I finally got my first sammy after wanting one for years.  I'ts a stock 88.  what are the biggest tires I can run stock?  how high to I need to go to run 30's or 31's? 

Long term plans are to make a mean rock crawler with 33-38" tires.  what axle swaps are the most popular, or recommended.  same question with lift kits, or am I better off doing a custom job to compliment the axle swap.

finally I'm considering a diesel engine swap, any recomendations on that would be great.  I was thinking maybe an old izuzu pickup engine, but have done no research on the subject yet.

also wondering what's the biggest tires you can safely run on stock axles?

Nobody wants to dive into this???

Last question:  32-33s on Samurai axles.  I run 30s.

Toyota seems to be the most common axles used oter than the stock ones.  Folks tend to beef them up a bit before installing.

The torquiest engine commonly swapped is the VW 1.6 or 1.9 Diesel (available with TuuuurrBooo!).  Chevy's 4.3 is common but the most common is the 1.6 16-valve Tracker/Sidekick engine.

Finally, check out Acks FAQ (link in the signature below) for searchable links to more information.

right now i am running 30x9.5 tires with a 2" lift, this will work with stock as well with a good mount of bumper triming.I have no trouble with tire clearance at all. 32-33 needs about a 5" lift (SPOA would do great for this). there are a lot of diffrent axle setups including dana 44 f/r, toyota axles are another popular swap.as far as deisel swaps i see a lot of VW swaps either the 1.6 or the 1.9 though this swap can be expensive. the 4.3 swap that ack is talking about is pretty darn expensive as well. i will see if i can post up a bumper pic to show you how i trimed it.

I seen a samurai get 4th place in the Four Wheeler's Top Truck Challenge. It had a sidekick 1.6L 16v and Toyota axles. I just have a 1.3L DOHC swift engine, SPOA with 31's with open diff's and I have to say I am surprised how many places you can go with that set up.

so far i have a home made 2" body lift.  plan  on doing the spoa.  just don't know if i want to pay for the kit, or hunt down parts like brake lines from the junk yard and save a little cash.  I got a set of tsl 33x13.5's and was halfway done putting a "very temporary" shackle lift when I dropped the zuke on my hand.  will try to post pics of each when the pain go's away.

If you go Rears Up Front or YJ springs then you can move the front axle forward a bit. That moves the wheels away from the footwells and allows you to run bigger tyres with less lift.

You can certainly do a SOA on a junkyard budget without a problem, but I would recomend buying at least half of the over the top steering setup, or finding a mercadies to pull the steering arms off of.

The only parts I bought for my SOA kit was a set of pads for the top of the axels.

the spoa will easily 32s.  i would recommend buying one.  the usually have a way to automatically set the axle tilt and have brake lines , some have drop pitman arms.  its doesn't really cost more.  but i wouldn't get rocky-roads kit. the pads are too thin and change shape. 
i have was wondering about the rear springs in the front some one mentioned, is their any issues with steering i have to cover if i do that?
check out petersens 4wheel offroad magazine.  one of the tech questions gives out tim hardy's secret to stronger axles. i think it was in may this year.