Greenlaner (Car thread) - Because Binge made it look fun...

[Iain.]

Have been watching Binge's 4x4 threads with interest...especially as living nearby I've got acess to the same lanes/offroad sites as he has.

Friday night I picked up this;

https://i.imgur.com/q9VoJvv.jpg

It's a 1992 Daihatsu Sportrak, 1.6 petrol with a manual box. £620, and has an MOT till September. Door lock on one side is wanged, sterio diddn't work...but for what I want it for it'll do perfectly.

Got it home, insured it on the Saturday and went out for a quick hoon round a field at 11.00 that night

https://i.imgur.com/TSBtYnn.jpg

No, not being a dick and ruining a farmers field - there's a byway we found on the bikes that goes round the outside! Need to bolt a mount for my Drift onto the dash or something as it's impossible getting pics on phones whilst moving.

https://i.imgur.com/qq2QQZi.jpg

All went well so decided to make plans to take it out propperly on the Sunday. Met up with Paddy around 3ish with the intention of going exploring.

First off back round the field again for the lulz. Then onto some proper byway. Found a big pile of fucked 4x4 wheels and tyres which was....worrying.

https://i.imgur.com/V8KFocI.jpg

Continued down till seeing a massive massive puddle and the ground got all sloppy. Diddn't want to risk getting stuck as we were on out own, so backed it up and did a three pointer. Saw some guy on a Yamaha enduro bike come past & the water was a lot deeper than it looked...so probbably for the best. Marked start of lane in blue, and turnaround point with red X.

https://i.imgur.com/vd7Wvub.jpg

Took moar pics;

https://i.imgur.com/hBFrTR9.jpg

Including these two, which actually resulted in getting stuck

https://i.imgur.com/Jr8R13n.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/qQ81IOc.jpg

Still, Ste's advice about smacking it quickly between first & reverse got us right out of it...cheers

Then we found a longer byway we could actually get down....so followed it all the way through. Besides a bit of arse clenching sliding down a hill on the piss and thinking we were gonna roll it diddn't do at all bad!

https://i.imgur.com/vd7Wvub.jpg

Started at the blue spot, drove all the way down through the woods to the other blue spot & opted to go left at the junction of the byway.

https://i.imgur.com/HNhRlRM.jpg

Few hours well spent! Will definately have to explore more of it when I'm not on my own - some of it I'd have given a go if I had someone to drag it back out when it went wrong.

[stevo as b4]

Unless you want it (quite reasonably so) for a warm dry keep your bones warm way around in the snow/ice and floods, I can see this thread spiralling out of control rapidly with talk of lift kits, big wheels, diff guards, winches and a roll cage!

[Fladdem]

Cool!

I am keeping an eye out for a Vitara JLX to go barmy with, again because Binge inspired me. I'd go for an SJ, but I sat in one that came in for an MOT at work and I didn't fit, curse you lankiness! It also put a stop to my ideas of a Triumph Herald with a great big V8 stuffed in the front as well, when I struggled to fold my legs into the seat.

But I fit in a Vitara, and as I commute by bike mostly, I don't need a car to be economical, I worked out if I commute by TTR 250, I only need a car to achieve 20MPG to average out my total commute fuel bill at about 40MPG, providing I drive 1/10 days. Which is as good as a small boring car, like the micra on the drive.

Only one problem I can think of, do I get one with the mods on that I would do anyway or pay the extra for a standard unmolested one and then pay for the mods but know they've been done right?
____________________
Current:1991 Honda MT50 (Soon to be a H100/MTX/MT5 hybrid), 1976 Honda Cub C70, 2005 Honda Varadero 125, 1993 Yamaha TTR250 Open Enduro , 2010 Road Legal Stomp YX140, 1994 Honda CRM 250 MK III, 1999 Cagiva Mito 125, 1992 Honda CB400 Super Four, Stomp T4 230, 1984 Honda H100s, 2009 Sym XS125K
Past:2003 Aprilia RS125, 1982 Kawasaki GPZ550(FREE BIKE!)
I'm having more fun than a well-oiled midget.

[binge]

You'll need to meet up with us one day, I will show you some epic byways down towards Dover, really push the Sporty to it's limits in the mud.

Go easy on any angles though mate, torsion bars don't really give much flex. As you know, I put mine rather nastily on it's roof.

