outback_ute

I don't think you should make the back of the side skirt so low - I can see there is already the piece across the back, but on the corner will be affected if you go across a gutter etc diagonally. A suggestion though would be to get the side skirt pieces to fit behind the cab, it would make it look more integrated.

FordUtePower

The height of the back on the side as u see on the photo wont be lower than the stock styleside ute so there wont be problems regarding height.
I will take your suggestion on board and cut some plastic and fit it behind the cab so it follows the piece that is at the back and see what it looks like..........Sounds like a good idea so we will see what happens cheers

utemad

Talk About low mine scraped a manhole in the middle of the road .. That has to be considered low.. I have included a few pics of it at work for all those who dont want to work theres to look at... Will have to get the poly bags in asap as its way to low to drive around even though its still handling quite well






Fordutepower your incab hoses do they run exposed through the interior down through the floor of the cab or out through the back wall of the cab? Are they easily snagged if you put stuff in behind the seats all the time? Any chance of a close up of how its mounted and where the hoses go cause polyair aint to keen on doing the incab part so figuring i will do it myself first and get them to put the bags in and connect it..

cheers utemad

utemad

Hows your tray mods coming along? Saw one the same as mine but xr6 with an alloy tray on the other day so i thought its a good photo opportunity to see what that would look like





This is a 2400 long tray and costs about $2500 plus 450 for rear rack ..

Cheers utemad

utemad

Hi fordutepower

Went direct to polyair this week... Bought there first Remote kit that was destined for the boss's ute..
No need to run any wires or hoses into the cab at all.. Cost approx 400 bucks more than the incab guage version but i think it will be worth it as i can adjust it from inside or outside the ute and it self monitors the pressure to maintain what i set it at.. supposedly i can pump each side independantly.. The incab unit aint that big either so i can leave it in the little storage hole at the back of the console...

Gets fitted tuesday so willl let you know how it goes


This is with stock suspension and 340kg of rubbish went down 60mm


cheers utemad

FordUtePower

Yes it looks low when you got the 300 kg weight on it lol.......
With the air bags ANY weight you put on you will have the ute look like it has NO LOAD on whatsoever.

When it comes to low clearance especially going up steep driveways the lowest part seems to be the exhaust so all the mods i will do to my tray on the side i will have to make sure i dont go below the exhaust.
Fitting the air bags will propably lift the back maybe just under an inch as you must have about minnimum 5ib of pressure in the bags at all times
What i usualy do is when i have no weight at the back i take ALL the air out of the bags and since the kit contains an auto udjust mechanism as soon as the ignition goes on it will pump about 5 ib to the bags

utemad

Heres a pic of the remote for the bags
This means you can do it from out side the ute while watching to get an even level if you wanted or avoid mounting it anywhere.. Comes with a removable visor mount




Cheers utemad

utemad

Got the ute back today... All fitted with wireless control air suspension.. Sounds impressive looks the same Lol

cheers utemad

snappy

I just want take that back now 18months later i have rust lots of it.

utemad

Bummer mate!!
thats my fear with a steel tray .. i live 500m from the coast and wonder whether i am being to risky in getting steel.. all the trucks around home are mostly obieco and dont look too bad council etc but they tend to not knock the outsides around too much.. how close to the ocean are you?

cheers utemad

smacxr8

Hi there guys, im new here, have read through a lot of posts here, sounds like everyones really helpful.
I currently have a BA XLS V8 with alloy tray, and before that i had an AU XL V8 with alloy tray also. I will be trading in my BA in the next couple of months and would love to get the FG XR8 and i want to put a custom alloy tray on it which i will be building most of myself and a guy whos house i am renovating at the moment is a steel fabricator/engineer. Up until a couple of moths ago we had a BA XR8 sedan for 5 years, i absolutely loved it, and it was really sad to see it go, which is why i would love to get the xr8 ute but im really worried about the constant 400 to 500kg of tools etc i would carry in it. How do you guys think that would go? Sound like the airbags might be a good option, or would adding an extra leaf be the go, or would that make the ride to hard?
Here is a photoshop mock up i did but i changed a sedan to a ute because i couldnt find a good pick of a black ute, until i saw the ones on this thread, which look awesome i must say. [IMG][/IMG]

utemad

Looks pretty mean

The prob with a good tray is getting someone to build it !!!
If you have that sorted then your on your way.
Mine is still running round with the tub on for the moment.. 400kg of tools is what mine has in front of it for the life i have it for plus all the extras and timber and rubbish runs.. Once the tray goes on 2 boxes will stay on full time..
Yes it will carry the weight cause its the same chassis as the 1 tonne ute .. the weakness is the wheels and tyres and crappy springs..Springs cave at 300kg stock this i checked with weigh bridge docket and bumper on the ground

If you never want to run unloaded chuck in 1 or 2 extra leaves its way cheaper and pretty effective.. if you want to run empty too then bags are good..

