The Story of Torro

[Alex Roux]

I am looking at reviving an old thread

Back in 2016, Ruan Scholtz managed to put a GQ (Y60) top onto a Safari (MQ) Chassis.
The operation was a success, albeit quite a bit of grinding and welding as the engine sits quite far back in the bay. Images on Post 22 of the thread.

Since then I think he sold the car to the person that I bought it from in 2019.
And he was named Toro (on account of the images of a bull that was added to the back windows at some point).

Over the past fours years, it was necessary to do a LOT of fixing.
1) Most notably the injector pump need to be overhaled.
2) The water pump needed overhaul
3) The shaft of the water pump was complete sheered off! more amazingly, I did not know this and in 2021 the car drove from Rust de Winter home (+/-150 km) without and water circulating. The SD33T engine just does not seem to get hot.
4) Turbo serviced
5) All pipes replaced.
6) Redone the leaf springs (still over axle)

Not essential
6) New fuel tank (replaced a 50litere with a 140litre)
7) Ruberized the floor
8) Small draw system (one draw), allowing the middle seats to fall flat, and make a double bed in the back
9) new (Jetta) seat in front
10) 35" Maxxis
11) Offset on the rims and moved the valve holes further inside to avoid rocks from cutting the valves.
12) Permanent locker in front (not recommended). It already has an effective LSD at the back.
13) Lots of bar work

Broken and replaced on trails so far
13) four CVs and a hub
14) propshaft (twisted to bits at Carnage earlier this year)
15) drag link bent in
16) some dents which made me redo the bar work most recently.

So I have learned the hard way that the MK/MQ model Patrols (Safaris as we knew them) are not as strong as the Y60 and Y61 models.
It is also not fast, and it is not pretty, but it is helluva capable.

The over axle set up (given both clearance and flex) combined with both diffs locking makes it extremely capable.
Also, being over axle the leaf spring brackets are all out of the way. There are no controlling arms and no trailing arms.
It is also very light, enabling one to hop where necessary without crashing down, and allowing the plucky little SD33T to move the truck.
I suspect the diff ratios on the Safari is also slower than what we get on the later models.

The only drawback with this set up is lack of steering ability (and the fact that I seem to have a penchant for breaking something)

So this weekend I went to Mathole (near Moegatle).
This was like Carnage, except almost harder. More large rocks to navigate.
We stopped at about half way as I lost drive on the front axle.
Not confirmed yet, I have either broken the locker (hopefully), or it is the crown wheel and pinion. The hubs and CVs seem fine.

Will post some pics and vids

[Alex Roux]

Carnage 2023-03:


Mathole 2023-09

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[Peter Connan]

In my opinion, Torro wants three more mods to make it one of the most capable 4x4's in our circle:

Crawler gears
Hydro-assist steering
and a traction bar on the rear axle.
Something like this:
https://www.bing.com/images/search?view ... ajaxserp=0

[Alex Roux]

In my opinion, Torro wants three more mods to make it one of the most capable 4x4's in our circle:

Crawler gears
Hydro-assist steering
and a traction bar on the rear axle.

Ultimately, I want to take out the sandwich locker on the front and replace with a proper diff locker.
As for crawler gears, I have tried to find out what is possible for a MK/MQ and there does not seem to be anything on the market.
But maybe you can have look under my car when we get together again to let me know what you think.
Reenen told me, rather than a crawler gear (or second transfer case), he would be more interested in portal axles in a Safari.
That would be too expensive for me.

[Peter Connan]

The problem with portals is that it doesn't actually make much difference to the gearing (typically 6-10%). The effect is basically similar to putting lower gears in the diffs.

In other words, they make "enough" difference to allow you to fit larger tires without compromising on-road power, but the reduction makes very little difference off road. For a noticeable difference off road, you want upwards of 40% reduction. And it affects both low and high range.

Unfortunately I don't know much about what is available either.

[iandvl]

You get them.

But.............. $$$$

https://www.marks4wd.com/portal-axles-p ... axles.html

[Alex Roux]

Ja, I won't go the Portal route.
I have more than enough clearance on Toro, and as PC says, the reduction is marginal.
It is the crawler gear that I would have really liked, and that is not available for Safari MK/MQ,160 models.
I still would like to have an clever drivetrain engineer (Like PC's) opinion on the potential of a second Transfer case gear.
Jessie from 4WD/247 had this done on his white GQ (the "Junker").