i just bought a samurai and dont really want to do a whole lot of building it up. i want to be able to put 31 inch tires on it and cruise around. occasionally getting it dirty. what do you guys think the best way to do that would be without putting a ton of money into it?

do a search on lift.
or you can get the ultra cheap sky-manufacturing.com
SPOA lift with steering correction just need to buy front lower shock mounts and is only
$380.
Take a look at the 4inch spring under thread for my rant.

well your kit also says i would probably need to regear. i only paid 500 for the whole rig i dont want to turn around and sink 2 grand right away i just want to start slowly but right now make it look good. i guess you think just 4 inch shackles is not a good way to go. oh yeah the trasfer case went out and it is stuck in nuetral. so that is on my to fix list first. is the kit on Rocky road a good one for 220 bucks?

well your kit also says i would probably need to regear. i only paid 500 for the whole rig i dont want to turn around and sink 2 grand right away i just want to start slowly but right now make it look good. i guess you think just 4 inch shackles is not a good way to go. oh yeah the trasfer case went out and it is stuck in nuetral. so that is on my to fix list first. is the kit on Rocky road a good one for 220 bucks?

The first thing that you need to do is wheel your truck as-is!

Once you discover it's natural abilities, you'll be able to understand how little you need to make it work as a DD/occasional offroader.  If there IS something that is less than okay, you'll discover it.  Fortunately, the only thing folks break wheeling a 15+ -year-old Samurai is the 15-dollar shifter sheet in the transfer case.

Although my truck is mildly exotic (1.6 8-valve, weber, etc., etc.) it's basically a Samurai with a COMPLETE self-installed  $440.00 Breeze SPOA sitting on 30" BFG ATs.   It isn't a mudder or rock crawler but it'll go pretty much anywhere I want to go offroad.

Breeze ain't the cheapest, but it's high quality and complete.  You can buy it with shock mounts, perches and a dependeable draglink or in parts if you want.  Most other venders offer pretty much the same package, more or less.  Your choice is broad and plentiful...

A good place to start (plug mode on) is Ack's FAQ (see link in signature).  It is a SEARCHABLE index of many of the top Zukin' websites (including useful articles from this fine website) on the Internet.  Type in a word, get a list of matching links (plug mode off).

Welcome to our wonderfull world of wheeling!

thanks u sound like you r goin to be doin the type of driven as me

will i be able to tell that the shifter plate is broke by pulling the shifter out of the top of the transfer case

well your kit also says i would probably need to regear. i only paid 500 for the whole rig i dont want to turn around and sink 2 grand right away i just want to start slowly but right now make it look good. i guess you think just 4 inch shackles is not a good way to go. oh yeah the trasfer case went out and it is stuck in nuetral. so that is on my to fix list first. is the kit on Rocky road a good one for 220 bucks?

I wheeled the piss out of my rig stock for a year to get used to it.

will i be able to tell that the shifter plate is broke by pulling the shifter out of the top of the transfer case

The two shifting rods might actually just be fighting each other. Usually caused by shifting in 4x when moving. Pull off the boot and shifter and see if you can get the rods to move with a BIG screwdriver. If it pops, then when you try to drive it drops back into neutral your shifter sheet is shot. Put in a Poly one and put it back to gether and go.

What do you mean shifter sheet

It is the plastic spacer/bushing that your Transfer Case shifter sits on.

There is a review for a replacement from Rocky Road over at Off-Road.com here.

I need to get a new one of those...

You'll have to spend some money (and time) to be happy cruising around on 31's.  Lift, gears, tires, wheels?, brakelines...

But you could spend 10 minutes trimming the front bumper to fit some $50 235 muds from Hi-Tech Retreading.  You would be ready for some serious wheeling.

I made it up to the log bridge on the lake isabel trail bone stock on 215's. Had to get the strap out once, but that was because I didn't know how to drive.

Add a lockright to the rear end and you will be going amazing places. (The way you'll pop jerk and squeal your way around the parking lots will let the serious wheelers know that you belong to the club)