oohsam's GU

[oohsam]

Gday guys.

Got myself a 2002 GU, quite cheap, stock with injected gas 4.8.

I'm a bit of a hunter, had a Vitara for a few years to get me through the bush, was lifted, locked and all setup.

This was it.

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2014/08/27.jpg

Then realised that hunting and 4x4 went hand in hand and I started off-roading a little more. Outgrew the Vitara, even though it was such a capable vehicle, I just needed something bigger, and i've always wanted a patrol.

Here she is.

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2014/08/3.png

[oohsam]

Plan was to get it lifted and muddies right away, as this will get me pretty much most of the places I need to get to.
Dobinsons 2 inch lift kit (had it in the vitara, and loved it), plus I like supporting Australian companies.

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2014/08/37.jpg

Went in pretty much hassle free (except I buggered the draglink and had to buy a new one. I hit it in the wrong spot when trying to unlodge it and buggered the thread on it. I tried to fix it, but nothing would work. I'll fix it now that its off the the car, but just to sell it as a second, as I got the extra Heavy duty adjustable one so I could get rid of that slightly left turned wheel after the lift).
Lift kit was 750 off ebay, and drag link was 300 from patrol docta.

This is my "HOW TO INSTALL A GU PATROL LIFT KIT".

None of the instructions I found online were really comprehensive, so incase anyone in future finds this.

Front :
1. Unbolt lower shocker bolts while car still on ground.
2. Jack up car (quite high), support with 2 jack stands, remove wheels and put them under the car just incase jackstand fails (this is a big fear of mine!)
3. Support front diff with the jack, jack up the jack enough to hold the diff, even though its attached.
4. Unbolt Dranglink (which is the bar that goes from steering box to passenger wheel).
5. Unbolt Sway bar (stabalizer bar) from the top bolts (not the side bolts)
6. Remove diff breather, and unbolt any of the brake lines bolted to the diff.
7. Once all that is unbolted, the diff is effectively not connected to anything other than the axle, You can slowly lower it on the jack, keep an eye on any cables that may be stretching, i forgot one but noticed it as we were going slow, and relived it. You can relieve them by unbolting them from the diff, and they will give enough room to move.
8. The springs will just fall out, and the shocks will be hanging from the top bolt. Just undo this and you've got your suspension out.
9. Chuck in the springs, make sure they sit in the grooves. Chuck in the top bolt, and then jack up the diff, bolt the bottom of the shocks in, reconnect sway bar and other stuff we removed, and ur done.

Rear:
Very very easy.
1. Remove wheels,
2. Support diff with jack from the diff ball
3. Unbolt swaybar.
4. Unbolt brake lines connected to diff
5. Remove shocks.
6. Lower jack, lowering the diff, springs fall out, and refit everything in reverse order.

The whole process took me 4-5 hours, but I was going real slow. If I did it again I could do it in 3 hours tops. Its not too hard,and great to have a second person around, but I did most of it on my own, and some of it with my little cousin, who is a great help.
Dont need spring compressors like I did in my vitara, which I hated doing. This was a walk in the park , if I can do it, anyone can do it.

here is an image of the parts (drag link not pictured here)

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k188/fpv_eta/LiveAxle_zps44b89b64.jpg


Some pics of the install

Borrow a Nice big jack from your cousin. Your little 1000kg one that got you through 2 years of owning a SWB vitara will not do. And start with a clean garage so you can find your tools easily. I still lose my tools while im working. Go figure.

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2014/08/38.jpg

Diff dropped with spring out.

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2014/08/39.jpg

New springs ready to go in. They will never ever look this nice again.

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2014/08/40.jpg

Front in

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2014/08/41.jpg

Rear half way done.

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2014/08/42.jpg


Here's my new adjustable heavy duty drag link vs the stock one. This one is awesome.

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2014/08/43.jpg

Drag link installed (am yet to fit a new steering damper). I don't like the feedback i get on the road without one.

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2014/08/44.jpg


Picked up my 33's, Federal Couragia MT's with Dymanic steel wheels 16x8 -22 offset ( i like the tyres slightly outside the guards, Its very very slight but I Think it looks good). Wheels and tyres from MSWT in dandenong. Great place, organised everything via email and picked them up on the weekend all ready to go. Price was tops too.
Must make sure the kid fits in the rim (official measuring device!)

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2014/08/45.jpg

Will be fitting my bullbar shortly, its sitting in the garage, waiting for my winch rebuild to be complete.
I got my mates old warn winch 9000lb but its kinda siezed. Just in the process of rebuilding it, pics to come shortly.

Here's how it sits now. Its dead level all teh way around. Dobinsons suspension is A grade. I highy reccomend it.

Sorry bout the crappy pic, phone was a bit dirty, didn't realise.

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2014/08/46.jpg

Cheers fellas.

[Stropp]

very nice mate, she looks pretty good now.

[oohsam]

One of my mates had a pretty serious 80 series that he sold cheap. Part of the deal was that he keep the drawers, winch and bullbar. He never got around to selling them so I got the winch off him. Price is pending rebuild, but he's a good mate so I dont reckon it will set me back much at all.
Yes its a warn!

Anyway, it's probably never, in its life been serviced so I decided to tackle it. Pics explain.
I cant for the life of me undo the 3 flat head screws on the electrical drum. They are siezed real good. Any advice would be great. Dont really want to drill them out.

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2014/08/50.jpg

Electrics cracked open

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2014/08/51.jpg

Gearbox had quite a bit of water in it, but was greased up pretty well still. Nothing seized, everything moves nicely. Seals look good condition.


http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2014/08/52.jpg

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2014/08/53.jpg

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2014/08/54.jpg

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2014/08/55.jpg

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2014/08/56.jpg

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2014/08/57.jpg

I found a rebuild thread here some where where they paint the inside of the electrics, and sand down the contacts to protect them. Will just follow that, after I work out how to remove the flat head screws.
Seriously, why did warn use flat heads but hex heads on everything else. Makes no sense. They are a pain the royal ass to remove.

[oohsam]

Ok. After re reading the manual and googling, I realised I didn't need to undo the housing screws. Got the electric motor out with the use of my shop press.

will clean all this gunk up tomorrow and paint the insides....

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2014/08/58.jpg

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2014/08/59.jpg