Mudski GU Build Thread

[mudski]

Out with the old light bar….


In with the new.


I then replaced the original wiper heads with new ones. The old were a bit lose and didn’t really do much when your travelling at 100kph, the just skipped over the windscreen.
These are supposed to stop that issue.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mudski]

So now I have just discovered one of my driving lights is dead. I thought it was a connection issue but after wiring it direct to 12v and nothing but a few flickering led’s, it’s time for new driving light also. Not what I need right now but…


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mudski]

Two days from going away. I have to work tomorrow and Tuesday. Now the aux battery is cooked.
Other than size. Is there any reason why I can’t use this battery?


Nevermind. This battery is 20mm too long. Just won’t fit.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Plasnart]

Out with the old light bar….


In with the new.


I then replaced the original wiper heads with new ones. The old were a bit lose and didn’t really do much when your travelling at 100kph, the just skipped over the windscreen.
These are supposed to stop that issue.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I found this on YouTube and worked a treat for my skipping rear wiper on the territory. Not saying this is your cause but was enlightening to me.

https://youtu.be/w0I-obFmADE?si=hTXZgEqKoIIpsgUW

Also instead of replacing whole wiper heads that are supposedly sealed units, they are easily disassembled and blades replaced with single blades from the auto store. Recently paid 2 x $17 for good blades rather than 2 x $34 for replacement wiper heads.

[Rossco]

@PeeBee ;
Who did your rear chop? Since I have come to the reality that that a Y62 is out of the question. I figured I might make this Patrol into a full on tourer possibly, depending on costs. So the research will start from now I guess.
Plus I want to change out the seats too also. But that’s another story…


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Looking good Markie, Phils is a CAM Fabrications kit with an at home install then engineered. . I know DMW do chops in Queensland along with GVM upgrades and chassis extension aswell, not sure who does them in Vic but must be someone out there. . . Yeah it is my dream someday to have a TD GU dual cab tourer would be a bloody wicked car I reckon. . Still never sell the GQ but. .

Sent from my SM-S711B using Tapatalk

[Plasnart]

Looking good Markie, Phils is a CAM Fabrications kit with an at home install then engineered. . I know DMW do chops in Queensland along with GVM upgrades and chassis extension aswell, not sure who does them in Vic but must be someone out there. . . Yeah it is my dream someday to have a TD GU dual cab tourer would be a bloody wicked car I reckon. . Still never sell the GQ but. .

Sent from my SM-S711B using Tapatalk

I agree Marko you’ve got an awesome GU TD42 wagon plus fantastic accessories. But I’m going to be devil’s advocate and ask why you want to chop the back off? Any GU wagon can be a touring legend. Everything inside, accessible, out of the weather, out of the dust and UV without the cost of chopping the roof and sides off. Why not keep that stuff in the back inside and out of the rain? Just asking, not judging.

[PeeBee]

I agree Marko you’ve got an awesome GU TD42 wagon plus fantastic accessories. But I’m going to be devil’s advocate and ask why you want to chop the back off? Any GU wagon can be a touring legend. Everything inside, accessible, out of the weather, out of the dust and UV without the cost of chopping the roof and sides off. Why not keep that stuff in the back inside and out of the rain? Just asking, not judging.

Couple of comments. If you do this make sure its a body on job, body off is a mass of complication and heartache. Also the can will be heavier as you have to factor in the frame of the tray, tray and the pod, then all the crap that gets added above the wagon volume. Make sure you do a PSR chassis stiffening kit and I did both the spring tower braces and the cross spring tower braces for total certainty. Watch the overall length of the pod and tray - there is a formula, think its .69 x the wheelbase or something - equates to 1900 from memory on the GQ - additional overhung weight, poorer turning clearances, potential for overloading even worse - I went 1650 with a 1600 pod. Rear suspension will probably need a birthday, and finally mine rides a bit like a boat, think its a combination of the additional weight and the extra height and wind area. I added a 20,000lb hyd winch on the back and that winch mount weight is significant. So weight is your killer. Regards engineering, if in VIC, VASS will want to re-engineer everything on the car, anything and everything gets picked on. I would budget 5K for VASS alone. There are only a handful of VASS inspectors who do body chops and the one I dealt with was a pratt. Lastly you have the electrical complications of getting power into the pod and if you want it removable another issue - all sounds great doing a chop, if I was to do it again I would buy one done already engineered and the 100 problems resolved, unless you want to spend a lot of time and money sorting it all out.

This post has scratched a few scabs. Mounting of rear wheels on the pod sound and look great but I was unable to find a rear pod with adequate bracing for the longer term support of one wheel and jerry cans or two wheels - its aluminium structure, weak and prone to fatigue. I added a mild steel frame inside the pod and it was a lot of work to configure and pick up the load points.

Lastly good luck if you can find a painter to colour match the pod if you want to go that way unless you buy it already done. I went thru 5 painters before finding one. Also, powder coating can be a hit and miss affair on aluminium, so a proper etch primer and adequate top coats is the go. I elected to go with acrylic instead of two pack or enamel due to it being painted in a shed without an oven and in hindsight it was a mistake. The paint is very very thin and easy to scratch, but also easy to repair.

[mudski]

I agree Marko you’ve got an awesome GU TD42 wagon plus fantastic accessories. But I’m going to be devil’s advocate and ask why you want to chop the back off? Any GU wagon can be a touring legend. Everything inside, accessible, out of the weather, out of the dust and UV without the cost of chopping the roof and sides off. Why not keep that stuff in the back inside and out of the rain? Just asking, not judging.

So I have more room.. Theres is not a lot of room in the back of the wagon plus cooking out the back of it with the barn doors open is a pain in the ass. A properly decked out pod, that is dust proof, would be ideal for my needs. I've been watching plenty of YT vids and taking mental notes of setups.
Something i'd love to do in the future, whether it happens or when it happens I don;t know, but i want to look into it and get some costs and ideas.

[mudski]

So new driving lights went on the old bus as I killed one of the lights that were in there. Stupid me. Fixing up some wiring, I had the wires exposed, phone rings, I’m chatting away, while chatting I went back to work on the car, I flick on the headlights, turn the high beams on and bang goes a driving light. One of exposed wires was touching a spanner, which was touching something else and shorted it out. I took apart the light and the PCB is cooked.

So new lights went on.


That was Saturday.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mudski]

Then Sunday, I take the Patrol out to get fuel, I get back, get out of the car and I have this awful smell coming from the front of the car. I’d never smelt anything like it. It was strong and pungent.
After leaving it sit for a while the smell went. I take it out for another drive. The smell is back.

Well I think I found it. A long time ago two of the vent caps on the battery were lose and they rattled out. Not being able to find replacement caps, even the maker of the battery was not interested in helping, I had no choice but the seal them up. Which I did. Worked perfectly for well over 18 months until now. The acid had eaten through my home made caps and I think, this is where the smell is coming from. Both cells are very dry also upon checking.

So a new deep cycle battery is going in.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk