Double transfer box on Vit question?

[simonr]

I finally found a suitable Auto Vitara to cut up and build into something cool!

I've still not come to a firm conclusion over what diffs to use for my front & rear indi setup - but in the mean time I can crack on and do the transfer box.

I was given a link: http://xfaktor.net:8082/Projects/Suzuki/DualTCase/DualTCase.html to someone who has already done this conversion.

Just wondered if there were any more examples? What is the cast Ali like to weld?

Looking at mine (two door), it looks like the rear prop will be quite short - has this been a problem?

I was planning on moving the front axle 5" further forward so the 35" tyres will clear the bulkhead without a body lift. Should I be figuring the same on the rear?


This is as far as it has got so far. A week ago it was quite a tidy motor![/img]

[zippy]

good man, a garage ain't complete without a oiled carpet

Only proper ppl have these

[scooter_scum]

hi simon am looking at going the same dirrection with mine but with the 33"s i am running have managed to do more diffc and cvs in 3 weekends offroading that in 4 years befor just running smaller tyres and getting stuck all the time
the price to pay i suppose i got some very valuble advise from tony on here he will be along shortly if not befor i post this he is running hilux axels with tyres which messsure 37" on his vit plus a twin box conversion

am going to see a lad hopfully this week who has made his own front axel for the vit keeping the ratios ect but hopfully more stronger he dose come on from time to time so you may also get a bit of imput from him

am reluctant to do to much to mine at mo as want to enjoy the winter this time not just look at all the pics

[vtrax]

Hi Simon(r),

Can't answer any of your questions but I'm intrigued by your project – wotzit gonna be??

[goodie]

i done it to my vit so has james holloway.

dont bother welding the bottom of the vit tcase up, just cut a plate and hold it on with screws

[Bermuda Import]

my setup on the vitara done by TIGGER MANY THANKS

it is soild mounted to the cross members. deffo not going anywhere

where tony has also attached his to the vitara T case on this 1 we did not, did not think it was needed

[Bermuda Import]

thought u would all like to see the back of the truck lights r all in place few bits more to do on the back but it MIGHT BE ABLE TO BE MOTED NEXT WEEK

[rhinoman]

[Bermuda Import]

dunno will let u know

[baby_rhino]

what a very sexy red roll cage you have there james!

"james & tigger" another sucessful match!

[simonr]

Thanks for all the replies.

Screwing a plate to the bottom of the case is much more up my street (if you saw my Ali welding, you'd agree!).

Like the look of the truck with the red cage! What I have in mind is essentially this:

(Just a quick scribble).
No doors, just keeping the bulkhead, screen & a cut down bonnet.

Chop 12" off the back and move front axle 5" forward so that the bulkhead clears the tyres without raising the body or suspension. The four tyres will be the corners of the vehicle for zero approach & departure.

Now for the interesting bit. I want to build fully indipendant suspension. My current reckoning (though it changes daily) is using Ford Sierra 3.92:1 LSD diffs which will give me about the right ratio for 35-37" tyres and hopefully be strong enough!

Why indi suspension? Everyone has heard it's useless off road right? Well, I have some experience of air suspension. This truck is going to be on air so I can make the indi behave as a beam axle or have the diff clearance of portals with the flick of a switch.

The big plus if IS is dynamic stability. It means you can gun it at the start of a hill climb without bouncing off the track and still be able to steer! Even without lockers, I reckon it will drive places no other LR or Zuk will without winching!

On the back, where there is space, I intend having the wishbones crossing over (forming an X) wit the diff suspended by a pair of struts pivoted off the mid point of the top wishbones. This means that the diff will move up & down with the suspension, but only half as much. It also means that it will sit at the mean angle of the axles with respect to the body when articulating which halves the running angles of the UJ's in the drive shafts. (This would work with wishbones which do not cross just as well).

Oh, lastly, it has a target weight including winches of under 1000kg.

Si

[goodie]

phew some project there.



be fantastic if you can pull it off.

[simonr]

Suzota & Bigfoot -
did you use a prop shaft with a UJ on either end, or just one in the middle when connecting the boxes? Can't quite see in any of the pix.

I wondered about using a rubber doughnut between the two halves as a single joint will cope with angular and linear displacement (a bit anyway) and is largely maintenance free.

Any thoughts on the choice of diffs?

Si

[Bermuda Import]

mine just has 1 in the middle. half vitara output( goes into the vitara tcase) and the other half is sammy( bolts onto the sammy T case input flange.

don't know how much the gearbox wil move around but iam still using the std vitara cross member mouting points

might find out next weekend if all goes to plan

[vtrax]

Am liking your thinking Si - I recon indi suspension gets a pretty bad press so it'll be good to see how you get on.

1000kg should be achievable, mine is running standard vit gear and comes out at 1080kg with the back seats still in (does wonders for the power/weight ratio).

I got rid of the original screen on mine but regretted it - the wipers were an ass of a job.

Are you going road legal?

[goodie]

single uj in the middle vit sliding joints both ends.

my sammy t case is fixed to the vit t case so they are one unit, then rubber mounted to the crossmembers.

[simonr]

[simonr]

New question for the panel.

I've removed the Vit transfer box, removed most of it's insides and was just wondering how you cut the thing?

It's too big to go in the bench saw, too thick to mill and grinding would not leave the flattest of faces to seal against.

How did you do it and would you do it differently if you were doing another one?

Cheers,

Si

[goodie]

i just drew a line round it, placed it on the workmate and attacked it with a cutting disk.

[jeepmadmike]

I run a double T-Box on my SWB vit with 6" of lift i've moved the rear axle back about 40mm, by extending the rear lower arms etc. then a standard SJ prop fits. you need to mod the floor to if you don't have a body lift. my vit might be cheap on e-bay soon....

[simonr]

Brilliant - thanks for your help chaps!

Cut the bottom off this evening (after getting home from pub!). Went very well (still have all my fingers).

Tomorrow I'll have a bash at joining the two boxes together & post some pictures.

Si

[jeepmadmike]

thinking about this i think the auto box is longer than a manual.....