[kiwi series build]

Back held out, landy ran a treat apart from a couple of small issues... got some dirty fuel and lost rev's till we cleaned the filter, and I removed the drivers door, this helped me see better lol as I was able to hang out the side to see past the dirty windscreen

This is one of the few times I got stuck (other than due to small wheels, a set of 35"s is high on the list LOL)

the bearing shackles were a bust won't worry about that in the future, they didn't do anything.... but the suspension in the back LOL that plus the locked rear I climbed where the bigger trucks went with there V8's and 35" simex's and that was in the sloppy mud I'm really keen to see how this thing goes in the dry! Truck felt nice en stable but that could be due to my experiance driving tilt body skidders and just balancing on the front

Was quite funny to see peoples expressions at the play areas I drive up something can fell the back flex but still pushing and I look over to see the passenger from another truck steering at my rear end LOL

Going to add in a couple of leaves to each pack as they settled over the weekend and dropped about 4"s, might ditch the shackles for something lighter and more standard but look at bigger bushes for more side flex, also going to move the shock top mounts out a bit for better damping action from the shock will also give me a better clearance line for the rear winch line going forward

Discomikey- that is one way to lift it I was planing on using leaves and caster correction wedges in the spring clamp area as I've clearanced the chassis to fit with 1cm clearance at full bump, ride was too soft LOL I should have run with the extra leaf I planed but I pulled it due to it sitting high in the shed....

Thanks for the comments Don

dirtydesiel- Thanks for the comment, I have to admit I kinda like the fact the cool stuff is in hidding under a "redneck hack", the plans are eventually to do a full comp exo/body if any of the video of me in action comes out you'll understand why, LOL I'm kinda noted for the hold nothing back attempt

All the profiles are gas cut (oxy/acet) or cut by disk, I do have a plasma but its way to dear on consumables LOL this truck has been made from recycled or scap but normally I CAD profiles and pass them off to the local cutter they are cheaper than what I can buy the plate for

I'm not worried about the axle mounts, the lower ones are wrapped to half the dia of the axle and are 10mm thick welded both sides the axle is reinforced inside with line pipe and portal welds all alone... I also have alot of seperation between my upper and lower links also, having the mount there means that my welds are in tension under acceleration but under compression under impact probably a better option as with my driving impact loading would be greater LOL

Thank you ToyRoverlander

Right things might be a bit quite from me for a bit as due to my back I'm winding up my buisiness (going to hopefully buy some of the engineering gear out tho so I can keep playing) plan is to have it all wound up by end of the month so eveything going to plan I'll start playing on this about then but till then I'm gona hack it evey chance (back willing) I get LOL

[Super Death Wobble]

Can be caused by caster loss from a suspension lift when using radius arms, any wear in suspension bushings or steering joints is accentuated

I have had one truck in (safari) that we ended up doing all the steering joints and new radius arm bushes and panhard bushes to beat it

[kiwi series build]

2 am I get up in 4 hrs but she is all good-ish LOL rear diff/axle is making a clicking noise but its internal and there is no external indicators so I've thrown a spare head in cab and we are away

Figured I'd post up the "flex" shot we ran it up the loading ramp next to work just to test the suspension in case the tilt shackles had the potential to fold

And the funny bit all this and then you look round the front

Right the pain is going hopefully have some pics from the trip

[kiwi series build]

I know what you mean and its a good trick, adding temination welds now would help but wouldn't be as good as doing it right first time ... what I did was to tie into the seams with the main pieces. I've also tie'd the whole chassis link and spring mounts in support of each other, this means I get a large suface area working on the chassis so it shouldn't be critical, there is alot of leverage forces from this style of spring my tie in length (clamp area) 150mm with a spring thats 700mm long, this is why the pieces all linked together before I welded them

All good Don, Iv'e been self employed for way to long this is taking it easy lol probably why my back is stuffed... but this toy is intended to be a play'er not a project so it'll be done in stages and run in what ever state lol the boys that hang around the shed are already planing more trips your welcome to tag along if you want

