Ruby Scoo’s epic build, ten years and counting...

[El_Freddo]

Trip plan sorted. Will be headed to the tip of vic then down the border track before join up with a bookface subi trip for the mid section of the border track.

I've been rebuilding the rear cargo area to incorporate a fridge slide and a kitchen drawer. If you're ever ordering something through Bunnings special orders I'd advise asking how long until the item arrive in store. I'm going on three weeks now and the item I'm chasing is holding up the build now

I've also sourced a set of prado front struts so I'm hoping to see how they go in the rear with the Honda springs - then possibly look in to a more suitable spring if needed.

On the wish list is an alloy bash plate too - but I reckon I'll be out of time to get that sorted

Cheers

Bennie

[AndrewT]

Very interested to see how you go with the rear struts. I desperately need to sort out something decent in the back end for my rig. I need to catch up on this thread!

[El_Freddo]

Very interested to see how you go with the rear struts. I desperately need to sort out something decent in the back end for my rig. I need to catch up on this thread!

On the topic of your rig, how much room do you have between the spring and the inner edge of the rear wheel with those Audi rims with the KL71s?

Asking as that's my next upgrade

Cheers

Bennie

[AndrewT]

Plenty, it's never scrubbed on the spring and that's thanks to the pepperpots with their offset. Bear in mind I do have Crossbred hubs but I think the offset of those is supposed to be factory anyway.

***Edit: hey look at that - we can say crossbred again!

[El_Freddo]

Awesome!

I've got a set of dfoyl's 5 stud rear hubs to get the hardest part of the five stud conversion out of the way.

After this trip I'll have to get stuck into the brake swap, I've pretty much got all the bits except the hand brake floor panel. I also need to get the control arm ball joint mount reamed out.

Cheers

Bennie

[AndrewT]

I slipped under and grabbed a photo for you:

[El_Freddo]

Thanks AndyT! Got some good clearance there.

Interestingly, your kings (raised?) have 9 coils, the honda springs have 11... Kings don't make raised springs for the L anymore Oddly, they don't make lifted springs for the hondas either...

Last night I was burning the midnight oil on the camp cargo setup. More to come on this later. I'll let you in on that it's got a fridge slide for a 41L engel

More working the arse off coming tomorrow before we depart Tuesday (at "sometime" at this rate )

Cheers

Bennie

[AndrewT]

From memory (and that's a big ask these days) I think these are standard height ones. I believe they were the factory listing for the RX Turbo Sedan and I bought these at the same time as the KYB shocks they're on.
But I could be wrong, this could be whatever was in this wagon when I got it - I really can't remember if I even swapped them!

[El_Freddo]

SO added this before the last trip - it delayed our departure two days but ended up being well worth it.





This revolutionised how we operate out the back of the L when out bush. I’m starting to feel that I’m near the end of sorting the setup and just enjoying it

Cheers

Bennie

[AndrewT]

How's the durability of those plastic joins? I've seen that system at bunnings and have often thought of making up a drawer system with it! Looks like it'd be very functional, great job.

I was always a bit confused with how I would run drawers over the top of the "L series hidy-hole" without wasting that space. But I think I've solved that now - thinking of running a permanently mounted on-board compressor, and also fitting a winch in there, to go out and through the rear bumper.

[El_Freddo]

How's the durability of those plastic joins? I've seen that system at bunnings and have often thought of making up a drawer system with it! Looks like it'd be very functional, great job.

Thanks mate. As for durability, time will tell. I’ll be putting a rivet through each one and have corner braces to help with strength.

I was always a bit confused with how I would run drawers over the top of the "L series hidy-hole" without wasting that space. But I think I've solved that now - thinking of running a permanently mounted on-board compressor, and also fitting a winch in there, to go out and through the rear bumper.

That’s a neat thought. Just don’t over work the winch

I can still access that space when the fridge is extended out, and hopefully the same when the kitchen cabinet slides go in. I put a bottle of water that we're using under the fridge and other random bits of gear in there too. This time around our alcohol went under the kitchen side.

