Offroad-Express

Ok so I've had a bit of a search around but this topic is probably getting old now so can't seem to find what I am looking for.
Basically just wanting to know what are the cheap mods that can be done on a Samurai bush truck so don't need to be legal.
I see spring over kits can be had pretty cheap on eBay can't seem to find anything locally. OTT/histeer kits still seem to be expensive out of the states, but it looks like it wouldn't be hard to bang up a Z-link to get it to work in the meantime. Are there any shocks that can be had out of other vehicles that will work with this or am I better off biting the bullet and getting new.
Also what is a good rim offset to run on these, hoping to get my 31"s on at some stage.
Will be new to Zooks when I get one, Hilux is too heavy to tow around. So if any of you gurus can help with these or any other cheap bush mods they know, or point me in the direction of a good source or 413/Sammy information would be much appreciated.
Clive

This is just my opinion .

Never driven a SOA 413 ,the closest I have ever come is when I installed Hilux diffs under the 413 . Coiled the front and was running out of time so just SOAed the back . It sat in the shed like that for about a day before I ripped it out and coiled it . It was just way to high for me . I would not go the SOA route as I agree with the net gossip that it will be too tall and unstable .

What work can you do yourself ? Can you weld ?

If I was starting with a stock samurai , was mindful of $$$ and it did not need to be legal .

Hammer the seams flat , ditch the front bumper mount tubes and run 30" tyres . Have fun with it .
Next maybe an auto locker for the rear and after that a 4.16 t/case .

The next step gets a bit harder as 31"+ tyres will stuff the gearing but this is what I would do , alas costs a bit more than the first option .
Cut the gaurds , even if you can't weld you could pop rivet in new guard fairly easily .Bog is a bushtrucks best friend . This will fit 31"s well . Next do the 4.16 t/case mod and at the same time convert to a 413 handbrake ( if you find your own 410 t/case you should be able to use the brake of that , or by one out of a 413 ) . This will make it much easier to go rear disc brakes , the cheap and nasty way ( I have done it this way once ) is by welding on the 413 front brake mount ( google weld on rear disc and it should come up otherwise pm me ) . Otherwise you will end up replacing rear shoes every 6 months if you do not remove teh drums and clean out after each mud trip .

After that hmmm , depends on what you do . Bush , auto locker for the rear . Club rallies , would not install lockers . Would spend the money on a G16 .


In short , my opinion is don't SOA , cut the gaurds instead , they are probably rusty anyway .

Chris

See this is where its obvious I am a zook newbie, I thought you needed a fair amount of lift to get 31"s on them. I did think it might be a bit too high for the track width, but seemed like the easiest way to get a good height without needing new leaves at $500 or more a set and without making the front shackles so long they hit everything you drive up.
I can weld to a reasonable standard on heavy material, the winch mount on my hilux hasn't broken yet
Have some C channel here that can be shaped into some nice solid bumpers.
Use, mostly just family fun, club runs and the like, but like to try and be able to go where the comp trucks go

Have you considered a Jinmy. they are much newer, already have coils, fuel injection and power steering, and about the same price.

Sj's are one of the easiest and cheapest 4wd's you can get and probably the most capable for not having to do too much to them. Don't waste your time and SOA it, it makes them tippy piles of poo and they don't work very well.

OME leaves are not very expensive for them and probably one of the best things you can do in terms of bolt in suspension. Transforms the trucks in terms of flex, ride comfort and actually handling the bumps.

More power is easy, get benT's 1600 adapter kits and bolt in a 16v vitara engine

Cutting the guards is also key to making them work well. This allows for maximum uptravel (one of 4x4ing's most underrated performance items). Then you can also fit bigger tyres in (I have 32" wranglers on mine with just guard cut and OME springs.

Powersteering's cheap and easy to do. BenT also does adapter plates to fit a vitara power steering box in. Samurai's have collapsible steering shafts which you can slide in a bit to get them to bolt onto the vitara box.

Keeping these things small, light, nimble and simple is what makes suzuki's go so well. Don't SOA it, a spring under truck will outerperform it

if you want to do dirt cheap, do a shackle extension, you can get a coulple inches easy with the same springs, you dont get any extra flex but hey, its a dirt cheap mod.

i bought this book when i owned my one, (im a geek)
and had grand visions of how iwas going to set it up. then some dick stole it and thrashed it and pushed it off a cliff. i never got over it

fish wrote:if you want to do dirt cheap, do a shackle extension, you can get a coulple inches easy with the same springs, (

To get 2 inch lift through a shackle extension you will need 4 inch longer shackles which will be hideous for approach angle let alone how they look.
Had had a SJ413 on 31s with factory leaves. Wicked little truck, plenty of guard cutting

lilpigzuk wrote:

fish wrote:if you want to do dirt cheap, do a shackle extension, you can get a coulple inches easy with the same springs, (

To get 2 inch lift through a shackle extension you will need 4 inch longer shackles which will be hideous for approach angle,

ive seen them reversed, solveds that but who knows how it would affect handling, lots of cutting and welding too.

I've seen some shocking ideas of cheap lifts on yank forums, 10inch lift on something literally by dropping the spring mounts down 10 inches with box tubing lol, looked unsafe to say the least haha.

yea pretty dodge, here is the book,
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Modifying-Suzuk ... 1904788912

good stuff in there,

This is what i would do , if i got another SJ

Buy a Samurai - Wide Track diffs - Efi
Fit 32x9R16 tyres .
Swap Factory 3.6 diff heads for SJ413 3.9 Diff heads - Cheap Gear Reduction
4.16 or 4.9 Transfer case reduction gears - depends on terrain
Lockright or Tig locker in the rear
LWB Vitara front discs / front discs moved to rear
Hand break on transfer
Vitara power steer - BenT kit
Move spring hangers and mounts inboard to Narrow track spacing - better flex
Same time move front hangers forward and run rear springs up front
After this cut guards to clear tyres
Replace sills with box as sliders
Add cage and bar work.
Add Cromo axles when you start breaking them .
Want more power upgrade to the Vitara 1600 or 1800

= Weapon

All been on my list to do - "cheap" and WT diffs in the same sentance? I've been stalking those on Tm for ages . Given up on them - try your friendly spring man for lifted ones / slightly longer ones to suit an inch longer shackles . For 32's I would be heading towards 6.5's or 5.9 in the trans case - With 30 by 9.5 on std trans low range is gay - it will do 80+kph on the speedo (prob 95ish) towing. I have talked to people that have stripped the rear drums for zero mud build up / offroad only.

Thanks guys some great suzuki beginner info here. Good to get before I get into buying stuff, dropped the SoA idea was just seeing it raved about on US sites but thought it seemed a bit too high for the track. Like the idea of 31s mostly because I already have a good set if they don't sell with my hilux. Have seen a bit about transfer case swaps and 4.16 just need to look into it a bit further, sounds worthwhile if it can be done at home just need a 410 transfer. Don't mind chopping guards etc to fit tyres on.
Like the idea of making sills into sliders, seen a mint runner with rusty sills sell for 1k the other week, bugger.