[kiwi series build]

Got a steroid shot in my back on monday... tuesday I had enough of doing nothing so headed down the shed.... lol the 5min drive was that bad by the time I got there i wasn't certain my clutch foot would work due to the pain... took me half an hr before I was able to do anything

Got the pins machined to hold the shackles and dropped her down on the springs.... LOL it works a treat definitly not standard landy suspension soft responsive.... I really wondered if the plastic strips would make any difference.... the springs respond that well they almost bounce!

A mate turned up, been out for a ride so he gave me a hand, he fished out the diff head and I welded that, the diff is a throw away anyway its a 4.7 and at some time in the past has eaten the spider gears would be my guess as there are dints on the pinion tooth faces

I lay down under the truck and welded the inside of the diff head where I'd shaved it, he then fitted up the axle, I sorted the battery box while he did that (I had to remove it so we could do the injector timing)

Got the rear shocks CAD'd up last night so I know where to place them

Hopefully my back is happier today LOL

[kiwi series build]

The chassis is a bit of a talking piont.... not for lack strength but because of it, the chassis's I've worked on in the past have been nothing flash mild steel or something close this... its alot tougher just doing the bend test when I was fixing some of the rust in it, I was surprised I would rate this steel (@2mm) as hard to bend as 3.5mm med tensil hilux chassis steel

Got us wondering if its a special order ex army

Anyway I was conscious of the strength of the mounting area that is why I've spread out the chassis mounting tabs and tie'd them all the way to the top and across the underside my concern was the issue of cracking due to unknown carbon content

[kiwi series build]

LOL I'll be there can't give clive a chance to say to eveyone "told you he couldn't do it...."

My list is

Extend some hilux shackle pins to finish holding it on the springs

Put on deck

CAD up shock placement

Cut deck to fit, bend up hoops and weld to chassis

Cross brace

Weld up diff head

Fit axles and diff

Extend drive shaft

Plumb up brakes

Battery box

Drivers fender needs screwed on

That about covers it shouldn't be a problem LOL

[kiwi series build]

What is it with the frogs, then again you do spend alot of time at sea lol

Another wee update

Had Big T over doing some work on the toy, Re-timed the injector pump :roll: set it to what it should be according to online manuals... no change so trial and error got 2 keyways and 3 timing marks so end result is LD28 keyway and LD20 timing mark but it runs sweet no more smoke LOL while he was at it he cut the loom out and left me with just what we need

Had some spare rocket launcher switches so they are glow and ignition and the old horn button is starter

Got the shackles sorted for the springs.... Couldn't find any tube that worked with the recycled hilux bushes so I carved some out of an old digger track pin

Was looking at my junk and offcut pile and came up with a bit of an idea there was some old bearings that had been setup as runners a bit of machining and some scrap 10mm and we have

should work and allow for miss-alignment due to articulation if it looks like they want to kick off to the side I'll weld stopper blocks on the side

Here they are attached to the axle

I was hoping to get the deck on tonight but I had to leave early to bring my son home... now I just wait n see how fast my back comes good after the steriod shot tomorrow.....

[kiwi series build]

Yea those shackles lol lets just say its what I had in the scrap but they are..... lol you'll soon see

Have a look back through the pic's you'll find a pic of the leaf spring clamped to the back of the chassis with a trolley jack under the end of it.... its a bit of a guess given there was no deck, cab etc but all I did was measure the free end of the spring then took the weight of the chassis and measured again it was 100mm of travel and I wanted 150mm of travel so I've removed one main leaf

Its an easy thing to add in or remove leaved.... back off 4 bolts holding the spring clamp bolt, slide extra leaf in or remove leaf and tighten

will hopefully have it sitting on shackles today

[kiwi series build]

