Amigo goes coily...

[kiwi_steve]

Well, this is going to be a slow one due to work on other vehicles and other commitments, but I have 2 months as a time limit as there is a mudplug I have paid my entry fee for :) Don't like trowing money away :D

The damn Amigo keeps stuffing leaf packs (mainly due to over-flexing I believe, but at $175 per pack, I can't afford to trash em this often... this is the 2nd pack on this side stuffed and I've only had it on the road for a few months):
http://www.offroadexpress.co.nz/images/albums/album159/IMG_1843.jpg
Note the bent o-load leaf... the whole pack has gone flat when the vehicle is sitting on it, and its supposed to be 50mm lifted.

And the setup is just too inflexible... I need more flexiness... and a softer ride... so coils it is.

The Plan:
I have a new 2nd hand Surf(4Runner) wide axle housing coming, to which I will attach some custom beefy-arse links (Using NISSAN GQ bushes, something you guys don't have, but they are a big bush that should flex well) with either 5 or 6mm wall thickness, approx 1000ish mm long mains and 700ish long uppers, triangulated off the top of the diff housing (4-link).

I'll use 50mm lifted Surf coils at this stage, because they are cheap, plentiful and the weight of the rear of the Amigo will be similar to that of a Surf. I can easily get surf coils made to suit whatever length I need as well. A pair of coils will cost nearly the same as one leaf pack.

The shocks I have in there are nice and long, but are leaf-spring shocks and will probably be too harsh. I will either use some Rancho 99012's or some coil-valved long travel gas ones.

Into the new axle I'll fit a standard open 4.88 diff, with Lokka - the LSD I'm using is just not doing it for me... I'm gonna sell it.

Updates to follow... slowly, but in time for the mudplug :)

Steve

[Ford4x4Chik27]

*pulls out the popcorn* I'm anxious to see this :D

[Ford4x4Chik27]

How bout some more pics? Or do you have a rig thread? :D I'm curious to see this thing :D

[Indyguy]

do you have a rig thread?

Check the link in his sig.:shaking: Oh, and you two need to get a room:flipoff2:

[kiwi_steve]

Oh, and you two need to get a room:flipoff2:

I'll see if my wife will let us use ours :laughing: :flipoff2:

I've been meaning to do a 'piratized' version of my buildup... The one thats linked is a little disjointed and doesn't have nearly enough of these::flipoff2: in it to survive around here :D

Steve

[kiwi_steve]

Here are all the pics from the buildup... should keep you happy for 10 minutes or so :)


Oops, dumbas... forgot to paste the link... here it is:
http://www.offroadexpress.co.nz/modules.php?set_albumName=MUSAS&op=modload&name=Gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php&page=1

[Jack Burton]

clicked the link, thumbnails loading, clicked on one. . nothign then hit back, no more thumbnails crap:confused:

[Ford4x4Chik27]

LOL I'll have to ask my boyfriend what he thinks... Maybe your wife will join, then he'll approve if we get pics :flipoff2: :flipoff2: :flipoff2:

Ten minutes.... More like over an hour with this computer and dialup... I'll give em a shot :D

[kiwi_steve]

Haha... Now theres an inspirational thought... I think the whole of Pirate would approve of anything as long as there were pics... And since my wife reads most of my ramblings on here, no doubt she'll let you know one way or the other :D

Hmmm.... The links should be working, but the site they are on can be a little slow... I've got to move them to my domain but this will do for all the pic-whores who just need the pics right now :)

[kiwi_steve]

Sorry for the dead thread syndrome - this is my excuse:
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?p=5671655&posted=1#post5671655

I've been busy... just not on mine

Steve

[kiwi_steve]

OK, time for a kick-in-the-guts for the poor old truck. Since I last wrote anything about it I came across a 304 injected Chev motor (VP Holden motor for anyone from down under :D) which I just had to buy... and on the basis that it was going in the hole, I sold the 3.1 turbo diesel... big mistake #1.

When I then started measuring up I found the now empty hole was a tad too short, and the TH700R a tad too long - meaning I'd end up bolting the output flange from the transfer case to the flange on the diff and using hinges for engine mounts to make it all work - not pretty.

At this point I got pissed off and walked away - for a few months :) - and when I came back someone offered me money for the 5-speed... which I took - big mistake #2.

Now all thats left is an empty shell, and the road to rebuild is going to be long and painful I suspect... so I had decided to strip it, ditch the remains and rebuild my old 85 Toy truck instead... which I'm half way through when a local guy decides to buy it off me... which means I have to finish it instead of just messing about with the grinder and welder like I had been doing up to that point :)

...then today I stumbled across a 3.8V6 Buick motor and trans in a wrecked car selling cheap locally (VN Holden Calais for us down under) which the guy whos buying mine has bought for me as part of the deal... so yay... a new motor and trans. I was worried about the trans length as I'd read they are a TH700R - same one that was too long for this truck but it appears pretty short when I got under and checked from the road - so either its not a 700R or its a short version... I'll wait till I get it out and see...

Anyway - the long and short is that I will still coil the rear - although with an Isuzu 12-bolt axle I have here from a late model trooper - and when I can afford it I will ARB lock the 4.5 diff. They are stronger than the toy diff by all accounts and its sitting here so I may as well use it.

For the front I will probably coil it with a housing I started to make for my trooper coil build I began but got bored with and stripped out instead... not high on the priority list at present - need to get the thing rolling again.

Oh, I am planning to use a steering box from something like a scout with a forward facing pitman arm to try and reduce the bump-steer... the Isuzu box just won't work for me...

Steve

[kiwi_steve]

So here it is now, poor old girl:
http://www.offroadexpress.co.nz/images/albums/MUSAS/Image064.jpg

http://www.offroadexpress.co.nz/images/albums/MUSAS/Image065.jpg

And the donor car, now sitting on my lawn:
http://www.offroadexpress.co.nz/images/albums/MUSAS/Image061.jpg

http://www.offroadexpress.co.nz/images/albums/MUSAS/Image060.jpg

With one of these in it - 120ish miles and a full service history from brand new by a Holden agent - religiously maintained by the original owner until the new owner bounced it through a ditch at speed after having it for a short while...

http://www.offroadexpress.co.nz/images/albums/MUSAS/Image063.jpg

So, combine it with this trooper axle I just happen to have lying about:

http://www.offroadexpress.co.nz/images/albums/Project-WTF/Image182.jpg

and maybe this that I started building for the Trooper coil conversion:

http://www.offroadexpress.co.nz/images/albums/Bighorn-Coily-SAS/Image050.sized.jpg

Of course, there is a Toyota to finish first... but I just couldn't resist buying the car so its ready to go :D

Steve