Latest Developments
Bronco Grizzly claw 31x10.5 15 tyres, recovery points front & rear for winch with 1 5/8" bar through chassis tube for strength.. Changed tank for a jerry can (more load space).
Rear disc conversion kit, new polyurethane bushes all round and 3” lift kit. Tropical radiator, Weber carb, Janspeed exhaust (snorkelled thru bulkhead). Poly bushes for transfer box. Ally roof fitted (too wet)
I have wimped out and fitted a windscreen. A 1600 8V Vitara engine, SU carb to sort the flooding, E-Z Locker for the rear diff with uprated halfshafts have also gone in. A 3 piece weather kit has been sourced from Blitz Midlands and fitted to great effect - no more mud hitting the back of my head!
I've tried a small winch but was useless, when the Blitz gets stuck it's in DEEP. So a DV9000i 8,000lb winch has been fitted to the front on a custom made winch mount
Next comes 5.2 Ring & Pinion geared diffs and fancy ground anchor. Oh yeah, and some D-Flex opening shackles and longer softer shocks.
Developmental Information - AKA Please learn from my mistakes
Carbs
The standard carbs tend to have a lot of wear by the time we get them so a lot of cars have replacement carbs fitted, here is a list of types and comments about them:
Vitara 1600 carb fitted to 1300 engine - Lots more oomph, mpg basically unaffected doesn't flood or starve like the Weber, can be tricky to find a good one
Weber - A standard conversion, comes as a complete kit, easy to fit but floods over sharp bumps AND runs out of fuel on long climbs. Huge increase in power particularly when in conjunction with a sports exhaust
1.75" SU Carb - Possibly the best compromise. Not as much power as the Weber but no flooding or starvation. Must be set up on a CO analyzer to about 2.5%-3.0%. The angle the carb is attached to the manifold is also critical - easier to buy a new manifold form Rhino Ray
Bearings
The front bearing are a messy job to fit but not that difficult, whilst the rear bearing vary greatly according to the age of the vehicle. MAke sure you get exactly the right one cos once they're on they're on. Also make sure they're fitted the right way round and fitted using a press. Use of a hammer or heat will drastically reduce their lifespan.
Front bearings will not last long if you run big tyres, wheel spacers and then drive hard so accept that changing them every year as normal, unless you know better.
Brakes
The brakes really need examination after every serious event. particularly if it has been a heavy mud or wading session. Take into account the type of terrain, we go to Drumclog a lot and the land is very sandy so the brakes take a serious grinding there - I've has to replace pads all round after only 2 days playing!
When it comes to bleeding brakes, remember if you can't get rid of the sponginess you may have to bleed the proportioning valve at the back of the chassis. Either power bleed it or thump the pedal 2 or 3 times really hard and hold you foot on the pedal. Get a friend to crack open the bleed valve then pump 3 times very hard. Close the valve and that should be it.
Axles
There are many things to look out for, from checking your bearings, U bolts etc regularly to protecting the differentials from rocks etc. One of the more important ones is to change the oil quite often and check for emulsion, i.e. the mixing of oil and water into a milky mess. The water usually comes from the breathers on the top (the ones with the rubber/metal covers). Ideally you should remove these and silicone on a length of garden hose and run it up as high as you can. Leave plenty of slack at the bottom to cope with axle articulation and coil the top to stop water getting in.
Suspension
Sump Conversion
- READ SEVERAL TIMES CAREFULLY BEFORE
DOING THIS JOB - YOU'RE ENGINE'S HEALTH IS AT STAKE
If you've fitted a 1600 Vitara engine you will probably noticed that the sump is a slightly different shape and it hits off the front axle/differential all too easily. End result can often mean a split sump and a wrecked engine. The 1600cc and 1300cc engines share a cylinder block and putting a 1300cc sump on a 1600cc engine is quite straightforward although you will spend a lot of time to'ing and fro'ing between engines.
PARTS REQUIRED - 1300cc sump and Oil Pickup Pipe
After removing the sump from the 1600 engine, remembering to remove the oil first, undo the 2 bolts that hold the oil pick up pipe in place, one on the bracket about halfway back and at the front where the pipe enters the cylinder block.
Get your old 1300cc sump and pick up pipe & give them a good clean up paying particular attention to the sump plug area. Offer up the 1330 sump to the 1600 engine and see if it fouls anywhere. They very a bit depending on the age of the engines, and early 1600 and a late 1300 will match up perfectly where the opposite won't. On mine I had to cut out the rear portion of baffle plate (the area around the big hole) to allow me to dish (or hammer) out the indents at the rear of the sump so it would clear the Big End bearing carrier but meant that refitting the bolts was a bit tricky. I also had to hammer flat the middle portion as the new combined pipe takes a different route.
The oil pick up pipes do not match, and you have to use the 1300 pick up end and the 1600's brackets and block connection. Sounds scary but it's quite easy. Cut the 1600's pipe about 2 cm away from the middle bracket TOWARDS THE PICK UP END and the do the same with the 1300's. remove all burs and file smooth. Loosely refit the 1600 front portion to the engine and keeping in mind the 1300 sump's pickup location offer up the 1300's pick up portion. Tack weld the 2 together and gently offer up to sump plate. Adjust until there is no fouling. This may take some time. Once you're happy with the location, remove the sump plate and put a 2nd tack weld to hold everything then remove the pipe. The wall thickness is about 1.5mm and is easily welded as long as you took the time to prepare it properly. Seam weld the 2 portions together ensure that there are ABSOLUTELY no air leaks. If in doubt get some chemical metal/oil proof epoxy and smother over the weld area. Don't worry about rust proofing!
Refit pipe - no need for gasket material and check fitting of
sump - the welding may have distorted the pipe. Check the fitting of the
sump, pay particular attention to the way the block and sump meet, there should
be contact all round. HAPPY? refit sump using silicone, refit sump plug, fill
engine with oil. Check level, start engine and check for leaks. The whole job
should about 2 hours or so.