LOL simple... the same way a normal leaf spring works, with a shackle this also gives me a couple of bushes to take out the miss-alignment as the axle swings away from the spring... thats my job for tomorrow hopefully have the deck and roof back on by Sun night

The shocks will mount outboard of the lower link and go up the outside of the chassis rail, this is a Rangy axle so its a bit wider and I've 95% confirmed the patrol axles so they are even wider so shouldn't be any problems fitting them out there

Luv leaves as a spring its the ideal to me cheap, adjustable and progressive, I'll adjust these so it sits near to original height.... then later on when I add an exo and rear mount PTO winch its a simple mater of adding a leaf to compensate... not so simple on coils lol

[kiwi series build]

Hows this for cool

Thats about the mark with the 15" shocks

Heres why I had to narrow the leaf spring bushes

I was a bit concerned it could have bound enough to stop travel but there is a wee bit more movement available

I do have one issue this is looking down the drivers link towards the fuel tank

Even tho it looks like its touching in the photo there is some day light but only just... will play around with the spacers on the link eye to move it over a bit, if I ever get another tank for the other side I'll trim this one and seal both of them but for now spacers will work

With that done I mounted the spring I've already cleaned up (not looking forward to doing the other one)

[kiwi series build]

I've never paid any attention to leaf sprung front ends on climbs I know the suzuki crowd can get good drop with front shackles but I've always shied away from it due to the loss of steering response having your drag link infront of the axle means you want your spring hanger there to limit movement

Why would moving the shackle back improve offroad performace it limits drop due to rotation of the diff pinion away from the transfercase

Here is a really good trick for the rear end of a leaf sprung truck that works but buggered if I'll state why... I have an explanation but I haven't tested it to prove it so I'm not inclined to say lol and calculating AS on leaf springs is a hassle

you mount a bar about the same length as your front half of the leaf spring from about the same height as the top of the diff pumpkin forward to a few inches above the front leaf mounts you want it mounted very well as it sees alot of load and mount it centrally so it doesn't effect articulation now this is the catch from rest dial in (push) preload about 3/4" for hilux leaves on a landy longer leaves need more.... now go try it lol you'll be amazed

the catch is it kills leaf spring bushes but it works

[Lathe/drill/milling machine more advice needed...]

What you want is an old myford student or similar, you want a lathe that the tool post and index head are mounted to the cross slide with "T" slots this allows you to clamp your work to the cross slide and fit your tools to the head as for milling on a lathe small bits are ok just remember you have only the distance between the tool and the cross slide and you have to invest alot in a compound table, "L" clamp bracket and tool heads.... you can if you are patient get away with a drill chuck and ground drill bits but you have to make your cuts light and constantly tighten the chuck due to vibration

My suggestion would be to look at a mill drill, there are some surprisingly good Chinese ones out there.... things to look for, cycle the bed loose and tight spots are bad it means these could be due to inaccurate machining, the spindle shouldn't have any slop (back n forth or side to side) oh and I know this sounds odd but look for signs of bog on unmachined castings lol I"ve had this! and it was right where the tower clamp bolts were... if your buying one from a shop buy the one you can get your hands on don't let them give you another one lol sometimes the machining isn't consistant

[kiwi series build]

Dragsters use suspension, a common type is a form of ladder bar suspension (very similar to a radius arm) because its easy to get very high AS% and yes you are right they do get lift from the tyres expanding you see the same thing in the southern states with there big block rock buggies, we are starting to see it here in 4wd trials its HP climbing I know the theroy behind it is to do with what you throw out the back (look into drag tractor traction) its just nuts to see it hold a buggy on a vertical wall or climbing up it lol

I'm a big fan of leaf springs for offroad, they are a progressive rate spring and cheap lol price up staged coilovers, I've done alot of trucks with them and your dead right the key is balance

I can't see under your truck but if you are running long flat springs I'd suggest a torque bar to stop axle wrap, I've seen it brake springs or in the case of cruiser front axles pinion flanges when under load in reverse (the axle wrap rotates the diff around enough to jam the bottom UJ and shear the pinion)

