New here and thought what better place to ask about a samurai.

Have been a jeep guy for a loooong time, mostly hard core rock crawling here in Minnesota. I was always impressed how the sami's perform. sold my last rig and was going to build a rockwelled, front/rear steer Jeep, but decided to change plans.

i started looking for something that would be fun to wheel and saw some really cool sami's. Thought i'd have a look and see what I could find. finally found one that caught my eye, but I am not familiar with anything about these rigs. so, I ask for your opinions and input. below are some of the specifics on the rig I am considering. weak points, strong points, engine dependability, T-case drawbacks, things you might change?

I would imagine, with upgraded yota axles, these rigs are fairly dependable and indestructable?

**1.6, 6 valve tracker motor, new complete head and valve job, runs on propane
**Dual Samurai Transfer Case Set up with HD out gear
FRONT AXLE
**TG six shooter knuckles, 5.71 r/p, 30 spline longfields, ARB locker, TG outer Hubs, 1.5" wheel spacers
39.5"x15x15 super swampers
REAR AXLE
**Chrome moly shafts, spool, 5.71 r/p, 1.5" wheel spacers
39.5"x15x15 super swampers

another question; when you double the cases, I would imagine you can shift into any combination of gear; low/low, high/low, etc. but are they able to be twin sticked, like a dana 300, leaving the front axle in gear and the rear in neutral?

a sami with the potential of doing front digs would be unbelievably maneuverable.

thanks for the help, looking forward to maybe joining the sami owners club.

That sounds cool, twin cases will give you way low reduction, that with 5.7
and of coarse depending on what t-case gears you select, and which case
they go into will make big differences too. Front digs with a set of stock
cases, no, not unless there is some trick thing that can be done, I thought
it was only the Atlas that had that feature.

The Sami t-case offers some reduction even in high range, and the lower the
low range is, the more reduction you get in high range, exact % numbers I
don't know, as I'm a Sidekick owner/builder and it does not offer high range
reduction, but I have heard #s like 12% on one of the posts, with a 4:1 or 6:1
set.

Ohh and Welcome to Zukiworld

Wild

thanks for the info and thanks for the welcome.

yes on the Atlas but there are others that you can do it with, I was planning on running a doubled 203/205 which can be twin sticked to put the rear in neutral for front digs. mega heavy combination, but dependable and cheaper than an atlas. the 203/205 is gear driven, no chain, so virtually indestructable.

looks like I have alot to learn about this possible new direction.

future plan would also be to add a steerable rear axle, which I can't imagine would be too difficult with a yota axle?

The Samurai case is all gears too, the Sidekick case is a chain
to the front shaft output, rear steering with a Yota or even a
Sami axle would be a fun project, don't see many like that.

One of the weak points is the stock t-case cross mount under
the stress of big tires and low gears, so upgrade to a Kong t-case
mount and be done with that

Wild

you already have me excited for the build thread!!  i have heard theat the twin sticks is a awesome setup.  where are you located?

couple comments.

check out the SKY birfield eliminator kit. cheaper than the longfield stuff and switches you to a U joint style axle that you could run CTMs in.
http://www.sky-manufacturing.com/new/detaproduct.php?id=143

Front dig is possible with the disconnect sold by Trail Tough..
http://www.trailtough.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=89&category_id=12&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=53

I have the 2.5L motor out of a Vitara in my sidekick that is awesome. I run this into a sidekick case with crawler gears and a twin stick.  that goes to yota axles with 5.29 and detroits..

For your suspension you could run the trailslayer kit that Trailtough has for the samurai..
http://www.trailtough.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=181&category_id=44&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=53

Your project really becomes a collection of parts and assembly with a proven system..

Hutch

cool, thanks for the heads up on the crossmember.


discussions have already began on the rear steer axle, just need to figure the logistics and the $$'s  

just the little I've researched, it appears a toyota trans can be adapted to a 1.6? so if thats true, a toyota reduction box could then be adapted to a dana 300 (which could, if needed, be regeard for lower gears). although with the toyota reduction box it might be redundent? the dana 300 could be twin sticked to allow front digs. interesting concept if it is in fact true. will have to see how much longer, if any, this makes the whole setup.

this is the fun part of wheeling.



I'm in Minnesota.


edited to add; i came across the disconnects yesterday, didn't have much time to read in depth about it. would make the whole project easier, looks cool and not too expemsive.

the hot rod parts are allmost endless only limited by your $$ and or  fab skills.   stan

The only issue with switching to a Toyota transfer case and gearbox is you loose the high range reduction that you get from the Sammy box.  So you will have to be prepared to change your diff gears to compensate.