We have more ute

"SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media" (silentbutnotreallydeadly)
06/21/2018 at 23:21 • Filed to: Nissan, Patrol

Mum’s Nissan has a new home in our driveway. However, its change in venue has already had repercussions.

I had the local shop give it a service and a damn good look around earlier this week. It proved costly as this thing has not been properly seen to for a couple of years (apart from a recently fitted clutch and flywheel) since my step father passed away. New belts, filters and many litres of oil. Plus a laundry list of broken bits.

It’s a 2004 Nissan Y61 Patrol cab chassis. This particular version has coil springs up front and leafs out back. Primary talking point is the TD42 engine talking to a driveline that has done a smidge less than 70,000 kilometres.

It also has a neat party trick...

This will come in handy and in more ways than one. The tipping tray means I can get to the rear suspension easily. This will be handy because both shocks are toast and the springs no longer have a spring in their step. Another issue under there is the hydraulic line to the rams. It flops about too much with the tray down and there’s a race on to see which component fails first: the hydraulic line, one of a number of brake lines, the load proportioning valve or the main fuel tank.

Up front is in better shape. However, the steering damper is ruined and the whole thing pulls to the left so an alignment is required.

I have a bull bar and winch for it but can not fit them until the front suspension is replaced as the added weight will sink it.

The rear tyres have already caught us out. One went just 600 metres into its new tube (it runs split rims) due to a nail while the other halved its pressure overnight in the driveway.

Main thing from here is to get a new suspension system sorted (probably a Tough Dog kit with their foam filled shocks) but I’ll struggle doing it without a lift. Then it’ll return to farm duties because yesterday we came to an agreement on a hundred acres just out of town. So me move in the Spring.

In the meantime, the first accessories have been fitted...

It’s gunna be good...

DISCUSSION (8)

pip bip - choose Corrour > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media
06/22/2018 at 06:46

2" lift?

4" lift?

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > pip bip - choose Corrour
06/22/2018 at 07:52

My preference is no lift because the tray is high enough as it is but I suspect that a 2" is going to be what happens before I weigh it down again . Looking at using Tough Dog shocks with King Springs...both have worked well for me in previous applications.

BJ > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media
06/22/2018 at 08:38

Congrats on the land purchase. What kind of agriculture will you be practicing?

That’s a nice truck, too, with so few km. There is something appealing about a simple work truck with lots of levers to pull on.

Is it just me or is the chassis about 50 cm too short for the length of the bed? You’ve got some serious problems with your departure angle! Ha ha ha!

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > BJ
06/22/2018 at 09:17

Forestry with a bit of native grassland. Pure hobby block this one. Like a lot of upland country in Oz, the s oil quality is not there for real agriculture. So it's mostly house supply only.

Most of the departure angle issues stem from the aftermarket towbar. The chassis is stock and the design rules allow a 600 mm rear overhang by the tray. Which is 8 foot by 6 foot.

Many of these have now been shortened for showboat 4x4 by removing most everything behind the rear spring hanger...

Rufant > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media
06/23/2018 at 17:50

A couple of mates run Tough Dog with no issues.

Congrats on the new place, cheers.

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > Rufant
06/23/2018 at 19:36

Yeah I ran Tough Dog shocks and steering damper back in the 90s on the Defender and they did my run through NT and the Kimberly just fine.

Down side is $2,000 for the complete kit but since the Nissan came to us for essentially nothing...we haven't got much to bitch about.

Rufant > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media
06/24/2018 at 01:46

Yeah I pulled the dampers out of the Cruiser to check them before going ahead with the lockers. Suspension and lockers wasn’t really in the budget. Was pleased they felt really very good. King Springs and Australian made OME (Mon roe?) shocks, pretty sure you don’t get that now from ARB nowadays...

Happy with the move then?

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > Rufant
06/24/2018 at 19:48

Moving out of town will be great. Mind you...the property needs a fair bit of touching up to get it into shape. So we have our work cut out for us!