I have alot of time invested in my 4 link calculator, it does more than just show graphs and as I'm using it for commercial advantage its not something I'm willing to realese, I do have a 3 link calculator that all I've done is add in the graphs, that I've made public I wouldn't mind sending a copy of... can we do private messaging on here ? if so send me your email and I'll send it

Yep I will change the front suspension, I'm uncertain yet as to what I'll do ?? I have a set of Rangy radius arms that aren't selling so they may go in yet lol there is even the possibilty of a 4 link and hydro steering as this is a trailer queen (we can't do that legally on road here) it all depends on how much space after the commy install and what sort of swop/parts/favors come together lol about the only thing I'm firm'ish on is wanting to keep the leaf springs as a 1/4 elliptical

Right a wee update took me a bit of time to work out how I was going to do this due to the distance from the mounting pionts to the X member in the end I went with this due to the fact it would be stronger then angling back to the chassis rail

Note the width of the bushes in the end of the links.... this is my major concern, the rubbers are cut down leaf spring bushes and are soft I think I'm going to get axle tramp from the movement but they only have to last one run I'll swop em for something better after

[kiwi series build]

The reason for only a 7" axle move is I want to keep the rear wellside and when this came up on my calculator (just with me playing around with what if's )

I like your comment about longer links and it plays to my theory about what causes a SWB to bounce and rear up.... the longer your links are the less angle change as they extend your suspension... so less your AS% climbs under extension and its more stable than one with short links

Ever play'd with CoG location and weight on the calculator the higher it is the easier and faster AS% ramps under extension...

Now WB we all know shorter the WB the easier it is to get AS but play with the latest version of the calc with the little ramp window and you will notice the same theme under extension

Now my theory (yet to find a book that has any referance to AS or any suspension geometry on a hill) is on a hill you are effectively shortening WB and raising CoG in relation to gravity.... now AS we all know is vertual weight transfer.... but did you know its transfer of forces to the links thats why when you see a drag car charge hard it pops up in the rear its because the forces of acceleration are pushing on the links this is why with a SWB on a steep climb the rear try's to walk under

Now we all know from experiance that AS on a lesser climb makes it alot easier so we want a certain amount and thats where you get all the web authorities with there figure lol most don't understand that spring rate and compression, rebound rates, HP etc all harden or soften this, but it still boils down to as much as you can get without bad effects.... what if it dropped AS% as the suspension extended

As for the front, its on the plans after the engine swop... but her first trip out the only balance will be the front axle I balance on lol

I hope that gives you an idea on my reasoning lol I'm not the best at explaining things most of my mates hate me explaining something because I blow right past there understanding, most of them now just tell me they just need to know me not what I'm doing or why lol

Arghh as for my calculator it is based off Triaged one but I've removed the pretty stuff and replaced it with graphs showing changes vs travel .... these graphs mean more to me, when I'm setting up a clients toy its more how little the change is vs individual scores... it makes for a much more stable feel when driving

So unless you've spent alot of time using the calc the graphs wont mean much lol I can post up my link geo if you'd like to put it into your calc's

[kiwi series build]

Vertical separation only effects it due to the fact your moving one side of a triangle up or down making the "imaginary triangle" that is the instant center longer or shorter, it is very simple if you know what your doing to separate links and setup the same AS %, or raise/lower it lol I'm guessing you guys have a copy of Triaged link calculators awsome tools unfortunately I find they skip people ahead without understanding the forces, sorry if I sound like a tosser about this lol its a bit of passion suspension and how it works.... its why I like 4wd's, there is no one right answer due to the varied nature of the sport and environment, you compair this to any other motorsport where there successful range is narrow because of rules and consistant environment

