1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

The "General"

Discussion in 'Subaru Sambar' started by Ohkei Dohkei, Jun 11, 2019.

  1. mrimpala02

    mrimpala02 New Member

    Hi There!

    Great thread! I just bought a '91 Sambar and I looking to start getting it ready for the hunting season. I love what you have done so far.

    Where did you get the winch plate from? Do you have any specs on it? I really want to follow your lead on that one.
     
  2. Ohkei Dohkei

    Ohkei Dohkei Active Member

    Thanks. I just used some 1/8" steel plate that was laying around and cut it to fit. If I were to have to do it by choice, I'd go 3/16" as the 1/8 flexes a little more than I'd prefer. the other option would be to put a bend in it to strengthen it.
     
    cop on my back likes this.
  3. mrimpala02

    mrimpala02 New Member

    Ok, makes sense. Thanks for the info.
     
  4. Limestone

    Limestone Well-Known Member

    I know when I do mine, I'll try to salvage what I have lying around, instead of wrestling with a bend or some kind of crease, or reinforcement for strength, I'd rather go to a heavier plate! If weight is a problem, I would consider, heavier aluminum, but sometimes that creates an application problem with welding, or mating up two dissimilar metals, and a lot of times, resorting to bolts! I'll know better when I get into it, in the near future! Just some thoughts!
    Limestone
     
  5. Ohkei Dohkei

    Ohkei Dohkei Active Member

    Yeah, you could also weld the equivalent of a "bend" which is what I probably should do.
     
  6. Limestone

    Limestone Well-Known Member

    Yeah, that's the fun of it, as we try to keep improving, and making it better, LEARNING A LOT FROM EACH OTHER!:)
    Limestone
     
  7. Jigs-n-fixtures

    Jigs-n-fixtures Well-Known Member

    If I had seen this before I built my bumper, I would have probably have done something similar. The thing I would have done different would have been a better utilization of the towing hook mount points as part of the support.
     
  8. Ohkei Dohkei

    Ohkei Dohkei Active Member

    Whole different setup on a Daihatsu vs. a Sambar. I can't see anything that beefy being more than "show" on a Sambar. I'd rather dent the front than bend the frame. My $0.02
     
  9. Ohkei Dohkei

    Ohkei Dohkei Active Member

    They see me mulch-in... They Hate-in.. 1-1/2 yds of mulch is about all it can handle by volume. Weight was pretty close too.
     

    Attached Files:

  10. Limestone

    Limestone Well-Known Member

    When I do finally get to my front end, I think I'll try to keep it simple, and as easy as possible. I say this and then I find myself, heading down that other road! With these little trucks I'm always thinking about the weight issues and not to over do it! I love the look of that larger, stylish bumper, but practicality, always takes over with me! My main concern, with the bumper in mind, will be the snow plow set up. Even though we didn't have to plow once last winter! (Very unusual)! With that in mind, I like the 2 inch receiver idea, so you can drop the plow when not needed! Above the receiver, I'd like to keep, a winch, centered, so it's there when needed! That small amount of weight would stay on, all the time. I do like the simplicity of the bumper you installed, on yours, Ohkei! You left yourself with a lot of options like we talked about in the past! Jig's when you say you would have done a different job with the towing, mount, hook points! Educate me some more. What are you thinking? Are you talking about the location of the two silver clevis, that are on each side of the winch? Or where he mounted the too? Possibly, a stronger location, at the frame? I'm assuming! (I do agree!) It would be just as easy to extend the front part of the frame, to mount everything to, for strength! He was right, though, he did get a heck of a deal on everything! More good info!
    Limestone
     
  11. Adam Wheeler

    Adam Wheeler Active Member

    @11:06 into this video of his, you can see an example of a heavy duty bumper put on a sambar van with a 5" lift.

     
  12. Limestone

    Limestone Well-Known Member

    Yeah he did a real nice job, hard to believe he went with a 5" lift!
     
  13. Ohkei Dohkei

    Ohkei Dohkei Active Member

    Yeah, It looks nice, but I'm telling you, the frame up front is like 1-1/4" pipe. In fact the Sambar uses the frame as the air intake on the passenger side. If that guy just bumps a tree, that bumper will just send the pain right to the frame, or if he winches just a little too vertical.. Unless he designed it to break off.
     
