Newbie -> Hilux 1996 D/Cab 4x4 Advice needed

[spyker1975]

What the Hilux looked like when my friend bought it

What the Hilux looked like when my friend bought it

Hi All,

Please excuse my lack of experience on the SFA Hilux. I recently purchased the vehicle from a friend who stripped it to fit a Marlin Crawler. He took the gearbox out had the crawler fitted in JHB put the gearbox back in. Stripped out the radiator etc had plans of fitting a KZTE radiator with a separate oil cooler and electric fans. Stripped out the fuel tanks etc, he then lost interest/ran out of time/had too much on the go and the vehicle has been standing in it stripped state for the last 10 years... Basically he got as far as putting the gearbox back into the vehicle and raised the body but not the load body (I still have to do that.)

So far the following has been done:-
1. Serviced the 7GME, new engine oil, renewed the belts, new plugs & new ATF
2. Brakes - new rear linings, wheel cylinders & new front brake pads
3. Primed the rust spots to stop any further rot
4. Rear Propshaft shortened to accommodate the crawler adapter plate[/list]

Still to be done/sourced:-
1. Radiator Hoses, missing need to get, but not sure where?
2. Mount radiator (need to make a mounting bracket of sorts) and electric fans - need advice here do I fit the KZTE radiator with a separate oil cooler OR the original radiator that has been serviced and has it's own oil cooler?
3. Raise load body by 65mm to match the cab raise
4. Fit new shocks - Vehicle still has standard shocks. Can I just fit new shocks and leave the original leaf springs? What shocks should I fit?
5. Make a new exhaust
6. Fit fuel tank - the vehicle came with two but neither seem correct. I bought a used one from Rudolph at Ultimate 4x4 for R2850 incl filler neck, sender & pickup.
7. Attend to body work & respray (Original baby blue and striping as per original)
8. Reupholster seats / or buy seat covers
9. Fit new 33" tyres - need advice on what is the best all-round tyre as I plan to use the vehicle for family vacations etc. plus a bit off-roading
10. Install a new radio / GPS system

Oh yes and I want to have it ready to take to the Balloch for Christmas this year!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks.

[niclemaitre]

Hi there

Still to be done/sourced:-
1. Radiator Hoses, missing need to get, but not sure where?
2. Mount radiator (need to make a mounting bracket of sorts) and electric fans - need advice here do I fit the KZTE radiator with a separate oil cooler OR the original radiator that has been serviced and has it's own oil cooler?
3. Raise load body by 65mm to match the cab raise
4. Fit new shocks - Vehicle still h as standard shocks. Can I just fit new shocks and leave the original leaf springs? What shocks should I fit?
5. Make a new exhaust
6. Fit fuel tank - the vehicle came with two but neither seem correct. I bought a used one from Rudolph at Ultimate 4x4 for R2850 incl filler neck, sender & pickup.
7. Attend to body work & respray (Original baby blue and striping as per original)
8. Reupholster seats / or buy seat covers
9. Fit new 33" tyres - need advice on what is the best all-round tyre as I plan to use the vehicle for family vacations etc. plus a bit off-roading
10. Install a new radio / GPS system

Oh yes and I want to have it ready to take to the Balloch for Christmas this year!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

1. Hoses, try Terrain Tamer, they sell kits with all you need
2. The radiator should have flanges on the side that meet up with captive nuts on the firewall. You shouldn't need any brackets. The original radiators didn't have any oil coolers at all.
3. That's quite a body raise, are you sure that the steering column can deal with it without modification?
4. Contact Darryl at Mikem Suspension
9. 33s on the SFA usually require an axle shift and a few other changes to prevent excessive fouling (though the body lift will help with some of that. You might also need to consider a change of final drive or diff ratio, as the engine will feel a bit pap with the 33s

[spyker1975]

Hi Nic,

Thanks for the feedback and advice.

2. Firewall looks to have been modified - but I have made a template for two mounting brackets out of aluminium
3. I see the steering column has been modified but I will fit 50mm spaces anyway
9. Previous owner tells me this was all done to accommodate the 33s. I will monitor the papness, hopefully the 7GME can handle it... Final drive ratio I believe is around 4,55:1