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Xc70 offroad build

66K views 395 replies 21 participants last post by  Drobinson97 
#1 ·
Am going to build a xc70 offroad unholy terror. My goals are to follow the young satchel adventure wagon but take everything to eleven so to speak. Not much but power, slightly wider and taller tires, weight reduction, more bolt on goodies. I would like to achieve high 200's for horsepower figures but achieve over 300ft-lb tq. I have a parts car and am going to rebuild the engine and transmission in that and at some point drop then in.

The drive train (engine, transmission) will be over built to handle more power and torque than what I'm going to run in it.

I'm from Iowa and around here you have subies and big lifted diesel trucks. I drive on alot of gravel roads but I also hunt and tear around on dirt b maintainence roads. I'm not going for a full blown offroader or purpose built rally car but something in between that is a happy mix. Something that can get through all the fields and mud and ruts of our iowa fields but has no problems getting up and going on the gravel roads and decent dirt roads,and can hold its own in the twistys,i dont drive it like a street car because I only drive on the street in town. It slides through the turns as apposed to carving through them is what I'm saying. I want it to be over built in all aspects. Or as much as can be using any parts available that don't require major fabrication.

The following mods

Drive train - engine rebuild with turbo, down pipe, exhaust intake intercooler, injectors, upgrade pistons and sleeves, and a tune
Transmission - rebuild with heavy duty clutches synchros and gears to tighten up shifting and handle more power

Suspension

Struts - not sure what kind this is where you guys come into play

Badsweedde lift

Strut spacers (if there's a way to negate this to maximize suspension travel)

Sway bar kit

Poly bushings in front and rear

Axle upgrade of some kind to up reliability

Strut mount reinforcement
Steering upgrades of any kind
Please let me know if you think of anything that would be beneficial or would help as well

Tires wheels and brakes

235/70r16 bf goodrich a/t or other good tire

16x7.5 rims (any recommendations) need help with determining offset and if spacers would be needed don't want them for reliability issues

Brake system upgrade of some kind

Bolt on upgrades will include

Roof basket with led light bars all around the sides to illuminate the area around the car when hunting and recovering animals.

Cow pusher (brush guard) with light bar this could be fabricated get easily as I work next to a fabrication shop

Spare tire rack, roof or could mount in the cargo area just as long as it holds two full size spares.

Winch - not to pull others out but pull myself out of any place I get stuck. I understand the xc70 will never be a true offroader and in anticipation of getting stuck I will need one and help with mounting positions

Skid plates either ipd or custom ones

Line x bumpers and side skirts and external trim pieces

Jerry cans, track mats, air compressor and other emergency equipment

Trailer hitch, grandpa owns a trailer business so this'll be easy.

Chasis

Any kind of reinforcement Cross members, subframe connectors etc. Any help here would be huge and some of this could be fabricated if there is not an existing part

So that's my list please feel free to give help and ideas for this. My dad is a ford technician and I have primarily worked on us vehicles but I love my xc and it is a great platform with alot of potential it just had minimal Aftermarket following but I think with some hard work, time and ingenuity it can be done.

Again I'm not trying to build a rally car or mud truck or rock crawler. More of a jack of all trades but master of none. I have some vehicles I have seen as far as the stance and appearance of it go that I will include for the look of the suspension and stance to help you all guide me in the right direction. Thank you for all the time and info you guys will give me and I will keep you all updated as this build progresses!!! Any suggestions as to parts or ideas of working around potential problems will be so helpful



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#136 ·
Update on the rally wagon. Yesterday the obx downpipe arrived. Went through the whole engine replacing hosing. Did not use ipds stuff i used motorcraft silicone hosing. Ordered all new gaskets for the downpipe as mine are shot, ipd HD turbo blow off valve (to get free shipping),ipd tcv and tcv hosing kit. All will be installed next week with pictures!!! However after spending almost eight hours and pulling the engine to work on it and make replacement easier on my way home from the shop I smoked a **** and blew out the bottom and cracked the tank on my radiator. Threw some bottles of water in and limped my noble Swedish piece of machine home. So if anyone has why recommendations for upgrading the radiator that'd be awesome!

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#141 ·
OEM fan and radiator are OK. I have a Nissens radiator in now for almost 40k mi.

For performance​ upgrades an intercooler is recommended. I have a Do88 intercooler as I like the drop in units, but you can install a FMIC as well. Search, lots of info​ out there on intercoolers.

An auxiliary transmission cooler is also a good idea. I have a big Hayden unit with a thermostat that is way overkill for the application. They are cheap and simple to install.
 
#146 ·
Awesome thank you guys I'm working on all of this stuff thank you for all the help and support this whole radiator thing kinda fubar'd my schedule and plan but I have a new radiator bought and am getting it in the next few hours and will have it installed along with my stage 0 checklist and figuring out skid plates and winch stuff tonight as well I'll try to post some pictures to keep you all updated I'm pretty terrible with posting visual progress

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#148 ·


Well after many many many hours and swear words the new tyc radiator is in and I'm back on the road. Gonna have to change my transmission fluid but oh whale. Car runs so much better than it did even when I first bought it. Next is going to be skid plates finally I've sourced some aluminum and am going to start mocking things up with cardboard. And once the underside of the vehicle is protected I'll be able to start looking into more suspension options

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#149 ·


The skid plates have been designed I'm also figuring out how to mount my bull bar/winch configuration. Modifications will be made to the bumper but I'm waiting till I have the materials for the skid plate then I will finalize everything and test fit the templates and mock up my bull bar /winch with pvc piping and get it made and install all of them at once. It's coming along very well.

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#153 ·
Is that skid beast gonna be one piece?


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#155 ·
Second go around of the bull bar design much closer to act fit off by maybe a few degrees in spots. I made my initial measurements with out the bumper mounting bracket on so when the it comes time to actually make it should fit perfectly. The skid plate will mount to the bull bar. There are some spots where additional bracing will be added. As soon as I get steel it should be done by the beginning of next month.


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#157 ·
It better stay PVC and duct tape.....


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#161 ·
Still trying to figure out how to post videos but heres some pictures from a brief adventure on my way to the girlfriends. Anyone who says you can't drift a volvo isn't going fast enough and doesn't know how to effectively use the scandavian flick. The rally wagon is well on its way.


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#162 ·
After waiting what seemed like an eternity it's finally here my. Obx downpipe now it is for an s60r buy from everything I have gathered it should work on my car and then I'm going to run 3in straight pipe with 3 1/2 inch mandrel bends along with the addition of larger injectors, 19t ard conversion kit, turbo rebuild kit, front mount intercooler, snabb air-intake, charge pipe and a good tune I should be close to my power goal and then I'll dig into the suspension and all of that. Any advice or pointers you guys want to offer up please feel free.


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