    Limestone likes this.
  14. Jigs-n-fixtures

    Jigs-n-fixtures Well-Known Member

    I guess it depends on whether you want your feet to survive or are more concerned with not bending the truck frame. I’ve had to dig people out of old Volkswagen Beatles, and Vans, after front end impacts. Invariably the ones from the pre five mile an hour bumper mandate, had crushed feet. Our mini trucks aren’t any stronger in the front end than those old Volkswagens were.

    When I said I was disappointed in How MotoCheez mounted his bumper, his solution was to bolt a piece of what looks like 0.80 by 1.5-inch angle into the thin sheet metal front of the truck, with four bolts. He hits anything solid with any speed, and it will crumple right onto his feet.

    Then after he put all the load on the really thin sheet metal, he tacked some spindly little angle iron onto the towing brackets, which mount to the front of the frame.

    When I built my bumper, I utilized those frame mounting points out at the ends, and ran a piece of 2-1/2-inch 0.10 wall square tubing Form the middle back to the swivel point on the frame for the steering, and secured it with rivnuts. I’m connected to the three most solid points on the front of the truck, as securely as I can be.

    And, yep If I hit something solid at any speed the truck may be totaled. But, I have increased the probability of my walking away, substantially. I can find another truck. I’m really attached to the feet I have, and hope to keep them in good enough shape to walk on for the rest of my life.

    I thought about the Jeep Bumper briefly, but decided that, since I have a lift-picker/dump bed, I really wanted mounting points on all four corners of the truck for outriggers.

    Which, since I mounted my winch on a receiver plate, also gives me six possible winch mounting points. Which has been really helpful, when yarding things up mountain sides, to get them to the road and the truck.

    I put a bolt on receiver plate on the bottom of the tool box, and the winch lives there, out of the weather, when it isn’t mounted to one of the bumpers.

    I have one of the BlackLine, electro-hydraulic plows, and the thing is heavy enough, I have to add 400-lbs of sand bags in the bed to balance the load on the axles, back to the fifty-fifty weight distribution, I have when the plow isn’t mounted. If, I had gone with a winch mount bumper, that would have pushed the plow further forward, and required more sand in the bed to balance the axle loads.

    If your thinking of mounting one of the winch operated plows, designed for ATVs, you might rethink that. Those plows can’t generate any down pressure, and just skitter across the top of any hard snow, making it really hard to actually get the driveway clean if someone drives on it before you get a chance to plow it.
     
  15. Limestone

    Limestone Well-Known Member

    Jig's,
    Thanks for explaining! I agree with you wholeheartedly! That's pretty much what I thought, and was thinking! We do think alike. I'm the same way, I can't just glue something on the front end, I have to work off something solid, especially something like a bumper/plow set up! I remember not to long ago, someone was questioning us on how and where to attache a rear bumper mount to! I know when I mounted my home fabricated bumper to the rear, I worked off both rear frame rails! To me and you, it's common sense! With the plow, no I'm not gonna go with a light duty winch mounted plow's! I looked at them, but I think their more for the hobbyist guys, who don't have a lot of experience with that! I have a friend who has a 6 ft. plow, almost new, off of a side by side utv, that was wrecked, and he doesn't need it any more, so were in the process of working something out for it! The winch, would be a separate entity in itself. I am still thinking about the outriggers! You got me thinking about that a while back! Another good point! I can't be one of those guy's that just runs out and does things, I'm more of a planner! I won't use it, until it's ready! That's why she's still in the shop! I've seen too many guy's improperly rig stuff, that's not me! It ain't happenin! I like my leg's too! Thanks Again!
    Limestone
     
  16. mrimpala02

    mrimpala02 New Member


    Hello, I'm new to the Sambar/minitruck world. I just did a lift kit and have too much positive camber. I downloaded the manual as you suggested, but I only see camber specs not how to actually adjust. Can you point me in the right direction?

    Where did you out the shorter spacers for the shocks? What did you use as spacers?

    Thanks!
     
  17. banzairx7

    banzairx7 Active Member

    The lift kits you can buy throw the camber way out of whack and there is no way to adjust it. I installed the michigan mini truck shock spacers but then dropped my subframe 2" to keep everything in check.
     
  18. mrimpala02

    mrimpala02 New Member

    Any links to the shock spacer? I did not see it ok their site. What did you use to lower your subframe?
     
