Cruza Drivers 2012 BT50 GT

[cruza driver]

i was at the terrible hut 5 weeks ago, sad to see it burnt down. I was told the fire didnt start in the fireplace!
Nice pics.

Word is it was deliberate but not confirmed. I was actually online on the CFA website when it popped up.:sad: A mate of mine is in the High Country Huts Association and said they have someone they were investigating, its one of the huts he looked after.

Thats no good what are you going to do with all that money youll save ???? LOL

One word "Accessories" :evil:

Looking good mate....

Glad to see it being used for it was meant to be used for !!!

And the fuel economy is just terrible if you ask me I would be looking for 5 / 100 considering its a mazda GEEZZZZ :smile:

Thanks mate, and I will quiz Mazda at its 1000km post delivery service on Monday to see whats going on :lol:

I have a vid of the weekend I'll post up shortly

 

[cruza driver]

The BT climbing part of the Terrible trk

[video=youtube;cwkATTUO3M0]

And coming down Polletti's trk its steeper than it looks in the vid too, low range was used

[video=youtube;SfZtJSgAe40]

And a Vid my brother took of the burnt hut, Mt Terrible Hut

[video=youtube;BoEYtXH_MOQ]

And inside the BT :smile:

 

[Brad]

So what's your thoughts CD in the 4WD capability of the BT50 compared to the land cruiser?

 

[cruza driver]

So what's your thoughts CD in the 4WD capability of the BT50 compared to the land cruiser?

This was only a quick trip so far but I guess the main difference is the suspension, a lift will definitely help but I never scapped or touched anything under the BT over the washouts and everything is tucked up well out of the way.
Engine and gearing wise I was very impressed with it. In purely standard trim I was very happy.

Todays outing
http://www.expandasdownunder.com/showthread.php/2262-A-Day-trip-in-the-BT50

 

[Moto Moto]

Congrats on the new rig bud, i've been offline for a while and only just checked all you photos and videos, looks great.

By far the best colour available (biased opinion of course). I'm going to enjoy this build up, thats for sure.

 

[cruza driver]

I'll post some pics of the electric brake install in the next few days that I fitted last weekend. So............ then it was time to put the Expanda on the back for a trip to Jamieson for a couple of days away.

The fuel economy gauge was 12.7lt/per 100km when I got home :smile: towing the near on 2t Expanda.

 

[cruza driver]

I got around to fitting my electric brakes to the BT after sourcing a wiring loom and brake controller suited to BT's. This time around I went with a Red Arc brake controller which is new to me after using the Prodigy in the Cruiser for the past 5 1/2 years.

The Red Arc is a neat fit in the dash and looks almost like a standard fitment. I didn't know how it would perform but if I wasn't happy it was just a matter of removing the controller and mounting a new one as no holes are needed to in the dash to install it.

Here is a few iPhone pics of the install.

The wiring loom as I received it and its ready to be installed


The wiring goes through the blank in this grommet in the firewall.


The wiring all laid out ready to be wired up.


Feed through the firewall and to the controller a bit of silicone spray made it easier :smile:


The main control box is mounted using orininal holes under the sterring column


All mounted under the bonnet too


Thats all it took and a wire was run to the no.5 pin in the trailer plug. All wiring is in conduit and secured up under the BT out of harms way. I don't know why I didn't take a pic of the controller though :noidea: :smile:

 

[cruza driver]

And after finishing fitting the electric brakes it was time to see how the BT went with the Expanda on the back and I was very very impressed with the trip upto Jamieson for a few days. The controller worked well and once I found the sweet spot for its setting it worked well.

 

[chartrock]

Very neat CD, well done. :whoo:

 

[Burnsy]

Great job mate, very nice! What towing configuration are you going to use....airbags, HD springs, WDH? Sorry if this has been said already.
Ps. Time to change your signature I think!

Cheers.

 

[macca]

Well done also. I was going to have a crack at doing mine until I read a story of a guy who fried his computer doing one and they didn't have his computer in the country.

 

[Brad]

Nice one CD.
Still keen to see a pick of the dash after you mounted it when you get a chance.

 

[Millsy]

Good stuff mate. The BT looks great with the Expanda on back!

 

[Millsy]

On another note, I notice you don't have any towing mirrors on the BT. How do you find the vision out of the factory side mirrors? I have been looking at towing mirror options and wondered with the size of the factory mirrors if they are even needed? Ideally if we needed mirrors to tow the Sterling I would like the Clearview ones, but they currently dont make them for the BT.

Cheers
Shane

 

[cruza driver]

Very neat CD, well done. :whoo:

Cheers CR :thumb:

Great job mate, very nice! What towing configuration are you going to use....airbags, HD springs, WDH? Sorry if this has been said already.
Ps. Time to change your signature I think!

Cheers.

No WDH as so far it tows really well so I wont worry. As for suspension I'm not a fan of airbags with leaf springs as the weight isn't really designed to be applied inbertween the spring mounts if that makes sense.

I'm going to fit a 50mm lift and probably also opt for 300kg constant load springs.

Well done also. I was going to have a crack at doing mine until I read a story of a guy who fried his computer doing one and they didn't have his computer in the country.

Thanks macca

Nice one CD.
Still keen to see a pick of the dash after you mounted it when you get a chance.

Will do Brad I just got back from Phillip Island for the night so I'll try and get a pic up for you tonight :smile:

On another note, I notice you don't have any towing mirrors on the BT. How do you find the vision out of the factory side mirrors? I have been looking at towing mirror options and wondered with the size of the factory mirrors if they are even needed? Ideally if we needed mirrors to tow the Sterling I would like the Clearview ones, but they currently dont make them for the BT.

Cheers
Shane

Hey Shane, I find the vision out of the mirrors to be very good although I do have mirrors and haven't used them yet. The shape of the mirrors do offer better vision than the Cruiser in relation to seeing where the Expandas wheels are but width wise maybe not as good as the Cruiser is a tad wider but the covex of the mirrors more than make up for it.

I have mirrors that rubber straps that wrap around the mirror I'll fit them up tonight if I get a chance to show you if you like.

 

[cruza driver]

I just returned from an overnighter down to Phillip Island from the Yarra Valley and on the way my economy was displaying 8.9 and the trip home 9.4. This included hills and freeway.

No complaints here :smile: and even if its a litre or so out I'm rapt :eyebrows: It will be interesting to see what it does once the mods start.

 

[cruza driver]

Nice one CD.
Still keen to see a pick of the dash after you mounted it when you get a chance.

Here you go Brad I removed a card holder from the dash and the control piece fits in there


Millsy these are the mirrors I used on the Cruiser but I haven't tried them on the BT mirrors yet

 

[Brad]

That is so much more compact than the tekonsha.

 

[achjimmy]

Looks good Cruza, and look forward to your thoughts and comments on the redarc controller in use. It certainly is an easier fit, I anguished about it last time and eventually choose a P3 but I am thinking again about the redarc, my concerns are around the weight of our rigs and the proportioning.

 

[Burnsy]

Great fit CD, looks like the card holder was made for it!