ksimpsy

nope but hopefully in the next week or two.

My buddy runs a performance shop in Red Deer and is starting on a kit for the trooper. Turbos are his thing, he designs and builds kits for snowmobiles and whatever else you want. Anyway he took off the exhaust and said that the exhaust ports in the head are about 1" and the header is built from 1.5" (these numbers aren't right but you get the idea). he is going to be building a new header for the turbo kit out of the proper sized tubing to keep back pressure and build velocity which he tells me will build boost with almost no lag. I thought even if you didn't want a turbo at least maybe the exhaust built to proper specs would give a person more bottom end and more power. anyhow when he gets it done I'm going to take it for a rip and i will report back on how well it works and hopefully a price.

Kevin

Hey Russ any word on the gears yet? or is it like the automatic trans that Joyner said they were coming out with. just wondering

Thanks

Kevin

I know, it dosent snow here untill after christmas anymore and we only end up getting a foot or so. then the wind comes up and blows it all into the trees. I remember 10 years ago when we would get 5 feet but the weather is changing or something. It makes me mad because if its going to be -40 it better have some snow with it. dam winter

Kevin

I don't live at the north pole I only get snow for 3 months of the year the rest of the time I'm playing in mud and riding trails, I want bigger tires for flotation. there is a line when you have lots of surface area you actually get less traction depending on your weight. I learned this with the tracks when I tried to pull a rhino in the winter. I just spun and slipped but then we hooked a rhino on instead he could do much better, with the tires he could "chew" better. the same goes for hills in the summertime i could go up them no problem but i would spin some where as a rhino wouldn't. I'm not saying that would be the case with 14" wide treads but you never know. My tracks definitively have way more flotation than any tire but the driveability on trails isn't there you need to go slow over obstacles like rocks and trees. that and the overall width is an extra 8". Anyhow with planetarys on the wheels that were a 3:1 ratio you would be putting way less stress on the drive line so to me tire size wouldn't matter especially with the power steering.

Kevin

more contact than tracks eh?

I suppose I should say that the only way I would go that big is if Joyner comes out with the lower gear set or Lenny can make his planetary setup. Im not worried about width for turning unless you mean that the tires will hit the trooper.

Kevin

Here is the picture of the altered clutch pedal I promised.

Lenny

oh just a little nip here a tiny weld there and viola a clutch pedal hahah

also do you think 33 x 14.5 r15's will fit?

once again nice work

Kevin

WOW looks good ........ and involved. how did you deal with the plastic rocker panels? was it necessary to take out that much for just the 31's or did you take a bit extra for the sand tires? how close is the clutch pedal now?

sorry 'bout the 20 questions but it might be my next step. anyhow it looks good.

Kevin

Backspacing is 4" in the front and 6" in the rear. Frontspacing is 2" both front and rear. The additional 2" of backspacing of the rear rims is the reason the rears can be used in the front. The rear rims hit the tie rods.

rocmoc n AZ/Mexico

Thanks rocmoc, do you think a 5" backspace will fit on the front, or does it need to be 4"?

Thanks

Kevin

perfect thanks guys

I will try to find out when they think they will have the sets available and let you know. I think the planitary system will be awesome, but the added weight would be my concern.

That would be awesome if you can find that info out.

Thanks

Kevin

Can anyone tell me what the bolt pattern dimensions are on these troopers? also, if anyone knows what the back space of the wheels are that would be great thanks.

Kevin

Watch those poly ropes i have seen them become a tangled mess if they get slack, also they have climbed off the drum and between the housing and drum. I don't care what they say rope still tightens and stretches and if you have a loose spool base the top roll will end up at the bottom.

my 2 cents

Kevin

I just bought a 2" or 2.5" (cant remember which) 90 degree elbow and a pice of hose to connect it to the stock pipe. this brings it out right behind your shoulder which is plenty high. I am a bit concerned with the shopvac hose because it is corrugated which causes turbulence and a loss of power not a lot but every pony is a pony. also i know if you do go that long you should use a larger diameter tube to compensate for the extra draw.

