Expo-Lite
- Thread starter REasley
- Start date
DonBeasley
Adventurer
My favorite part is the chicken covering the faucet.
Jeff@QuadShop
Explorer
Have you done the VW swap yet? I installed the 1.9 in mine and it made a huge difference!
D
Deleted member 9101
Guest
Your little trailer is nothing short of awesome!!!!!
REasley
Adventurer
I found a good TDI engine with all the bits and peices needed (for a fair price), but in talking to several people that had done the conversion, I decided against it. I had a 2003 TDI Jetta that I commuted in for 5 years. It got over 50 mpg. The guys I talked to were getting mileage in the low 20's, because they were having to do 4500 rpm to maintain highway speeds. It makes a great rock crawler, but is tough to gear correctly for expo use. So I instead I bought a Sidekick with a good 1.6 fuel injected 8 valve. I was looking at around $4000 to transplant the TDI. I was able to part out the Sidekick for enough that the engine was free.
Jeff@QuadShop
Explorer
They must have been running stock tires or real low t-case gears. Mine runs 2500 RPM @ 65mph with stock gears and 33's. I average 32mpg normal driving and 26 mpg pulling 2 dirt bikes.
I have also done the 16v MPI tracker motor swap, I'll take the VW swap over it any day.
I have also done the 16v MPI tracker motor swap, I'll take the VW swap over it any day.
deepmud
Adventurer
love the trailer - really really well thought out.
You weren't wrong to go with a 16v Sidekick swap, even tho' I've done both a 1.9td (27mpg at 65mph w/35's) and a 1.9 TDI-m, I don't tell everyone the diesel is the only way to go. I thnk you have to love the diesel concept to love the conversion, while the gas swap is pretty straight forward to use. I also would have reservations about the stock Samurai transmission holding up to a diesel pulling a trailer. My trans would be be too hot to touch after a 1 hour 65mph commute. The diesel makes so much torque you could pull long uphill grades with your trailer at 70, and it's so much fun it's hard not to.
That's the other plus of the TDI or td - boost makes up for altitude, you get about the same power at 10k feet as at sea level. If you find the 16v isn't doing it for you, later, the TDI will do it, but you'll want a Toyota transmission to go with the power you are adding - it's it's not horsepower I mean, it's the torque - the stock 1.9 tdi made 150 ft lbs at 1500 rpm, and it's soooo easy to get a lot more....
You weren't wrong to go with a 16v Sidekick swap, even tho' I've done both a 1.9td (27mpg at 65mph w/35's) and a 1.9 TDI-m, I don't tell everyone the diesel is the only way to go. I thnk you have to love the diesel concept to love the conversion, while the gas swap is pretty straight forward to use. I also would have reservations about the stock Samurai transmission holding up to a diesel pulling a trailer. My trans would be be too hot to touch after a 1 hour 65mph commute. The diesel makes so much torque you could pull long uphill grades with your trailer at 70, and it's so much fun it's hard not to.
That's the other plus of the TDI or td - boost makes up for altitude, you get about the same power at 10k feet as at sea level. If you find the 16v isn't doing it for you, later, the TDI will do it, but you'll want a Toyota transmission to go with the power you are adding - it's it's not horsepower I mean, it's the torque - the stock 1.9 tdi made 150 ft lbs at 1500 rpm, and it's soooo easy to get a lot more....
haroon9scotch
New member
REasley, Can you please tell me the dimension of your trailer. Thanks.
REasley
Adventurer
Sorry that it's taken so long to get back to you on this.
The trailer from stem to stearn is 100". The over all length of the boxes is 80". The box width is 48". The outside wheel track is the same as my Samurai at 66"
As to strapping the tank, probably too late now, but;
Why not use sheet metal and cut it to about 8 inch strips. Drill holes in the frame and bolt wider straps to hold the tank. There is an adhesive tape that is a non-skid surface, for steps, side steps on boat trailers, ...that stuff, tape some to the tank and reverse it and tape it to the metal straps. That puts a rough non-skid surface facing each other...then tighten the straps down. After a few years, if the tape wears (I don't see alot of chaffing here..but) just replace the tape.
Nice build! :coffeedrink:
Why not use sheet metal and cut it to about 8 inch strips. Drill holes in the frame and bolt wider straps to hold the tank. There is an adhesive tape that is a non-skid surface, for steps, side steps on boat trailers, ...that stuff, tape some to the tank and reverse it and tape it to the metal straps. That puts a rough non-skid surface facing each other...then tighten the straps down. After a few years, if the tape wears (I don't see alot of chaffing here..but) just replace the tape.
Nice build! :coffeedrink:
REasley
Adventurer
The nylon straps securing the water tank are holding well. No stretching, no fraying after many thousands of miles. I do check it before and during each trip and I have not had to tighten them yet.
I like your idea regarding the sheet metal bands and the grit tape. The problem was bolting the straps thru the thin-wall tubing. I could have drilled a larger hole and sleeved each hole, but the nylon straps were a much quicker solution.
Thanks for the input.
I like your idea regarding the sheet metal bands and the grit tape. The problem was bolting the straps thru the thin-wall tubing. I could have drilled a larger hole and sleeved each hole, but the nylon straps were a much quicker solution.
Thanks for the input.