[ZUK12A]

Hi guys,

I have just picked up a 95' Sierra (leaf spring), I have been out bush plenty of times in cars but this would be my first real 4x4 I myself have owned.

I have another thread with my plans to install a 12A, so the motor aspect is covered, I would just like to improve the car so i can have a bit of fun in the dirt with it. I am not looking for a serious build, just some basics to take it on some nice bush trails.

Just a few questions to help prepare it for better off-road duties,

* Lift - Is the below kit suitable? there is quite a few options out there.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Set-of-4-50m ... 1c23bccc4d

* Wheel spacers - worth it? I would like to increase stability seens that i am raising the car and perhaps run some slightly larger tyres. I imagine 40mm spacers on each side would help with a bit of stability to throw the thing around the dirt.

* Wheels - I would like to keep the stock rims but fit some larger tyres, I have seen a few getting around with 31" which look a bit big for what I am after, anything similar to stock size or a bit larger that is recommended?


I also had a weird issue with the car not engaging in 4wd mode, the trasfer gear shifter felt sloppy and was not slotting into the correct gear, it kept hitting netural if I wanted to go back to 2wd and if i placed it in what I thought was 4L or 4H it would just run in 2wd mode. it seemed to have corrected itself and is working again, I was maybe thinking shifter linkage/bush, any ideas?

Thanks all

[Marko_SJ]

ZUK12A wrote:

Hi guys,

I have just picked up a 95' Sierra (leaf spring), I have been out bush plenty of times in cars but this would be my first real 4x4 I myself have owned.

I have another thread with my plans to install a 12A, so the motor aspect is covered, I would just like to improve the car so i can have a bit of fun in the dirt with it. I am not looking for a serious build, just some basics to take it on some nice bush trails.

Just a few questions to help prepare it for better off-road duties,

* Lift - Is the below kit suitable? there is quite a few options out there.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Set-of-4-50m ... 1c23bccc4d

Yes, but I would go about it differently.

Old Man Emu Springs
Get some new U-bolts
Bruces bushes from on here
Shocks recomended in the shocks thread :

For the front Gabriel 81416 and they measure 294mm compressed and 472mm fully extended.

For the rear i used Gabriel 81147 and they measure 314mm compressed and 513mm fully extended.

Got them from supercheap auto and all up they cost me $142.64 on special.
Also note that these shocks are discontinued and may be hard to find so you may need to cross reference them. [color=#4000FF](This isn't me) *

Wheel spacers - worth it? I would like to increase stability seens that i am raising the car and perhaps run some slightly larger tyres. I imagine 40mm spacers on each side would help with a bit of stability to throw the thing around the dirt.

No, illegal & kills bearings (I'm sure you know this). If you want to throw your car around don't lift it, remember its a 4x4 not a rally car.

* Wheels - I would like to keep the stock rims but fit some larger tyres, I have seen a few getting around with 31" which look a bit big for what I am after, anything similar to stock size or a bit larger that is recommended?

This is your choice, I guess I'd go standard sizes muddies in your case if you aren't driving through slop. Maybe purchase a set of rims with more offset than standard to compensate for the lift.
I also had a weird issue with the car not engaging in 4wd mode, the trasfer gear shifter felt sloppy and was not slotting into the correct gear, it kept hitting netural if I wanted to go back to 2wd and if i placed it in what I thought was 4L or 4H it would just run in 2wd mode. it seemed to have corrected itself and is working again, I was maybe thinking shifter linkage/bush, any ideas?

I think your right. Cant remember who sells em on here though
Thanks all

For what its worth I have not seen a sierra tip doing doughnuts/drifting on dirt but it is tempting fate IMO.

EDIT: Can't wait to see the finished engine conversion

[christover1]

I've use 29's and 30's on stock Sierra 5.5" rims for many years successfully.
I think 31's would be pushing your luck.
My present trailer rims are stock Sierra with 30's

[christover1]

transfer sticks have a bush/sheet under stick, this is usually the cause of issues

[Gwagensteve]

Sorry, but the best way to improve your sierra in the dirt so you can have some fun in it would be to NOT install the 12A

No other thing you could do will have much effect compared to the mess it's going to be drive with a rotor in it.

Steve.

[Matthew]

I'm confused, I thought this car was getting lowered and turned into rear wheel drive?

[ZUK12A]

Matthew wrote:

I'm confused, I thought this car was getting lowered and turned into rear wheel drive?

After going out bush in the wet on the weekend, no way this thing is going rwd (not yet anyway).... change of heart, you could say the bug has bitten. going throug trails with water upto the bottom of the doors, through muddy trails 4 wheel spinning all over the place. climbing big greasy hills. man why didnt I buy one years ago......

The original plan will happen, but I want to have some fun in this thing first, plus I have my other high powered rotary cars for the drags that keep me busy.

[Matthew]

Sounds like a much better plan.

If a 12A has the kind of engine braking I'm thinking it does, that engine would not be fun while trying to drive down steep technical obstacles.

[Marko_SJ]

ZUK12A wrote:

Matthew wrote:

I'm confused, I thought this car was getting lowered and turned into rear wheel drive?

After going out bush in the wet on the weekend, no way this thing is going rwd (not yet anyway).... change of heart, you could say the bug has bitten. going throug trails with water upto the bottom of the doors, through muddy trails 4 wheel spinning all over the place. climbing big greasy hills. man why didnt I buy one years ago......

The original plan will happen, but I want to have some fun in this thing first, plus I have my other high powered rotary cars for the drags that keep me busy.

Sssshhh! Your making me wanna go wheeling. When is the conversion going to happen?

[ZUK12A]

Every thing is happening gradually. Throwing Power Streering in this weekend (yeah yeah wuss) not that it needs it but will make it such a nicer ride and easy to throw around. Keeping my eye on parts as they pop up.

[WAS12A]

So your definitely going to keep it 4wd then?

It's a pretty easy swap, I'm running the 13B and a S4 turbo box, then into the Zook transfer case.

[ZUK12A]

Yeah man I'm loving this little fucker more then I expected.

Did you have to mod the s4 box shifter position? What series 13b did you use? Would be keen to see your engine mounts.

Also what did you do for shaft to the transfer case?

[WAS12A]

Yeah that's why I used the S4 box, so I could move the shifter forward as much as possible.

I'm using a bit of a mixed 13B engine...but basically it's a S5 13B.

I'm using a Ben T transfer case mount for extra strength, which is mounted approx 80-100mm rearward of the stock location for the transfer case.

The Suzuki engine mounts have been cut off the chassis rails and some new ones welded to the rails so I can mount the usual 12A front plate mounting system on the 13B...(just like you would probably have in your Rx-7)

I had to move the whole engine/gearbox combo 80-100mm rearward to allow for a decent custom ali radiator and thermo fan.

I then had a new jackshaft made and obviously had to get the front drive shaft lengthened 80-100mm and the rear drive shaft shortened 80-100mm.

It sounds like a lot, but it's a piece of piss.

All of my modifications have pre approval from the DPI, and the whole car will be road rego'd with engineering permits soon.

Cam...

[atari4x4]

^^^ build thread please

[WAS12A]

oh and had to make custom oil pan too....

Build thread will be done when car is complete and running...I have a tonne of pics.

Cam...

[atari4x4]

sweet

[WAS12A]

Oh, and I had to modify the fuel tank pick up to run bigger lines as the Suzuki ones aren't big enough..

....the list goes on!