Towing with a Sierra

[ado250]

Never done any towing before and was thinking of building a small trailer out of a zook rear axle and springs (when I pull mine off!!).

No use if the zook can't pull it though. How well can a 1.3 do with a light trailer behind it? Will be pulling through Great divide so pretty steep slopes at times.

I am running 2 inch exhaust and extractors and a webber carby for now until the engine conversion comes (either vit 1.6 or supercharged Jimny 1.3)

Wanting the trailer to store 'volume' item such as sleeping bags etc on trips.

Ado

[ado250]

Oh BTW,

Would pulling the diff centre out of a zook axle affect it's rolling and load carrying capabilities? Was thinking of sourcing one and ripping off all the bits that aren't needed, then whacking my rear springs on it (once I get the 2 inch lift on my zook) and building them onto a light trailer frame.

Only problem I could see is the trailer being too high for the towbar at the back (as it drops below the chassis). Maybe I should use the front leaf springs instead?

Ado

[lay80n]

SEARCH, in the last 6 months there has been about 4 towing threads on sierra's. The max legal towing rating for a zook is 450KG anyway.

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/phpBB2/se ... de=results

Here, i will even do the hard work for you

Pick out which threads are useful and i will add them to the bible too (PM me the links, easier than keeping track of this thread )


Layto....

[ado250]

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/phpBB2/vi ... ght=towing
http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/phpBB2/vi ... ght=towing
http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/phpBB2/vi ... ght=towing
http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/phpBB2/vi ... ght=towing

Ok, did a search and found the following!

Now, couldn't find anything on the suitability of zook rear axle for a trailer conversion. If anyone has done it, would be great to know if it worked or not.

Ado

[christover1]

I've given this thought, too.
Be better off getting an axle made with right stud pattern, and right track width (cost me $100 to do this 8 or 9 years ago. (for a Moke trailer)
The wheel bearings on a zook rear axle only do half the work. The other end of axle is supported by the diff side gears, which you will be removing.
Unless you want a driven trailer axle, which would be sweet.
Nothing is insurmountable, though.

[midnight]

Either that or you got the axle converted to fully floating. Ie: Your axle can snap, and your wheel wont fall off.

I think Squik is in the process of doing this to her Jimny is she not?

[lay80n]

Need a full floating style axle (cruiser rear style). Sierra is semi floating. If your axle snaps you wont loose a wheel, that is the c-clip design like dana's (some anyway) that do that, as their axle is held in by a c-clip inside the diff centre.

Layto....

[ado250]

With hubs kits at $50 each side, and an axle about $40, makes sense just to buy them new rather than modify the stock axle (cost wise).

Can still use the springs and bits + Pieces that come off after a lift which should bring the $$$ down and get the chassis height about right (after a lift).

I'm sure I have seen the 5 stud patterned hubs at the trailer places so the stock sierra rims can be used.

Ado

[nicbeer]

Beware as most of the 5 studs are suited for either ford or holden 2wd. U could get a blank hub and get them to drill the patten to suit maybe.

Nic

[ado250]

Yeah that's right, they are for the '100 series' or something like that. If I can't find what I'm looking for then the blank hub could be an option. I could also use another common pattern, but that way I couldn't use the trailer spare on the zook (not cool).

Marking and drilling wouldn't be a problem, I reckon I could manage that at home on a drill press, but the centre allignment will be a problem (only if I stuff it up!!).

Ado

[flyinwall]

you could always use 2wd f100 front hubs

[nicbeer]

anybody got any pics of their converted dead sierras to trailers?

i have a drover here going to the tip and thinking about it.

if using orig chassis end what needs to be taken up as far as rego and drawbar setup.

Nic

[NIK]

Ive been thinking of doing something similar. I have a mint condition rear tub but it starts at about 2" into the wheel arch but would make a good trailer. good size and light. Tim Hardy had something similar and towed it through the top truck challenge in the U.S. think he came 3rd too
Nik

[Gwagensteve]

Oh BTW,

Would pulling the diff centre out of a zook axle affect it's rolling and load carrying capabilities?
Ado

If you pull the diff and put the axles back in, you will only have one bearing supporting the wheel and it will flop everywhere. The wheel is held in alignment by the axle sitting into the diff splines.

You could use sierra front spindles and hubs though Tim hardy did this and ran sierra discs on the trailer with hydraulic lines attached to the rest of his braking system too

[nicbeer]

Oh BTW,

Would pulling the diff centre out of a zook axle affect it's rolling and load carrying capabilities?
Ado

If you pull the diff and put the axles back in, you will only have one bearing supporting the wheel and it will flop everywhere. The wheel is held in alignment by the axle sitting into the diff splines.

You could use sierra front spindles and hubs though Tim hardy did this and ran sierra discs on the trailer with hydraulic lines attached to the rest of his braking system too

on the rear diff? any mods needed? also i am guessing for the centre a bolt in flat plate is enough.

[Gwagensteve]

Well, if you have front spindles, you don't need a diff housing to make a trailer, just some appropriately machined plates to bolt the spindles to and some box/tube for an axle.

If you mean as a conversion to make a full floating diff for the rear of a sierra, custom splined axles are required along with adapter plates, axle seals, brake lines, a proportioning valve... cool, but a bit of work.

Steve.