Tuesday, Oct 10, 2006 at 13:14
Harry, my old truck was a 74 model but the suspensions on these haven’t changed much over the years. Essentially still leaf sprung and not very much travel.
I did spend a lot of time and effort in improving it though, by having
the springs reset, fitting better gas shockers as
well as fitting sway bars and improving its travel length. The best combination I found was to have softer
suspension, but under extreme conditions it would bottom out and our heads hit the roof on a number of occasions.
The plusses were mainly related to space in the rear, but it had plenty of power and torque with the V8 and 4 speed auto. It would cruise at 110km/h at under 2000rpm and was reasonably economical considering it ran on gas.
The minuses were interior space, no room to fit an air conditioner, height and no driver
seat adjustment. It would probably suit a short person more, but I found it very uncomfortable if traveling for more than a couple of hours. Also being a highly modified vehicle, much of it was custom made and spare parts in the bush could be an issue. Climbing in and out was a hassle for the missus.
If I were to do it again, I would look for something with an adjustable pneumatic driver
seat, but I’ve only seen them in larger trucks, and yes sitting over the axel means you are going to feel every bump in a much harsher manner than sitting between the axles.
Overall I think this is a good concept, but a normal 4x4 Nissan or Toyota towing a fair sized camper or van does offer some advantages, but just to be different, I gave it a go. I do miss the old beast, but when I’m cruising down the freeway in the Patrol it’s like I’m driving a lounge chair compared to the truck.
Cheers
Chaz
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