Question regarding Suspension Lifts and associated mods

[AndyLala]

Delboy,

the rack isn't that heavy (all aluminium), and its supported on the internal roof braces packed tight to the roof skin. No movement even when I stand on it... It should take upto 200kg at a comfortable push.

Peli Cases have arrived and look double sexy up there.

Snorkel... model number is SS105HF..
Remember, measure three times cut once... Concentrate on the job... (not like I did and cut the outside hole the size the inner hole should have been) Looks a bit dodgy very close up... but works fine. You'll need a cut off saw to remove the inner wheel arch brace. Local Stereo place let me use their air tools to make the holes (much to their amusement)...

andyL

[Delboy]

Cheers Andy!

[AndyLala]

Andy

I now know where you live and I'd like a pound for every time I'v stuck a forum
ticket on your wind screen. Should have put your pic's up earlier. Will be passing you about 6.55 friday. Give us a wave.
Geoff

Geoff,

you know I only ever saw one of those... its still here in my phone book. And that was only because a friend coming round spotted it on the windsceen and brought it in...

andyL

[rubblebags]

Geoff,

you know I only ever saw one of those... its still here in my phone book. And that was only because a friend coming round spotted it on the windsceen and brought it in...

andyL

Because I have seen your truck so often I had to make contact ( its only been Three ) all in cd sleeves to keep them dry.

I havnt seen any bad write ups so I trust you and the Surf had a good holiday.

Geoff.

[AndyLala]

Geoff,

We did indeed. Surf behaved admirably. Saw the highest oil pressure I have ever seen. The Kenlowe Fan had numerous adjustments, and the long uphill drags travelling down the northern coast of France were dealt with. My Toy did get quite warm but came back down to normal temp quickly. Tyre pressures behaved. We stripped the rack every night we were in real built up areas, and suffered no pilferring (?)... As I have mentioned here previously, a little disappointed with the ProComp springs, although we weren't really overloaded, it almost got back to the bump stops...

All things considered, I didn't have to worry about the Toy (apart from the alternator, thats a story for another time). Next item to sort. StreetLuge Chris has sorted me out an alternator. Just need to find someone to rebuild it that won't stitch me up (Sahib Electronics). Off board regulator and split charge. Red Top and yellow Top Optima (or equivalent). Then I won't have to worry about all those extra electrical bits, or starting the Toy after using them.

Got all the bits for the storage drawers between the wheel arches, so that'll be another job to do. Then finally a fridge...

It is never ending...

andyL

[AndyLala]

OK,

Things are progressing. I have renegotiated with our friends at Sahib Auto Electrics on advice from some rather helpful guys at Adverc, and got a better price to rebuild the alternator...

Split Charge Diodes and 'lazy' alternators. Or better said, inefficient regulators.

Standard alternator is in fact quite a common model. ie. not Jap specific, at least the internals are according to Mr Sahib... Max the factory spec puts out is 70amps on the late 2nd Gen Surfs. And that is if the alternator is rotating at 5K revs. Mr Sahib has managed to find a different core that will fit within the standard case that puts out 90amps at 5k revs. So with a poor ratio on the drive should put out at least a useable 75 amps.

Adverc produce a voltage controller that manages the output from the alternator against the requirement of the battery (or batteries). And cycle charges either side of the 'gassing' point of the battery... (?) Apparently, this encourages a higher current to be stored/retained by the battery and upto 50% quicker too.
So all that is left to do is to find a rather substantial starter battery, 700 CCA at least and a beefy deep cycle battery and wire the appropriate bits together. Already got all the circuit breakers and distribution bits from my car audio days...

Found what I think is a good price on Optima batteries - £160 for a Yellow Top and £130 for a Red Top... Stand to be corrected, if anyone knows of somewhere cheaper. Or if anyone has any other suggestions?

Update:
Looks like I am going to use an Exide Maxxima 900CCA as a starter, not much capacity, but plenty of cold grunt and it will allow a number of full cycle charges to boot. The accessory battery is a different story. MK Batterries Gel Cells, a lot cheaper than Optima and a lot more capacity. One 73ah in the spare slot in the engine bay and a 97ah in the storage cabinet which I am building at the moment. So that should give me 170ah of capacity... should be more than enough.

Yes, pictures will follow, in the fullness of time. Just need to find some ally diamond plate to clad the outside of the storage box.

Hope this helps someone.
best wishes, andyL