[greavesyzook]

Going to pick up a 1985 1.3l sierra Zook next Saturday dunno if its a wt? And if it is a nt can I still use wt parts?

[Gwagensteve]

Nt.
Most parts except axles and some other small parts are interchangeable.

[greavesyzook]

Could I swap to wt axcels?

[sideways]

You need to weld on some new spring perches as NT spring spacing is narrower, also swap tailshaft yokes as the bolt pattern is different.

[AckerDackerly]

Whatever it is, your'e gonna love it!

[bumstein]

Suggest you leave it as a NT unless you have a specific reason for changing it.

I have both and love them. I have no desire or need to do the extra work to change it from NT to WT, I have no specific need to have mine as WT.

If it's to do with wheels sitting in previously cut ruts, try offset rims. That is all I have and its happy enough

[greavesyzook]

Yeah cheers guys

[Gwagensteve]

I have the opposite view. I think NT axles are a pain to work with.

[bumstein]

In what regard? As in difficult to repair and maintain or difficult to live with while driving?

[remydog05]

So can anyone tell me if All Maruti Utes are NT spacing? As far as I know the went from NT Diffs to WT in 93-94 but did they all keep NT Spacing on the chassis??

[tanshi]

nah they are spaced at wt aswell

[Gwagensteve]

bumstein wrote:

In what regard? As in difficult to repair and maintain or difficult to live with while driving?

The lack of width makes decent sized tyres scrub all over the shop - inner guards, shock mounts, chassis - even the rear inner guards. Trying to "fix" this with rim offset leads to hokey scrub radius which has a range of drawbacks all of its own, least of which is increased load on axles.... which brings me to no off-the shelf HD axle availability. I would never bother with building a sierra on NT axles.

Ironically, I don't mind 1.0 litre axles for what they are - throw NT 1.3 CVs in them and the tiny centres and narrow track make them excellent in mud. the 4.1 gearing doesn't hurt either, but I'd never put actual money into them - they're really just a stop gap until WT axles (or equivalent) are swapped in.

Steve.

[rustyzook]

Lj50 4.88 R&P fit the 1ltr toothpicks. I've got a set somewhere out of my old 1ltr with them fitted. It cost me a whole 6pack of VB.

[bumstein]

Gwagensteve wrote:

The lack of width makes decent sized tyres scrub all over the shop - inner guards, shock mounts, chassis - even the rear inner guards. Trying to "fix" this with rim offset leads to hokey scrub radius which has a range of drawbacks all of its own, least of which is increased load on axles.... which brings me to no off-the shelf HD axle availability. I would never bother with building a sierra on NT axles.

Ironically, I don't mind 1.0 litre axles for what they are - throw NT 1.3 CVs in them and the tiny centres and narrow track make them excellent in mud. the 4.1 gearing doesn't hurt either, but I'd never put actual money into them - they're really just a stop gap until WT axles (or equivalent) are swapped in.

Steve.

Ah righto. Thanks Steve!!

I've not really noticed these issues myself but my zooks aren't as stringently build as yours I don't think.

Out of curiosity, what size do you mean by 'decent'?

I've got 31's on extended shackles, although they are rather close they rarely scrub. Having said that, I hate extended shackles. I'd rather drop tyre size and put original shackles back on.

[remydog05]

tanshi wrote:

nah they are spaced at wt aswell

Any idea of years?

[Gwagensteve]

bumstein wrote:

[

Out of curiosity, what size do you mean by 'decent'?

I've got 31's on extended shackles, although they are rather close they rarely scrub. Having said that, I hate extended shackles. I'd rather drop tyre size and put original shackles back on.

In my experience it start rearing its head as a problem at 31, but this will depend on how much droop you can get out of the car - because of the fulcrum effect, the more the drooped wheel droops, the more the compressed wheel tucks up into the guard. I ran short but wide 7.50 16's on offset 16X5.5" rims on my car back circa 1997 and they scrubbed pretty heavily. Your extended shackles might be covering this problem a little by preventing the axle from reaching the bumpstop.

[MrRocky]

Witnessed a few stock nt cars go alot further than some modded wt cars on the weekend. Depending on your terrain sometimes skinny track can be a major advantage

[Gwagensteve]

That's absolutely true Mr Rocky. It's one of the reasons I dislike offset rims and spacers. With my wheel and tyre combination, I'm as narrow between the inside of the tyres as a stock narrow track. It a a fine balance.

[bumstein]

Gwagensteve wrote:

In my experience it start rearing its head as a problem at 31, but this will depend on how much droop you can get out of the car - because of the fulcrum effect, the more the drooped wheel droops, the more the compressed wheel tucks up into the guard. I ran short but wide 7.50 16's on offset 16X5.5" rims on my car back circa 1997 and they scrubbed pretty heavily. Your extended shackles might be covering this problem a little by preventing the axle from reaching the bumpstop.

Thanks again

Likely right on the extended shackles!!

I'd rather drop tyre size and put originals back on for sure! Just they have oodles of tread left!! Pity to waste good rubber

[Gwagensteve]

The shackles aren't really providing tyre clearance- they're behaving like virtual bumpstop spacers by making it much more difficult for the axle to reach the bumpstop.

Go back to standard shackles and fit bumpstop spacers.

[bumstein]

I'd rather go back to smaller tyres too. I bought the car with that setup already on but I have no need for 31's. The shackles (I presume) make it handle like absolute crap on the hwy. the car jumps around, need to be on your toes to keep it on the road.