[suzukikid]

I have been toying around with cuttin mine into a ute as the body is dinted as anyway.....

BUT i have a few questions....

I would have the spare under the tray....by the time i put a tool box on there for tools and recpvery stuff where do you put ya esky and swag etc?

Do you regret cuttin yours into a ute?

Also i would be movin the diff back a bit just get the look right....

cheers

[suzukikid]

also mine is a soft top now....my seats go back beyond the b pillar....what have you done to get an extra 50mm or so? bend something up?

If it was a tin top it would be easy....just cut it and in fill it!

[atari4x4]

double targa bar

[Gwagensteve]

Traybacks are for couriers, not for 4WDing. What do you hope to gain?

You're going to put 20KG of spare tyre above the chassis and 70Kg of tray and another 70Kg of camping gear on top of that. You need to work out how to keep the weight as close to the chassis as possible, not on top of a tray that's higher than the tyre can reach on full flex.

I hated the fact the load on my tray back was carried so high. It made the car feel spooky when it should have felt fine.

If you want to stretch the wheelbase, cut your tub, slide it back so the wheel arches match up to the new wheelbase, and panel the gap in with sheet. If you are going to stretch the wheelbase, make sure you've stretched it enough to make the whole thing worthwhile - at least 8" in my opinion. There's no point stretching the wheelbase 3" and then getting owned on climbs by a stock SWB sierra because it's not weight transferring all over the shop because of all the weight 2 feet above the rear axle.

How about doing something like this:



It's ironic that we try and keep our cars low and then put all this weight over the top of the wheels because of the tray, screwing with the COG and weight distribution.

If the sides of your car are dented, re skin them in 1.2 or 1.6 sheet. Nobody would ever notice. Everybody notices a SWB ute chop.

Have a look at all the stretch threads on Pirate for inspiration.

Steve.

[buzbox]

Roof racks with a basket.

I think cutting a LWB into an extra cab ute would be a better option. Can someone lend me a plasma cutter?

[Gwagensteve]

What's the advantage?

Re skinning a style side and/or tubbing the wheel wells are miles less work than a shop.

There has to be a better alternative to fix some panel damage/accommodate a wheelbase stretch.

The Trail tough Trail slayer closeout panel is nice:



But you aren't going camping in that.

There are good reasons to stretch the wheelbase of a SWB. I'm sure it's possible without making the car less practical and less capable.

Steve.

[dank]

Don't do it nath. it's a lot of work either way. SWB zooks have their advantages...LWB zooks have their advantages...deal with what you have and dont make more work for yourself than you need to.

I'd do something like what Steve is talking about, but if I wanted to go touring i'll buy another 4wd that is suited for touring...A swb zook can take enough camping gear for a solid weekend, it's tight but easily done.

[suzukikid]

You all have good points! it will probably never happen as i dont think i have ever seen one that looks spot on....

I am just stil on holidays and bored! lucky i go back tomorow!

my spare takes up my whole back inside.... dont really want it on the back door as i think it would get in the way....my rear door is often flush up to banks and stuff....and stnding up would get in the way of my view...

i was thinkin with the spare under a tray im starting with a flat serfuce again...

but i have thinkin again...haha might make up some draws and then use the stock wheel carrier to mount the spare to the top of draws...probaby a better and cheaper way to go.....

[Gwagensteve]

You really need to assess what sort of spare you need and how often you use it.

Many of us don't run spares at all. We carry lots of air, tubeless plug kits, spare valve stems, tyre levers etc, but rarely a spare. History as taught us that tyre failures are almost non existent. I can't ever recall one in the club on a suzuki.

If we do carry a spare, it's rarely full sized. A 7.00X16 on an LJ rim makes for an excellent temporary spare for a 31"ish inch tyre. A 7.50 for a 32-32" tyre and a 9/34 swamper for a 35" tyre. They are all way smaller and lighter than a full sized spare. You wouldn't know you had it on the back. It won't stuff the tailgate either.

Putting the spare in the back might be feasible for a day trip, but what a PITA for a camping trip!

I don't know what you are driving or need to take with you, but the trolley tug has plenty of room in it for a weekend away, and the spare isn't effecting anything off road.



Packed for a weekend



Steve.

[suzukikid]

I always carry a plug thing too....used it a few times! i have never had to use a spare before....i have beeds pop before though(easy to put back on)

BUT i have been with guys who have sliced wheels before! and used my spare to get home!

Im ussually wheeling with people who have 35" plus so no one carrys a 32.. and with a welded diff in the back i want one the same size so i dint risk blowin a diff on the black top!

Ill try this shelf idea i have and see how it gos!

[Gwagensteve]

suzukikid wrote:

Im ussually wheeling with people who have 35" plus so no one carrys a 32.. and with a welded diff in the back i want one the same size so i dint risk blowin a diff on the black top!

If you really need a spare - your tyre is beyond repair or you have wrecked a wheel , put the temporary spare on the front, which is what I would always advocate.

Steve.

[suzukikid]

true very true.....ill see if i can chase one down!

[suzukikid]

were do you ussually find em?

[Gwagensteve]

LJ rims or 16" Sierra rims aren't all that hard to find. Try the wreckers. I had 6 sitting behind my shed for ages - with bar treads on them

Another advantage of these is that they are normally tubed. If you were to puncture the temporary spare (somehow) at least you can patch the tube.

Steve.

[GRPABT1]

I fit way more stuff on my tray than I would ever if it still had a tub. For camping I stand my tyre up against the back of the cab but I am about to make a spare tyre mount that hangs it out the back. I fit a fair bit of stuff u der and behind the seats as well. I'm about to mount a 59L water tank and a 70L fuel cell under the tray to negate the need for jerry's. I carry a 120L esky and 40L? fridge, 6 man tent, briefcase BBQ, 9kg and 3kg gas bottles, big tarp, table that fits behind the seats, 2 fold up chairs, recovery kit, self inflating mattress (queen), and the other usual odds ends food and clothes. I would not go extreme offloading fully loaded like this but it gets me everywhere I've ever wanted to camp.

[suzukikid]

ill have a aquiz at ya build thread.....I just know that if i start it i will never finish it though!haha