Tuning Sable 4x4 for hunting and fishing with your own hands: modification of chassis, steering, engine

GAZ Sobol is perhaps the only Russian-made minivan that is an impeccable leader in its class. And this happened not at all because Gorky’s engineers endowed it with the most advanced technical innovations, but because in our market there is nothing to choose from besides Sobol.

And since this minivan costs 2-3 times cheaper than its German and Japanese competitors, it confidently remains on the list of best-selling cars in Russia. Probably every Sobol owner expressed his dissatisfaction towards the Gorky Automobile Plant. Yes, externally the car was not as presentable as the Volkswagen Transporter, and it was less comfortable inside. However, it is quite possible to correct this situation through work such as tuning the Sable.

To the salon with a case

The internal improvements of this car are almost limitless. Skillful tuning will turn the interior into a miniature comfortable home on wheels. First, be sure to apply additional noise insulation. Lay down linoleum. Then proceed to the arrangement itself.

To create a more civilized interior decoration, you can replace the seats and upholstery (light blue Alcantara with gray inserts is perfect). If the seats are a bit hard, the best option would be a leather three-seater sofa, even two.

They can be bought ready-made at a specialized retail outlet. Don’t forget about a small table, always folding. The inside view of the interior will be approximately the same as in the photo:

The price for it is no more than 4 thousand rubles, but during trips to nature and long trips it will simply become an indispensable accessory. On vacation, you can comfortably eat food, read a book or newspaper. And for watching movies on a laptop, you can’t find a better item. It is necessary to select curtains for all windows.

Then, for comfort and to brighten up the trip, you must install an audio and, if possible, a video system. And if you install a refrigerator and air conditioning, it will definitely not be a salon, but a house on wheels.

The space in which the driver is located is equipped with air conditioning and neon lighting, and the installation of a new chair with armrests.

What do we do?

According to the plan, the Sobol should turn out to be a hybrid of an expedition bus and a camper, suitable not only for bludgeoning after racing crews, but also for comfortable travel and work.

There will be a lot of work, and all the more well, since the general partner of the project is the off-road brand RIF, where they quickly took on the development and creation of the necessary equipment for the GAZelle and Sobol cars. All developments will be tested under harsh conditions and then hit the shelves.

In the list of priority works:

— Installation of reinforced shock absorbers. Let's try to select something from the RIF line of shock absorbers or quickly make changes in accordance with the parameters and characteristics necessary for the project. Choosing imported components will require large financial costs, and we are learning to save.

— Installation of larger wheels. Now the stock wheels are 225/75R16. Most likely, wider wheels will be installed, something like 265/70R16 on lightweight alloy wheels.

4×4 UAZ Patriot off-road tuning photo

The brand and model of tires to be installed have not yet been decided. Perhaps these will be the proven GoodYear Wrangler Duratrac tires or the new BFGoodrich All-Terrain KO2 tires. The question is still open.

— Installation of front bumper protection. The plans are to develop a full-fledged power bumper, but as an alternative, a version of lightweight protection for the front bumper and the radiator hidden behind it will most likely be developed. This is a good option when there is no need to install a winch.

— Installation of the rear power bumper. A power bumper with a gate for the spare wheel is supposed to relieve the body elements and free up space in the trunk from the spare tire. The bumper must have power towing eyes and a square for the tow bar. There might also be a version with two gates, which would be the best option for me.

— Setting power thresholds. This will be required to lift the car using a rack and pinion jack to change wheels or rescue it from an ambush, as well as to protect the body from damage and make it easier to get in and out.

Power thresholds for the Sobol can already be found on sale, but I immediately dismiss the ones that were installed on our Sobol on the trip to Varandey as absolutely inconvenient for use.

— Expedition trunk. Necessary for transporting a supply of fuel and other necessary equipment: sand trucks, shovels, etc. To climb to the roof it is necessary to develop a ladder.

— Installation of additional LED headlights. Naturally, this will be proven RIF LED optics for various purposes. We’ll start selecting models later, when we understand the features of the minibus body and the required light distribution.

