Keep or change suspension on 2018 Mazda BT50 XTR 4x4 dual cab?
- Thread starter paulblue
- Start date
Noel Preston
Well-Known Member
My 2011 model airbox was sealed, stalled the engine when I placed my hand over the snorkel tube. My 2018 model continued to idle as normal when i did the same thing and I installed and sealed the snorkel. I read on the BT50 group on Facebook regarding sealing the airbox and I sealed it. Hand over the snorkel, ran rough and sucked the snorkel body inwards and sucked the airbox lid down, I then removed my hand. Maybe the seal is something deleted on later models, I don't know. Seems odd that there is a groove around the outer edge of the lid which corresponds with the base of the airbox and there is nothing to seal it.
Marck
Well-Known Member
Last year when we did the cape on the telegraph track one thing I noticed where the 2 things that make the track easy for others where 1. A rear locker. Most that had a locker rarely needed to winch. 2. Is clearance. My little Suzuki with its woeful clearance when it’s so heavily loaded (should have put an airbags in it also) and limited wheel travel due to fully independent suspension I spent quite a bit of time on my bash plates winching out of ruts made by vehicles that could touch the ground I was like a kid on a kitchen stool my feet just wouldn’t reach the ground.
If I had a locker I would have winched a lot less than I did because it would have given me the little extra traction I needed to get through.
If I was to set my vehicle up again I would have gone for a taller skinnier tyres right to the limit of leagle increase. And I would have modified my suspension for articulation and not straight out lift. Because in an independent suspension vehicle suspension lift is not really lift when you are on more serious tracks all it dose is changes where the car sits in it’s available articulation.
My advice is much like what has been said above. Figure out what your added weights will be when travelling. Take into account what’s in the tray and on the roof and in the cabin. How much beer you will want to carry and what the weight of food will be. What accessories you want bars winches racks and such write it all down.
Have a good think about how much day to day comfort and usability you are willing to sacrifice for added ability when you are off the beaten track. And write that down
Also think about how many thousands of km of corragations you will drive over how much time you will be on harder tracks and how many km you will spend on dirt and bitumen and how important ability in each of those situations is to you and write that all down.
Think of a number of $$ you are wanting to spend on your suspension / tyre upgrade. And write it down.
And then go find a couple of really really good suspension shops. I don’t mean arb or opisit lock but a proper engineering shop. Give them those couple of lists and get their advice. I would go as far as paying a couple of bucks for their time to work on it for you. Good advise is rarely free.
I didn’t do any of this I went and bought a full kit off the shelf. It was ok but for a few more $$ it could have been fantastic . Because I didn’t know that I could have got custom control arms that would have provided 30 mm more articulation. Or rear shocks that would have done close to the same. Both from overseas but still available.
M
If I had a locker I would have winched a lot less than I did because it would have given me the little extra traction I needed to get through.
If I was to set my vehicle up again I would have gone for a taller skinnier tyres right to the limit of leagle increase. And I would have modified my suspension for articulation and not straight out lift. Because in an independent suspension vehicle suspension lift is not really lift when you are on more serious tracks all it dose is changes where the car sits in it’s available articulation.
My advice is much like what has been said above. Figure out what your added weights will be when travelling. Take into account what’s in the tray and on the roof and in the cabin. How much beer you will want to carry and what the weight of food will be. What accessories you want bars winches racks and such write it all down.
Have a good think about how much day to day comfort and usability you are willing to sacrifice for added ability when you are off the beaten track. And write that down
Also think about how many thousands of km of corragations you will drive over how much time you will be on harder tracks and how many km you will spend on dirt and bitumen and how important ability in each of those situations is to you and write that all down.
Think of a number of $$ you are wanting to spend on your suspension / tyre upgrade. And write it down.
And then go find a couple of really really good suspension shops. I don’t mean arb or opisit lock but a proper engineering shop. Give them those couple of lists and get their advice. I would go as far as paying a couple of bucks for their time to work on it for you. Good advise is rarely free.
I didn’t do any of this I went and bought a full kit off the shelf. It was ok but for a few more $$ it could have been fantastic . Because I didn’t know that I could have got custom control arms that would have provided 30 mm more articulation. Or rear shocks that would have done close to the same. Both from overseas but still available.
M
Spooner
Well-Known Member
I dunno either mate , I'm not part of the Face Ache set so no idea if what they say or care if it works .
It's not a submarine lol , personally I don't get off on water crossings at all , just do them because I have to.
All I was commenting on was that my air filter has always ended up bone dry after a good dunking.
And I haven't added any extra protection via Face Poop recommendations
Les PK Ranger
4x4 Earth Contributer
What I was getting at @Spooner is you can do a crossing like your pic, and not all your engine bay will, or should, get saturated.
People use a water bra also to prevent ingress (never have seen one in the flesh or feel the need to get one), which will happen slowly anyway, but best to not get water literally filling your engine bay.
You were pushing a good berm of water out front there, looked like only up to possibly half the door at most ?
Always looks like more though from inside
I've done fairly still water crossings up to headlights, couple of hundred metres, and after going through popped the bonnet and was surprised how dry it was under there.
People use a water bra also to prevent ingress (never have seen one in the flesh or feel the need to get one), which will happen slowly anyway, but best to not get water literally filling your engine bay.
You were pushing a good berm of water out front there, looked like only up to possibly half the door at most ?
Always looks like more though from inside
I've done fairly still water crossings up to headlights, couple of hundred metres, and after going through popped the bonnet and was surprised how dry it was under there.
Spooner
Well-Known Member
Good on ya mate, well done you , thumbs up , I'll leave it to the Pro's like you before I comment againWhat I was getting at @Spooner is you can do a crossing like your pic, and not all your engine bay will, or should, get saturated.
People use a water bra also to prevent ingress (never have seen one in the flesh or feel the need to get one), which will happen slowly anyway, but best to not get water literally filling your engine bay.
You were pushing a good berm of water out front there, looked like only up to possibly half the door at most ?
Always looks like more though from inside
I've done fairly still water crossings up to headlights, couple of hundred metres, and after going through popped the bonnet and was surprised how dry it was under there.
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Les PK Ranger
4x4 Earth Contributer
Good on ya mate, well done you , thumbs up , I'll leave it to the Pro's like you before I comment again
Onya mate, so you take that as me pushing something onto you that looks bad ?
I won't bother you again.
Too many sensitive people it seems sometimes.
Fook forums too, I though Faceache was bad, why I bailed on that pretty quick.
Spooner
Well-Known Member
Nah Les,
I just find it funny that the OP was talking about his suspension and its morphed in to turning it into a submarine , my box is tighter than yours ,lol
Thats for women to worry about