I bought my t-case gears from low range offroad, and on their gearset page they have a generic recommendation as to which gearsets work for which tire sizes. You might use that as a starting point, the link is: http://www.lowrangeoffroad.com/samtcase.htm

good luck, hope you get back some power and the option to use 5th again!

 

Thanks for the link!

 

Search N00b! Google + samurai gearing = ANSWERS

 

I know about the search. I post on hunting sites and use it at times. Sometimes you want fresh answers. Thanks for the contribution though.

 

You really only have a few options as far as ratios go 4.57 and 5.38. Give me a call or PM me if you need any further info.

 

he can run kick gears and there are 4.30, 4.57, 4.63, 5.12, 5.38 and 5.68's
if your keeping zuk axles for a while i would recormend a hybrid rear with 4.30 track/kick gear sets and a 5.14 calmini t-case gears that way you have spread it out over the drivetrain
Also, this way when and if you go to yota's you can just get 4.30 yota diffs and be all set

 

Thanks Jawbone,

I might just do that.

 

Sidekick gears are the best bet in my opinion. If you have a good relationship with your local boneyard you can get them cheap. They require a kit to install them in the samurai, it consists of a spacer for the carrier bearing, and a "can" to retain the spider pinions. A lock-rite for the rear is a quick and easy upgrade while you're in there.

 

They require a kit to install them in the samurai, it consists of a spacer for the carrier bearing, and a "can" to retain the spider pinions.

Another not so well known option is the R&P's from the front of GVs and XL7s. These come in ratios of 4.30, 4.88 and 5.12, and do not require the use of cans and spacers like the Kicker gears do.

 

Speaking numerically, 33's are about 21% larger than stock. You'll want to get all of that back, plus maybe a bit more. 121% of the stock rear ratio (3.73) is 4.53, which is where you would aim just to duplicate stock gearing with a stock engine, in order to get 5th gear back. Pre 88.5 (early) Samurais had a numerically lower 5th gear, so you might choose just a bit higher still. It is possible to get the additional gearing you want from the transfer case high-range alone, but doing so adds additional torque stress on all the components from the T-case back, instead of just the axles (as with R&P change alone). Driving style will greatly influence your breakdown rate.

There's a great discussion on this subject at: http://www.zuwharrie.com/content/view/15/27/ , especially the very last paragraph.
A combination of T-case and R&P gears might meet your needs as well, although adding to the cost.

 

If I were you I'd put 6.5:1 gears in the t-case and call it good. With 33 inch tires you will be perfect for what you want to do! I have 31 inch tires and the 6.5 gears and it's a little to much gear on the road, 60mph at 3,800 rpm, 33's should be pefrect. The t-case gears are much easier to do also.

 

Mine had stock t-case, 5.42s, and 33s when I bought it. It went down the road great, but low range wasn't low enough. If I were you I'd probably try to split my gearing between the axles and the t-case to get what you want. If you can only afford one, I'd do the case first. It will make your road gearing better, and your low range alot better.
Travis..

 

Thanks for all the info. The t-case would be a good place to start.

 

After reading through a BUNCH of threads I feel like I know more than when I started but I think I’m also more confused!

The more thinking I do about the Samurai the more I think I would like to run 31” tall tires, be able to drive it on the road and use 5th gear and be able to drive around some in the woods. There are no rocks where I live. . The samurai will be driven some, not everyday so I would call it a Semi DD.

I have done so many swaps on the big 4x4’s, Chevy and Fords, I really just want to enjoy the Samurai and not be jacking back and forth with swaps. Would like to do it one time and as long as I do not break anything, leave it alone.

 

... I think I would like to run 31” tires, ... drive it on the road ... use 5th gear and ... drive around some in the woods. There are no rocks where I live....
... I really just want to enjoy the Samurai and .... Would like to do it one time and as long as I do not break anything, leave it alone.

Sounds like you're talking yourself into a 4.9:1 T-case gear set. If you're easy on your rig, it would be a good choice. If you keep the 33's the +18% hi-range gear set would be closest. With 31's you could _consider_ the +16% gearset. But as YankeeTim pointed out, the big tires are harder to turn, so the +18% gearset seems like the better choice, especially with the early (0.795:1) 5th gear.

 

Stock gearing and 31's suck.:shaking: That's what was in mine when I got it and it was a slug 55mph tops in fourth gear, fifth gear was usless. Go 33's for ground clearence and 6.5 gears in your t-case and be done. That is the cheapest and best thing to do for your rig. If latter down the road you want to get wicked then put some toyo axles under it and bigger tires, because you'll already have the gears in the t-case.

 

I have a set of 32" Super Swampers SSR Radials on my Chevy. I could break down the rims and tires and mount them on the Samurai. Would that make much difference?

 

33's, 5.13's, 4.16 t/c, '87 high 5th. 4500 rpm on the freeway is too much. the low range is more versatile with this setup, for my driving. 6:1 transfer case would put the low range too deep to be worthwhile for the majority of the high-desert wheeling i do. whatever you do, choose wisely. use one of the available excel spreadsheets and get it all figured out, and build it up around the type of driving you plan to do.

 

Here are a couple of pics. From what I was told, the Samurai was stock, the did a SPOA lift, put a new clutch in it, threw on the tires and put it on a deer lease in South Texas for 2 years. I know the guy that had it and he said they ran it maybe 50 miles the whole time.

 

Here are a couple of pics.

Those are some pretty sweet X's.:flipoff2:

 

They are also great on the trail!

 

I thought that was a hedge.LOL!

 

most on this board are rock crawlers and will say to run the lowest gears that are reliable and avaible (6.5 to 1) top reasonable speed with those in low range is around 15 mph. The 4 to 1 gears it is around 25 from what I recall. I run 4to1 and 4.56 axle gears with short 35 in tires gearing is great on dirt trail / hills. I have reciently swaped to toyota axles. (4.11 axle ratio) To get back some street gearing, I also swaped in a 6.5 to 1 gear set. I pulled it out 2 day later and went back to the 4to1 because the low was too low for most conditions I drive in.