Desert racing needs and wants!!! (1 Viewer)

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Boston Mangler said:
What are you talking about "Chase Rules"? There are no chase rules in SCORE (not sure in BITD but i doubt it). If there were rules and spec requirements on Chase vechicles as well as the race cars, there would be quite a bit less racers out there!

Where did you get this info??

Hit me up with an email Peter, i chase with my 80 at the Score Races in Baja

BITD chase and support rules

There is no outside assistance permitted on the course or near the course during the event except for those Best in the Desert designated areas set-aside for pits and/or gas stops.
 
LandCruiserPhil said:
BITD chase and support rules

There is no outside assistance permitted on the course or near the course during the event except for those Best in the Desert designated areas set-aside for pits and/or gas stops.

Correct, but what does that have to do with how he should mod his rig?

Guessing you mean, if he uses it for BITD only then stock is ok, because he can only PIT not chase and if he uses it in SCORE while Chasing he would need mods to get through some of the stuff.
 
Boston Mangler said:
Correct, but what does that have to do with how he should mod his rig?.

Nothing I was answering your question in post #20


Boston Mangler said:
Guessing you mean, if he uses it for BITD only then stock is ok, because he can only PIT not chase and if he uses it in SCORE while Chasing he would need mods to get through some of the stuff.

Correct
 
chase truck, had a good race truck in an 80, which would also make a great chase truck, was stripped out 6 point cage, trussed hosuings, 2 shocks per corner, turbo intercooled 4.5 petrol [400rwhp] fibreglass bonnet, non flared, running 285 tyres on 16" rims with carbon brake pads and slotted rotors.

if I had to choose a model to build another, a 95 on 4.5 petrol manual, with some good auto work, and turbo it, so it had reasonable economy, [95 non air flow metert easiest to do] dont supercharge one, not worth the effort, for the gain, especially if no intercooler, or high ambient temps. Use toyota cv's in the front, and front axle seals etc, they last best.

250kph, on the rev limiter in 5th gear, and pulled like a 14 year old school boy in every gear, but got its power to the ground well.

Nicolas Le had a 3f 80 he did Baja in which Donahoe racing did all the bar work etc in, and helped him put it together. [rode in that truck going out for dinner with him at Longbeach one night]

My current vehicle, as a tourer is also a great chase truck, very much like an 80, but in a tray back, and Im running Fox triple bypass shocks all round, 3" lift, braced spring towers, slotted rotors, upgraded pads, HD steering arms, and panhard rods, and control arms, and is a i6 turbo intercooled diesel which returns good economy, [15 mpg US] even when pushing along at 80mph with 24 psi in the 37 x 13.5/17 tyres, loaded up [around 3.4 ton or 7400 lb]

If i was going to be driving anything quick, into a bit of the unknown, Fox bypasses would be my top shock choice, with 50mm of hyd bump stop built into the shock, followed by our Bilsteins we make specifically for the 80, maybe even with 2 up front per corner, braced diff housings, strengthened spring seats, move the rear shocks up, like my 80 to top of the diff, and box them up into the floor in the rear. Cage, good seating, plastic windows like my 80 had, anything un neccasary stripped out, and the required items packaged and housed as required, in thier own built spot, to keep the captive, and accessable.

I would run HD steering arms, rear control arms using rhs for the rod, as it goes further around the eyes at each end and prevents them going oval [yes, I have had that happen to mine] a good quality steering damper, or 2, new factory toyota bushes all round, because they will be durable, and absorb the shock loads, and I would run excentric swivel hub bearings to get neg camber [1.5 neg deg we run] and caster [2-3 deg]where it needed to be [dont use bushes for castor, they wont last] or bend the arms in a press for castor fix, max 3" lift, to gain the correct up travel for the job, factory sway bars with factory new rubbers all round, will last well, but with the bar to chassis mounts extended 50mm to go with the lift, and I would use 10" front shock stroke, and 12" rear, so as not to over stress the bushes with to much travel, or you will need to run hiems on the back of the front arms, and chassis end of the rear arms.

Front diff needs bracing from pumkin across on angle to stop flex at diff centre making it leak between 3 and 6 oclock , and pull the 8mm studs, re drill the holes, fit 10mm studs same as rear, and re bolt centre, makes diff alot stronger, and press some machined tubes up the axle tubes and weld both ends, without going to heavy. If going 2wd/4wd you could use the 100 rear axle studs also, by redrilling, tapping, and tapering.

rear housing needs to be triangulated from pumkin out to outer lower control arm mounts.

Brakes, i would run slotted rotors, and good pads, and keep the tyre size down, to the minimum you thought required, and I would fit 6 pot front calipers, if going bigger in tyre size than 35", and i would pull all the dust covers off all round.

I would probably spend the extra and properly A frame the rear as well, to stop it steering on the panhard rod, and re bracket the front one to get closer to level with vehicle height.

:Longer term use you would look at good synth oils in all the parts needing oil, body mounts re inforced, and some little diff mods to keep them strong as they can be inside.

captive brackets on the engine mounts and gearbox also, I would do first up.
 
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I second just buying Slee's 100 and ask what else he recommends.
 
alkaline747trio said:
I guess nobody gets that he doesn't need all this crazy modding for a chase truck.

My initial thought coincides with this belief. IMHO, OME 861/862 springs, Bilstein Shocks, 305/70/16 BF A/T tires for maximum flotation, HIR high and low beams and some Hella 4000 lamps, and side and rear lamps to light up the pit stop area as needed at night. Finally put a center diff lock switch in so you don't overheat the VC running on sand in high range. Sliders are unecessary for a chase truck as are other big heavy items. The sole exception to the less is more may be a winch for self extraction. REMEMBER- this truck is not being used for rockcrawling.

I would avoid a roof rack if possible as I would expect you will be running a lot of dirt and sand roads at 60+ mph to get to the next stop ahead of your race truck. You want to keep the center of gravity as low as possible, so this would mean no roof rack and the lowest lift possible.

I would not do a supercharger. Instead, I would focus on purchasing a good truck with lockers (you safety net when needed), making sure the truck you buy is up to snuff (cooling system, possibly headgasket replaced as a PM item, Birfields repacked). After that, I would focus on reducing weight in the truck. If you never using the back seats, take them out, that will save you 100 pounds right there.
 
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I was going with the assumption that some of the things he would encounter would be rougher than a low-lift truck can handle, and also under the assumption that he would be carrying oodles of tools and parts. If he can run without a roof rack and the low lift HD springs then that is even better.

I threw in the sliders because the removal of the factory steps is going to happen either by trail or by owner, and IF a roofrack is used, he will want a step to access the stuff in/on it. Sliders are also just good protection for even mild trails due to the long belly of the 80.

If running 60+ loaded with gear to keep ahead/close to a race buggy is needed, then I would assume more than the stock 220ish hp would be a good thing, hence the SC. I suggest SC over TC for cost and ease of install, but a TC will definatly net more than a SC.

Peter, we really need more info on your wants and needs and intended use of this truck for us to help you out better, fill in any blanks that we may have if you can and we should be able to suggest what would be the best choice(s) for your truck.
 

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