Well I got my fiance' her first wheelin machine the other day. Its a 87' Sami in pretty good condition. This is my first sami so all this stuff is pretty to me, I am more of a Jeep guy, but have always liked Sami's. I am looking forward to building it up for rockcrawling and street use. This is her daily driver so I dont want to go to extreme. I figured a SOA, 31-32's, some lockers and misc shit should crawl really good and still be daily-driveable.

What do I need to do a Spring Over? I did a SOA on my YJ but im unsure on whats necessary to do one on a Sami. Should I just buy one of the kits or peice it together myself? Thanks for any help.

Here are some pics after the O.D. Paint-Job :D

http://home.off-road.com/~rockbuggy/NewFolder/P1010012.jpg

http://home.off-road.com/~rockbuggy/NewFolder/P1010007.jpg

Time for a black top and steel wheels. :D

Thats on the long list of mods :D I figure some 31" Swamper TSL's and some black steels with a SOA and black soft-top outa look and work pretty good . :D

t-case gears, lockers.

Do it yourself. Not to difficult. If you don't have machine access, get petroworks' kit or others. If you want to improve the ride at the same time, get TTs YJ kit...

thanks for the reply's, And yea gozuki I plan on doing the install myself, I have a welder and access to a full shop. :D

What other parts do I need to do the SPOA myself. I did my YJ's a couple years back and had no problems, I actually have the parts list memorized by now :D

But as for the zuki. So far all I have is Spring Perches. what else do I really need to have? Thanks!! (God I feel like a newbie)

Steering: you may want to consider cross over steering of some kind (versus just bending the stock link into a pretzel)
a lot of people swear that their "Z" link works just fine for crawling and daily driving, but i have also heard of nasty bump steer from others, so who do you believe?
sometimes the macho, i'm tuff and don't need shit crowd think yer a pussy if you say "i've got bumpsteer, and don't like it" or "i want power steering"
as i get older, i realize i'd KILL for power steering:D i'm not a young punk anymore. (just a punk...)

Rear spring "wrap": i didn't think too much about this either when i went spoa, thinking "ah, i'm pretty tame, and don't gas the snot out of it all the time, i don't really need....."
i needed.:D
my traction bar/anti wrap bar whatever you want to call it, made a huge difference, and i've heard of people killing their springs quite quickly without having one.
this is especially true if you get lower gearing in your transfer case.

most Sammy's (i've seen anyway) seem to either sag just a little in the ass end or at least LOOK like they do, after a spoa. i dunno, maybe it's just an optical illusion kinda thing, or maybe the extra leverage is enough to flatten the arch quicker?
i do not know if the infamous YJ spring swap makes a height change or not, to tell the truth.

i'm the only one i know of that has taken out the rear brake splitter valve block:( my '91 efi model has the splitter located very low on the passenger side frame rail, just by the spring hanger. you may want to consider some kind of little armour shield or try to relocate it higher up....

without a body lift, sometimes the front tires come into contact with a vertical sheet metal seam in the wheel arches at full stuff and can cut the tires. most people just hammer this seam flat, where applicable.

Shocks: it makes a MONSTROUS diff! mine road like a concrete block with Rancho 5000's, i put on some el-cheapo gas -o- matic things, and mmmmmmmm caddy ride....
have the lower shock mounts welded as low as you can go on the axle tubes, RESIST the temptation to just flip the spring plates and re-use the stock mounting stems.

Driveshafts: because of the extremely short wheelbase, Sammy's maybe have more than their share of angularity prob's. until i got an extended slip yoke, my front u-joint(s) were too bound up to even go into 4wd!
the ever popular fix for 5.5" + lifts seems to be going to Toy shafts (with a little modification of course, as i believe they're C.V. and require you to have the spring perches welded on the axles at a different angle than if using non-C.V. type 'shafts.

there's tons more but i'm having brain fade, sorry.:p

ps- water pours in from up under the dash after a good rain on most Samurais that I know of, and goes directly into/on top of the fuse box on the driver's side.(good design, eh?)
this has shorted out my headlights at night, while on a highway that has a rep. for being quite deadly...."Sea to Sky"

about the "black" top, a buddy had a hideous maroon coloured one and used that spray on vinyl dye (black) and it worked SPECTACULARLY. you can't tell it didn't come stock black. just a thought.

Ok before all the usual suspects get up in arms this is a basic list for a suzuki newbie (so don't be trash talkin since these aren't necessarily the things I would do) Just the facts.

Needs:
-perches
-brake line extensions
-drive shaft lengthened (via spacers or new / extended shafts)
-some sort of steering correction (hysteer preferable but you could also get a dropped draglink) (I would avoid a dropped pitman arm due to the stress it puts on an already wimpy box)
-offset rims
-a BFH to "make room" for the big meets up front when the wheels contact the rear of the fender while turned or during compression.