Sorry Kinarfi im not trying to put down your system it obviously works for you but these are the things Ive been told by high performance guys.

As for other lines i would only bother with the diff vents that is all i have worried about. the transmission vents through the top rubber boot around the shifter tower i don't know how to extend this.

I found my winch to be a slow pice of garbage with a crappy cable that seems to tie itself on the drum once you use it 10 times. i bought a 4000lb warn and mounted a a second battery and isolator which only runs the winch and stereo so that i cant kill the main battery. this is what i would recommend if you are playing in the mud and i see you're from Alberta too so i assume you do.

Kevin

I've been thinking about getting a machine shop to build me new gears but if Joyner is coming out with lower ones i might wait and get them. i want to go back to tires but i want Interco Super Swamper TSL Boggers http://www.intercotire.com/tires.php?id=13&g=1 i really want the 33 x 14 but may settle for the 31 x 12.5. the best way to go would be Lenny's planetary gears on all corners to reduce the torque on the rest of the drive train.

Lenny I will be first in line to buy a setup from you when you get that working.

For those working on power steering, there may be another way to improve Trooper steering. Check out this website www.unisteer.com. They have some very interesting products that are a lot less costly than a power steering unit and they may do the job. In any case they might be a valuable source of information.

One of the service they offer is building custom rack & pinion setups. If you download their catalog it may give you some good ideas.

Have fun!

Gumball

How do you figure less costly? they want a $1000 for a kit I'm in $300 tops

Hey Guys did anybody ever find the exact distance the steering goes lock to lock? I figured mine out with the unit jacked up in the air and turned the wheels till it felt like the cv's started to bind and this worked out to 3.5" but when i measure the stock box i get 4" Just wondering if anyone can clear this up for me because now that i have driven the unit around a bit it seems that i should have built it to move the 4"

Thanks

Kevin

OK Guys I've got it all together and working. i will give you a build tally.

-power steering pump and resivour from a 1985 Honda prelude. (it has same pulley but runs in opposite direction than trooper engine)

-power steering gear box from mid 90's ford ranger

(pump and box $50 at auto wreckers)

-4 heavy duty 5/8" rod ends $100

-6,' 1" sch 80 seamless pipe for tie rods $25

-custom built hydraulic hose and ends put on the pump and box lines. (my buddy works at a garage and made the hose ends fit the pump and box hoses were a weird size) $50

- 4v belt 27" long $25

- bits of scrap steel to build the mount out of

So probably $275 worth of materials.

I had to take apart the gear box to make it so the travel was only 3.5" to match the stock steering. I did this by welding a pipe spacer on the end of the traveling gear inside the box. i also had to file the Pittman arm spline to allow me to change the orientation of the arm. i also used the ford steering shaft because the splines were different than the trooper of course. what i did was cut spline off of the trooper u joint and welded the spline form the ford onto it so i had the stock shaft of the trooper i just had to cut it down some.

that's pretty much it. it wasn't that bad, I guess i had to build a mount for the pump as well as the resivour tank.

check out all the pics i took and if you have any questions I'll be happy to answer them.

http://community.webshots.com/album/570457277hlTLyB

Kevin

if you guys go and read the other power steering thread in this forum about hydraulics you will see a discussion about all the downsides of this type of hydraulic steering system (same as Joyner kit). the main one is that if anything goes wrong with the pump or lines or control box you are SCREWED cant turn. what Kinarfi and Lenny are trying to do here is a electric system that still works manually if something goes ary. I think that if these guys get a system going it would be the way to go for most folks that don't need an extreme system. i will try to get some pics of my hydraulic gear box system up soon for you to see.

Kevin

i am actually surprised at how little the engine is pulled down it doesn't even make the thing labor until it hit the end of the steering. i think the little pump is quite efficient.

Kevin

Wooooo! it works! it really works! finally got it all together and can dry steer with the tracks on the shop floor effortlessly. this could be a problem in the future so im going to look at lowering the pressure relief in the pump. i will do a more detailed build summary with some more pics for you guys soon.

Princess auto has wireless winch remotes on for sale right now $70 or so. I am considering grabbing one.