ZUKIWORLD Online | Suzuki 4x4 Editorial and Forum
ZUKIWORLD Discussion Forum => Suzuki 4x4 Forum => Topic started by: v-stone on May 24, 2007, 10:53:20 AM
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Whats the best axles for a Samurai or Sidekick (please state which) and why is it the best?
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Unimogs, because you can't go any bigger. ;D
What axles are best really depends on your application. Toyota's are probably the most popular swap. I'll list my views, which may or may not be correct.
Toyota axles are a nice upgrade, they are still relatively light and can handle up to 37" or 38" tires without a problem. Not to mention a ton of after market support and well as bolt on conversions for both Samurai and Tracker/Sidekick based vehicles.
I use a Samurai front axle with a Hybrid rear. After twisting the splines on the front end with a Detroit EZ-Locker I switched to an ARB with Calmini heavy duty front axles, haven't had a problem since with 33" BFG MTRs.
One Samurai in my club broke a rear axle and one of heavy duty front axles last time out with 31" Swamper TSLs, he is upgrading to a Dana 44 front and Ford 9" rear. Both are solid axles, can be made to work with just about anything. Custom offsets are available along with heavy duty upgrade hardware and a full range of lockers.
Reverse Rotation is a nice bonus, it allows you to lift your drivelines up and out of harms way and usually means a stronger ring and pinion, but you are limited in your ratio choices compared to a traditional setup.
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Volvo portal axles - Lighter than Unimogs, but with the advantages of a portal axle.
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Anything you can make work,and be happy with.I just helped a friend put the entire drive train and suspension from a wrecked 95 Isuzu rodeo under his 4 door kick.Tha 3 liter diesel kills,and it wheels great.It was however a pain in the ass.
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Volvo portal axles - Lighter than Unimogs, but with the advantages of a portal axle.
You know, I have yet to see these anywhere. They looked pretty sweet when they first hit the market.
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Toyota axles all the way, they arnt to much wider than a sammi or kick, not to much heavyer.
Tons of gearing options for them, and its all relitvely cheap.
And best of all, removable 3rd members.
Amilla
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I've heared the R and P is weak in toyota axles and there still birfields. Birfields seem to be a weak link to me, am I wrong?
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The R&p is fine, unless you throw some god awfule gears in it like 5.71's then your at risk of busting your R&p. The stock birfs can hold up to about a 37" tire before you have to do start worring about a busted birf. But you can get longfeild birfs and they are guaranteed not to break, or they will send you new ones. And if you just flat out dont like the birfs you can get a birfield eliminator kit, which will turn it into a U-joint setup. I havent heard to much about these, most guys just get the longfeilds.
I saw strength tests on a dana 44 and toyota front axle, and the toyota one was stronger.
And lighter ;D
Amilla
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The R&p is fine, unless you throw some god awfule gears in it like 5.71's then your at risk of busting your R&p. The stock birfs can hold up to about a 37" tire before you have to do start worring about a busted birf. But you can get longfeild birfs and they are guaranteed not to break, or they will send you new ones. And if you just flat out dont like the birfs you can get a birfield eliminator kit, which will turn it into a U-joint setup. I havent heard to much about these, most guys just get the longfeilds.
I saw strength tests on a dana 44 and toyota front axle, and the toyota one was stronger.
And lighter ;D
Amilla
5.71's being weak is a myth, in a suzuki application they are tough as nails and have been proven time after time ;)
5.71's are weak........ when you have a 4500# vehicle that you have added 1000# of goodies, put 48" boggers and a 350 v-8 conversion in ::)
unless you go over a 33" tire or do a lot of undercutting/binding you'll never have a bit of trouble even with the stock birfields
my $0.02
signed
guy that runs 5.71's
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My buddy thats running 5.71's with 37's and a detroit lockers has blown his at least 2 times. Its also a V6, and the guy has a bit of a hevy throttle foot. But running a 5.71 in a sammi would most deffinatly be a tuff one to break. Id still stick with a 5.29 max.
Amilla
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http://www.spidertrax.com/s.nl/sc.2/category.1247/.f
check these out
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[url]http://www.spidertrax.com/s.nl/sc.2/category.1247/.f[/url]
check these out
WOW, those dont cost nearly what I thought they would. I wnt one for the rear just for the cool factor. ;D Plus I bet they are pretty strong. ;)
Mike
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Sounds like toyota axles are good. Is there any year I should be looking for?
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Not really. They stopped making solid axle Toyota trucks in 86 I believe. Kind of a shame. The rest of the world had them until the mid 90's.
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Volvo portal axles - Lighter than Unimogs, but with the advantages of a portal axle.
I havent seen these anywhere. What do they come on?
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im doing the toyota axles myself on my 88 slamurai. my main reason for doing it is because everyone in truckee wheels with a toyota truck or 4-runner and i found a set of axles pretty easily. im still waiting for my bushings before i go ahead and dive in, but if im able to type with all ten fingers by the time im finished, im sure i'd recommend them.
but if you had the purse and patience for it, there's this guy in reno selling semi truck axles for 400 bucks each...