Budget Canter Build

[59DEN]

I'm looking forward to your build.
Perhaps you have seen this one, but if not here is an 'A' camper on the back of a Doublecab:
View attachment 208800

Cheers for the picture, it looks like it a West Aussie truck, going by the number plate.

The Avan looks like a neat fit for a dual cab or a shortie. Wouldn't have a big air brake either with the roof folded down.
If I were doing this I would probably modify the wheel wells on the Avan and add storage boxes in that space, but maybe that's just me...

We have not had a good look at it yet, but the plan is to remove all the suspension, drawbar, add detachable legs to lift it off the truck. Your right, it would not only give extra storage but it would also look more finished.

 

[59DEN]

This is my dream truck!

What super singles did you put on?

Not sure who made the rims, bought secondhand, they are stamped but a bit hard to read, they are 16 by 7 inch split rims with Michelin xzl tyres.

 

[Ruderacing]

They look like the std split rims?

 

[joshuakampa]

They look like the std split rims?

Can one just remove the inner wheels off the standard DRW set up and get decent tracking? There's lots of talk about super single replacement wheels and it seems that if this were the case, it would be much more common...

 

[whatcharterboat]

Can one just remove the inner wheels off the standard DRW set up and get decent tracking? There's lots of talk about super single replacement wheels and it seems that if this were the case, it would be much more common...

No. The track isn't ideal and the OEM wheel centres are not really strong enough especially with shape of the rear hubs (Canters pre-FG84). Serious offroad use with a truck heavy loaded and the centres flex out and spit between the stud holes and the centre hole. They are a bit too narrow for a decent tyre anyway and the 1750kg load rating of the OEM rim as a single wont come up to load rating of the rear axle. DoT issues with tyres aside, I know commercial operators that do run OEM singles on sand but they are constantly buying old rims and replacing them as they fail..... Good for me. Just sold them 7 rims off my truck but not a good situation to be in if you are on a long trip and you have rim failure.

 

[joshuakampa]

Solid advice. Thanks. Looks like it's back to research re-centered H1 wheels.


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[mog]

Solid advice. Thanks. Looks like it's back to research re-centered H1 wheels.

Just an FYI if you have not read in other threads.
There is no way you can get recentered Hummer wheels to track anywhere close to the same track (one of the benefits of Super Singles).
The 8 and 12 bolt (rim bolts, not lugnuts) Hummer wheels are rated pretty low, so you would be better off using the 24 bolt (even spaced) at 4080 lb per wheel or 24 bolt (offset spacing) at 4540 lb per wheel.
Hummer wheels are of course 16.5 inch rims. It used to be easy to get 80-95% military takeoff tires (100dollarman.com) no problem for $100 or so. Not now. 16.5 tires are getting harder to find. It is something to think about long term if you will be able to find tires you want in 16.5. I run 325/80-16 tires and that is a big concern of mine, will those be around in 5 years.
I know they can be a big outlay, but I don't think you can go wrong getting 'factory' built wheels from ATW, EC, Alan, etc that are rated and tested.

 

[jhrodd]

Can one just remove the inner wheels off the standard DRW set up and get decent tracking? There's lots of talk about super single replacement wheels and it seems that if this were the case, it would be much more common...

I would recommend NOT removing your inside dual. That would move your wheel track well beyond the original spec and put considerable stress on your bearings and hubs. Mitsubishi Fuso are somewhat sensitive on this issue since several executives went to prison for covering up wheel separation issues :

Seven Former Mitsubishi Officials Arrested in Japan over 2002 Death

May 10th, 2004 • Posted in: News
TOKYO
Seven former executives from Mitsubishi Motors were arrested last week for allegedly conspiring to conceal the company’s liability in the death of a woman struck by a wheel that came off a truck.

The 29-year-old woman was killed and her two sons were injured when the wheel broke away from a Mitsubishi truck and struck them, reported the Agence France-Presse.

Mitsubishi Motors and its truck division, Mitsubishi Fuso, filed reports blaming the accident on shoddy maintenance by the truck’s owner, thereby avoiding a costly recall and bad publicity.

Two months ago, the company finally admitted that officials had known for more than a decade that hub defects were known to cause such problems.

