I bought my Samurai without knowing much about the history of it.

It has the springs over the axles, but I'm not sure how much lift this adds, who's kit it is, and if anything else has been done.

If I was to get pictures to help identify it, what would I need pictures of?

I know for a fact that there has been some welding on the axle tubes for the SPOA, but I assume they all require that.

Let me know what pics will help and I will take them.

Thanks
Shawn

pics of the spoa perches on the axle, basically if its 3/4 inch higher than the tube its a 5 inch lift compared to stock, different springs and shackles from stock also make it higher, put it this way i have 9 inches of suspension lift and it took a 5 inch spoa and aftermarket springs.

I'll throw some pics up this evening hopefully.

The reason I ask is because it looks like the driveshafts probably need spacers...and I'm trying to find the details of the lift to see what all 'should' be done to it, and what is or is NOT done that should be.

Thanks for the heads up. I'll get pics of the perches.

SQ

SQ, also get some pics of the steering ... many times that is done half/ass (or not at all) ...

I understand the "dunno what the PO did" problem. That's why I prefer "unmodified" stuff if you can find it (and with sami's that's getting really hard to find).

Snofalls,

I'll get a few pics of the steering also.

I should have the pics up tomorrow morning.

I'm currently designing a front bumper I hope to be making. Fun stuff!

I would've preferred a bone stock samurai also, but all the stock ones I have seen have had engine troubles or they had rough bodies/tops/etc.

I figured I planned to re-do it all either way, HOW I WANTED it...so it really didn't matter too much.

Samurais are hard to find down here because everyone gobbles them up for hunting/RVing.

SQ

Pics of steering and spring perches will be posted later.

It looks like my lift is a 3/4" perch on top of the axle (5"?).

I think the springs are stock, but I can't tell the difference. They are almost 'FLAT', very little arch.

With a SPOA lift, do you need driveshaft spacers, or any other type of driveline mods? It looks like mine SHOULD have some type of spacers, but it doesn't have any.

I'll get pics of the driveshafts also.

SQ

Ok, here's the pics of the steering and front suspension setup.

Pass side:





Drivers Side:



Steering:



Anyone have any ideas?

Also, any idea what the small brackets that are hanging down go to? Looks like some sort of tow bar mounts, but seems awfully small. They are located on either side of the steering stabilizer in the last pic. A small bar with a flat plate.

Also, notice how flat the springs are. Is this normal?

Thanks
Shawn

Small brackets is were your swaybar used to be, cut them off and forget about them



Springs look like tired old original ones

I would say you need a new set of springs or have them reset.

I plan to have a new set of springs and 31" (maybe 33's) by this spring.

I'll wait until I buy a lift kit, and use the springs that come with it. Now, which lift should I go with...hmmmm. The YJ Springs look to be nice!

Swaybar, huh? What's the advantage of removing it?

Does the steering appear to be stock?

SQ

looks like stock steering to me, yea those leafs are nice and flat, decent for flex, shitty for everything else, maybe get some new springs, rears up front work nicely, and put jeep cj front leafs in the rear... thats my setup and it works great... also think about getting some steering upgrades, ive got a drop drag link, but would much rather have cross over or histeer.

DirtDevil,

What all is required to do the CJ fronts in the REAR, and the zuki RUF?

At what point do you have to start lengthening driveshafts?

I'm definitely looking into steering upgrades.

SQ

for the cj's in the rear i moved the spring perch forward ( to desired length of shackles measured to get a good shackle angle ), in the rear im using a drive shaft spacer... for the front i did the exact same thing, moved the spring perch back a bit ect... im not using a spacer in the front.. i ran this setup spua for a while and then spoa, works great, heres a pic of some front end flex :

I'll have to research the RUF project a little more. I'm missing the advantage that it gives.

You said you had to move the front-end shackle mounts backwards, and rear-end mounts forward?

Did you do this to put more arc in the springs, or are the springs too short for the stock shackle locations?

I really need to research before asking so many questions...dang newbies 

SQ

no worries, its because the rear springs are a much better design then the front, the fronts are all sagged out while the rears retain just the right amount of arc, the cj's in the rear have a bit more arc then stock and are longer... so the reason for moving the spring hangers, not shackle mounts is because the rear springs are longer then the fronts and the cj's are longer then the rears. that is if you want to keep the axle in the stock location