piratexpress1369a
Explorer
zodiac would be cool but where to mount your motor ? i use an eight foot kayak weights in at about 25 lbs..only good for one person
M1010 expo build. The Mountain Turtle
- Thread starter stevo-mt
- Start date
superbuickguy
Explorer
If you want to know anything about the Banks Turbo... I have one on my 83 Chev pickup. This is my (oh good lord, I have no idea) at least 7th 6.2 diesel truck. The first truck I had that was a diesel, I swapped to gas, first a 400 then a 350. It wasn't any better, but it did get worse mileage. The 2nd motor, the 350, was built (by me) for that truck... what I learned, never go back. I put the banks turbo on my current 6.2 - it gets the same mpg, but 80 mph across the flats of Washington is no worries. However, do put an exhaust gas temp gauge, and do watch your water temp gauge. Climbing snoqualmie pass with my 4000# camper and car trailer (~10,000 lbs) at 60, it will start getting warm near the summit.... not over heat, mind you, but enough that you need to back down to 50 mph.
I bought my Banks turbo system off craigslist for $300. I've seen similar ones for sale for the same price. Don't worry about the turbo, you can buy new guts for it for $400. To recap, faster, same mpg. The only thing to be cognizant of - it does, eventually start pretty significant blow-by. I've 100,000 miles on my system, 300,000 on the motor and it's getting time to replace the motor.
the truck
and its turbo
it is pretty easy to install, but practice safe bolt removal - if it's not coming out, heat up the bolt so you don't break it off in the head.
I bought my Banks turbo system off craigslist for $300. I've seen similar ones for sale for the same price. Don't worry about the turbo, you can buy new guts for it for $400. To recap, faster, same mpg. The only thing to be cognizant of - it does, eventually start pretty significant blow-by. I've 100,000 miles on my system, 300,000 on the motor and it's getting time to replace the motor.
the truck
and its turbo
it is pretty easy to install, but practice safe bolt removal - if it's not coming out, heat up the bolt so you don't break it off in the head.
stevo-mt
Member
I haven't been able to pick up the gear vendors. I'm still up in Alaska for a month and was extended for work another month. So I'm stuck with the salmon and the bears... I'm trying to figure out a friend to drive down to Wyoming where it is located but haven't got that far yet. I'm starting to wonder for the cost of a gear vendors if it is worth putting that money towards a 4 speed transmission. One issue I think the gear vendors would help with would be my transfer case blowing seals. I came up with a simple test / possible solution. I have a np208 out of a bronco with essentially the same parts but does not have a slip yoke. I was going to first attempt to drill and tap a spare top plug that you fill the fluid level with. Then just run a venting hose like drive axle or any other gearbox. I'm fairly confident that that could be a easy solution to that problem. If that didn't cure it more drastic measures can be taken but that would be first. The gear vendors would probably have a better seal to the transfer case, but I wouldn't want to push my luck. At least now if i am leaking and blowing seals there is a nice few drips of evidence wherever I park. If the gear vendors works out great, if not oh well. There is a 4 door 1 ton chevy in Fort Collins on craigslist that has a 502, dana 70, dana 60, gear vendors, th400 and flatbed for $3000. That would be a better deal as far what just a gear vendors costs. If that happened to be for sale when I made it back to America I would hop on that and part the thing out. I think a guy could get the money out and at least pay for a good chunk of your expenses with not a ton of work. Or it would make an awesome mountain tow rig. Poor mileage and tons of power!
Thanks superbuick for info on the turbo. My kit is decently complete. I also ended up with a 91 chevy 6.5 TD as a donor. Don't know whats wrong with the engine or anything but I have a few ideas for some of the parts. I would like to take the intake manifold from the 6.5TD and utilize that with the banks kit. I don't like that setup that they have on top of the 6.2 intake, but I imagine banks designed it that way for a reason. Eventually I will build a good 6.5 or something different down the road. I like the truck too much to ever want change things too drastically. My truck now has 29,000 miles so it has a lot of life left in it even turbo'd. When the motor gets tired I'll hop on craigslist and buy another one!
So the zodiac I am semi confident in rolling up and sticking on the roof. I've got a slick idea that would lift it from the ground up onto the roof. I wasn't ever going to put a roof rack on it until I nailed some branches and was worried about tearing up the top hatch. I figured I could make a simple lifting winch and bracket that would lower a line down and as it raised the zodiac up it joined into a pair of c-shaped aluminum forks. As the winch was pulling it would tilt over and lock into place. I think I could rig something up that would work for an outboard too. An outboard would weight about 100 lbs too. I would want the setup to detach with a few pins and be removable. When I'm driving that thing up in some of the mountain roads that kind of heights will attract many tree branches.
