Hey, i just picked up a 1993 suzuki sidekick 4x4 1.6l 16valve automatic for FREE. It runs fine and all, i just bought it for a daily driver since my camaro's v8 guzzles to much gas. Its all stock right now, and i want it a little more fit for the offroad, so what are some cheap things i can do to make it a better 4x4?

What are the biggest tires i can put on without a lift? And WONT rub?

235/75r15s
rear locker would make it better but for street use its not the best...

ive got a 90 with 235's and beat most stuff in the hills round where i use to drive. (kick alot of side by side quads asses)

Get a set of jeffs coil spacers and put some 235x75r15s on it and u will still get good gas mileage and can have lots of fun offroad thats what i did but the zuk bug bit me and it didnt stay that way for long.

M/T tires will make a big difference in mud & rocks. Lockers are BY FAR the best bang-for-the-buck upgrade. They're also the most ignored upgrade by the "mild wheelers" for some reason. I think a 29" (235/75/15) M/T on lockers is more capable than a lifted kick on 31". As long as you're staying under 31" tires, just buy the tires first. If you have rubbing, find out where and adjust accordingly (with a lift, fender trimming, or hammer). Many people run 29-30" tires with no lift, and no rub. It just depends on the brand you run (they're wildly different actual sizes despite the manufacturers claims), and how much sag your springs have.

Ok thanks, but i may sound like a complete noob when i say this, but im only 15, so here it goes. What are lockers? lol. im more of a camaro enthuisest and am just getting into the 4x4 world. besides quading.

You might know it as "possie traction" or "spools" in the hot-rod world. In most vehicles, only one tire is actually driving the vehicle at a time (the one with the least traction). This is GREAT for on-road driving, as it keeps the tires alive longer, and there's enough traction between the rubber & the road to only need one tire getting traction.

In 4x4 world, if you're going through mud / snow or other low-traction areas, the tire with the least traction spins - sometimes freely. Or, you'll be driving over an obsticle (rock, log etc), and lift one of the tires enough, that it'll tend to free spin. Unfortunately in these situations, the tire with the most traction just sits there. The way around this is lockers. There's a few locker choices, I'll group them by how they work (and least priced to most expensive):
* Welded (aka lincoln), or spools
* Auto lockers (lockrite, or EZ-locker)
* Selectable (KAM, or ARB)

There's a LOT to discuss between these types of lockers. Lockers are discussed every week or two, and rather than re-hashing what's already been discussed, and diluting the info that's already out there... I'd prefer you do a search, find a thread that's already discussing these locker types and post any questions you may have in those threads.

Ok thanks, ill do that.

235-75/15 M/Ts or good A/Ts  if you really don't want to lift it. If you decide to lift it  ;)Jeff's spacers can't be beat on price, then you get more ground clearance and room for bigger tires.  I got 3.5-4" ground clearance from his 2" lift and 30" tires, let me tell ya that really helps off road!  

Anything you can do to fit bigger tires under it. Coil spacers and a nice way to gain that (easy and cheap)

I'm in the same boat, waiting on spacers, rear locker, and in the future some 30" offroad tires (running 235 a/T's for now, and they are Farly new...)

idk, might just get the lift locker and tires and keep the 235's for street use...

Lift, locker, and 235/75's will take you alot of places bigger trucks fear to go. Suzukis are all about doing more with less. Just make sure you get some good skid plates underneath cause with that setup you'll have about 11" of ground clearance so you WILL hit something eventually!

Quote from: Sidekick Kid on March 01, 2009, 11:36:35 AM

Ok thanks, but i may sound like a complete noob when i say this, but im only 15, so here it goes. What are lockers? lol. im more of a camaro enthuisest and am just getting into the 4x4 world. besides quading.

You might know it as "possie traction" or "spools" in the hot-rod world.

Heeey, hey hey now.  Don't oversimplify to the point of passing misinformation.  Positraction (or Trac-Lok, or Sure Grip, or.... hell, all these  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limited_slip_differential#Factory_names) is a limited slip differential, not a locker.  Don't start the guy off on the wrong foot.