Re: My Hilux KZTE - scared of the dark?

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 10:44 am

Oh how times change a man. Going fast used to be my thing, but now I'm more into going over things...

Anyways, thought I'd document the transformation I have in mind for my Hilux.

What I'm trying to achieve with this vehicle: have a decent looking van that is not an out-and-out serious off-roader, but rather a vehicle fit for daily use that is capable of handling a 4star trail without any (real) hassles. I have a pretty good idea of exactly what I want to do in terms of modifications, but nothing set in stone - might change my mind as I go along.

Things I'm going to do:

Suspension refresh (things get worn over time)
Suspension upgrade
Rims
Bigger tyres
Aftermarket bumper
Some other practical bolt-on stuff

This weekend I have some work planned - maintenance kinda stuff. Will update as the work progresses

Pote · Post by **Pote** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 10:49 am

HI André.

I would say that one of the first things you should do is a 50mm body lift.
It is reletavely cheap and it looks great.

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 10:53 am

Yup - I've never been afraid of heights

Was at Mikem this morning to discuss my options with Darryl. If the van is still too low after the suspension lift I'll look at doing the body lift too. That just looks so cool :thumup:

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 11:12 am

Pic of my van the day after I got it

One of the first things I bought it:

Cooler fitted, also added some spotlights

4x4Maniac · Post by **4x4Maniac** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 3:10 pm

Very Nice!

Froll · Post by **Froll** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 9:53 pm

Nice looking truck that you have there.

yotaman · Post by **yotaman** » Sun Mar 17, 2013 5:58 pm

Nice truck Andre.

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 8:45 am

Thanks, guys

So amount of work done this weekend? Zip... :roll:

Had to do some other work that brought in cash (that's never a bad thing)

But all the same, on Friday I went and did a bit of shopping for the van. Items bought:

All 4 ball joints
All 4 tie-rod ends
One outer CV
CV boots for the remaining CV's
Rubber pipe from the air filter to the turbo intake pipe
New grille
New indicator lights

Got a bit of graft lying ahead...

louis fourie · Post by **louis fourie** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 11:21 am

Andre

Wat het die outer CV toe gekos en by wie het jy gekoop?

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Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 11:53 am

Hey Louis! Het hom by Gemini Parts gekry vir R450. Bargain in my boeke

Thunder02 · Post by **Thunder02** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 12:15 pm

Looking and sounding good Andre ,no more pulling you out sticky situations

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 12:27 pm

Hey Neil - Don't underestimate my madness

Thunder02 · Post by **Thunder02** » Tue Mar 19, 2013 12:25 pm

Dodging wrote:Hey Neil - Don't underestimate my madness

That's what worries me

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Fri Mar 22, 2013 1:30 pm

Had an hour or two at my disposal yesterday. So I removed the bullbar - that poor thing got bent properly at Rust de Winter. It really has to go though - really does not help in approach angle at all.

Took the grille off plus the indicators. Couldn't finish up though, as I need a couple of new clips to hold the grille in place. Ordered these at Toyota this morning at R10 a piece (they probably cost about 20c to make, but ja...)

Will finish the grille this afternoon. Then I will tackle the suspension next week (time permitting)

louis fourie · Post by **louis fourie** » Mon Apr 08, 2013 8:23 pm

Andre,

Hoe ver is jy?

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Mon Apr 08, 2013 10:13 pm

Het die naweek so klein bietjie tyd gekry. Het toe die snorkel opgesit, enjin gewas en die bullbar afgehaal. Die wa lyk maar sag sonder die bullbar

JJBotes · Post by **JJBotes** » Tue Apr 09, 2013 9:16 am

Hi Andre

As ek kan vra. Wat het daai 4 tie-rod ends jou gekos ?

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Tue Apr 09, 2013 9:34 am

O jinne, ek kan nie nou so uit die vuis uit onthou nie. Hulle was egter nie te duur gewees nie. Het sommer by Gemini gekoop

smokintyres · Post by **smokintyres** » Tue Apr 09, 2013 9:55 am

JJ, I had the tie rods on my 2.7 replaced here in Windhoek recently; the stealers wanted a mere 400 something for both sides. Did not bother to check with any of the scrap yards or "pirate bays".

