It's a "gunna" thread.... my thoughts on future mods

DanXR6T · 01-11-2006, 12:01 AM

Hey all,

Sitting at home the other day I looked across at my AU series 1 ute and thought...

"Hmm seeing as I now have a company 4WD and fuel card, that thing is a poor use of capital, I should sell it!"

Which I had fully intended on doing so, UNTIL I went down the Cairns motor show last weekend and came home with an "itch" so to speak (and no, not of the medical kind!!)...

I sat down and figured... hmm $1500 work expense claim, $500 rental bond refund, $350 tax return.... thats a lazy $2k that will just sit in my bank being useful reducing debt.. so now I'm going to spend it! (hey I'm 24, single, good job, I got at least another 5 years before I need to be responsible!)

My thoughts are:

1. I am striving for a balance between handling and practicality. Practicality for me is I drive regulary on crappy dirt roads, I still like to carry some load in the back at times, and am basically happy with standard-ish looking vehicles.

To this end I currently have 1-tonne suspension and 15" rims. I am looking at either XR or Low ride height. Front coil options are either King Springs or Whiteline Control. I'll probably retain the current front struts. For the rear it's either replacement King Low leafs or 1.5" lowering blocks. Lowering blocks will require 17" rims due to the lower shock mount. I was not really considering 17" rims, only 16" rims, so my best bet is lowered replacement leaf pack.

To keep it all legal, I won't change the ride height until I investigate the price of a mod plate for the suspension, which would be the only mod that I would need a plate for.

I am also looking at front and rear whiteline swaybars. Suspension mods I can do all myself, so I don't imagine this will cost all that much apart from parts.

2. Performance-wise, I currently have a 2.5" catback and SS inductions intake and K&N panel filter. Lame mods I know!

Bang for buck my first mods will be extractors, maybe PH4499's, and 3.7 diff gears. I already have LSD so I've been told it won't be a major labour job. Will put the 100km/h revs @ ~2150-2200 which is okay with me. Jaycar speedo corrector to fix the speedo, and I understand will shift the gear change points up, which I'm fine with (easy to lift the foot to make it change gear).

That will probably chew all my money, unless I have some left, in which I will be looking at a cam. Not sure what though. I'm not one to rev the tits off an engine, I would be happy with useable power up to 5000rpm.

Well that's my gunna thread. We'll see what I've done by the end of November!!

Anyone know any good Ford wreckers in the Cairns/Tablelands region?

**Mechan1k** · 01-11-2006, 12:43 AM

I am about to embark on some power mods on the LPG ute. (as I have already done the wheel/suspension combo for work purposes).

I am getting some headwork and cam installed first of all (seeing as the headgasket needs replacing anyway). I have getting my Pacemaker PH4499s installed after I move the LPG converter forward and a little higher.

Also replacing my intake pipe between the throttle bodu with a less restrictive mandrel bent pipe as well.

I wouldn't mind shorter gears in the rear as well ... I am still not sure which ones to go yet though ... but i want to get an LCD centre in though.

Good luck with the work on the ute.

Mine is 1.5" lower than XR height at the moment (as I had the XLS Sports suspension from factory - same as XR height) ... I changed my rear leaves for stronger thicker leaves ... and a stronger 2nd stage leaf to reduce sag under load ... but retains comfort when unladen) ... have 1.5" lowered heavy duty coils in the front ... and gas shocks all round. I haven't done anything with swaybars yet though.

DanXR6T · 01-11-2006, 01:04 AM

Mechan1k,

Did you buy the PH4499's off Ebay? They seem to be well priced on there.

I'm going shorter gears and extractors first, because I consider them to be great bang for buck mods.

Mentioning your LCD.. reminds me my H/U is playing up... Oh well they are pretty cheap these days.

Okay so XLS = XR ride height. Maybe I should be visiting the wreckers and seeing what XLS utes are around smashed up... I'm not that fussed on having brand new stuff, after all I'm only modding it for fun because they are worth nothing to sell. It's worth more to me to play around with than it is to sell.

Front coils are cheap and easy, I am happy with getting new coils. The rear is where I am not sure about yet. Whiteline control springs are apparently 10mm lower than XR height. Maybe a combination of XL 750kg springs, whiteline lowering blocks and 17" rims would be good. The cheapest way into 17's would be Terry rims as you have done.

Dan..

**Mechan1k** · 01-11-2006, 01:37 AM

I bought it off another forum ... brand new and in plastic still with all bolts.

I am tempted to get shorter gears ... cos 3.23:1 with the auto is a dog .. and when loaded up doesn't help either.

That's what I found ... also in current models ... XLS has same ground clearance as XR. Also what I got my suspension done I found it was the same. Although XLS can be optioned with 1-tonne as well.

I found out the hard way they aren't worth much ... that's why I am going to keep mine and do more work.

What you have to remember going from 1T suspension to lower suspension ... and wheel size change is that it can handle 1T loads. I know the Territory wheels can handle it ... but there aren't any tyres out on the market to comply with the 100 load rating. I guess I was lucky to have the factory sports suspension.

I think my rear leaves were $350 for the pair ... or thereabouts ... that was new from Pedders ... I am sure Kings make similar/same leaves for the same price.

Put it this way ... I am not supposed to run anything more than 650kg payload ... but I have actually had nearly double that in the back of it before ... interesting to drive ... but it handled it OK.

I guess it depends on what sort of load you carry with it .... I do a lot of country road driving in mine ... and it's not harsh on the rough stuff ... and I still have clearance for ridges in the road, etc.

DanXR6T · 01-11-2006, 01:43 AM

King Springs will only rate their replacement springs to 500kg as they are single rate springs. I understand all the hoohah about load ratings and which is why I am going to go down the path of getting the payload reduced via a mod plate. It should be a fairly simple process in Qld, just need to get it signed off by an approved mod plater. If I can't get this done then I'll leave the suspension as is. I can't afford to get in an accident and the chance that insurance says no deal from suspension mods.

Interestingly there are about a million sets of cheap 17" rims on ebay at the moment, when I want some in a few weeks I bet there will be none lol.

**Mechan1k** · 01-11-2006, 01:50 AM

If you can get the mod plate for the payload change (and tyre spec change too if you can to a Passenger tyre from a Cargo tyre) ... that will make it easier for you legality wise.

I have a set of steelies ... but really want to keep them for spares for my Territory (still has the old 235/60R17 AWD rubber on it ... bugger all treead though).

I am looking at changing my wheels later on down the track (but at the moment has pretty new rubber on it) ... they will stay on for the timebeing though.