Probably should have:
-new lower shock mounts (all four corners)
-longer shocks
-stronger rear drive shaft (toyota front that is shortened can work well).
-t'case gears to cope with the tire radius change and to make the truck trail worthy.
-some kind of traction bar to reduce / eliminate axle wrap.
-New upper shock mounts to max suspension flex

In terms of the "tricks" turn the rear diff up so the pinion points directly to the t'case flange (if you are running a trac bar) if not a couple of degrees down to limit d-shaft vibration / u-joint failure. Don't change the angle of the front diff as castor will also change--adversely affecting steering. Remove the e-brake cable from "hanger" on tub of your zuk or you will rip it off. I can't think of anything else right now. These guys can tell you everything you need to know about taking it to the next level.
later
Dave
aka Shogunator

hey, i knew i liked you, shogunator:D
good taste in advice:beer:

Buy a kit and you'll get everything you need without all the running around. Trail Tough, Petroworks, Rocky Road Outfitters all have very complete kits ready to weld on.:D

Dont forget Northcoast offroad (http://www.northcoastoffroad.com) and to the shogunator good advice :emb:

Hey there,
I am also helping rockbuggy build this sami up. I got to help on the nifty paint job! LOL....that was fun. Anyway, project bubba is definitly guna need some rockers, can you guys point us in a direction?

1/4" angle iron

Here's some info on homemade nerf bars. (http://www.azrockcrawler.com/_images/2001/6-01nerfbars/6-01nerfbars.html) . Also check out the Tech section on my website for info on the various lifts you can do. You have the right idea doing a spring over right off the bat.

thanks alot for all the help guys!!! :D I think i'll probably just end up buying a complete kit. I'll post some pics after the install...

BTW: Im going to try out those new swamper LTB's too :D

Go straight to some Toy axles, I wouldn't spend money on the stock stuff. Not to mention there already set up for the SOA.:)

Thanks Uzi and Rockrat!

Sometimes people forget where they came from in terms of a zuk heritage and jump straight in to full hardcore do this and do that. If you think about it 75% or more of the people sporting zuks are still at this level or less (not that there is anything wrong with that). I just like to be inclusive of every level. I still do SOA's for friends and people I meet that don't want the shaft from certain businesses "specializing in zuk's" (I'm talking local here boys so don't get excited! -- Uzi you know who I mean!) My rig sports a full width 44 and a 60 but so what not everyone needs to. Let me tell you some of the most fun wheeling I've had is in a "stock" zuk (well in my opinion they should come stock with a SOA, 31's and the appropriate axle gears) LOL. :D

Rockbuggy a kit is probably the best idea. Though you can save a couple of bucks making it or gathering parts the headache(s) you incurr aren't worth it. Spend your brain on making things better not reinventing the wheel. The SOA is a commodity and has been for a while. I say build it slow instead of jumping head on in. You've got your hard core rig, try out the zuk with minimal mods 'cause you are going to be surprised how far it will go with out the heavy $$$$$. Keep it driveable, it is way harder building a daily driven hardcore wheeler than a trailer queen. Have fun!

dave
aka Shogunator

Nice work Shogunator like how you put the words in there , Shogunator is a buddy of mine. He is right no need to spend big $$$$$$$$ on one of these trucks to make it go far , Just need to size up the trails and use your head

AKA Tman

Originally posted by fatkid
Go straight to some Toy axles, I wouldn't spend money on the stock stuff. Not to mention there already set up for the SOA.:)
Im with Fatkid on this one Tony, go with TOY axles.. eventually. I know you want to just leave it decent for now, and on stock stuff, but man, I saw fat kid Gettin it at TDS this weekend, and man he put those Birfields through their paces with 33" boggers, and a heavy right foot, and no breaking....
Im gonna have to come by tommorow night and see the sami...
Scott

dude its my fiance's daily driver!! It doesnt need no fawkin toy axles or any of that shit. I want to keep it reliable and safe untill she gets another daily and "bubba" becomes the trail rig then i'll go balls out!!

Good call.. its look awesome man.. taken it wheelin yet>? Should do awesome!
Scott

So did you paint bubba that Wrad color? or did it come like that, what kinda paint did you use ?:D

I'll answer for him.. Bubba was blue, he painted it that color, and its krylon spray paint, the camoflauge system, OD green. He used 5 cans..
Scott

Just Czeched out your site, man that stuff is tight, when are you running the 'con this year?

Hey rock buggy, that's a nice clean rig ya got there!!!

Originally posted by kestrel
Just Czeched out your site, man that stuff is tight, when are you running the 'con this year?

the con's to far to drive for our no tow rig havin ass's :D Were going to make a few trips to johnson valley this year though...

BTW: Just got the new webpage up and running. check it out.

www.Rockskullz.com

There are a few error after changing host but most of the links work :D

Originally posted by gregzuki
Hey rock buggy, that's a nice clean rig ya got there!!!

thanks greg :D