JJBotes · Post by **JJBotes** » Tue Apr 09, 2013 11:26 am

Dankie julle

louis fourie · Post by **louis fourie** » Tue Apr 09, 2013 7:23 pm

Dodging wrote:Het die naweek so klein bietjie tyd gekry. Het toe die snorkel opgesit, enjin gewas en die bullbar afgehaal. Die wa lyk maar sag sonder die bullbar

Eish André, ek glo jou nie. Waar is die fotos?

JJBotes · Post by **JJBotes** » Tue Apr 09, 2013 9:10 pm

louis fourie wrote:
Dodging wrote:Het die naweek so klein bietjie tyd gekry. Het toe die snorkel opgesit, enjin gewas en die bullbar afgehaal. Die wa lyk maar sag sonder die bullbar
Eish André, ek glo jou nie. Waar is die fotos?

+1

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Tue Apr 09, 2013 10:01 pm

Sal gou more oplaai

Willem01 · Post by **Willem01** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 10:45 am

Dis al lankal more Andre waar is die pic's anders weet ons jy het niks gedoen nie....

Stef · Post by **Stef** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 10:56 am

Andre, doen die body lift net as die suspension lift nie genoeg is nie en die groter bande nog skuur.

Self nie 'n aanhanger van body lifts nie (doen niks nie behalwe vir die 'look' en dis meer werk as wat mens dink); suspension gee darem nog grondvry hoogte en grote bande sal die agter diff effe lig op die IFS.

Met my SFA kon ek die axle move doen voor vir die skuur probleem, so het nie nut gehad vir die body lift nie...maar net my 2c's

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 11:45 am

Ja ek het daai body lift geloer, en dit lyk na baie werk daai... Ek is seker die suspension lift sal die 31's maklik akkomodeer

Alle geval - fotos...

Kinda forgot about this photo. As some of you might recall, a taxi wanted to catch a lift in the rear of my van a while ago. After a long and drawn out story, the panelbeater couldn't get the stickers in the original colour for the tailgate. Boiled down to me saying that I don't really care about their problems - I want a set of stickers on the van, all the same colour. Scored a brand new full set in grey. Must be honest - I preferred the green

Here's them fitiing them all professional-like at the panelbeaters

Then as mentioned - fitted one snorkel to the van

The much needed engine wash

Nice thing about washing this van's engine, is that you just wash away dust and mud - no oil

Willem01 · Post by **Willem01** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 12:12 pm

Andre hoe kry jy daai engine so skoon of blink hy net so wanneer hy nat is,,,,my bakkie se engine kamer is rooibruin van al die modderwater en ek kry nie daai swart weer swart nie tensy jy daar inklim met n kwassie nie?

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 12:37 pm

Hy's nog nat daar, maar hy is mooi swart as hy droog is. Ek het 'n seep genaamd 'Blade' gebruik met die pressure wasser. Werk heel oraait

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Wed May 15, 2013 8:22 pm

Small update

Bought a bumper. Will pick it up on Friday, then try find the time to fit it

louis fourie · Post by **louis fourie** » Wed May 15, 2013 8:34 pm

Dodging wrote:Small update

Bought a bumper. Will pick it up on Friday, then try find the time to fit it

Andre. Watse bumper het jy gekoop?

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Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Wed May 15, 2013 8:43 pm

Een gemaak van yster

Sal gou kyk vir n foto

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Wed May 15, 2013 8:44 pm

Oh ja - other updates:

- Bought my rims. Still at the shop. Can't seem to find the tyres I want
- Will send the van in for the suspension upgrade as soon as I find myself another car. Seems that the sellers of the cars I'm keen on are just very ladida about actually selling their cabs. Weird...