Also there isn't a freely available knowledge base on how it works, case in point there are no.... not even 1 book out there that covers decently how to setup long travel suspension and what the results will be if you change things..... this is why I'm doing this setup lol on paper the forces I see in play can be countered with this setup.... have I understood these forces right ? I don't really know lol

If there is anyone here who is keen to chat about this, I'd be happy to bounce ideas I posted this idea up on a couple of the boards that have people I respect when discussing suspension and none of them had an answer.... that wasn't poised as a question lol its hard to stick your neck out and say something definitive when its there from that date showing you got it wrong.... oh and yes there are some sites that are full of people who are happy to embarrass themselves, I just can't be bothered with that sifting through the carp

As for the sqaure tube lol I cheated 14 cuts, bend, "V" out and weld, you should have seen the end of the tube glowing by the time I finished lol I polished it cause I could, oh and I could see inside so I know I had plenty of penetration

To be honest I'll be at the top of the list of people waiting to see if it works..... if it doesn't I've designed the links so all I need to do is shorten lower link to the front of the axle and mount and everything is "standard" design

[kiwi series build]

Your main method of adjusting AS% is moving your instant center (the imaginary lines made by extending your links till they intersect, this piont) the easyest way to Move this in increasing the AS% is the angle of the links to the ground and each other steeper angles higher the AS %

Sepperation doesn't effect AS% so long as it doesn't move the instant center

The links don't limit up travel I still have 6" up travel as for strength 2" square 1/4" wall, it an't bending in a hurry lol part of the reason for the high lift is the bushes I'm using are very soft and I erred on the side of caution, it will reduce when I get some balljoints

[kiwi series build]

What's the use of making the links like that?

LOL you should read what I posted earlier, this is experimental... playing around on the 4 link calculator I found with the lower link behind the axle this causes the Anti Squat % to drop on suspension extension.... If I am right this will stop or lessen the "hopping" short wheel base trucks get, it may even climb better

And it doesn't effect oversteer/understeer or rollcenter height... if anything due to the length of the lower links it has made these more stable... there is a down side and that is pinion angle due to the short upper and long lower links the diff does cycle the pinion down 4 degree's in the 9" of suspension drop that is why the diff head it tilted up so much, but with this being a trailer queen over fulling the oil should suffice

[kiwi series build]

Got the lower links sorted today, a little different from anything I've done before lol

A little bit of luck I'll sort the top links tomorrow

[kiwi series build]

Is that so lol I guess this is another case of us kiwi being able to do things better... bang for your buck this conversion especially in the hilux range is very hard to beat, but I bet I know why you guys didn't have a good run with them it'll be gearing, on the lux you need 4.75 diffs with 35"s

They arn't a v8 so you have to gear them to gain that torque

I'm an auto man, a properly geared auto is so much nicer to drive and alot easier on drivetrain

thanks for the heads up on your site I'll have a look round, don't know if I'd join being its for Aussy's I'd feel a bit cheeky

[kiwi series build]

LOL I'm a a kiwi (New Zealand)

the suspension will be tweek'd lol, I have a resemble understanding of suspension in long travel trucks, and being a toy for me instead of a client or a mate... I'm playing.... being a short to med wheel base stretching the rear back to 95" might move the front forward at a later date wait en see... anyway even with an extra 7" on extreme climbs the links try and walk under the truck causing it to rear up... my idea is this is casused by the short WB changing the CoG on a steep climb and Anti Squat that transfers weight to the links extending the suspension down so.... I'm setting my links up way different from the norm, I've got the Anti-squat % that drops as the suspension drops so this transfers the load to my springs instead, wait en see if I'm right

The links are a pile of old suspension bush rubbers from a common Hilux/Surf conversion I do where you fit longer leaf springs from early Ford Falcon cars and utes along with a pair of Nissan safari radius arm bushes lol I think I mentioned this is going to be done on the cheap, I've left enough room in the width of the link mounts to fit some homemade Jony Joints at a later date, after reading up about the Rangy suspension bushes I'm going to give them a try they are cheaper than I can get the materials for lol

