unccpathfinder Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 Hardbody shifter works great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shasdakota Posted August 3, 2011 Author Share Posted August 3, 2011 (edited) unccpathfinder- guess i misunderstodd what you did... now it sounds to me more like what i just did??? anyways... your pics are great! but i didnt take all my pics for nothing, and some things on the Terrano are slightly different. figure it wont hurt to have more info up. and did you write anything to go a olong with your pics? i forget? i think adding instructions to go along with a good set of pics would make this job a lot easier for everyone. the instructions that come with it are severely lacking, and i would argue parts of it are even in the wrong order. if there's a way to post your pics as a sticky here, that would be great for everyone i think. but i dont know how to do it other than transfering each pic to photobucket and then going from there, and i'm to busy to do that right now... so, the Hardbody t-case shifter worked for you? you didnt have to cut the floor? I remember reading a whole thread on the subject, i think it was created by statikuz, the same one who made the main body lift install directions thread here, but i could be wrong. i thought i had bookmarked it, but i guess not, and now i cant find it, but i'm kinda to busy to search really hard right now. anyways, the short of the thread was, he sourced a hardbody t-case shifter, installed it, and still ended up having to cut the floor to get into 4Lo. so maybe you did something different than him to make it work? i'll try and find that thread. i'd rather not cut my floor also. a new hardbody t-case shifter is like $125 from Nissan, a little more than i want to spend, but maybe i can find one at a scrapyard, eventhough i've never been to the one in my area, its in the suburbs about 1hr drive from me, so i keep putting it off. here's a pic of my raised rear bumper. wish i had some before and after pics, because i think it looks way better now. i can see much more under my rear end, and it follows the contours of my truck with a body lift much better now. you can also see my Hi Lift mounts, they work great. my Hi Lift is very secure back there, it doesnt budge a bit, and my rear wiper still works. I used a small U-Lock bike lock to secure it to my spare tire carrier. and you can also my tow hooks that i recently painted, drying underneath my truck. I just realized i've painted them very similar to the Calmini blue. totally wasnt my intention. i just wanted a color other than black, and that was the only blue they had at the hardware store. I still need to source a 31" spare... And here's a shot from the side. i guess my rear bumper sits at a very slight angle also. i couldnt even tell until i looked at the pics. its very minimal, and really doesnt bother me. in real life its even less noticeable. And a shot from the other side: Edited August 3, 2011 by shasdakota Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewebster Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 The shackles hanging off the truck are so cute! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shasdakota Posted August 4, 2011 Author Share Posted August 4, 2011 sewebster- yeah, i know, not exactly heavy duty. thats the biggest they had @ crappy tire... they'll take a 3/4" chain though, so they'll work 'till i get bigger one's... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shasdakota Posted August 18, 2011 Author Share Posted August 18, 2011 (edited) updated pics. i just couldnt handle being made fun of, hehehe, just kidding, i know my rear shackles looked silly. so i swapped 'em with these until i pick up some bigger shackles. And here's my front tow hooks, painted blue... Stay tuned guys. i finished writing out my body lift install instructions and organized all my pics. i just have to type everything up on here for everyone else to see... EDIT- Wow! didnt realize how bent my front bumper is... not sure exactly what the problem is there. i remember it was hard to get back on. maybe the bumper re-location mounts need to be adjusted... Edited August 18, 2011 by shasdakota Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwipete Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 updated pics. i just couldnt handle being made fun of, hehehe, just kidding, i know my rear shackles looked silly. so i swapped 'em with these until i pick up some bigger shackles. And here's my front tow hooks, painted blue... Stay tuned guys. i finished writing out my body lift install instructions and organized all my pics. i just have to type everything up on here for everyone else to see... EDIT- Wow! didnt realize how bent my front bumper is... not sure exactly what the problem is there. i remember it was hard to get back on. maybe the bumper re-location mounts need to be adjusted... I have an issue with your hooks, but this is just my opinion and not ment to be critical, just informative. The rear ones seem to be sitting too high and too far back, as if you were to be towed back and up they would bind up with the under side of the bumper? The reversing light looks like it will get smashed off real easy too? The front "factory" hooks you have are designed only for towing on a flat highway, they are not a safety rated hook for snatch towing when you are stuck. Please replace these with rated tow hooks as a matter of safety. Some 5mm+ thick angle iron was used on my original ones, two holes drilled for bolts to go in chassis where factory hooks go and two holes drilled horizontally for the rated hooks with a packer washer ground to fill in the hole for the towing eye, large hole, if you get my drift? Yes the bumper does look like it is not seated properly. Keep up the