I have run 2 coon tonners with xls suspension with twin extra leaves and they did the 400-500kg constant and past the tonnes without dropping more than 50 mm in height .. this is set approx 25mm higher than xls cause i hate the bum lower look

New FG runs remote bags like Fordutepower .... these give a good slightly firmer empty ride too..

You'll have to post tray pics when you start although mine will prob be on by then


cheers utemad

utemad

A quick add... if you have a BA xls with stock suspension it will do the same as that cause the rear is the same stuff

cheers utemad

smacxr8

thanks UTEMAD, My XLS also has those extra leaves which obviously handles like crap when empty, but handles fine when i have my boxes on it. So do you think somewhere between standard xr springs and the springs that are one the xls would be ok. I would have around that 500kg 95% of the time and occassionaly an extra few hundred. have you got 19's or 18's if you did end up loading it up to closer to the tonne, could 19's handle it? Im also worried about the insurance side of things but im assuming if it isnt technically a 1 tonner then it shouldnt matter, what do u think?

Orbit

It's no problem to get and engineer to up the specs for weight capacity if you put the extra leaves in and have appropriate rims and wheels.

__________________
Orbits secret to life: Eat less, move more!

bfiipursuit

I still cannot workout why Ford wont build the XR6 T and XR8 with the cab chassis option.. I can see why they would not want to run the 1 tonne suspension option due to the power these things have, but atleast give tradies the option to put on a tray without having to remove the tub and dispose of it (plus the difference in cost between the cab chassis and style side = Tray).

utemad

The prob with springs is .. If you want to run a low height like a touch above stock xr but with 400kg in it and not rise up real high when empty your stuck with adding 2 leaves.. 1 extra would hold and ride better but would travel further meaning it will sit higher when empty and lower when over loaded..
i have 18's and wouldn't risk 19's although fordutepower has 19's and is getting away with it.. As for legals it aint a tonner and in NSW you can engineer all you want they wont lift the gvm once its been first registered .. i looked into it for a patrol ute and the only hope was to have it engineered pre first rego but even then its ifffy.. it aint hard to overload an xr ute especially if there is someone in each seat.. a tool box dog and a passenger sees you overloaded... Best not to worry about it or you'll go mad..
Fuel economy is shocking with weight in it too... the v8 is grunty but sucks like a pig if you expect it to pull anything over an empty ute.. I gather your used to shotty fuel consumption already though ..i got 560 on the hwy dead empty but could easily see 300 for a tank if expecting it to work hard.. getting 380 round town with 1 toolbox and tub on so say 250kg load max

If you spring for the remote bag setup you can have the best of both worlds just at a price tag .... Looks trick though when they load you up at the timber yard and laugh when its butt hits the floor then you flick the switch and it goes back up again like its empty...

cheers utemad

utemad

Gees she'd be insane with a 1 tonne leaf pack in the rear.. I'd still be down there to get one even if just for the gvm rating then mod it back the way i got it now anyway.. The tub saving would be good but have you seen what ford charges for the tub.. it wont even pay for the crapest tray... no wonder when you see how crap the tub is.. Total discrace the panels move in the breese and are only held in place by braces back up to the half missing floor..
Shotty compared to a dunny door ute.. It is insane though about having to buy the tub and how many tradies chuck the tub just to get and 8 or turbo.. Ford just dont want there more upmarket xr's being tonners for some reason cause if the 500kg xls is fine with them why not an xr

They aint gunna change they wouldn't do it in 99 and they wouldn't do it in 08 so they are definately stuck in there ways

cheers utemad

outback_ute

Only "progress" is they did bring out the XR6 as a tray... not quite the same though

utemad

Its a start but also a reason i like the 8.. Atleast it doesn't look the same as the stock xr6 with its bonnet bulge.. Then again after only 2000k and someone already trying to make it theres and not mine i think no bonnet bulge and debadged might have been wiser..Was considering debadging mine but i spose any idiot can tell by the bonnet

Merry xmas Utemad

outback_ute

Really? That's no good, at least they didn't get it. Did they try & break in or steal the keys?

utemad

I dunno what they were planning... thankfully i cant see any damage to the ute.. Its weird cause the tool they made was definately made prior cause too neat... There plan was to pop the bonnet first as for whether they wanted to disable and gain entry this way or steal something from the engine bay i don't know... I know park in another carpark and leave armrest and console open so they can see what they'll be stealing first...

Merry xmas Utemad

4 WORK & PLAY

Gday fordutepower,

Nice ride! I tempted with the idea of trading in for an FG but decided to keep the BA for now.

I'm interested to know where and how your incab hoses are running! I'm about to attempt putting a gauge in myself, if you have any tips that might save me time and heart ache i'd really appreciate it.

Cheers

Sean

utemad

What are you running? bags .. air shocks?
What are you after achieving? just a guage or be able to inflate and deflate in cab like both of ours?

cheers utemad