Mitsubishi’s confession led to last week’s arrests, a third raid on Mitsubishi Fuso offices, and a separate criminal complaint from the transportation ministry, according to the Associated Press.

“The false report was an extremely malicious act conducted to avoid recall,” transport minister Nobuteru Ishihara said in a statement. “It is truly regrettable that this happened on the part of an automaker whose top priority should be safety and the environment.”

Those arrested included former Mitsubishi Fuso chairman Takashi Usami, former Mitsubishi Motors managing director Akio Hanawa, a former board director, and two former quality control managers, according to the AFP.

Mitsubishi, which has faced similar allegations in the past, is now recalling nearly 220,000 vehicles.

 

[joshuakampa]

WHOA. Scary.

I'm still a bit confused regarding how other super singles (which appear to be not backspaced much and thus run roughly in the same track as the DRW outside wheel) would not put one in danger of the same problems?

And Mog, I think you may be right about the 16.5s. The current availability and pricing is still appealing (TWF still has GY MTs and other tires starting at $125: http://www.trailworthyfab.com/Tires/) but the Fuso is gonna be a long-term investment/home/project and as my late (Chevy mechanic) Grandpa would advise, "You only have to buy good tools once."

I'm not trying to hijack this (excellent) thread, so let me just say thanks for the great advice from all.

 

[whatcharterboat]

WHOA. Scary.

I'm still a bit confused regarding how other super singles (which appear to be not backspaced much and thus run roughly in the same track as the DRW outside wheel) would not put one in danger of the same problems?
.

When done properly, front track is widened and rear is narrowed to give the same track for both axles..

New track=(Fms-(2xOffset)) where Fwms is the distance acros the front wheel mounting surfaces.

 

[59DEN]

Frame Rail Swap

Thank goodness for the internet and Forums with people willing to share their knowledge and expertise, potentially saving a lot of trial and error.

Just wondering if there is any known issues with cutting the rear rails of the our 2wd wreck and bolting them onto the FG at the rear diff side of the drop down, they are both the same year, 1989.

 

[whatcharterboat]

Thank goodness for the internet and Forums with people willing to share their knowledge and expertise, potentially saving a lot of trial and error.

Just wondering if there is any known issues with cutting the rear rails of the our 2wd wreck and bolting them onto the FG at the rear diff side of the drop down, they are both the same year, 1989.

Nothing obvious. Use 12 mm high tensile bolts to replace the rivets with washers both sides and nylocs. you need to drill the rivet holes out slightly. Has your 2wd chassis got cast suspension hangers? If so use them.

 

[Amesz00]

Hi and welcome to the forum!
Back to your question about the canter's sand dune-ability.. If I'm correct, your truck has the naturally aspirated 3.9L? If the vehicle is light enough (say under 4.5T), + with the XZLs let out to a good sand pressure (say 20-25) it should do ok on most desert dunes (beach dunes different story). As far as an upgrade (and depending on how you feel about the trucks power), I'd be saving for a turbo.. its a big outlay, but you will appreciate it every time you drive it.. it should also save you some fuel if tuned properly + driven sensibly.
Just my 2c, every man + his dog will have a different opinion..
Andrew.

 

[mog]

WHOA. Scary.
I'm still a bit confused regarding how other super singles (which appear to be not backspaced much and thus run roughly in the same track as the DRW outside wheel) would not put one in danger of the same problems?

Engineering and testing.
ATW has some old threads on the Portal of when they were certifying SRW for Fusos. Not only the design and engineering of the wheel itself but quite a bit of time spent doing testing on an unused runway proving braking etc. Large tires of course effect that. Their stuff (trucks & accessories) is used on commercial tour busses, mining application, etc where I'm sure there is a huge amount of additional liability exposure. I would venture to guess that EC and Alan had to jump through the same hoops for their stuff. The Aussies have decades and million of miles of experience with 'our' Fusos. If you read the horror stories of Rickson and Stockton wheels just here on the Expo Forum, you will look at aftermarket wheels with a new view.

 

[joshuakampa]

I'm familiar with the ATW and EC wheels; where does Alan sell his?


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