good work, it's looking sharp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shasdakota Posted August 20, 2011 Author Share Posted August 20, 2011 good info pete. fixed the front bumper. somehow lost a bolt on the re-location brackets, and thats why it was tilted... the rear tow hooks cant bind on anything, or hit the light, and they arent mounted very far back, they're right near the end of the frame. must just be the picture... i will look for rated tow hooks, i really didnt know the front tow hooks werent satisfactory, so thats good info. i'm glad i didnt spend $45 for it like they ask on-line! not exactly sure what your reffering to here: "Some 5mm+ thick angle iron was used on my original ones, two holes drilled for bolts to go in chassis where factory hooks go and two holes drilled horizontally for the rated hooks with a packer washer ground to fill in the hole for the towing eye, large hole, if you get my drift?" i guess i would have to see the tow hooks for it to make sense... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwipete Posted August 20, 2011 Share Posted August 20, 2011 good info pete. fixed the front bumper. somehow lost a bolt on the re-location brackets, and thats why it was tilted... the rear tow hooks cant bind on anything, or hit the light, and they arent mounted very far back, they're right near the end of the frame. must just be the picture... That's good news. I am still concerned you might smash your light off when reversing into something. i will look for rated tow hooks, i really didnt know the front tow hooks werent satisfactory, so thats good info. i'm glad i didnt spend $45 for it like they ask on-line!not exactly sure what your reffering to here: "Some 5mm+ thick angle iron was used on my original ones, two holes drilled for bolts to go in chassis where factory hooks go and two holes drilled horizontally for the rated hooks with a packer washer ground to fill in the hole for the towing eye, large hole, if you get my drift?" i guess i would have to see the tow hooks for it to make sense... These pictures should help explain what I am trying to say. I used the large hole in the chassis instead of drilling two new holes like this chap has done and made a spacer for the rear bolt so it didn't slop around in that large hole. This was to keep the hook sitting parallel to the ground, preventing it being the lowest point and making it easier to attach a rope on to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 (edited) So the factory tow hook that is bolted with 2 bolts straight to the frame isn't meant for pulling offroad? @!*%, I didn't know that. Edited August 21, 2011 by adamzan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nunya Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 looks like the factory hook(s) on the front of my wifes 4runner... mounted sideways I want that off center mounted tire carrier too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwipete Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 So the factory tow hook that is bolted with 2 bolts straight to the frame isn't meant for pulling offroad? @!*%, I didn't know that. We here in the New Zealand clubs do not use "factory" hooks for recoveries off road as they have no rated SWL stamped on them. Many people do, but as a matter of safety you will have no come back should one fail as you do not know what it is rated to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shasdakota Posted August 21, 2011 Author Share Posted August 21, 2011 (edited) hey pete, thanks for the pics. i got ya now... my rear light has been there for years, its not possible to hit it on anything. its under the truck. and the hook can swing around whatever way it likes, it cant make contact with the light. the light is also on a swivel mount, i can bend it back to move it up and out of the way if needed. my pic must be playing tricks on your eyes... i came across a post on your build thread where you said you extended the parking brake lines. I'd love to see what you did. when my trucks gets lifted under the frame at the garage, there's so much stress on my parking brake line that the rear wheels wont turn. so now i have to un-bolt the brackets on the parking brake line before i take my truck to the garage. i have some ideas, but i'd like to see some examples. Or did you just get longer brake lines? your tow hook does look like the 4Runner tow hook. i pulled one at the scrap yard but i would have to re-drill the bolt holes on my frame to make it fit on my truck. and if the Nissan hook is rated, i doubt the Toyota hook is rated either. I'm sure lots of people have used these factory Nissan hooks for recovery, but i hear what your saying. you guys from new zealand seem to know about all sorts of fine details cause you have to do so much testing before they let you bolt anything onto your truck down there... Edited August 21, 2011 by shasdakota Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dowser Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 (edited) About your parking brake issue, there are several things members have done. you can make brackets to extend the mounts that are on the body, or you could do other things like flip the rear axles. Here's 2 links to give you the full low down. MY1PATH's solution based off NissanNut's idea. NissanNut's Idea I have to agree with KiwiPete. The most common areas for damage on our rigs is our Rockers from coming down after going over a rock, and right behind the rear wheels after they come off of a rock. Those always get smashed in and some of us who have made aftermarket bumpers try and address these issues. Here's an example of Nige's bumper to help protect the area. That light is in just the right spot to either take damage from coming off a rock, or while trying to maneuver