Topic: How short can you make a chassi on a Series 3 88" (Read 3685 times)

Miniman · « **on:** November 15, 2005, 16:59:00 »

I will be taking my 88" off the road after Xmas to convert it into a Toy for off roading. I want to shorten the chassi a short as possible what is the shortes you have seen or know of a landy without it costing the earth on new special parts. What problems may arise from this and how do you over come these. Any info would be appreciated.

Henry Webster · « **Reply #1 on:** November 15, 2005, 17:15:47 »

Ok, question is what do you want to acheive? :?

If you want a shorter wheelbase for manoevrebility then that is fairly acheivable and has been done many times. This requires cutting and shutting the chassis and body work and shortening the propshafts, but little else.

My dad built a 79" 86" series 1 for trialling. :D

Losing overhang is more difficult and of negligeable benefit, because of where the springs pick up. Coiling would be the only sensible route to acheive this, but again is it worth the effort or would you be better picking up a cheap Discovery/RR/90/110 to start from?

Regards

H

Miniman · « **Reply #2 on:** November 15, 2005, 17:21:27 »

Yes it is only for playing off road so it dont matter about the legality if it. When playing this weekend I kept grounding on the cross member. I wish to make it as short as possible to gain the abilty....

Henry Webster · « **Reply #3 on:** November 15, 2005, 17:27:45 »

I would go down the large tyres and possibly a suspension lift job if I were you.

With decent 750x16 tyres and your original 4.7:1 diffs back in it should go anywhere you want.

If you want to get silly then you could lift it with some longer spring shackles and put even bigger tyres on.

Cutting and shutting the chassis is a pretty radical solution and doesn't do anything for your ground clearance which will be your next issue.

H

Miniman · « **Reply #4 on:** November 15, 2005, 18:30:00 »

I dont like the idea of lifting it as it makes them very unstable and I do play on some silly angle's. I must disagree with you about shortening the chassi as if I shorten it I have the wheels closer together the middle will not bottom out as easy on a sharp hill if you understand the term. I suppose I should have posted the message as how near can you get the axels together. I have 205 16 80s profile on the landy right now and it was bottoming out at whitworth this weekend. If the wheel base was closer together it would not have done this as much. As for the shortening of the chassi that is not a problem at all I have the tools and the facilitys.
I was thinking about making a totaly new chassi and seeing if I could lose alot of weight aswell.

Miniman · « **Reply #5 on:** November 15, 2005, 18:48:49 »

I appologise. I have just been corrected. This is what I wish to be achieving

Henry Webster · « **Reply #6 on:** November 15, 2005, 23:12:33 »

No, you're absolutely correct. I wasn't disagreeing with you just trying to save you money and the hassle of shortening the wheelbase.

My dads shortened series 1 was partly for the reason you suggest and also for manoevrebility. He also fitted big tyres.

In your first post you sounded like you were on a tight budget. Tyres would probably be cheaper than shortening the props etc...

750 tyres wouldn't make a big difference to the side slope capability, but would also improve the ground clearance under the axles, which if you are playing off road will become your next big handicap. I'm not talking a big lift here. I am not a fan of suspension lifts in general - both of my Discoveries are std ride height.

Personally if I were in your situation I would be looking at fitting a roll cage and bigger tyres, before I thought of shortening the wheelbase, but I certainly don't want to discourage you. Could be fun. :lol:

H

H · « **Reply #7 on:** November 15, 2005, 23:39:06 »

How short do you want it?

Gotta love photoshop :)

Jim-Willy · « **Reply #8 on:** November 15, 2005, 23:47:12 »

With the big Tyres Chris and a small shackle lift you'll be ok, mega ability on 7.50's. Take the roof off and it'll be hard to tip. We used to put my uncles 86" S1 at insane side angles with the top off. I was talking to the bloke at whitworth and he wont let trucks without a tax disc play, sick of psychos in Ã‚Â£100 wrecks tearing about all over. When have ya ever seen a truck with tyres like mine not have enough break over?

datalas · « **Reply #9 on:** November 16, 2005, 07:45:25 »

it also depends upon the sort of playing you are wanting to do.

Remember of course that rampover angle is not the be all and end all of offroad performance, if you get to choose your own line then it is far less of a problem than you might think (take it at an angle) and even in cases where you line is dictated for you there is a growing tendency to not worry about it and even to go for smaller wheels to increase (or decrease) the turning circle.

length also reflects on stability, if you're driving down a road, or (ulp) racing then longer is better ...