Cheers

Bennie

[El_Freddo]

I’ve been wanting to post this pic for ages but it was locked up with the iPad - and we're lucky that it wasn’t scorched with the rest of the photos and data on the unit.

I think you can see why I’ve posted this pic:





Cheers

Bennie

[El_Freddo]

Good times - just got this video finished!

https://youtu.be/sUvVfKnML8U



Cheers

Bennie

[El_Freddo]

So I picked up a little item in the post late last year.



Paint inspired by Subarino - even though he's too busy to be on a crappy old forum I can still drop his name in here!



The diff copped new O rings and side seals while the bearing carriers were out.

It's yet to be fitted to Ruby Scoo, and before I can go all out on it I need to swap the steering rack out for a spare one. There's something seriously loose that I'm not confident about so it's got to go.

Cheers

Bennie

[Bumpty]

oOh delicious diff!

[Phizinza]

So the male stubs with bolt for these lockers?

[El_Freddo]

So the male stubs with bolt for these lockers?

It’s not “that” easy, but it’s easy enough. The stub axles bolt into a retainer plate that applies pressure on the inside of the spider gear that the stun axle slots into.

You need to knock these retainer plates out. Then spend some time bashing them in and out to help loosen them up in how they seat.

When putting the locker in the diff you need to also slip these retainer plates inside the guts of the auto locker and get them in position. I held them in with the stub axles in place until I had to remove them to fit the diff centre into the diff housing.

And that’s it really.

I’m still yet to check out how this goes - I haven’t swapped the steering rack out yet. I found my foot wells full of water earlier this year. This diverted maintenance time to strip time. No interior in the car from the back seat rest forward. Now everything is dry I can put it back in then swap the steering rack.

Once the rack is swapped I’ll do a cam belt kit replacement and finally go for a long overdue drive. Then fit the diff locker and go for a jaunt off-road to see what the difference is.

Cheers

Bennie

[Phizinza]

Awesome. Thanks mate.

Imagine a life time to get all this done in a timely matter... My car is still limping around 2 years on as I haven't gotten around to properly fixing it.

[El_Freddo]

Well I finally got around to swapping the steering rack out for another one in good condition. Old one had a shot rack end joint, there was a small amount of play detectable with some manual manipulation.

New rack is in, lines done up and the rack ends mate’s to the tie rods. Before I put the exhaust back on I decided to do something about the crap factory Y pipe from a Gen3 Liberty/SF foz that dad put on as a fix for my unequal length Gen1 unit essentially rusting out or at least breaking from (most likely) abuse. Almost made it ten years with plenty of bashing on rocks etc in that time.

Here’s what I started with after removing all the heat shields:



After a pile of cutting, grinding, hammering and frustration from kids, I managed to get this bit sorted, it’s one of two technical sections and is yet to be welded:



The other technical part is the join where the left and right bank pipes come together. I don’t have the machinery we used when doing the ones on my sister’s Liberty. That was done in a full exhaust shop. This one is being done in the driveway.

Check back in six months, I might have it done by then

It was good to get busy on Ruby Scoo though. That was good.

Cheers

Bennie

[El_Freddo]

Last weekend’s efforts. I have a new found respect for exhaust builders! Lots of chicken shit welding that will require a decent amount of time on the grinder to make it look any good... this is where I’m at - missing centre piece welded in where the angle holds the two bends together. Welding different diameter pipes together isn’t fun! And the second bend ended up angling up a little more than it is in these pics. Not ideal:





Now to get another bottle of gas for the mig and work out the next bit of pipe between the two bits you see in the second pic. It’s not going to be easy...

Then to build the collector - further complicated by less access than o have directly under the engine for the front section. Fun.

Hopefully Ruby Scoo will have the Subi beat after this and not have an overly restrictive set of extractors from my handy work.

Cheers

Bennie