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Axle choices

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doghows

Axle choices
« on: February 01, 2008, 09:13:19 AM »
     OK here goes my first newbie question. I have an 87 Samurai that I plan on modifying for heavy trail use. So far it has a SPO conversion, high steer kit, revolver shackles front and rear. It does pretty well the way I bought it.
     Will the stock axles hold up if I want to go up to a 35" tire? I know I need a little more room for the tires but if I am going to upgrade I would rather try and do it once instead of redoing things.
     What type of axles is everyone else upgrading to? Toyota? Dana 44?
     I would like to stretch the wheelbase out to 100" eventually if that makes any difference.
   Thanks for the help and my apologies for the newbie questions.. Thanks Steve H.  8) ???
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Offline ebewley

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Re: Axle choices
« Reply #1 on: February 01, 2008, 11:57:53 AM »
Quote from: doghows on February 01, 2008, 09:13:19 AM
     OK here goes my first newbie question. I have an 87 Samurai that I plan on modifying for heavy trail use. So far it has a SPO conversion, high steer kit, revolver shackles front and rear. It does pretty well the way I bought it.
     Will the stock axles hold up if I want to go up to a 35" tire? I know I need a little more room for the tires but if I am going to upgrade I would rather try and do it once instead of redoing things.
     What type of axles is everyone else upgrading to? Toyota? Dana 44?
     I would like to stretch the wheelbase out to 100" eventually if that makes any difference.
   Thanks for the help and my apologies for the newbie questions.. Thanks Steve H.  8) ???

The stock axles will not hold up w/35" tall tires. Many people do swap in Toyota mini-truck or Dana 44 axles to run this size of tire.

Good luck, Eric
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Eric L. Bewley                               
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doghows

Re: Axle choices
« Reply #2 on: February 01, 2008, 12:45:45 PM »
     Thanks; I figured I would need to upgrade those? Anything else on the rig that may not handle the 35" tires??
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Offline TrakJD

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Re: Axle choices
« Reply #3 on: February 01, 2008, 12:59:26 PM »
Any upgrades to the stock axles.  Would be a "plus".  There's birfield cups to prevent the birfields from erupting but again, it depends on you the driver.  Lead foot or whatever you like to do.

And there's this axles.. Newfield.  Im told it would hold up to 33s Anything beyond that is pushing the limit.

For the stock axles, I would do what Sean De Vinney at www.aftermarket4x4.net does....

Birfield cups, new axle shafts (both sides) 26 spline side gears.  He has a heavvvy foot.  Yet they seem to be holding up to his abuse very well. And he also has 35s on his zuk.

Otherwise... like Eric said... Up grade the axles to Toyota or Dana 44.  that's a common swap.  Easily done.
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doghows

Re: Axle choices
« Reply #4 on: February 01, 2008, 01:16:37 PM »
     Thanks for the info; I think I will start looking for some axles.
   Looked in the archives for body lift stuff and found a bit of info. How does a 2" body lift work out on the Samurai? I've put one under the Bronco should I expect about the same issues??
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Offline SnoFalls

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Re: Axle choices
« Reply #5 on: February 01, 2008, 04:01:52 PM »
doghows ... check out pirate4x4 (search/read FIRST)
plenty of info there on sami stretching and axle swapping.
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doghows

Re: Axle choices
« Reply #6 on: February 04, 2008, 02:38:59 PM »
     Thanks Snofalls. I've been there a bunch but the light bulb over my head didn't light up till you said something. Thankyou...  8)
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Offline lostsamurai

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Re: Axle choices
« Reply #7 on: February 04, 2008, 08:19:28 PM »
Just my opinion.... I run toyotas because they are as strong as 44's and much lighter and narrower my rig was street legal and that's almost imposible with 44's I also run a suzuki sidekick 1.6 16 valve and sidekick auto trans, you will need either 6.5:1 t case gears to run 35" tire with the 1.6 engine if you stay stock you will need t case gears and ring and pinion as well, hope this helps.
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88' Zuk 16v efi full width dana 44 axles and 37"s,hybrid exo cage, comp cut rear -18", F&R fox air shocks , jegs poly seats, sk automatic trans, 6.5:1 t case, twinsticks, 100" wheelbase with a 79" wide.
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Offline Amilla

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Re: Axle choices
« Reply #8 on: February 05, 2008, 09:00:18 AM »
Go with the Toyota axles, they are pretty much the perfect size for the sami.
If you wanted they indestructible, you could look for a 84 to 85 front axle.
Get a knuckle ball kit, truss, and longfields.  That would be a pretty stout front axle and handle what ever you could throw at it + the 35"s. 
Plus you would have a 4.10 gears, with a 6.5:1 T-case gearing you could turn a 35.
The rear Axel is a whole different story, they have to be off-set, due to the fact that a samurai has an off-set rear axle and the Toyota has a centered axle.  Sky manufacturing can off set the axles for you.

Amilla
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88 Samurai, Sprung Up, Geared Down, Locked,With Yotas.
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doghows

Re: Axle choices
« Reply #9 on: February 05, 2008, 09:21:00 AM »
     Thanks for all the info. I will post some pics today of my starting point and see if you guys see anything that I missed with the rig. I think Yota axles will be in the future. Thanks again... Steve  8)
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Offline ebewley

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Re: Axle choices
« Reply #10 on: February 05, 2008, 11:14:03 AM »
Quote from: doghows on February 05, 2008, 09:21:00 AM
     Thanks for all the info. I will post some pics today of my starting point and see if you guys see anything that I missed with the rig. I think Yota axles will be in the future. Thanks again... Steve  8)

I looked at your pictures and it looks like you need bumpstops. Bending the leaf springs past flat is not good. YMMV...

-Eric
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MaD.72

Re: Axle choices
« Reply #11 on: February 05, 2008, 11:54:41 AM »
The rear Axel is a whole different story, they have to be off-set, due to the fact that a samurai has an off-set rear axle and the Toyota has a centered axle.  Sky manufacturing can off set the axles for you.



Look for a toyota land cruiser older version, the rear axle is offset like a sammi!!
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dres0081

Re: Axle choices
« Reply #12 on: February 07, 2008, 12:42:51 PM »
yah i put yj springs on mine a few months back, i used the RRO kit and it has been great since. I have also been looking into toyota axles just need to find some in my area and could also use a little extra $$ but couldnt we all
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big_kountry21

Re: Axle choices
« Reply #13 on: February 07, 2008, 06:04:17 PM »
how hard is it to convert a tral to sammy suspension
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Offline Amilla

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Re: Axle choices
« Reply #14 on: February 07, 2008, 10:37:03 PM »
Quote from: big_kountry21 on February 07, 2008, 06:04:17 PM
how hard is it to convert a tral to sammy suspension
Do you mean SAS the tracker?
I think it really depends on what you want to do.  You could match up the front with the rear suspension and do the axle swap with coils.  Or you could go the other rout and do leafs up front.
To me leafs are very simple to deal with, not as much stuff needed to do the actual install.
You would need an axle, front spring hanger, shackle hangers, shackles, leaf springs, and some sort of steering set up which you could go hi-steer.
I'm no good with setting up coils or any of that stuff, I'm just going off of what i know and that's mostly leaf springs. But I'm sure some one else on here knows about the coil version.

Hope that helps somewhat

Amilla
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88 Samurai, Sprung Up, Geared Down, Locked,With Yotas.
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