OK, so here's the deal...

That is my old TJ, sold it a few months ago.  I am about 95% of the way to buying a 90 Samurai, pretty well built already, but I want to do some massive suspension upgrades already.  Lifted, locked, geared, armored, but has the original axles, and stock width.  I want to widen the track a bit too.

I see the Samurai is a passenger side drop t-case, both front and rear, and in order to build the suspension I want, I need at least a rear w/ a center diff (thinking about a Toyota rear, would like a Toy front if I can find one with the correct side drop).

Since I am pretty close to getting the 90 with 125K on a 1.3, I am already looking around for a 1.6 (and more information on the swap, if anyone can point me to a good site for more details) and Hawk I see has the mouintg adapters for the engine, but what about the tranny?  T-Case?  

I am at a bit of a loss, I am not familiar with Zuk's, and since I don't even own one yet, I am even that much further behind.  Zuk's and Jeeps (TJ's at least) don't have too much in common...

Any help is appreciated !

Thanks,

Bob

See the PM I sent you.  Also see http://bbs.off-road.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=offroadsuzuki&Number=1241788&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=31&fpart=1 for more pics of the utimate Sammy.  (No not mine!  Mine is a sorry stock 90 Tracker)

Thanks man

I don't suppose you happen to know where I can get some undercarriage pictures?  Preferably clean  i won't be able to get out and look at the one I want to buy for like a week, and my brain is already working on the new suspension.  Just trying to give myself a sanity check, get some accurate pics, and go from there.

Thanks again.  I know how much of a pita newbie questions like these can be, I appreciate you taking the time to answer them...

Bob

OK, so here's the deal...

I am about 95% of the way to buying a 90 Samurai, pretty well built already, but I want to do some massive suspension upgrades already.  Lifted, locked, geared, armored, but has the original axles, and stock width.  I want to widen the track a bit too.

I see the Samurai is a passenger side drop t-case, both front and rear, and in order to build the suspension I want, I need at least a rear w/ a center diff (thinking about a Toyota rear, would like a Toy front if I can find one with the correct side drop).

Since I am pretty close to getting the 90 with 125K on a 1.3, I am already looking around for a 1.6 (and more information on the swap, if anyone can point me to a good site for more details) and Hawk I see has the mouintg adapters for the engine, but what about the tranny?  T-Case?  

I am at a bit of a loss, I am not familiar with Zuk's, and since I don't even own one yet, I am even that much further behind.  Zuk's and Jeeps (TJ's at least) don't have too much in common...

Any help is appreciated !

Thanks,

Bob

So, why do you want to get a Samurai? I mean what is your motivation? It looks like you had a capable vehicle already and the modifications you are talking about would take you along a path that you had already taken with your TJ... pretty much reinventing the wheel.

Sincerely, I ask... why?

Having said that, there are a gozillion ways to go here. The 1.6 swap would be easy. Get a 1.6 8 valve engine and use the fuel injection and manifold that is already on your 90. Exhaust manifolds or headers are the same for both engines too. There are adapter kits available from most aftermarket vendors that will allow you to bolt this engine directly to your Samurai transmission which you'll want to keep. T-case gearing options are gonzo with pretty much every vendor offering a different choice from lo range 4.16:1 to 8:1. Toyota axles are used quite a bit and an custom offset mini-truck rear is offered from Sky's Offroad that would work with the t-case... and on and on...

HTH -Eric

Here are a couple web pages that have some good pics of what a Sami is capable. I dont know much about Sami's( I have a Kick), but all I did was go to Yahoo and typed in Coil Suspension Samurai. There are alot of pics of coil sprung Sami's. Hope this helps at all.

Jacob

http://www.4x4wire.com/suzuki/reviews/h_h_coils/  
http://members.home.nl/xs4two/ijsland/ijsland-eng.html
http://www.mystomper.com/4x4/mysammi.htm
http://www.horc.org.uk/CoilSpringSuzukiSamurai.htm a factory coil sprung Sami

Found this too:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33585&item=2452655794

It is a Coil susp kit from RRO

Jacob