— Installation of snorkel. The snorkel is necessary to make it possible to put on a “Cyclone” type filter and reduce the ingress of sand into the air filter.

— Organization of internal space. For now, the prospect of a headache is the vaguest for me. It is necessary to have comfortable seats, a sleeping place for two people, and a workplace with 220V sockets.

— Installation of an additional fuel tank. This point is still in question, since it is not clear whether such a possibility exists and whether we will have time to find the necessary equipment.

For fishing and hunting

Modification of the passenger version of the Sobol GAZ-22177 will require serious investments. The cost of fully tuning a car for hunting and fishing can amount to almost the cost of a new car.

You will need to perform four main operations:

• Increase ground clearance. This will increase the vehicle's cross-country ability and protect the underbody off-road.
• Modify controls. The car should instantly respond to changes in the steering wheel position without any extra effort on the part of the driver.
• Refurbish the interior. A thorough redesign will allow for optimal placement of not only passengers, but also the installation of a table, water containers with fixation, as well as loot. The interior must be well protected from sudden changes in temperature or moisture. To do this, the seats are removed and the surface is covered with stainless steel sheets. The installation of sockets, improved lighting, and the purchase of a GPS are a must.
• Arrange the body. That is, to protect the body from damage from the outside, to ensure the redistribution of cargo. For this purpose, kenguryatniks are installed in the rear and front parts. As well as installation of a tourist trunk. You definitely need a winch, which is useful for off-road situations.

This is not a complete list of attachments. You can install additional elements at your own request.

Appearance

The design of a car is its calling card. And the general impression of passers-by about its owner will depend on how attractive the car looks. Therefore, first of all, you should pay attention to the design and make external tuning. The Sobol Gazelle can be equipped with various plastic body kits. They are not uncommon in our market.

Tuning the technical side of "Sable"

Before it starts, the costs of spare parts and their installation are calculated. It is necessary that new components meet all the requirements of this modification of the car and do not reduce its technical performance. Tuning is carried out:

• Pendants. It is reinforced by pneumatic elements and additional springs. A small lift is created - up to 0.20 cm.
• Steering. The castor is modified, a different power steering is installed. And also – protection of steering rods and dampers.
• Transmissions. The transmission force is reduced to 1:5.125, and increased locking is integrated for the rear axle. Traction play is eliminated.

To quickly warm up the engine in the cold season, it is necessary to install a furnace. You also need to increase the capacity of the gas tank or install an additional tank.

We invite partners and friends of the project

The project to build an off-road minibus Sobol 4x4 for participation in the Silk Way rally raid and further off-road travel will gladly welcome manufacturers and suppliers of tourism and expedition equipment and equipment into the ranks of official partners and friends.

We don’t need money from you, we don’t need mountains of gold, but we will be happy to accept the necessary equipment and equipment for operation, tests, reviews and other useful things. Canisters, awnings, camping windows, radio communications, satellite tracker and a whole list of other necessary things. Do you have it? Write, let's discuss!

On Sobol off-road

For this purpose, the first step is to install a rear security guard with a gate under the spare wheel. As a result:

• frees up space in the cabin;
• feed is enhanced;
• powerful towing eyes will be added;
• It will be possible to choose a bumper with a platform to mount an electric winch.

A power bumper is optional, but thanks to it, it becomes possible not only to install a winch, but to create excellent protection for the engine and radiator.

A winch with a traction force of 4300 kg (9500lbs) is quite suitable for the front, and an 8000lbs series for the rear.

For off-road travel, it is necessary to replace the original ones with stronger shock absorbers. It is advisable to install additional lighting and power thresholds. As for tires, AT or MT class (255/70R16 or 245/75R16) would be preferable. But for the latter size you will have to trim the front corner of the rear arch or move the bridge.

And, of course, for winter trips you need to install an autonomous air heater. It’s comfortable in the car and spending the night in any frost is not scary.

Why sable 4x4?

