Alright guys I'm ready to take my zuk to the next level. Already have toy axles to go in. Should i stick with 33s or go up? Have wrangler spring over thought of using ome wranglers and seeing what fits then. Also considering go all toy, I have extra four speed tranny would fit nice with double cases. Worried about strenght though. Got lots of sand and mud with trips to tenn area in the plan. Thanks for the help. Was going to build a toy extra cab but decided against it like my sammy too much.:rasta:

Go big!!! Try the OME, or go with the RE 2.5" wranglers, or if you want even more...Go with the 2.5" Wagoneers.....Then get some Boggers!!! 37's!! On some 3" BS Beadlocks!

Stick with the zuk tranny, and get a Sumo case

I've heard several people say that you should increase the wheelbase considerably before going to 35's. Thoughts here?

What if you lift to fit 33's via SPOA w/ wranglers then fit the 35's via the saws-all?

Run some 35's or 37's...:)

i think a 38x12.50 sx would be a sweet tire on a lengthened sami. with the toy axles you may want wheel spacer with this tire though.

I had the chance to run Big Johnson this weekend at the Hammers, I wish I had atleast 35's. The more diff clearance the better.

Originally posted by fatkid
I had the chance to run Big Johnson this weekend at the Hammers, I wish I had atleast 35's. The more diff clearance the better.

Slap on some 38x12.50's. They like Toy axles.:D

The "next level" is definitely 35s or bigger. I went with 35s and am already wishing I was able to get 37mtrs:crybaby2:

So what about it? All who are saying bigger bigger bigger, what wheelbase are you running?

Originally posted by Shrock
So what about it? Are all who are saying bigger bigger bigger. What wheelbase are you running?

well if i think you should lengthen it if you get into the 33" range. i have seen too many sami's flip backwards. i feel for 33's to 37's you should be in the 95-100" range. if you go to 38 x12.50 swampers 100" or maybe 102 would be good. also with running large tires i feel as little lift and as much sawzall is the way to go.

i have mentioned it on here before but i have two buddys runing waggy axles, 36x12.5 sx's, and have a 97" wheelbase. both are setup about the same. this being said they work great. i don't think it would hurt a bit if they went on out to 100" either.

i run a 100" wheelbase on my jeep and i run 38.5 sx's. if i were to go to a larger tire i would move my wheelbase out to about 105".

even though i do not own a sami i am a sami fan and i wheel with quite a few and i have seen what works.

what is funny about this is there is a guy who lives near me that i have wheeled with a few times (his sami was locked but stock axles with a soa) and he is in the middle of a cherokee d44 swap and i find out he hauled the thing out to spidertrax in colorado to have 1/4 eliptic rear put on and i think coils in the front. anyway i have talked to him about wheelbases and he told them he wanted to be between 97-100" well they proceded to tell him that that was too long for a sami and tallked him into 92"!!! yeah and they probably all run 33's too. maybe where they wheel 92 is enough but not around here. just my op.

high5: i have seen too many sami's flip backwards.

There are a lot of trails around here with nasty ledges at the top of hill climbs. Flipping over backward on one of them would mean rolling ass over heels all the way back down the hill picking up speed as you roll. Flopping is one thing, but the thought of this happening gives me the creeps...hence my question on wheelbase.

Thanks for the feedback high5.

I wouldn't run more than a 37's with drasticly changing the wheelbase. As for mine I'm only 2.5" over stock.

Watched the Zuk "Snipe" in action at the Badlands Superlift event two weeks ago. I was the judge in the rockcrawl event. Jaw dropping! A lesson in wheelbase. Snipe had no problems climbing or losing traction. Then I saw a (near)stock wheelbase, high lift, 35" Zuk try the course afterwards, he could hardly climb the ledges, due to weight transfer off the front axle to the rear. i.e no front traction when you need it. Same with the jeeps. The longer wheelbases ate it up, like the Avalanche Sniper or the long wheel base Zuk that rolled over the last gate.
Gmack

OK so 35 or larger tires, got it. What about going to the toy full drivetrain? How much could you strech the wheel base and keep the body? Hey RUDE what kind of flex you got with the waggy springs and how much longer then the wranglers are they? I assume you are talking about the 44044? Oh yeah what are the "re" type springs? Hey thanks for all the help guys.

Originally posted by Darby
What about going to the toy full drivetrain?

Lots of people talk about it, few post saying they've done it. By my vague estimates, the 22R motor looks a too bit long to fit with a radiator in the stock location.

