Barto's Ultimate Adventure Wagon Build-up (Update may 18)

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SynthDesign
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My tercel:: The General, 85 SR5 w/ Sunroof,Olive Drab paint, Black Interior, custom steel bumpers, Barto BC lift, 1.67L BUILT 3AC w/ Weber Carb. 346,000 miles and counting since restoration
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Re: Barto's Ultimate Adventure Wagon Build-up (Update may 18)

Post by SynthDesign »

My springs were black. I hit them with Krylon BBQ black and nothin has chipped so far, front or rear. Those green ones look like Suspension Technique's color. Very Turner like!

I've put almost 100 miles of street driving on my Barto BC lift and have been pretty happy. I'm still wanting to stiffen up the rear with a sway bar. The front could do with a touch firmer sway bar as well. I do get a bit more brake dive than I'd like too. Firmer dampened strut inserts would possibly help, but the road feel is totally there and I don't wanna lose that. I guess it's part of having a lifted vehicle. Factory sunroof could make a difference too.

@Barto,
How much does your roof rack with spare tire weigh?
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SynthDesign
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My tercel:: The General, 85 SR5 w/ Sunroof,Olive Drab paint, Black Interior, custom steel bumpers, Barto BC lift, 1.67L BUILT 3AC w/ Weber Carb. 346,000 miles and counting since restoration
Location: Seattle WA
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Re: Barto's Ultimate Adventure Wagon Build-up (Update may 18)

Post by SynthDesign »

In regard to load capacity of the Nissan springs;
I just put a Toyota 1ZZ-FE in th e back and drove 30 miles to get it home. The engine weighs about 340lbs and placed directly over the rear axle.

Sag was ruffly a 1/2 in. No change in ride characteristics. Seriously, nothing felt different. 300lbs of bagged concrete in the stock setup and I could barely turn.

I'm pretty impressed. I bet I can pack 800lbs of people and gear in back and not have any major ride issues. Again, nicely researched and now tested upgrades by Barto! :D
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2005 Toyota Sienna, work van
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864X4TERCEL
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Re: Barto's Ultimate Adventure Wagon Build-up (Update may 18)

Post by 864X4TERCEL »

SynthDesign wrote:In regard to load capacity of the Nissan springs;
I just put a Toyota 1ZZ-FE in th e back and drove 30 miles to get it home. The engine weighs about 340lbs and placed directly over the rear axle.

Sag was ruffly a 1/2 in. No change in ride characteristics. Seriously, nothing felt different. 300lbs of bagged concrete in the stock setup and I could barely turn.

I'm pretty impressed. I bet I can pack 800lbs of people and gear in back and not have any major ride issues. Again, nicely researched and now tested upgrades by Barto! :D
Just to throw this out there my car (gtscoups old car) has hauld 1000 lbs of click flooring from langford wallmart to the far reaches of gordon head, DOWN THE HYWAY!. But I did notice a little sag in the rear( about one 1-1.5 inches drop. The ride was still acceptible, BUT.....the clutch...the brakes....and the wheel bearings have never relly been quite the same, lol. They will haule a good loade just mabey not everyday.
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Re: Barto's Ultimate Adventure Wagon Build-up (Update may 18

Post by Krunk »

Still none has posted how much of the pathfinder springs to cut. I want a 2.5-3" lift in the rear. Thanks!
Last edited by Krunk on Fri Oct 22, 2010 4:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I told my wife the other day "Men will always buy a car/truck, spend more money on it then its worth(loving every minute of it) and then sell it for less then they spent on it, ITS WHAT WE DO!" There is nothing you can do.
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Barto
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Re: Barto's Ultimate Adventure Wagon Build-up (Update may 18

Post by Barto »

it all depends how sacked the pathfinder springs are i say get them put them in measure, then if not happy start cutting. they go in so easy that it would be a shame if you just started cutting and then put them in and were unhappy with the result. my 0.2$
2001 Subaru Forester 2.5
Krunk
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Re: Barto's Ultimate Adventure Wagon Build-up (Update may 18

