[petes 80]

Hi all,

Great forum by the way,

I am looking at buying a 1996 soft top sierra for the missus to use as a daily driver and as a learner 4wd.

Can anyone give me a few pointers to look out for Pro's and Cons of this model is what I am after.

I am not new to 4wdriving as I own a modified 80 and that is what my partner is using as a daily and being petrol it is sending us broke

Any help would be greatly appreciated

cheers

Pete

[Marko_SJ]

I'm sure I'll miss stuff here.

Coil sprung?

Pros: Nice grill and bonnet, nicer interior, marginal better ride. Is good to a 31 inch tire, as capable as a leaf sierra to this tire size, comes with a fuel tank that easily takes a fuel pump for an injected engine.

Cons: strut front suspension design, can be improved but its hard work, everything inside the innards in un-upgradable, some people have swapped in a leaf sprung diff, people bag coilys.

If its to be mainly a road car, I'd look at a Jimny, you're just more likely to get AC and power steer, much quieter inside too.

If its mainly to be an off road car, on small tires, nothing wrong with a coily.

Leafies are easier and cheaper to modify.

[petes 80]

Thanks for the reply Marko,

But this 1 is the last of the Leaf suspension,

cheers

Pete

[petes 80]

Hi mate,

Thanks for the reply,

Its actually a leaf sprung model with a 2" lift and running 225/75x15's and a 15x8 rim I think

It will be a daily driver covering 80+ klm's per day, all highway driving.
She isn't interested in a jimny as she doesn't like them. And I will be putting 235/75/15 muddies on it as well.

I haven't taken it on the highway but apparently it has a vibration at 80+ k's and the salesman said it is to do with the bigger tyres, I have my doubts though.

cheers

Pete

[Reubs]

A '96 might be an SJ80 'Coily' Sierra with coil springs or it could be an SJ70 'Leafy' Sierra with leaf springs. Pros/Cons depends on what model it is.

[petes 80]

It must be a sj70 as it has leaf suspension

[Marko_SJ]

petes 80 wrote:

It must be a sj70 as it has leaf suspension

Better again than any other option, except LWB SJ51. Mine is a widetrack SJ50. SJ50s and 51s for life

Pros:

Easier and cheaper to buy than coily or jimny

Easier and cheaper to modify than coily or jimny

In the case of sierras, leaf springs is a pro, when it comes to flex.

They are overall pretty reliable for what they are, but they are still thrashed 20 year old 4x4s.

Easy gearing and locker options in comparison to all other suzuki models except vitardas (ie: 1 litre, LJ, jimny)

Really awesome.

Cons:

Noisier than Jimny. Rougher than Jimny. Harder to find AC and power steer than a Jimny.

They leak water into cab and can often need lots of small maintenance.

No EFI fuel tank

Vibrations at 80km/h:

Check same as you would with your cruiser: mud on wheels?, wheel bearings? wheel balance, king pin shimming, leaf spring bushes (not like 80 series haha).

A sierra shouldn't wobble, but it should be easy to solve.

[droverdave]

Marko_SJ wrote:

They leak water into cab and can often need lots of small maintenance.

Mine doesnt leak water.

Rust and bottem end engine damage are the big ones.

Anythign else in my oppinion is an easy fix on them. So simple to work on.

[Marko_SJ]

droverdave wrote:

Marko_SJ wrote:

They leak water into cab and can often need lots of small maintenance.

Mine doesnt leak water.

Rust and bottem end engine damage are the big ones.

Anythign else in my oppinion is an easy fix on them. So simple to work on.

Thats good for you then.

4/5 I've seen have.

Not saying its not fixable, and the small issues are easy.

Edit: actually make that 6/7 if you count shep's hardtop and his LWB.

[petes 80]

Thanks marko,

I took it for a spin on the highway and the vibration was nothing like I was told. It felt like my 80 before I put castor plates in. So, how much castor correction is needed if you have a 2" lift in a sierra?