A Sable with all-wheel drive has many advantages for implementing a project to build an off-road expedition vehicle based on a minibus.
I’ll go through the main positions separately so that the choice becomes clear. Cummins 2.8L diesel I am a supporter of diesel engines, primarily for their autonomy and torque. Diesel engines have significantly less off-road consumption than gasoline engines, and off-road driving is planned in Sobol’s life with enviable regularity. As for the torque, it is greater than that of its gasoline counterpart and is shifted to the low speed zone.

Cummins has another advantage - a safety margin that allows the engine to spin up to 200 hp, which, based on the experience of using the GAZ Raid Sport team in cars, does not pose a problem. That is, increasing the power to 150 hp. and torque of up to 360 Nm, the engine will not receive serious overloads and will remain suitable for long-distance travel.

Plug-in all-wheel drive Sobol 4x4 classic part-time. This is a simple and repairable manual transfer case with a reduction gear. On the highway we disable the front axle, improving the roll-up and saving an extra liter, and off-road we are not dependent on electronic units or clutches.

Rear differential lockThe lock on the Sobol is installed from the factory and is electric. However, during the entire period of operation on combat GAZelles there were no problems with it, and the need for locking on the roads should only be explained to a child.

If we have time, we will install a similar blocking in the front axle. Soon it is expected that front axle locking will be installed as an option at the GAZ plant. It'll be cool!

Next comes a spacious body with a medium roof, a frame and spring structure with decent ground clearance and we get an excellent preparation for building an expedition minibus with good off-road potential.

The Combi body was chosen for its simplicity and the absence of rear windows on the side and in the trunk doors, which will allow this space to be used for more important purposes - shelves, brackets, etc.

Add comfort

The so-called internal tuning of the Sobol has practically no boundaries. The space inside the body can be turned into a truly comfortable place to live. In this case, the car turns into a small house on wheels. It all starts with a simple table, which is placed opposite two seats. And if the seats are hard, you can put a sofa, or better yet, two.

An obligatory point is the installation of an audio, and better yet, video system. There are not just many options for this, but a lot. Everything depends only on the amount of money that the owner of “Sable” can afford. After all, if the Sobol may be inferior to ordinary minibuses in terms of comfort, then in the all-wheel drive version it has no equal.

Internal tuning of the Sobol necessarily includes covering the entire interior with additional sound insulation. If desired, all upholstery can also be changed at the request of a particular car owner. A variety of curtains are installed on all windows. Air conditioning will be a nice addition, especially in hot climates. A refrigerator, a sofa, a TV - and magic appears in a familiar living room.

A few words about the basic models

Initially, the Sobol car was armed only with a gasoline engine. First it was the ZMZ 402, and then its advanced descendants: ZMZ 406 and ZMZ 405. Since 1998, the model has not had any profound changes. Only in 2010, having received the prefix “business” to the name, the car was updated. Now the Sobol could be equipped with either a modern gasoline engine, Russian or foreign equivalent, or a Cummins diesel engine.

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In addition to the standard modifications GAZ 2217, GAZ 22171, GAZ 2752 and GAZ 2310, the Sobol was always produced in an all-wheel drive version. These are models such as GAZ 22177, GAZ 221717, GAZ 27527, GAZ 23107. Unlike the Gazelle, the Sobol, in addition to smaller dimensions and a shortened wheelbase, had an independent spring front suspension and only two wheels on the rear axle. This is, first of all, a passenger car, its carrying capacity is limited to 900 kg.

“Sable Barguzin” is distinguished by a lower roof height and a lifting rear door, compared to the swing doors of the basic modification. It's a kind of minibus. GAZ 2310 and GAZ 23107 are an onboard version. Well, the GAZ 2752 model is the basic one and is an all-metal van.

Separately, we can note the new all-wheel drive version for 2013. "Sable", whose characteristics are already high, has acquired new qualities. The fundamental difference is that all-wheel drive can now be turned off, as is done in UAZs. This allows you to save on fuel in acceptable road conditions up to 3 liters per 100 km.

Project work