Post by Krunk »

Barto, i noticed that you originally put 92 pathfinder 4 door springs in and later state that you have 87 pathfinder 2 door springs in...at least thats what it looks like to me, the 87 and 92 springs should be different seeing as how the 87 was a 2 door and the 92 was a 4 door. How does this affect ride heights in the rear?Oh I think I misunderstood you used the same pathfinder setup "from" your 87 terc not from an 87 pathfinder, so that answers my question and tells me only 1990 and up pathfinders have 4 doors and the springs I want. (Nissan only started making 4 door pathfinders in 1990). I checked to see if there where any 86 camry's at the local junk yard, there happens to be 4 of them so I am off to get those springs and hats soon, do they just fit in with no modification?
I told my wife the other day "Men will always buy a car/truck, spend more money on it then its worth(loving every minute of it) and then sell it for less then they spent on it, ITS WHAT WE DO!" There is nothing you can do.
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skyerunner
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Re: Barto's Ultimate Adventure Wagon Build-up (Update may 18

Post by skyerunner »

Yo Team
I did the rear lift in August before a road trip from Colorado to Cali to move all of my stored stuff (didn't want any ugly bottoming). I grabbed the springs off a 1990 Pathfinder. Super easy. Most of the time spent on this project was compressing and uncompressing the springs to get them out-in-out-and in... Replaced the shock bushings & washers top and bottom at the same time. The bottom ones were totally destroyed, but the top ones were fine and didn't really need replacing, so if anyone needs some...
DSC_0590sm.jpg
You can't really see from this picture but the old springs were so saggy that the wheel was even with the top of the side panel unloaded and recessed into the wheelwell by about two inches when loaded.
DSC_0592.jpg
Old jankey setup.
DSC_0595.jpg
Pathfinder spring on top, OEM spring on bottom. It's hard to tell, but the springs are exactly the same length uncompressed, but the Pathfinder spring has distinctly thicker gauge metal and a few more coils squeezed in there.
DSC_0596sm.jpg
New setup looking sweet!
This gives me approximately 2in of lift. I need to take pictures and get advice, but it appears that when I have it fully unloaded, the angle of the driveshaft to the rear axle is such that it rubs against the exhaust pipe. Not significantly, but enough to get me thinking twice. It was fantastic to have while driving fully loaded with a roofbox as I never bottomed out which had happened all the time before. As others have said, this is a project well worth undertaking.
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Krunk
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Re: Barto's Ultimate Adventure Wagon Build-up (Update may 18

Post by Krunk »

we should have a cali meet, I live in norther cali and have a 1 acre lot we could all park on before treking to a location ideal for wheelin!


Did I mention the mud bog and the rock piles?
I told my wife the other day "Men will always buy a car/truck, spend more money on it then its worth(loving every minute of it) and then sell it for less then they spent on it, ITS WHAT WE DO!" There is nothing you can do.
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Petros
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Re: Barto's Ultimate Adventure Wagon Build-up (Update may 18

Post by Petros »

looks like the pathfinder spring has 8.5 coils to the stock Tercel's 7.5. Same length? Interesting, the more coils the softer the spring, and the coil dia. is the same, material is the same (all steel has the same elastic modulus), so that means the extra stiffness comes from the larger wire dia. I have been meaning to measure and compare the wire dia with the ones I got.
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e2stew
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Re: Barto's Ultimate Adventure Wagon Build-up (Update may 18

Post by e2stew »

@ Barto and or anyone else that has done his or similar lift-
has the lift effected you fuel economy? If yes how much?

And any suggestions on rear shocks if the T-bird is hard to find? I did see somewhere in this thread or similar one about a stiffer with more travel aftermarket rear shock for a Tercel, but I cant find it again. I probably just overlooking it.
And is the a consensus on where the Camry coils will work with the Tercel strut, with out the extra lift spacer Barto made?

