After much research and education from this forum I decided to buy a Sidekick.  Found a '98 4 dr yesterday and drove it home.  I expected a slowpoke with reasonable gas mileage.  This truck moves surprisingly well and got 27 mpg over a mostly mountainous highway, with some city driving.

Have a couple of questions.  One of the front hubs needs some work.  I will take it apart before I know how much.  Where is a good source for a replacement, if that is what it takes?  Also, in my research I noticed that the Tracker is identical to the Sidekick, at least for earlier years.  Is this so for the 98's?  I'm looking for a shop manual, so if they are the same it should ease the search.

Glad I found this forum.  It is one of the best I have come across.

Yup, they're all the same.  GM shop manuals might be cheaper than Suzuki shop manuals (I know the Suzuki manuals are very co$tly).

Does that have auto hubs, or manual hubs?

Although the sidekicks are the same as the trackers in many respects. The sidekick sports however are different. If i remember correctly the frame rails are wider or something to that effect. Someone correct me if im' wrong.

The sidekick sports however are different. If i remember correctly the frame rails are wider or something to that effect. Someone correct me if im' wrong.

Nope, you're dead on.

The hubs are manual.  It is a sport model.  Are the mechanical details significantly different? 

yuo have a 1.8L motor while all normal sidekicks and trackers only had the 1.6L motor. you also have a niceier interior and ferder flairs and wider frame and stance.

oh oh pick me pick me. the engine is different the clutch is different. the hood is longer and wider.
So is most of the other body parts. the frame is different and last but not least the front lower a arms are different. THe engine kicks ass it s 1.8 dohc with a chain driven cam just like the new suzuki engines. the clutch is a hydro clutch not cable ect ect. let me know if you have any questions. 

let me know if you have any questions.

I did not realize there was that much difference.  What about the wiring harness?  I would like to disable some of the bells and whistles.  If I buy a '98 Tracker shop manual is it going to have the info I need?  Are there drive train differences beyond the engine?

I did notice that it has 16" wheels, so that will affect any tire size change recommendations I have seen.  Is it practical to go to a larger size tire without a significant lift?  The present tires look good for the highway, but the single ply sidewalls concern me for off-road use.

oh oh pick me pick me. the engine is different the clutch is different. the hood is longer and wider.
So is most of the other body parts. the frame is different and last but not least the front lower a arms are different. THe engine kicks ass it s 1.8 dohc with a chain driven cam just like the new suzuki engines. the clutch is a hydro clutch not cable ect ect. let me know if you have any questions. 

Are the lower A Arms a casting with integral ball joint housing?

Yeah they have the ball joint built in. it's not a bolt on like normal kicks. As far as the 16 inch wheels its because it has bigger brakes then the normal kick so 16 is a must. plus it has a more postive offset wheel.

Yeah they have the ball joint built in. it's not a bolt on like normal kicks.

K, they are the same as we got on the 2ltr V6 which I suspect shares the same frame. I looked at some but they seemed the same dimensions as the early ones. Not easy to tell though.

No if you park side by side next to a normal kick you can see the length difference and width. From what i under stand the sport was basicly a vatira with different body. the escudo sport has a 2.0l v6 in it. so maybe they are they same