in the rocks and having yourself back up into one. And about the rear hooks, I'm also in agreement with Kiwi again, and I'll use the picture above to explain. See how Nige's Shackles are right on the outside of the bumper, that's because some situation you are not situated flat on the ground and your hooks would be pulling up on your Rigs ass end. For instance, if you were say in a ditch, and tried to get yourself out so your stuck as if you were going uphill, the ass end is down and if whoever is pulling you out is higher up when they go to pull you out, there will be a LOT of force subjected to the part of the strap is up against the bumper. You may not be into serious offroading, but you'd be surprised how things can happen sometimes. Edited August 22, 2011 by Dowser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shasdakota Posted August 22, 2011 Author Share Posted August 22, 2011 (edited) hey Dowser, thanks for the links, i'll check 'em out... the light in the rear is on a swivel mount, i can bend it up so its flush against the bottom of the body, under the cargo area. which is what i would do off road. it seems to be in the same place as everyone else who has mounted a reverse light. and i didnt even put this light on, it came on the truck, it was bent and had a broken bulb for 2 years, i didnt even use it, i think its a no-name light, if i smash it, then i'll know where not to mount a good reverse light. for now its staying where it is... your example for the rear tow hooks is a good one, in that situation yes, the tow strap would rub on my bumper. but i put those hooks on as a temporary solution, not as the end-all-be-all tow hook. i havent pushed my truck off road very hard, i'm trying to build it up a little bit before i push it to hard, and also i'm mainly working right now. i'm building up my truck for my move back to BC where i will be using my truck off road a whole lot more. and i dont intend to use it as a rock crawler. if i wanted to build a rock crawler i would have started with something with a solid front axle. i'm trying to build an expedition type truck, it will be used off road of course, but i'm not trying to prove anything while i'm out there, if there's an easier route to take, i'll take it. it seems to me the only way to avoid the problem you mentioned would be to have shackles mounted on your bumper, like your pic. otherwise any tow strap/chain used on a tow hook under the vehicle will cause stress against the bumper in your example. i would like to get a steel front/rear bumper but i'm also second guessing it. i dont want to put that much $$ into this truck. i plan to upgrade to a Patrol or LC in the next few years... if i end up tweeking some things off road in the meantime, so be it, it comes with the territory.... look at all the guys who bust centerlinks, idler arms and tie rod ends off roading with a susp lift and big tires on these trucks... nothings perfect, sh** happens... EDIT- just read through your links! great info and pics! i cant be bothered flipping my axles, but i think i will try and make some drop down brackets. and i learned of another problem area, the cable being pulled at full drop. i wonder if i can just dis-connect my e-brake bracket when i go off road? its not the greatest solution, but it should prevent me from breaking anything. and whats this i read about binding a link or loosing a shock at full drop? is this a common problem? should i be getting some limiting straps for this? and what about the driveshaft hitting the cross member? Does this only happen on trucks with a suspension lift and body lift? or does this happen with just a body lift also? i'm interested in this tranny spacer i read about. seems more research is in order now... EDIT x2- is this your tow hook pete? http://www.bushranger.com.au/tow_hook_with_keeper.php#.TlJ4LGG9HRg Edited August 22, 2011 by shasdakota Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwipete Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Yep, that's the same hooks we commonly use here. BTW I have long travel shocks on my rig, no issues with them falling off, no issues with drive shaft binding and I made simple drop down brackets for the handbrake cable brackets too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shasdakota Posted August 26, 2011 Author Share Posted August 26, 2011 when i googled "rated tow hook", thats the only hit i got... i'll have to search harder to find one on my shores... and i clarified that i wont have any problems with hitting the cross member or binding a link or loosing a shock. these are problems that may be encountered with a susp lift only, and especially if i have longer shocks for extended drop, thats when the drive shaft would hit the cross member. i picked up some materials to build a drop down bracket for my e-brake cable. if i make a 3" drop down bracket everything should be fine. but i dont have a welder (yet), so i'll have to bolt everything together... and i had a better look at my tow hook placement. they're right on the end of my frame. i would have to be at almost a 90* angle for any tow straps to rub against my bumper. i'll try and get some pics to show this. i have these 2 plates left over from my AC BL kit. someone said they thought they might be for extending my e-brake, but i dont see how, they dont seem to fit there. does anyone know what these 2 plates are for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94 Pathy Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 I like the ideas for the tow hooks & also those on the rear. Yes, not suppose to use factory tow hooks for off-road tows. They are only met for shipping/hauling purposes. Tie down hooks they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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