I'd be tempted to leave it alone and address the approach and departure angles, adding a skid plate to the gearbox crossmember. A series motor is a lot lighter than a 90 or discovery so you should be able to get away with more.

Dave · « **Reply #10 on:** November 16, 2005, 08:24:30 »

I thought the ideal lenght was 100" you need to stretch it

Miniman · « **Reply #11 on:** November 16, 2005, 08:48:59 »

Cheers lads. Nice one H looks like its been stood on or lowered. All the work of cutting welding streightening and all that I can do at work. My boss is like my best friend and he loves a challenge/Tinkering. Yes as we all keep saying 750 I know. I need some. I will get a pic of my gearbox crossmember for all to see this morning if possible, What a battered mess.
Going to have to rush got to get kids to school and work.....

ian_s · « **Reply #12 on:** November 16, 2005, 09:56:11 »

i wouldnt shorten it at all, i'd lift it.
if you want to go extreme, sling the axles UNDER the springs, not on top
remove the crossmembers under the gearbox
lower the engine and geabox on the chassis
new crossmembers OVER the gearbox
fix a removable skid plate under the geabox

this wont raise the centre of gravity much, increases the clearance under the axles, and should increase the breakover angle
and you could fit rangey axles to it to increase the track and therefore your sideways stability

Jim-Willy · « **Reply #13 on:** November 16, 2005, 13:31:59 »

The problems you had at Whitworth were all due to the small tyres and the lack of front axle travel. i would leave it until you can get some bigger rubber cos i think you will be happy with its performance then. If ya want ya can borrow my two spares just so you can see the difference it makes. Diff guards, a steering guard and eventually paras/gas shocks (Big Money) and you are home free.

Miniman · « **Reply #14 on:** November 16, 2005, 15:52:06 »

Good point the axels under the springs that I think is do able. I trust all your views and will undertake the axels under the springs and 750 this is a defo. Also will do the skid plate. Any other Ideas would be greatfull. Also yes I do need to get diff guards but I may make my own with some very think steel because I am going to be giving it stick...

I love ideas come on what else can we do.....?

Henry Webster · « **Reply #15 on:** November 16, 2005, 16:12:49 »

Hang on a second, you were saying that you didn't want to lift it or put big tyres on it because you were worried about stability!

Now you are talking about a spring over axle conversion!!! :roll:

That is a big, big lift and potentially very unstable. :shock:

As I said personally I would go for the big tyres, see what you think and then go from there. I think you will find 7.50s are adequate.

If you do spring over axle then you will want to fit at least 900x16 (101 size) or it'll look strange!

Take Jim Willy up on his tyre/wheel offer and see what you think.

H

Miniman · « **Reply #16 on:** November 16, 2005, 16:21:18 »

All good advice. The only reason I said that the axels under spring is the way to go is that it was sad by alot of people that there is no problem with stabilty on a landy ok so silly Idea. Yes 750 is one thing I am going to do. Also take the the 90 diffs out and put the original series diffs in. This will help with the power thing. I do at some stage want to get parabolits but not at the moment..... I cant take jim willys Idea up as it means I will have one axel running faster than the other and that would mean diff wind up....

jimthelandyman · « **Reply #17 on:** November 16, 2005, 17:13:30 »

If your going to be giving it some stick off road i would consider getting some stronger half shafts or buying a spare set of em. Nothing worse than hearing that snap and then traveling nowhere. If your putting some bigger tyres on i would also put some wheels on with quite a big offset so that the wheels aren't inside the wheel arches like with the standard wheels on the series landys.

ukmudmaster · « **Reply #18 on:** November 16, 2005, 17:28:14 »

Been reading with some interest!! I would use larger Dia. tyres as the first step, I have 235/85 16 Colway MT's and the difference is drastic!
If you can run to parabolics as well you will have a capable offroader, good luck with it.
Also heard Woodlands are Taxed motors only...........

James.Harwood · « **Reply #19 on:** November 19, 2005, 13:30:07 »

Lengthend spring hangers are the cheapest option, you could find some heavy guage steel and fabricate some under body protection as well, If you are playing on silly angled side slopes i think the best thing you can do is get a cage fitted before you have a slightly lower roof and headache.

I found no noticable difference in stability when i fitted the longer hangers, but if you do get some procomps and remove the check straps if they haven't already rotted as this will help axle twist as well, double bonus.

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AuthorTopic: How short can you make a chassi on a Series 3 88" (Read 3685 times)