I have a stock 88 Samurai and i'm wanting a small lift to run some bigger tires and give me a little more articulation.  What i've been  looking at is either some longer shackles or some lifted springs.  Rocky road has a couple of different types of 1 and 2 inch shackles and a few types of lifted springs from 1.5, 2.5, and 3 inches.   i also know there are other manufactureres that make the 3" lifts.  I would like to get something that didn't involve alot of mods like the steering or driveshat.  If i go with something above what would be involved with putting them on and what would be affected?  
I ran a trail this weekend and had to find ways around some logs and there is a particular road that i like to run after it rains.  It turns into a sloppy mess and is fun to slide around on.  The last time i was on it, i got to sliding and turned sideways and then hit the bank alongside the road.  We got a couple of tires off the ground from that and i'm just wondering how the different size lifts would affect the rolling possibility.
I apperciate the help and i am open to suggestions.  I am budget restricted...

Thanks,
88

88,  with 2" shackles (1" lift) in the front, and some body modifications, I was able to bolt on 30" ATs on my 87.  Granted, the tires would rub the fenders when the suspension was compressed.  But, shackles are no doubt the cheapest lift you can get away with.  You will probably need to remove the plastic thingies at the ends of the front bumper, then cut the outer bumper mounts back close to the frame.  You will also want to fold over the seam in the fenderwells.  I'm not suggesting you run 30's in this config.  But you could easily run 215s if not 225s.  
You are ready to cross the point of no return, from here your wish list starts to grow!  I just completed a CJ spring under lift on mine, and by the time the dust cleared I had spent $800.00.  But, I have 5" of lift, and a nice riding sammy

D

What ever you consider to lift your Sami, you will be best to add some ds spacers and longer shocks to maximize your droop. Best overall for your money is to run expandable shackles front/rear, relocate rear springs forward, run CJ rear springs rear, exp. shackles, longer shocks (relocate rear shocks), add spacers, and you should have the room for 30s, plus 2 - 3 times the droop.

Simple and easiest to do is a shackle and shocks. By adding longer shackles, you'll be 1/2ing the difference in height, ie. 1" longer shackle provides 1/2" lift. Not to provide a significant in lift to take out geometry, you need to keep the shackle lift minimum to 2" shackle. Add longer shocks to compensate for better travel. That should be well enough. You may also have to relocate the brake lines for better droop.

Next, I'd suggest that you look into adding front and rear attachment points to the frame. Seems you like a little muddy trail, but without proper hooks to get pulled from either direction, you'll be pulling off parts trying to get it out.

If you add longer shackles in the front it will not steer correctly, check out calmini for there shackle reversal kit, it is like 239.00 for 2.5 inches of lift without buying anything else! then see how you like it befor you rip that out (wasting the 239.00 and going to a spring over the axels for 4.5 inches of lift costing around 500.00 and up depending on how you do it.) so what is your budget and do you want to do it twice or not? I would do the 239.00 for a year or so while you do the research. Dennis.

Why not start out with a cheap spring over kit (bolt-on or Weld)? All the vendors have them, then go from there as you get the $$$.

I wheeled w/ a kid who did the ole' trailer-perch-spring-over and reused everything else.  Wasn't pretty, but with some cheap MT 30's he did alright on PAP Blues 1 & 2.

I would say anything after that and the list gets large w/ changes you need to make for steering and driveline geometry.

Well i've been looking around, and i think i might go with the calmini 3" lift.  Its around $500 and probably will be all the lift i need.  I've never messed with any 4wd stuff before, so what kind of driveshaft spacing am i gonna need and brake line extension?  Also what can i expect as far as power loss from running bigger tires?
Thanks,
88

I would have thought the 'kit' would come w/ any needed spacers and longer brake lines. I guess some do and some don't.

I ran 32" BFGs on mine for a short while w/ the stock gearing, forget hi range 5th gear, it's gone. Low range was OK for simpler trails, but I was smelling the clutch on the more difficult terrain.  You just don't  get the control until you do the tcase re-gear.

Maybe someone else could speak for a smaller tire w/ stock gearing, or, check the archives for some more info.

Good Luck!

Well i've been looking around, and i think i might go with the calmini 3" lift.  Its around $500 and probably will be all the lift i need.  I've never messed with any 4wd stuff before, so what kind of driveshaft spacing am i gonna need and brake line extension?  Also what can i expect as far as power loss from running bigger tires?
Thanks,
88

I'd like to chip in a vote for the 2" Shackle Reversal kit. I've recently talked three Samurai owners into this kit by demonstration of my Green Samurai http://www.zukiworld.com/month_020103/feature_gijane.htm and through words. All three have been really happy with the kit. It bolts on in about 4 hours and will let you run a full 29" tire or a conservative 30". with some trimming/shaping of the front bumper and possible folding back of the front fenderwell seam. The kit works well with out any steering correction, driveline fixin', or other tweaks and can be built upon later if you decide to go bigger.

Good luck and let us know what you get!

-Eric

I've looked at the shackle reversal a little bit, but i read somewhere (RockyRoad was comparing them to lifted springs) that the didn't ride well.  I do like the idea of just a small lift and no tweaking of the driveshaft.  The price definitely is better than the 3" lifted springs.  It sounds like it fit my needs/wants pretty good.  Can anyone give me more info on Calmini 2" shackle reversal.  Anybody with experience or links to other webpages?  
I apperciate everyones info and ideas.  I'm pretty ignorant to the samurai mods, I've had mine about 4 months now, so excuse me if i ask some no brainers.  Thanks again,
88

Actually the SR rides better than stock.  When I first set mine up, I had the shackles reversed.  But I had a death wobble and in a reactionary fit I went back to the shackles in front.  I still had the wobble, which I have now fixed.  I will probably go back to the SR.  RRO is dead set against the SR on the street, this is due to the brake dive that some folks get.  With the CJ springs I have in the front, it doesn't dive any more with the shackles leading or trailing.

Oh yea, the death wobble was due to a front tire with a bad flat spot.

D

Brake dive?  is this just the front end compressing down when you get on the brakes?  Is it really bad to do it all the time or just from really hard braking?  Like when you lock the front wheel up on a motorcycle, you sometimes get bucked off?

Thanks,
88

Rocky Road tends to report comparisons that sell their own products.  They slam the Calmini S/R but they sell one of their own.

Eric was offering you real world experience.  He has a fleet of zuks and like he said, he runs the Calmini S/R on the one with less lift.  He also reccomends it to friends that he sees every day and like he said, they are all happy with it (I know two of the three he mentioned).

I have chosen the Calmini 5.5" combo (haven't installed it yet) based on Eric's advice.  I guess that will make me number 4.

From your description and knowing people running the S/R, I think you would be happy with it and it can still be used if you choose to go with more lift.

Again thanks for all the input.  I did notice that RRO had a SR lift of their own which i thought was odd.  I guess i'm gonna just have to go home and explain to the wife how much we need one .  
Thanks for eveything,
88

Yep, the same kind of brake dive.  Just the weight transfering to the front.  You know, after lifting the rig, tossing the swaybar, putting larger tires, and reversing the shackles, it's going to drive differently.  It is not a sports car, and as long as you know the difference, it's all cool.
But, in all fairness to Glenn |removethispart|@ RRO, it is his recomendation that SR are best left for the trails.  Yes, he does sell them, as do a few other companies.  He just believes that the spoa is the best set up for wheeling.

D