Radical syncro modification for trialing - ideas please!

[silverbullet]

Just to add a little to the front-mounted winch debate...has anyone with a pickup (that they don't use as a working vehicle) thought about this: Mount the rad midships / against the bulkhead (like so many trial vehicles do) and free up the front radiator ducting area to mount their front winch exactly where they can spool it, maintain it and keep it out of the clag etc:
OK this one is mounted a bit too high for any rearward visibility, in a T3 the existing front radiator duct could feed air to a newly-fabricated one in the locker volume and through the load bed.

pickup truck rear radiator.jpg

There's modification then there's radical surgery, but if you're thinking about cutting the front bumper beam anyway you've already started...

[ELVIS]

When you say trialling are we on about winch challenges?

i guess if youur gonna go the whole hog the dash is coming out so the worlds you limits- have winch next to feet like a 101 engine ??). By a country mile the best option. I have never regularly competed but a few years back stood in on an ad-hoc basis as a mates winch-bitch. Under floor winch/access just isnt/wouldnt/couldnt work.

As much as i like/admire Jeds enthusiasm etc i think his is total pants (sorry jed!)for practicality- in exactly the wrong place to use, gonna need mega amount of servicing/cleaning and the plasma rope is gonna get destoyed/eat itself very quickly.

Have you considered a rear/centre mount winch aswell?
I cant see why you cant use locker floor area. Centre mount will not only give you option of winching from rear but if you have an exo-cage on back you can put a fairlead at front can height straight above winch to use for side winching aswell.

With exo cage you would be able to lose the floor area from immediatley behind bulkhead back as far rear bulkhead where rear seat attaches in a caravelle, just remove the load bed floor full wodth. Saw this on a crew cab in estonia or ploand to make it carry 2 x 45 gallon drums (hell, i guess you could lose just about everything behind cab and go 'tray back')

[jed the spread]

Sitting on the fence again Elvis

jed

[ELVIS]

sorry chap , hope you dont think i was having a go/dig.

On one hand i totally admire you , one of the few syncro owners that regularly uses their van for what it was intended and always at the front of innovation but i gotta say from my experience of winches it is so totally in the wrong place. Plasma rope needs to be kept clean so it dosnt eat itself. Being underslung your gonna have to do it quite often even if not used off road. I would be worried about side laoding on front deformation panel and also getting to the winch itself and any loss of solenoid/parts life.

There again , you did it and no-one else has so fair play to you chap so who am i to criticize?

[jed the spread]

The hook looks nice though


The Westy is a camper so the dash stays in The winch on mine is just to help on the sand and save some digging if there are two or more of us to anker off each other should we ever get to North Africa or any of those troublesome moments when you might need an extra bit of help over a few meters on rare occasions. Defiantly not doing any winch trials or any extreme off roading in it either as my underslung LPG tank would blow up but might be able to help the odd enthusiastic person out of a tight spot. I have just read this (if you have a few hours spare) http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showt ... hp?t=50799 and it kind if makes you think why not fit one, though I have no plans on going back to The Congo again. Yet.....

I like it your honest and to be fair I havnt tried it yet so it might not even work so your not wrong.... Reminds me to go and have a muck about with it if I get bored over xmas actually.

jed

[lloydy]

if I get bored over xmas

I've got something for you to do

[jed the spread]

if I get bored over xmas

I've got something for you to do

I know

jed

[silverbullet]

Let's go and test my welding before I have to take out my syncro's gearbox over the break (volunteers?)
Otherwise I'll be da tea biatch for a day...
TBH I am more interested in German-style trials, as I am a bit "special" when it comes to spacial awareness so might just have an advantage?

[ELVIS]

SB - ive got 4 DVDs of the old eurosport trails that used to be on sky years back- filmed in germany/austria etc. about 6 hrs worth.

Had everything from unimogs to 8wd/8ws tatras and even the odd 6wd forestry timberwolfs!!!

Should be able to post em/copy em for you in next few weeks if your interested?

[Justavan]

WOW........Jed,

That travel log was some read.

The Congo is truly some place to travel for the foolish or the brave.

When I read about the Rebels cutting of peoples ears to fry up as a snack.............

Gripping stuff........