Originally posted by Jpcj74x4
Watched the Zuk "Snipe" in action at the Badlands Superlift event two weeks ago. I was the judge in the rockcrawl event. Jaw dropping! A lesson in wheelbase. Snipe had no problems climbing or losing traction. Then I saw a (near)stock wheelbase, high lift, 35" Zuk try the course afterwards, he could hardly climb the ledges, due to weight transfer off the front axle to the rear. i.e no front traction when you need it. Same with the jeeps. The longer wheelbases ate it up, like the Avalanche Sniper or the long wheel base Zuk that rolled over the last gate.
Gmack


Long wheel base usually means good hill climbing, however the short wheel alot of times does well in tight courses. If a long wheel base and Toy running gear is what you want than why a Zuk?

the way I see it samis are cool because they are light and short
I was thinking 38's would be cool instead of my 35's but if you set everything else up right do you really need it? shave the diffs and stay low. as for going toy a 22r doesnt make that moch more power thwn a sami motor and why would you ever swap IN a carbed motor. get a cam, exhaust, intake and a set of sumos and youll be fine with a sami motor. swapping to a 4.3 would be badass but then you wouldnt be that light anymore. the way I see it you could hack up a sami tub and stick it on a yota frame if you want more length and a yota drivetrain.

I'm hoping the extra weight from the tires and the axles will help hold the zuk on the ground!!!!!!!:rasta:

I'm going for the bullet proof approach and would like to keep it simple too. I ride with a LOT of big rigs but mostly full sizes on 35 and 38. I have actually seen two zuks with toy motors in them. One with the stock t-case moved back using a 2 wheel tranny. The other is one of my buddies, full toy front to back with 35. The rig kicks some serious butt in the muck but havent seen it climb yet i think it is nose heavy. It can damm sure lite the tires up. He likes his other one with the stock motor in it. He says he can raise more hell with the zuk motor not worried about blowing it up. How big a diff is the 1600 to 1300. I have the dual webbers and cam and header but still wont hold speed on the highway. So i guess the general consences is 35? Thats cool I know I can make them fit. Later guys.

I run 37" boggers on my D44's and my wheelbase is 82"....It does just fine right there.....I think if anything the max i would stretch it out would be to about 88-90".

Originally posted by RudeZuk
I run 37" boggers on my D44's and my wheelbase is 82"....It does just fine right there.....I think if anything the max i would stretch it out would be to about 88-90".

that short of a wheelbase might work where you wheel but it is a handicap where i wheel. with 37's and a 82" wheelbase you would need one of those stickers that say "if you can read this turn me over" :D

Originally posted by high5


that short of a wheelbase might work where you wheel but it is a handicap where i wheel.

You said it. It depends where you wheel. Out here in Colorado, a short wheel base works a lot better than a longer one. Case and point, my Sammy with go right over stuff that a 4runner I wheel with always has high-centering issues on. He is a lot taller than my Zuk is, too. Depends where you wheel it. ~Steve

A 4dr Tracker has a 97" wheelbase. Seems like an SAS on one of these would be a good way to go if you want a consideably longer wheelbase. You are going to replace the axles and steering on the Sammi anyway. It already has a good motor. Add the adapter add a sammi tcase to the track/kick tcase for some sweet gearing. Seems like it would be a lot less work.

Why do you think there are not more people doing this? My bet is appearance.

Originally posted by Shrock
Why do you think there are not more people doing this? My bet is appearance.

Bingo! I personally don't care for the looks of the track/kick body style.
:barf:

I got ~96" wheelbase + 36" SX's. When the 36's wear out, maybe 38's:D

oilburner, i just noticed that you are from memphis. i am origionally from jackson tn. lived there until i was 18 and joined the usmc. my parents still live there and i'll be there the first part of june after my run in tellico. anyway just noticed.

what wheelbase are you running?

Running 35s on a 98 inch wheelbase. Long for a zuk, but still a fair amount shorter than a toy.

I'm running 37 ssr's with 100" wheel base and can turn shorter then most sammi's.

Originally posted by zukstur
I'm running 37 ssr's with 100" wheel base and can turn shorter then most sammi's.

Yea, with rear steering!!! :D

I've thought it about, I think it would be cool. Just have to get my hands on one.

I am right between oilburner and scawfish with a wheelbase of 97". I completely agree though about where you wheel and what type of terrain. Seems to me though that a wheel base somewhere in the 90" range would suit just about any terrain, anywhere. I have only been in one sammi other than mine and it's wheelbase is 81". I have never been so scared in any vehicle when doing hill climbs or going up anything steep, which is why I streched mine out. It amazes me that some find the stock wheelbase suitable for any terrain! Just my 2 cents, so do whatever you want, but try to keep in mind stability,safety, capability,ect! You get the picture. As for tires I would have to say 37" boggers, but I'm a little biased:p