Here are my notes from the thread for a lift with out extra front spacers, let me know if I have anything wrong.
'90 pathfinder coils. 4door or 2door?
'80 t-bird rear shocks.
'86 camry coils and hats on stock tercel strut.

thanks
83 Tercel SR5 (with 4.10 gearing)
90 Suzuki DR250s
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Barto
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Re: Barto's Ultimate Adventure Wagon Build-up (Update may 18

Post by Barto »

Fuel economy is not somthing that i even think about when driving a 4cyl. I drive Hard and keep foot in it alot so my millage would not be a good base line

No you do not need to make spacers everything will work in the front without. why are you having trouble finding the t-bird shock? they are a generic monroe I will try to get you a part #
The reason fo the spacers in the front are to level it out I hate a raked look.

Good luck with your lift, you should be able to do it all in about 3 hours or so. :mrgreen:



On a side note my Tercel will be up forsale soon if anyone is interested. I have had a horrible couple of months first being assaulted with a beer bottle 2 days before my wedding leaving me unable to work for 2 months and 70+ stiches in my face for the ceromony :shock: And second getting hit head on by a drunk driver a week ago totaling my 4runner. Being self employed has left me screwed for lost wages and need to sell the tercel to survive!!!!!!

I know it sucks but life is life and keeping a roof over my wife's head is paramount right now.
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dlb
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Re: Barto's Ultimate Adventure Wagon Build-up (Update may 18

Post by dlb »

barto, either you are being punished for years of stuffing puppies into garbaraters in a previous life or you are due to win a massive lottery in the very near future. i'm sorry to hear about this further bullsh*t in your life, you have had an exceptionally rough run lately. i'm not in a position to buy your terc but if there's anything you need help with just call me.

i really hope you will be compensated fairly by ICBC and the driver who hit you. keep your head up.
SynthDesign
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Re: Barto's Ultimate Adventure Wagon Build-up (Update may 18

Post by SynthDesign »

Barto,
Also sorry to hear about your life circumstances. Congratulations on getting married. Hope the best for you and your wife in the future.

Again, many of us feel a closeness in this community and if there's anything we can do to help, let us know.

Best Wishes!
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Re: Barto's Ultimate Adventure Wagon Build-up (Update may 18

Post by deejay1272 »

Wow. I finally just spend the time to read through this entire thread. Many thanks to everyone for adding to this excellent writeup on the "Barto Lift." I think this is just the type of project that mostly all T4WD owners will find useful.

Given the length of this post, It seems like there is quite a bit of confusion on what exactly is required to pull this project together. As I understand, it will take the following:

FRONT:
Coil hats and coils from an '83 - '86 Camry 4cyl model.
New KYB shocks for the front (part #?)

REAR:
Rear coil from a 1990 Nissan Pathfinder
Rear shock from a 1980 Ford Thunderbird (Is there a new KYB shock with part # that fits?)
NOTE: T-bird bushing will have to be drilled out and replaced with the old T4WD bushing


I have to admit that I'm not all that clear on a few of these details so it may be a good idea to post a new topic called "Barto" lift or something and give it a sticky under Repair Guides.

...Just a suggestion.
Last edited by deejay1272 on Tue Nov 30, 2010 9:34 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Barto's Ultimate Adventure Wagon Build-up (Update may 18

Post by Rhett »

so i have done the lift with kyb shocks in the front and the stops have broken free so i see a small weld mark around the shaft of the shock on either side. otherwise everything is great.

i am to kind of intrested in others gas milage. my 86 sr5 with a webber gets 23 for ever and 17 or worse in 4wd in the snow :) i drive like a bat out of hell though. i usualy cruise the freeway at 85. thats the other thing how fast can your tercel go? mine can go 95 on flat ground floored with 92 octane gas.
....and yes i know im going to blow that little 3ac to hell and back. but it has 243000 miles on the stock engine. i want to put a 4ac in it if possible when i blow this one.

@deejay1272 instead of having to get that close with a drill i just sprayed it with spray silicone and hit it with a hammer and a 3/8 drive extension and a 1/2 in. one for the rubber. ps im mean to my crappy crapsmen tools
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