Here's a picture of it when it wasn't fucked.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/1381353_10151869451405606_151647098_n.jpg?oh=d84c02be326a3660b8f1c42dec71e683&oe=552CCBDB&__gda__=1428819456_367ae5345f5093a5f66709f10ecc7a45

https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/548444_10151869451265606_283372780_n.jpg?oh=2525a5fff71a3b89ef9c3b79dead764c&oe=55653A71&__gda__=1432690246_85057419f5d1220d845b7c49cde21173

[Iain.]

Might go grab some mud tyres for it tonight.

Where did you find the lift shackles for the rear??

I'm struggling to find anyone selling anything apart from body lifts & as I understand it a suspension lift is far better as it actually offers more ground clearance.

Will definately be up for coming out sometime!

[P.]

Let me know when these tyres are fitted, we are going through that puddle.

[Iain.]

[Llama-Farmer]

Seeing more and more people getting into 4x4 greenlaning recently, particularly on my Facebook. Makes me wanna give it a shot some time, but not really got the money at the moment.

Might have to find another mate near me who fancies it and go halves on a project with them
____________________
Current Bike: 1999 Honda CB600 FX Hornet
Next Bike: I want a CBR-RR. And I want an F800 GS-A. And a VFR 800. Can I have all 3?
Dream Bikes: Honda VFR750R RC30, Honda NSR500, Ducati 996 R

[Iain.]

You'd be amazed at some of the stuff even a fairly shit bog standard 4x4 will do on road tyres - This thing went a lot further than I realy expected it to

Suspension lift 2"= £40ish
Body lift 3" = £100ish
Used wheels/tyres = £300ish
Used CB radio setup = £50ish

Bollocks to winches and cages and stuff...they're mega money. I'd happily take it out with nowt but mud tyres tbh!

[P.]

[Llama-Farmer]

[Iain.]

[binge]

Everyone has their own opinion on what makes a good 4x4.
My only real advise is, steer clear of this illusion that more lift makes a better 4x4.... It doesn't.

More ground clearance gives more opportunities as to where you can take it.
BUT, they only real way to get more clearance, is bigger tyres, as your rear diff is on a fixed axle.
The only reason you really want to lift a truck, is to fit bigger tyres to it.
And in hindsight, if you can get away with just cutting body panels away to fit the tyres, then I'd say do that instead.
But on a road going vehicle, it isn't always practical.


The Feroza / Sportrak will take 31" mud tyres easily.
Mine was on the same wheels as yours (They are actually Daihatsu Fourtrack rims).
I lifted it 1.5" front and rear, and had no issues with clearance.

Rear I made my own lift shackles. Bought a length of steel flat-bar from B&Q, cut it into 4 equal lengths, and drilled holes in each one, 3" further apart than on the original shackles.
Smashed the bolts out of the old shackles, and fitted the new (Extended) shackles onto the truck.

The front has adjustable torsion bars, simply wind them up.

Down side to winding up torsion bars is, you reduce the flex, and harden the ride.
But if you only go 1.5" - 2", it'll be okay.


My SJ is lifted 1.5", and has 31" muds on it. It's very capable too.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xap1/v/t1.0-9/10888656_10152932503980606_8826940690639234712_n.jpg?oh=1b4529d1177fe48352e0e96dc6d9519c&oe=555F80F6&__gda__=1428536483_94864fdb58958e3feba6ef6d22df1398

https://scontent-a-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/v/t1.0-9/541602_10152932503290606_2915583582372262007_n.jpg?oh=49dabfd5bea61288aaa94ad5148abda1&oe=552340EE

[G]

[binge]

Haha! Yup. I was taking to one of the lads at work going 'look at that fucking cyclist, lights that bright and flashy should be illegal'.

What was you doing up this way then?

[G]

Work just down the road; riding back.
(Yes, dog comes to work with me.)

Do normally try not to blind people TOO much, but being a head torch it of course goes where I look .
As it goes... I was round the corner thinking "who's that chav revving their engine... doesn't even sound good" .

Is that your work?

[P.]

I really do need to find an off road bike fast... I need to get muddy and the triple just won't cut it on those roads.

[G]

Get some decent tyres on it and it'll do fine .

[P.]

[G]

Except that they're back 250 miles away, welcome to borrow one of mine again .

[binge]

[Iain.]

[binge]

If you dont go too long a brace bar is not needed. Gives better flex without them anyway.
dont worry about the bend. 2 flat bars go on and just taper together anyway. They are rubber bush mounted.
Will try to get some photos of mine.

[binge]

If you dont go too long a brace bar is not needed. Gives better flex without them anyway.
dont worry about the bend. 2 flat bars go on and just taper together anyway. They are rubber bush mounted.
Will try to get some photos of mine.

[Fladdem]