from my breakage experience). The SPOA if done your self is minimal in cost (shocks, ubolts, extended brake line, new mounts etc) and delivers big time...as my maters sixty has shown me.

I want to put a locker at the rear and a slippery diff at the front...any suggestions (budget bound too).

SANGA

I thought SPOA's (I take it that is SPring Over Axle) were illegal?

D_Web,

I have owned mine for just over 12 months (first 4wd). It's an '88 model with 2H and after-market turbo. I have been pretty happy with it's offroad performance - seems to go just about anywhere my mate's Rovers go.

It currently sits on ageing 2" lifted springs and while the articulation isn't anything to write home about, it seems to do the job.

I think it really depends on what you want out of a 4wd. The old diesel 60's are not exactly the most comfortable thing to drive, are pretty heavy (in weight & on fuel - specially with the turbo and 35" tyres). You know you're driving a truck, not a sports car.

But, if you just want to get offroad, they're solid, fairly reliable (given the age) and relatively simple mechanically. The size also comes in handy for taking all that camping gear you won't use when you get where you're going, too!

Mine does all I need it to. My Rover-driving mates have been quite impressed with how well it goes (not trying to start an argument here).

springovers are illegal in QLD, legal elsewhere tho.............

I have a 83 HJ60. Currently running a 2" suspension lift (OME) and 2" body lift. 35" Wranglers fill the wheel arches nicely.

At the moment the flex is nothing to be sneezed at four a leaf sprung truck...but things could always be better.

As for the rear overhang...I do tend to smack the towbar a bit...but saves smacking the rear sill.

Sixtys are a great truck very reliable and good enough in the bush , a spring over does help a lot for any leaf sprung vehicle , i say go the Sixty.

Heres a few pics of mine getting flexed after a i finished the spring over conversion , and a bit of a paint job ,
i roughly got the front left up about 1000mm , which i reckon is pretty good for the old girl.

D_Web wrote:Nothing wrong there at all, for only working the suspension, it's more than I was expecting.

Which motor are you running Diesel 60?

(Yes, your nick finally cliked )

I've got a 2h, slow but reliable. Stick it in low 1st and it'll climb anything.