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ZUKIWORLD Discussion Forum => Suzuki 4x4 Forum => Topic started by: bvc on January 27, 2009, 07:23:22 PM
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looking to modify a 1990 sidekick, want to do a 6 inch body/suspension lift and run 33 inch tires, mainly town and off road running, is there a transfer case gear reduction to get it back to stock gearing ratio with the 33s on this unit?p.s new to this forum, any info would be a great help, pretty excited to start this project!!
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Unfortunately, trackers are screwed in the gearing department. You'll have to do an axle swap (which you should consider anyway with 33" tires) to get diff gears from a D44 or Toyota. If you want to move up to 35" tires, adding a Samurai t-case (using an adapter) behind your tracker case will give you the range reduction to stockish (Search Kicker 3, Kicker III, and Rock Rat adapter). Or, slap a Samurai case behind a 2wd trans (cheaper, but you don't get dual case goodness). The Samurai case has 1.4:1 Hi-Range reduction, and is the ONLY case I'm aware of that gives hi & low range reduction.
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They make tcase reduction gears for trackicks. But I hear that 89 and 90 trackick tcases are slightly different internally and these gears won't fit correctly (haven't verified the difference, that's just what I have heard). You can get a later tcase (91-95) from any trackick and it will be a direct replacement for yours and will be compatible with the lower tcase gears (which run close to $650).
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Yea, but the T-Case reduction gears are for low range only. They don't help you with the high end.
I think someone was working on a reduction box though.
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True, trackick tcase gears will only affect low range only, where as samurai tcase gears (if you decide to swap in a samurai tcase) will lower both high and low range. And, as mentioned, samurai tcases have a 1.409 high range reduction in them stock.
One thing to note, with a samurai tcase swap....since the reduction will automatically be 40% in high range, that means you will need to run a 40% taller than stock tire to be at the same engine RPMs at any given speed (so say stock tires are 27" tall, that would mean you would need a 37.8" tall tire to be "geared" the same as with stock tires). Generally, a samurai tcase swap into a trackick is not feasible, unless you are running 35"+ tall tires, or you don't drive on the road at high speeds. Of course, you could always run a higher (numerically lower) axle gear to compensate for the overgearing of the samurai tcase, but that is more work/more $$$.
One other option (instead of swapping in a samurai tcase).......
If your trackick is an auto, it will have 4.62 axle gears, so you could swap in some factory 5 speed gears (5.12s) and that would help get you back to a stock gearing ratio (won't quite be enough, though). Ideally, the 5.62 axle gears would be a good swap.....but they are very hard to find and generally big $$$ if you do find some.
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I swapped in a 26 spline front axle from an older year Sidekick and bought the Sidekick / Tracker Rockmonster 4.24:1 Transfer Case Gears, stuffed lockers front and rear, Swapped an autotrans in place of my manual and kept the 5.12 gears. I spin my 35's just fine and no expensive auto swap. I use to run 33's with my 5.12 gears before the T-case gear and auto swap. It did ok, my set of 31s worked better. There are several websites that will give you a tire size to pumpkin gear ratio. Try this one http://www.rocky-road.com/calculator.html
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I think someone was working on a reduction box though.
That would be Brent at Trail Tough. It's going to be a 1.5:1 box, and cost as much as a doubler. Which is totally stupid. A doubler is WAY superior to a straight reduction box, so if the cost is the same I don't know how he expects to sell many of them. Other than brand loyalty?
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Yea, but the T-Case reduction gears are for low range only. They don't help you with the high end.
I think someone was working on a reduction box though.
I beleive Trail Tough is working on the reduction box and it should be out soon. T-case gears do reduce the high range also, it is a small amount, but noticable. It does help a bit with bigger tires in high range. The amout will depend on what your high range gear is in either your autotrans or your manual. Once again, it is a small difference.
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I think someone was working on a reduction box though.
That would be Brent at Trail Tough. It's going to be a 1.5:1 box, and cost as much as a doubler. Which is totally stupid. A doubler is WAY superior to a straight reduction box, so if the cost is the same I don't know how he expects to sell many of them. Other than brand loyalty?
Excellent point
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you could always do the reduction in the t-case for low, and swap in better gearing in the diffs. I tossed in 5.12's with my 31x10'5s on my 2 door automatic tracker and highway speeds where just fine... my speedo was dead on without adjustment also.
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thanks for all the input guys, seems the members on this site seem to know there stuff, my s/k is a 5 speed, how would it work in low range with 31-33 on it with everything stock, i now it would mostlikly suck on the highway but i dont plan on going to far on paved roads with it, i guess like all i am looking for the most cost effective way to make this rig work decent for average 4 wheeling, not planning on thrashing it to extreme yet!
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31" you'll be okay in a 2-door (and you can get some power back with CAI, cat-back 2" or 2 1/4" exhaust, high-flow cat & muffler - there's debate as to how much headers help for the $$$) - 33" is pushing it. I believe Mike Hagen & friends run 33" with the low-range reduction (about $600). The tracker t-case gears do NOT have ANY hi-range reduction. Not even a little. An automatic is nice with tall tires on the trail 'cause of the torque multiplication. I actually wheeled through the 'con on 35" tires with 4.88 gears w/ stock t-case :o Not ideal - just saying it can be done.
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31" you'll be okay in a 2-door (and you can get some power back with CAI, cat-back 2" or 2 1/4" exhaust, high-flow cat & muffler - there's debate as to how much headers help for the $$$) - 33" is pushing it. I believe Mike Hagen & friends run 33" with the low-range reduction (about $600). The tracker t-case gears do NOT have ANY hi-range reduction. Not even a little. An automatic is nice with tall tires on the trail 'cause of the torque multiplication. I actually wheeled through the 'con on 35" tires with 4.88 gears w/ stock t-case :o Not ideal - just saying it can be done.
I stand corrected, there is NO reduction in high range, Jeremiah is correct. There I go with the Sammi mind set again. Thank for the correction Jeremiah. Good call.
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I have run 5.12s with a Sami case and 31s before. You can run it down the freeway just fine. It does spin a little high but not in a bad way. totally gives you the power lost from the tires. It's actually pretty lively to drive. So you can use the Sami case in a Trackick with anywhere from 31"-35" tires and not have issues. Been there, done that. With 35s your speedo is correct. I have had Samis weigh more than Trackicks with the same running gear with zero complaints. My educated opinion is to use one of the doubler kits that uses a Sami case and have fun. It is a pain to mod the tunnel and make mounts for the Sami case, but it is well worth the effort. Heather's Kick worked great with 5.12s and Sami case on 33's.
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There I go with the Sammi mind set again.
I brain fart on here all the time - it's all good. To my knowledge, Samurai's are unique in that they're the only T-cases that have hi & low range reduction. I don't think toy, or dana does it.