Here's some pic's of the Rear axle

Oh in the last shot you can see the upper links (with the shortened falcon bushes) and yes they are short its part of how I got the different AS %

Here is a couple of shots of the lower chassis links and the spring mount, the spring mount is the inboard platform, I designed it to tie into the inside rib of the lower mount due to the nasty leverage loads this style of suspension mounts have and the fact the chassis is only 2mm med tensile

Oh and the simple way of working out a starting point for the springs

This is a standard landy rear pack that I stripped and cleaned up the white strips are UHMWPE plastic another daft idea of mine to improve the performance of the spring the plastic should remove the friction between each leaf lol again wait en see

All I did was guess clamp it down and measure up travel till it took the weight... there's 100mm of travel there and its just taken the weight I'm guessing that with the fuel tank, wellside, cab, winch etc on it will be about spot on for my 150mm (6") of up travel from neutral on the spring, there will be another 75mm (3") of down travel on just the bottom leaf with the weight of the axle pulling it down and 150mm (6") of uptravel to bumpstop

The Commy V6 is a good small 4wd motor nice en torque'y and dosn't mind the rev limiter as far as space goes it looks to be a very nice fit I'll even have room to run a winch rope right down the passanger chassis rail past it, and they are common and better yet cheap lol .... the catch is the GM 700 trans, it has a very wide sump with a valve body right at the back corner so you can't do much with it... but I have found somebody online who has posted pics of the LT230 trans on the back of one and he used a rover solid drive shaft to fit down the side

Funny you should mention Patrol axles.... I may have done a deal for a set of them to go under this lol but till they are sitting in my shop I'll keep working on the Rangie stuff was going to peg the standard landy ring and pinion I've got an old rangy ARB that I cant' sell due to rust so thats going in the rear axle so I can use the fiddles (you might have noticed the extra brake posts on it ) and up front I have a couple of hilux slippery centers that are munted that I should be able to combine to make an LSD for front been told they fit I haven't gotten to that point in my research

[kiwi series build]

Gidday

Working on a new project for myself (I do 4wd modifications as part of my work) Doing a bit of research for my latest personal toy a series 3 landy since you guys have been helpfull I thought I'd make the offer.....

As it sits its a series 3, 88" with an Nissan LD28 conversion not in that flash a condition body wise but chassis is mint

The idea was to build it into a trailer toy on the cheap cashing in on owe'd favors and cast off junk from builds I've done on other peoples toys, and to do it in stages so I can play with it as its being built

So far the plan is to drop in a 3.8 V6 from a holden commador along with the trans mate it up to either a divorced transfercase from the landy LT95 or one of a couple of old RRC 4 speeds... add a pto winch, a set of wider stronger axles, I happened to have a set of RRC 10 spline axles so thats what I'm using at the moment and doing some suspension and bar work, but I'm leaving my self open to whatever turns up either as junk or as trades/swops

so far i've patched the carp out of the bulkhead, bar'd up the front guards add'd sliders, boat sided the fuel tank, shaved and braced a rear rangy axle and I'm in the process of dual triangulated 4 link rear suspension with 1/4 elliptical springs with 15" shocks.... hopefully have it running for a trip on the 10-11 of Aug .... going to be interesting big travel on the rear and standard front lol Oh and one of the bits I've picked up off here will be tried out soon going to try out some of the RR hub bushes that were talked about as an option instead of Jony joints Thanks for the heads up

Here she is in all its glory as I got it

The last pic I posted showing the Lower link chassis mounts and the spring mounts for the 1/4 elliptical

Cheers Reece

[Flexible non fibreglass guard extentions (flairs) for 4door RRC ?]

We use either plastic garden edging you get from any garden center or conveyor belt and tek screw it up into the guard lip

You can get rubber flair strips with steel backing plates that you screw on with self tapping screws but they are expensive