  19. Limestone

    Limestone Well-Known Member

    banz,
    Forgive me as my memory elapses me. Wasn't it you that did a great job posting pics on the forum, re working the struts, at the bottom mounts to re work, and adjust the camber?
    Limestone
     
  20. Ohkei Dohkei

    Ohkei Dohkei Active Member

    I just used some 1/8" x 1" steel and drilled holes the correct distance apart and then spot welded the steel to the shock mount to keep it straight.
     
  21. Limestone

    Limestone Well-Known Member

    Didn't you post some great pics on that!
     
  22. ShawnC

    ShawnC Member

    Hey guys, while searching the site for camber issues I ran across this post about the gun grabber and being a hunter I am always looking for ideas. The gun grabber seems like a good idea. I ended up getting the Kolpin double gun bed mount made for Polaris along with the gun boots. I ordered two heavy duty 6"x8" brackets designed for mounting granite countertops to mount the bed mounts to so I can still lower or remove the bed side rails. The boots will totally protect your rifle/shotgun from rain/dirt. The L brackets just arrived so will post pics when all installed.

    With that said, still need help with camber issues on 2 inch lift I just installed. CV joints are binding in reverse as well.
     
    Ohkei Dohkei likes this.
  23. Limestone

    Limestone Well-Known Member

    Shawn,
    We've been using the Kolpin, interior padded, hard plastic, Gun Boots, made for Polaris, for a long time now, on our 4-wheeler Quads! I like them, because were in all kinds off weather hunting in PA.! I plan on mounting a couple on the Mini eventually, when I finish getting her completely rigged up! Do you have a negative or positive Camber? So if our wheels, tires, are supposed to be parallel, and the bottoms are a wider, or more longer measurement than the top, than this is a negative camber, and if the top measurement is longer, then this is a positive camber! I know when I finally get around to adjusting mine, which has a slight positive camber, where the tops are kinda leaning outward, I will do whatever I have to to fix it! If specialized Camber Bolts, which are oblong don't do it, then I will cut, and weld, and or fabricate, whatever I need to, to fix it! It's the same way that they do it on a custom, made car, and race cars! You have to do a little thinking outside the box, with these things. If there is no factory adjustment provided, which, I don't see that there is! Sometimes you just have to go for it!
    Limestone
     
  24. ShawnC

    ShawnC Member

    Its a positive camber. I adjusted the lift as far as it would go and still have the issues. Going to do the alignment and try the specialized camber bolts and see what happens. I was hoping with the 2 inch lift I wouldn't have an issue, it seems some trucks do and some don't, no rhyme or reason.
     
  25. Limestone

    Limestone Well-Known Member

    Shawn,
    I have the same problem! Mine isn't an every day driver, and when I get into the seat, some of it disappears, as I'm close to 200 lbs. Naturally not enough to make it correct, or right! That's why I will fix mine when I get a minute or two! If mine were an everyday driver, and I drove it on the freeway at higher speeds, I wouldn't be using it or driving it, without wearing out the tires! I didn't see in your profile if yours is an everyday driver or not!
    Limestone
     
  26. ShawnC

    ShawnC Member

    Limestone, mine is not an everyday driver, strictly a hunting truck and used to drive around the very small town I hunt in. The hunting property is about 8-10 miles from camp so that is most of the hard road driving. It definitely will not get a lot of miles put on it but it will get driven a couple times each month.
     
  27. Limestone

    Limestone Well-Known Member

    Exactly! Now I understand your situation! If you put it in your profile, under signature, it will help others too! So were in the same boat! I bet you get to yours before I get to mine. It really won't be that bad, once we jump in, and evaluate, and do it! I plan on taking pics, and posting it when I do get to it, hopefully this Winter in the shop! I'm hoping you'll do the same!
    Limestone
     
  28. ShawnC

    ShawnC Member

    I will do that, thanks
     
    Limestone likes this.
  29. Ohkei Dohkei

    Ohkei Dohkei Active Member

    I didn't have any issues with binding on a 2" lift, but I do have some camber issues, although 85% of my use is off road. It would be nice to find some offset ball joints for one of these. The thing I like best about the gun grabber is that it is completely out of the way when the gun is out of it.
     
  30. Limestone

    Limestone Well-Known Member

    The Gun Grabber is a great idea! I truly love it! Place it in the right spot out of the way, yet easy access when needed!
     

Share This Page