Tassies V6 ML

[tassie_ml]

I fitted my Ultimate suspension this morning. I did it on my own in about 3 and a half hours, I probably would have had it done quicker but the LR fuel tank made getting to the nut on the front bolt on the rear springs a tad hard (impossible) to get to. Long story short, after some cursing and nifty spanner work, it came out and its all done now. I had the struts pre-assembled and they were a breeze to install, about an hour at each front corner and the back was about an hour and a half.

heres a few pics, sorry for the amatuerish photo's, I will get some better ones tomorrow after I install the new bullbar







gained about 60mm at each corner so I am stoked

cheers

[perko]

Prettty

No doubt like like the rest of us you can't believe the change in handling

Well done getting it installed yourself, you must be one handy Tasweegan

[andyj]

Looks good Tassie now to get out and test it..

[tassie_ml]

thanks Perko and Andy. I have always done as much work on my 4x4's as I can, it gives you a greater awareness of how things work (and break) plus saves some coin in the process

After I get the bullbar on today it will get a wheel alignent and then I can get it dirty

[Homer]

Well done mate! I bet she handles better now

I agree about DIY really helping understand what's down there and how it all works....just my laziness outweighs the need to know sometimes

[Joe]

Looking good tassie . Waiting for pics of bar install now

[tassie_ml]

I got the bullbar on today, took just as long as the suspension took

fitting the bar was the easy part, it was all the ginning around wiring the parkers, blinkers, refitting the aerials and inner mudguards, but its all done now and looks the part. The blinkers and parkers are LED's, which I didnt realise until I was checking my wiring, nice surprise

Still have the spotlights to put back on and work out something with the windscreen washer bottle, might make a trip to supercrap tomorrow and see what they have.

I am very happy with how it turned out and she drives like a dream now, still has to have the wheel alignment tomorrow and that will make it steer a bit better

some gratuious pics for you









and some might remember a while ago I was trying to sort out my mobile phone issues. I ended up re-commissioning an old Nokia I had in a draw and threw in a prepaid Telstra card. Picked up a new Nokia cradle from fleabay for $15 delivered and whacked it all in with an external aerial. Works a treat and now i have some phone comms in the bush, you dont have to go far out of Hobart into the scrub before you have next to no phone reception without an aeria

this one stays in the car and I use my other mobile for day to day use

[Kegsy]

She's looking good now

Great idea with the dummy phone as well. Been thinking how I can set something up with my phone, but this may be a whole lot easier. Just like the older car phones

[tassie_ml]

The car phone is just for emergencies or when my Optus mobile is out of range. Theres only $60 of credit on it and I have 12 months to use it, so its a cheap way to get the best coverage without being tied to dirty Telstra on a plan for 2 years

[stefanos]

Looking good Mark!!................and your next mod is.......tires I think

[salt36]

Nice job on the install mate

Looking for an adventure now, I bet

[tassie_ml]

thanks Craig, yes I need to get it dirty.....

Yes Stefanos, the main things left now are some 265/75/16's and a winch....have to start saving again now

[tassie_ml]

I had a little job left over from the bullbar install a few weeks ago and thats fitting a replacement windscreen washer bottle.

The factory one wouldnt fit anymore, hangs too low under the bullbar wing, I had seen this problem on here before. Some guys plastic welded the original bottle but I wasnt confident that I could do that

So I went out to supercrap auto and picked up a universal bottle with pump and wiring for $16.



I had a roll around under the front trying to find somewhere to bolt it up, couldnt find anywhere suitable. Then had a look in the engine bay and its full too so I had to look elsewhere.

I found a good spot between the radiator and grill. There's an upright in the middle where one of the horns is bolted and there's even a spare bolt hole above it in just the right spot.



so I bolted it in there, wired and plumbed it into the existing plug and tubing and bobs ya uncle.





I had a thought that it might affect the air flow to the radiators, but it sits right behind the solid plastic bit between the grills so it shouldnt cause any issues with air flow...you cant even see it in the pic below



it will be easy to fill as well. The top is just below the bonnet catch and I can get my finger in there to open and close the cap no probs



now I can wash my windscreen again, not that it ever gets muddy

cheers

[salt36]

Well done mate, thats a brilliant solution for the bottle

[tassie_ml]

thanks Craig, so simple its like it was meant to be there

[Homer]

Has me going out for a look at my colostomy bag

Good find mate!!!!

[tassie_ml]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

very good Homer

[Joe]

Good job that tas .

I wish I had thought of that before I spent hours plastic welding the genuine one

[tassie_ml]

out of curiosity, how did you incorporate the electric motor when you shorten the factory bottle, thats what I couldnt work out

[CYI-FLY]

Nice work tas. Looking good

[reeldreamer]

Thanks for the pictures of the washer bottle! I saw these at SCA and I was wondering where I could mount it! I know another member mounted it behind the factory battery tray but if you have duals it's not an option. I will be doing the same mod very soon. I just need to find the time to make the wing infills to cover the whole that is there when the wings are removed!

Great job!

[tassie_ml]

yeah reeldreamer, I have dual batts so I couldnt put it behind the starter battery.

my bullbar doesnt have the wings under the bar, I have to fab something up at some stage, but I am not too worried about it at the moment. When I cut the inner mudguard, I had to drill a small hole in the bullbar return and used a small 6mm bolt with a large washer to secure the inner guard to the bar wing. Seems to be working so far.....

[craig1]

Nice looking rig, I am just wondering what your fuel economy is like now it's all finished.

[tassie_ml]

if you can beleive the 'puter (which has proven itself to be fairly accurate), I am still using around the 13.5l/100klm around town which I am stoked with

I havent had it on a long trip yet with the suspension and front bar on but I reckon it should still get around 11l/100klm on the highway.

btw, the ultimate suspension is settling in very nice. I noticed an immediate improvement when i first fitted it, but its been a few weeks now and it has settled and become even nicer to drive.....much smoother and doesnt crash over driveways, potholes and small children playing on the road etc

[Homer]

Just out of curiosity mate, would it interfere with a winch?