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Wed May 15, 2013 9:05 pm

Nee ek kry nou nie n foto nie

Het gekoop van n manwat op Gomboom ge-adverteer het. Splinternuut vir wat ek dink n goeie prys is. En hy is nogal solied

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Fri May 17, 2013 11:59 am

Wiele en taaiers word more opgesit

Thunder02 · Post by **Thunder02** » Fri May 17, 2013 1:35 pm

Andre,don't forget,I've still got some decor for your bakkie,you must still collect

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Fri May 17, 2013 2:13 pm

I'll stop by your place sometime soon

louis fourie · Post by **louis fourie** » Fri May 17, 2013 2:41 pm

Andre, ons soek fotos-baie fotos

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Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Fri May 17, 2013 3:03 pm

Sal beslis so doen

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Sat May 18, 2013 3:12 pm

Wiele is op

louis fourie · Post by **louis fourie** » Sat May 18, 2013 3:19 pm

Netjies, baie netjies

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Sat May 18, 2013 3:48 pm

Dankie, dankie

Het my bumper ook opgelaai - hy's nog toegedraai op die stadium. Hoop om hom volgende naweek op te sit

Willem01 · Post by **Willem01** » Sat May 18, 2013 5:13 pm

Daai wielertjies lyk sommer spoggerig Andre..mooi

ForYota · Post by **ForYota** » Mon May 20, 2013 10:10 am

Jis Andre dit lyk Super Mooi!!!!

Wat se grote rims en tyres is daai?

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Mon May 20, 2013 1:55 pm

Dankie, dankie

Dis 15 duim 8j, en die bande is 31's x 10.5

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Mon May 20, 2013 5:20 pm

Tomorrow.... Mikem....om

louis fourie · Post by **louis fourie** » Mon May 20, 2013 6:10 pm

Dodging wrote:Tomorrow.... Mikem....om

Yip André, dis die ding, as jy eers begin het moet jy klaarmaak, maar dis lekkerrrrt x:lol:

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Thunder02 · Post by **Thunder02** » Mon May 20, 2013 6:29 pm

Looking great

She is looking the part,can't wait to see when the bumper is fitted.

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Mon May 20, 2013 7:04 pm

Ja nee kyk - die bankrekening kreun hierdie maand

Thunder02 · Post by **Thunder02** » Mon May 20, 2013 7:14 pm

Dodging wrote:Ja nee kyk - die bankrekening kreun hierdie maand

It never stops

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Tue May 21, 2013 8:42 am

My van's at Mikem... Soooooo excited!

ForYota · Post by **ForYota** » Tue May 21, 2013 8:43 am

Dodging wrote:My van's at Mikem... Soooooo excited!

Happy days

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Tue May 21, 2013 11:58 am

So here's what's happening today - new leafs and shackles, old torsion bars stay for now (can always replace them later if I find the nose is not high enough - Darryl's advice). H's also fitting the ball joints and tie rod ends. Then he's also putiing in some shocks from a guy named Billiam Steyn

Thunder02 · Post by **Thunder02** » Tue May 21, 2013 12:02 pm

Very cool,can't wait to see the end result,you will have to bring her around this weekend

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Tue May 21, 2013 8:41 pm

Wow... All I can say is WOW!

The van drives soooo nicely. It honestly drives as soft and smooth as a normal platkar. It is quiter for some reason too. It handles beautifully, and speedbumps - what speedbumps???

If I was to rate my experience with Mikem out of 10, I'd give Darryl and his team a 14. So nice to deal with someone that isn't out to make a fast buck, but actually listen to the customer's requirements, gives the correct advice and delivers even more than what he promises. I would recommend them everytime.

Anyways - work that was done:
Rear leafs - medium duty
Extended shackles
Original torsion bars adjusted for maximum lift
Ball joints replaced
Tie-rod ends replaced
Everything that needs greasing got greased, including the propshaft
Bilstein shocks
Wheel alignment

Will climb in under the van with the pressure washer and a bottle of soap on the weekend to clean all the other bits and pieces, then the van's gonna look sommer spiekeries!

Thunder02 · Post by **Thunder02** » Tue May 21, 2013 8:44 pm

Where's da pics

Before and after.

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Tue May 21, 2013 8:53 pm

Will take some peekchas tomorrow - only got home at 20h00

Thunder02 · Post by **Thunder02** » Tue May 21, 2013 8:57 pm

Dodging wrote:Will take some peekchas tomorrow - only got home at 20h00

Did you take the long way home,don't blame you

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Wed May 22, 2013 9:15 am

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Wed May 22, 2013 9:20 am

Errrrr.... Top photie is onderstebo

ForYota · Post by **ForYota** » Wed May 22, 2013 9:21 am

Dog nou net jyt jou bakkie gerol opad werk toe

Dit lyk baie goed, geluk man