I also noticed it was stalling at the lights after a run on the highway and a slight miss when idling. Could that just be tuning or do the auto chokes play up on them?

Sorry for all the questions, I just don't want the missus in something that plays up

Cheers

Pete

[Marko_SJ]

petes 80 wrote:

Thanks marko,

I took it for a spin on the highway and the vibration was nothing like I was told. It felt like my 80 before I put castor plates in. So, how much castor correction is needed if you have a 2" lift in a sierra?

I also noticed it was stalling at the lights after a run on the highway and a slight miss when idling. Could that just be tuning or do the auto chokes play up on them?

Sorry for all the questions, I just don't want the missus in something that plays up

Cheers

Pete

Ahh, should have made myself clearer, an 80 thats wobbling but isn't to do with lift. If its spring lift, check the list in this thread, and then if everything checks out fine, post up again. If its shackle lifted, there could be your problem.

As for the miss and poor idle, thats a common problem with these things (that and rust)

Could be ignition could be carby. Check coil, leads and plugs, dizzy cap and rotor etc.

Check filter, mech fuel pump and idle circuit (run a carby kit through) it. Apparently there's a screen that can block up in the tank too.

[petes 80]

ok Thanks again,

Just curious, what sort of fuel usage do you guys get out of the 1.3, it also has a set of extractors and after market exhaust.

cheers

[Marko_SJ]

^^ Its really variable.

Some guys claim 400 km to a tank on stock tires (my mate said he was getting 450 on stock tires)

I get a max of 300 km to a tank, actually more like 260-280.

Most sierras will have extractors and a replacement zorst by now.

[bohuler]

I used to run my sierra as a daily. Put over 100,000 on it in 3 years. You get used to the road noise, you get used to the ride and you also get used to not getting speeding tickets.
Stay off the freeways on windy as shit days, I was able to change half a lane once on my way home and it nearly made me spill my beer!
The soft top is awsome fun on hot day to drive round with, if you can chase up a fiberglass roof for the front and seal it in properly i think its better then a full soft top.
Just don't leave anything in the back!
If it is a daily driver, run the stock tyres and highway tyres. I ran the bfg muddies (215/75R15's) for the 3 years and it does munt your fuel economy a bit a\nd is noiser on the highway.
Also make sure it does NOT have a heavy duty clutch. Its a prick to use in traffic and as a daily you definatly want a stock light feel clutch.
Apart from a few bits and bobs they are a good daily.
Dave

[droverdave]

Don't measure fuel economy in "per tank", as everyone has a differnt idea of how much a tank is.

I consistently get 8-9L/100km on city driving.

It got up to around 10-11L/100 fully loaded on the highway.

The engine must be in good working condition to expect good economy.

[Marko_SJ]

droverdave wrote:

Don't measure fuel economy in "per tank", as everyone has a differnt idea of how much a tank is.

I consistently get 8-9L/100km on city driving.

It got up to around 10-11L/100 fully loaded on the highway.

The engine must be in good working condition to expect good economy.

When you say this, I assume you mean good compression, fresh leads/plugs dizzy cap and properly functioning carb?

Also what tire size?

Thats good economy, at Jimny levels actually, from what I've seen.

[droverdave]

Standard sized tyres for most of it, i recently got some 215/75R15s. I havent driven it too much since, but in that time i havent noticed a substantial degredation in fuel efficiency. Key is to keep your right foot out of it and just putt along.

Good condition engine well yer everything needs to be as suzuki intended it (or better if you know what you're doing). If you got a carburetta that has been stuffed with, won't idle, dirty plugs, cracked leads, stuffed dizzy cap, leaky exhaust, low compression, leaking valves, poorly adjusted valve clearances. You cant ever expect decent fuel economy.

Mine doesnt appear to have a working choke or idle up, but luckily the choke appears to be stuck open. So you gotta go gently for the first ~10mins of driving.