Suzuki Club UK

If you guys have some technical questions like Tramp has asked. I will do my best to explain it as simply as possible to help you understand some of the techniques involved in building up your rig.

Remember you are doing the same thing I am only on a smaller scale. Proper techniques is what makes them safer and hopefully last longer.

Just wanted to give an update sorry no pics this time.

Decided that the motor and trans really needed to be in before the final front steering components were burned in. This will add the appropriate weight on the Rig to get a proper steering and Panhard Bar rod dimension.

Had one more obstacle to get through which was installing the motor and trams as 1 unit from the bottom. This meant that there needed to be a removable trans mount.

Decided to use the Rock 4x mount this moves the mount forward, eliminates the front DS interference and is removable.

After talking to Scott from Rock 4x the frame rail mounting points can be welded in with some plating to the outside rail and then bolt the mount in. This will eliminate the long mounting pinch clamps which I prefer.

Parts on order.

Finally decided on the next plan of attack.

Well, decided to try and put an empty block in for a trail install run. This was also done to mock up some brackets for AC and TG Toy power steering pump. The FJ80 box is close to where these components are going to live and wanted to make sure I had a real time look and see. Finally found a stock AC compressor with the manifold adaptors on it to use.

Getting the crane hoist in place and the engine block on the floor to see if a bottom side install could be done. Physics set in and there wasn’t enough ram length to get this done. The block was installed from the top with out problems even with the extreme height.

The trany will go in first. Don’t want to have to struggle with fitting it from underneath which is more of a PITA.

I’m also working on a removable trans mount. Ordered the Rock 4x mount to see how it looks. If used will probably modify it to eliminate pinch frame clamps and weld in a couple of angle pieces to the frame, this will make it a solid bolt in mount. May also add ¼ webbing around the outer sides of the mount this will add strengthen to the bent mount.

Here are a couple of pics of the block in for component clearances and bracket mock up. Engine bay hasn’t seen a block for about 2 years not really much of a big deal until you see the obstacles to over come to get it there.

Update

The Rock 4x mount was purchased so I didn’t have to make all the parts from scratch. Wanted to say there was nothing wrong with what they offer just had something else in mind.

With the mods made it is much stronger and has an angle mount that is welded to the inside of the frame rail after fish plates were added. The mount now rides on top of the angle mount and is bolted in place and can be removed.








The PS and AC were also being worked on. The FJ80 box, PS pump and the AC compressor seemed to be fighting for the same space. The pump was mounted lower to give more room for the AC compressor. This also seemed to work better so the fluid reservoir doesn’t have to be nearly has high either..

Finally came up with a bracket that seemed it was going to work for both the PS and AC. Now the decision to change over to serpentine pulleys was made. Got the pulleys and installed them. Now the bracket could be finished welded for the pump. Need to get a serpentine pulley AC compressor to finish the bracket.

Looks good, we never had the luxury of air con in SJs in the UK, then again we rarely get a day that would need it

When do you think the engine will be at home under the hood Terry? You can't have a huge amount left to do now?

Hey Scott,

Haven't talked in awhile I was thinking about sending you a PM the other day.

The Florida heat is brutal in the summer or it would never had been done. Rebuilt the entire AC including everything under the dash and now the brackets and pulleys. Way too much work involved.

Working on the trans mount now while I wait on the compressor. Shold have that done by the end of the week. Finish the brackets and try and get the motor installed by the end of the month.

Seems like the more bigger things that are crossed off the list there are twice as many little thing get added. Hopefully the rig will be ready around January.

Hope things are well with you. I heard something about yours will be done arond years end.

Wasn’t happy with the way the bottom bracket mounting bolt was going to have to be installed and removal. Ended up reworking the brackets plates to make it more user friendly.

Bracket making is tedious work. The most important thing is to be sure that you can remove all the hardware without things getting in the way.

There is extra material left on the bracket because the AC compressor still needs to be added. Then there will be holes added to lighten the bracket and the excess material will then be removed.

Ordered the 1989 Geo Metro AC compressor. This uses the same Denso compressor only it has the serpentine pulley on it. The idler tension pulley that I plan to use is also from the same Geo Metro.

Hi Terry I'm good thanks, hope all is well with you

It's always the smaller things that seem to take the most time, It all looks very close around the power steering and A/C set up so I'm not surprised that it's been quite fiddly to get something you are happy with.

Progress on mine has been good recently, The majority of the big jobs are pretty much finished. I really need to take some pics and update my build thread though. I would like to get mine back on the road by the beginning of August, I'm sure it can be done but I'm going to have to put a lot of hours in over the next few weekends

Got the AC compressor in on Friday, will be finishing the PS and AC bracket after the modified trans mount is completed.

Here is the modified Rock 4x mount installed. Liked the design of Scotts mount and let him know that I was going to make a weld in plate and do away with the pinch clamps.
Scott had mentioned that the mount was designed for those that didn’t weld just to make it a simple bolt on and the weld in bracket was cool with him.

Here is the weld in bracket option and was a bit time consuming to do.

Great job on the PS and AC mount.

When I did my PS looked at using the spare mount position at the front for better strength but couldnt make it work with limited tools and materials.

Cant believe how clean it all is!!

Dan