It would be made out of stuff I've got laying around. Probably down the road but I always have to be dreaming!
superbuickguy
Explorer
I'd buy that truck so fast that the seller would think a whirlwind hit. The front differential alone goes for $2500 here in Seattle.
Gear Vendors are pretty cool, the others, not as cool (e.g. Doug Nash) because you can change gears when you drive and it stays in the gear you wanted when you shut it off. As for the transfer case, and since weight isn't really an issue - get a NP205, it's all gear, heavy but virtually indestructible. Honestly, I have no idea why you're blowing fluid out of your transfer case, there's nothing in there to wear - so heat shouldn't be an issue. The big issue with any chain drive is chain stretch, and that's what it sounds like is happened to yours - and the chain is rubbing on something inside. You should hear slapping sounds, but it's not always the case.
Also, the GV for a 4x4 goes between the transmission and transfer case. With your diesel, I'd be really surprised if you get better mpg with the GV.
I have a 700r4 in my diesel - it was a 1/2 ton - and I get 17-19 mpg with it with the overdrive. I had an 82 Diesel pickup... it got 17-19 without the over drive (it was basically your running gear, turbo 400, np 208). Where the GV would come in nice is crawling through the wilderness, you're carrying a lot of weight, and splitting down so you have a 4:1 transfer case would really be a nice thing. The only vehicle, 6.2 diesel, that I had that got better mpg was a Suburban that would get up to 28 mpg, it had 2.73 gears - but that was more aerodynamics and most importantly weight....
Just by way of example, I have a 50 Buick Sedanet that's getting a twin turbo 455 - it will get a GV to make it more comfortable and it would get better mpg because it has plenty of hp and torque to idle at 70 mph.
Gear Vendors are pretty cool, the others, not as cool (e.g. Doug Nash) because you can change gears when you drive and it stays in the gear you wanted when you shut it off. As for the transfer case, and since weight isn't really an issue - get a NP205, it's all gear, heavy but virtually indestructible. Honestly, I have no idea why you're blowing fluid out of your transfer case, there's nothing in there to wear - so heat shouldn't be an issue. The big issue with any chain drive is chain stretch, and that's what it sounds like is happened to yours - and the chain is rubbing on something inside. You should hear slapping sounds, but it's not always the case.
Also, the GV for a 4x4 goes between the transmission and transfer case. With your diesel, I'd be really surprised if you get better mpg with the GV.
I have a 700r4 in my diesel - it was a 1/2 ton - and I get 17-19 mpg with it with the overdrive. I had an 82 Diesel pickup... it got 17-19 without the over drive (it was basically your running gear, turbo 400, np 208). Where the GV would come in nice is crawling through the wilderness, you're carrying a lot of weight, and splitting down so you have a 4:1 transfer case would really be a nice thing. The only vehicle, 6.2 diesel, that I had that got better mpg was a Suburban that would get up to 28 mpg, it had 2.73 gears - but that was more aerodynamics and most importantly weight....
Just by way of example, I have a 50 Buick Sedanet that's getting a twin turbo 455 - it will get a GV to make it more comfortable and it would get better mpg because it has plenty of hp and torque to idle at 70 mph.
stevo-mt
Member
I'm sure the mileage won't improve a whole lot with a turbo or a gear vendors. The thing is a giant brick driving down the road! Right now fully loaded dragging my m1101 trailer it will get 10 mpg. Just the truck and camping gear it will bump up to 12-13 mpg. What killed me on my last trip was being naturally aspirated. As silly as it sounds 165 hp, what the diesel is rated at, is more than enough power. At 10,000 ft the engine is about 30% less efficient so it can't pull the hills and your stuck in 2nd gear, or worse 1st! If I can at the least maintain 165 hp on the hill's at high elevations I will be happy with that. I'm sure the Banks kit will at least afford me that. The truck is geared to go 55 mph so it doesn't take a lot to accomplish that and that is the best speed for milage. With the 37's the truck will cruise about 65 mph with the same RPMs that it used to drive at 55 mph. So those alone did speed the thing up at a cost to first gear not being as low.
I think the gear vendors setup for these chevy's goes between the transfer case and the rear axle. My friends truck has one and it has a bunch of fail safe circuits so if the 4wd was turned on it would not allow the gear vendors unit to engage. With the overdrive engaged it does help lower the RPM's pretty well. At the least you would be putting less strain on your engine/tranny but your rear end would be working the same.
My parent's were driving through Wyoming and I asked my dad to stop in and look at the gear vendors unit. Then my dad informed me that one of his friends has one off a old chevy RV he's scrapping out! So hopefully I can do some horsetrading with him and save myself some dough. If that doesn't work out I've seen a couple decent trucks that had a blown engine or something go for very reasonable with things like the gear vendors overdrive, good axles, and transfer cases. I will probably just keep my cash on hand and buy up something that has more value for the dollar. The truck in fort collin's for 3 grand would be a gold mine compared to spending 1500$ on just a gear vendors with 10k miles on it. At least with the truck you could test drive it. Once I get the thing turbo'd I will probably be kicking myself for not just forking the cash over, but at the same time 1500$ would go a long way's into making a killer 4l80e/4l85e tranny and getting rid of the computer! I've been mulling over a 4L80e with a 241 transfercase and eliminating the electronics or using a standalone computer. Normally I want to keep everything mechanical but if there turns up to be a well proven set up I wouldn't necessarily be afraid to go with it. In the last hour I've found a ton of different options that I didn't see last year when I was looking.
I've got a pyrometer and boost gauge in my Amazon cart right now and will hit the order button a little closer to the end of the season. The banks one is a little outdated. Now if I was cool I would put one on each manifold and be able to tell when I am having issues. If I was really cool I would have thermocouples on each cylinder exhaust port and would be able to really tell if there is anything going on.
More bears.
I think the gear vendors setup for these chevy's goes between the transfer case and the rear axle. My friends truck has one and it has a bunch of fail safe circuits so if the 4wd was turned on it would not allow the gear vendors unit to engage. With the overdrive engaged it does help lower the RPM's pretty well. At the least you would be putting less strain on your engine/tranny but your rear end would be working the same.
My parent's were driving through Wyoming and I asked my dad to stop in and look at the gear vendors unit. Then my dad informed me that one of his friends has one off a old chevy RV he's scrapping out! So hopefully I can do some horsetrading with him and save myself some dough. If that doesn't work out I've seen a couple decent trucks that had a blown engine or something go for very reasonable with things like the gear vendors overdrive, good axles, and transfer cases. I will probably just keep my cash on hand and buy up something that has more value for the dollar. The truck in fort collin's for 3 grand would be a gold mine compared to spending 1500$ on just a gear vendors with 10k miles on it. At least with the truck you could test drive it. Once I get the thing turbo'd I will probably be kicking myself for not just forking the cash over, but at the same time 1500$ would go a long way's into making a killer 4l80e/4l85e tranny and getting rid of the computer! I've been mulling over a 4L80e with a 241 transfercase and eliminating the electronics or using a standalone computer. Normally I want to keep everything mechanical but if there turns up to be a well proven set up I wouldn't necessarily be afraid to go with it. In the last hour I've found a ton of different options that I didn't see last year when I was looking.
I've got a pyrometer and boost gauge in my Amazon cart right now and will hit the order button a little closer to the end of the season. The banks one is a little outdated. Now if I was cool I would put one on each manifold and be able to tell when I am having issues. If I was really cool I would have thermocouples on each cylinder exhaust port and would be able to really tell if there is anything going on.
More bears.
superbuickguy
Explorer
I'd get the turbo... without the turbo the turbo top speed was 70, with the turbo, it's faster that I'm going to drive a leaf-spring-suspended truck (at least 85)
I also like your 4L80e idea - I just sold one for $200 that, apparently, worked great (it was to a friend, so I was really glad to hear it worked at all). The nice part about the 4L80e is you get a better 1st gear than the 400 has (2.48 to 3.06... iirc)
I also like your 4L80e idea - I just sold one for $200 that, apparently, worked great (it was to a friend, so I was really glad to hear it worked at all). The nice part about the 4L80e is you get a better 1st gear than the 400 has (2.48 to 3.06... iirc)
pappawheely
Autonomous4X4
stevo-mt
Member
I totally forgot how big the solar panels were on the top of that thing! There is a little bit of room on the front where I could fit one and some room in the back between the solar panels that I could stuff an inflatable between. I came up with a little better way to raise and lower a heavy load on and off the top of the truck but I'm not sure how feasible it would be with the limited room. It essentially would just be a lever arm with the length sized correctly and pinned to where it would pivot when the zodiac reached end of the pulley. Then to unload it you would just heave it off while giving the winch a little bit of slack to gently lower it. I don't think it would be very fun wrastling an outboard though. I was thinking that might be able to fit on the spare tire rack somehow. But then thinking of the times I've put an outboard onto a zodiac in the water and the thought of it going in the drink if I screw it makes me think that the less wrestling the better! I just like to build things, maybe a david arm crane.
It might be kind of hard to fit everything onto the vehicle! Ideally I could have a zodiac and the motorcycle on the back on a rack. I'm not sure if that is very practical though from a weight on the vehicle perspective and considering the fact I have a trailer that is meant to go anywhere behind this truck. The motorcycle is a XR650R topped off with gas weighs about 310 lbs, a 12ft zodiac weighs about 200 lbs, an outboard motor 75-100 lbs, and spare gas would add up to a lot more than I should carry on the truck. It makes the trailer much more appealing. I wasn't super thrilled to drag that thing everywhere, especially when you end up in a city, but I guess it isn't too much more of a headache.
I drug my trailer on my last 3,500 mile trip and the thing pulls great. When I had all the tire issues I was able to just throw them in back and haul them the rest of the trip. That plus my smaller motorcycle, extra coolers, etc. I've been doing a little research off and on about other people building their adventure trailers and I'm probably going to build a support trailer out of my M1101. Nothing crazy, just enclose it with some aluminum to where it would fit the motorcycle and a zodiac. Then if needs to sit in a parking lot for a day while I'm of playing it won't get messed with. I was out biking on my last trip and completely forgot to lock the doors. There was sunglasses, a tablet, gps and all kinds of stuff sitting in the front view. Surprisingly nobody messed with it. I would like to think that people are great these days, but I suspect it was because the truck looks like the people who drive it probably have guns...
One thing I also would like to implement is the good old five gallon bucket. I put together two of them with spare parts and sealed them up with the lids. They rode in back of the trailer on the whole trip through mud and snow. The alternator that originally checked out as good kept giving us issues so I popped open the bucket with the spare alternator dry as a ducks rear and put it in the truck and drove on our merry way. My other bucket that is sealed has hoses, spare fuel pump, spare fuel filter, spare belts, etc. I think if I had the m1101 enclosed it would be simple to stack all the buckets in one corner in the front. Of course writing on them what is in each container.
There are a couple of guys who have already done an enclosure for the m1101 trailers. They turned out pretty cool. For my needs canvas won't necessarily cut it and a fiberglass custom job would not meet my needs either. I tossed this around last spring but as usual ran out of time to do anything in decent weather. I'm thinking something along the lines of a simple trapezoidal or rectangular enclosure with a roof rack on the top. The roof rack would be sized for a roof top tent as well. Not that I would need one, but you never know down the road. The amount of enclosed storage space that would be gained from having the trailer enclosed would ease the travel life greatly with this setup. It would expand the capabilities for say setting up camp for hunting or fishing on the Kenai for example. Since the m1010 truck is fairly limited on space having the trailer would make things like cooking much simpler and less frustrating. Currently anytime I want to cook up something I have to make room for the stove and open the doors. I would just as well see the stove/oven go into the trailer on slide outs. I guess what I'm trying to convey is that having the trailer enclosed would provide additional versatility for the truck. At the end of the day really what is important is that I just get out and use it! 50% of these crazy things I type about probably won't ever happen, but I've done two 3000+ mile road trips with it so far. So as long as that trend continues :elkgrin:
It might be kind of hard to fit everything onto the vehicle! Ideally I could have a zodiac and the motorcycle on the back on a rack. I'm not sure if that is very practical though from a weight on the vehicle perspective and considering the fact I have a trailer that is meant to go anywhere behind this truck. The motorcycle is a XR650R topped off with gas weighs about 310 lbs, a 12ft zodiac weighs about 200 lbs, an outboard motor 75-100 lbs, and spare gas would add up to a lot more than I should carry on the truck. It makes the trailer much more appealing. I wasn't super thrilled to drag that thing everywhere, especially when you end up in a city, but I guess it isn't too much more of a headache.
I drug my trailer on my last 3,500 mile trip and the thing pulls great. When I had all the tire issues I was able to just throw them in back and haul them the rest of the trip. That plus my smaller motorcycle, extra coolers, etc. I've been doing a little research off and on about other people building their adventure trailers and I'm probably going to build a support trailer out of my M1101. Nothing crazy, just enclose it with some aluminum to where it would fit the motorcycle and a zodiac. Then if needs to sit in a parking lot for a day while I'm of playing it won't get messed with. I was out biking on my last trip and completely forgot to lock the doors. There was sunglasses, a tablet, gps and all kinds of stuff sitting in the front view. Surprisingly nobody messed with it. I would like to think that people are great these days, but I suspect it was because the truck looks like the people who drive it probably have guns...
One thing I also would like to implement is the good old five gallon bucket. I put together two of them with spare parts and sealed them up with the lids. They rode in back of the trailer on the whole trip through mud and snow. The alternator that originally checked out as good kept giving us issues so I popped open the bucket with the spare alternator dry as a ducks rear and put it in the truck and drove on our merry way. My other bucket that is sealed has hoses, spare fuel pump, spare fuel filter, spare belts, etc. I think if I had the m1101 enclosed it would be simple to stack all the buckets in one corner in the front. Of course writing on them what is in each container.
There are a couple of guys who have already done an enclosure for the m1101 trailers. They turned out pretty cool. For my needs canvas won't necessarily cut it and a fiberglass custom job would not meet my needs either. I tossed this around last spring but as usual ran out of time to do anything in decent weather. I'm thinking something along the lines of a simple trapezoidal or rectangular enclosure with a roof rack on the top. The roof rack would be sized for a roof top tent as well. Not that I would need one, but you never know down the road. The amount of enclosed storage space that would be gained from having the trailer enclosed would ease the travel life greatly with this setup. It would expand the capabilities for say setting up camp for hunting or fishing on the Kenai for example. Since the m1010 truck is fairly limited on space having the trailer would make things like cooking much simpler and less frustrating. Currently anytime I want to cook up something I have to make room for the stove and open the doors. I would just as well see the stove/oven go into the trailer on slide outs. I guess what I'm trying to convey is that having the trailer enclosed would provide additional versatility for the truck. At the end of the day really what is important is that I just get out and use it! 50% of these crazy things I type about probably won't ever happen, but I've done two 3000+ mile road trips with it so far. So as long as that trend continues :elkgrin:
sojourner
Observer
Zodiac on GL
http://youtu.be/uGFpP7f1FvA
http://youtu.be/uGFpP7f1FvA
stevo-mt
Member
As always when I'm thousands of miles away from my project I just dream and try to come up with things to bolt on the crazy thing. I've been thinking of what I want to do with the trailer. The M1101 is pretty dang off road capable so I do not want to take any of that away. At the moment I'm planning on enclosing the back with a steel frame and then covering it with aluminum. I was debating rectangular steel tubing vs aluminum tubing. The age old engineering question... I calculate the roof enclosure about 200 lbs using steel. I will probably just get picky and make it out of aluminum just because the trailer is aluminum. I will be able to fit my xr650r in the thing and maybe even a second small motorcycle. I was thinking of installing the sheathing on the outside of the frame but after some thinking 20 minutes after playing on the computer. I think I could build a frame with the roof rack integrated into the thing. Then just run strips of 5200 3m sealant down the rails and rivit it in. Then the seams are close enough together I can cover them with some small aluminum angle and seal them up.
20 minutes playing around on the computer I drew up version 1.0 of it. I will modify the thing when I get more time and have put some more thought into it. I would like to try and build it and utilize as many of the square edges from the manufactures of the aluminum sheeting. I can cut stuff fairly square, but not as good as they can.
I was planning on heading back to MT in a couple weeks to start on the whole list of things to go but it looks like a month and half more up at Fairbanks. So some new country and adventures and this will have to stay on hold...
I did make an exciting purchase to assist the building of this truck. I will be able to 3d print widgets and one off things out of ABS plastic. I think it will be pretty useful for all those random things that come up. Like switch holders and other junk. I'm going to build up my friends 4runner this winter as well and it should be handy to make things look stock into the toyota. After camping out in my truck with the espar heater my friend is sold on it. So it will get the deluxe overland treatment and hopefully look cool. I'll start a build thread on that when I start on that project in November.
20 minutes playing around on the computer I drew up version 1.0 of it. I will modify the thing when I get more time and have put some more thought into it. I would like to try and build it and utilize as many of the square edges from the manufactures of the aluminum sheeting. I can cut stuff fairly square, but not as good as they can.
I was planning on heading back to MT in a couple weeks to start on the whole list of things to go but it looks like a month and half more up at Fairbanks. So some new country and adventures and this will have to stay on hold...
I did make an exciting purchase to assist the building of this truck. I will be able to 3d print widgets and one off things out of ABS plastic. I think it will be pretty useful for all those random things that come up. Like switch holders and other junk. I'm going to build up my friends 4runner this winter as well and it should be handy to make things look stock into the toyota. After camping out in my truck with the espar heater my friend is sold on it. So it will get the deluxe overland treatment and hopefully look cool. I'll start a build thread on that when I start on that project in November.
piratexpress1369a
Explorer
that looks cool ..what are you going to do to the rear opening
chilliwak
Expedition Leader
I am still enjoying reading about your rig and all the cool ideas you have. I have a 12 foot aluminum cartop that I use for fishing. Great boat with a little 10hp motor. Looking forward to seeing what you get up to when you are finished your work and can do new things to your rig Steve! Cheers, Chilli...