Future LWB Samurai Bench Building

bad zuki said:
There was a saying in the old group that I could build a 1.3/th400/205 with 5 ton rockwells, and donut spare tires, and I could break it. So take that with a grain of salt when I say I had a hard time keeping Toyotas under the rig. It was also a comp rig with different gearing f/r, geared doubler, and water in the 37 red labels. That and we have stupid wet wheeling that low gearing just doesn't like.

I do like the rzr seat idea.

You wouldn't add a doubler?


That would make it harder to package with the exhaust and diff all on the same side too.
Click to expand...
No doubler. im with you on the snotty **** higher speed wheeling. The auto trans will keep it slow enough to grab some speed when needed but not cripple your ass in double low. The 4to1 lowmax gears will be perfect with an auto trans.
 
So what drivetrain did you settle on?

The beauty of a samurai is that they’re small, light and nimble. Every pound counts when trying to stay light.

I would love to see a more reliable all aluminum drivetrain that fits the bill. As stated 2.0l/2.3l is questionable.

Wonder what the weight difference would be between a 3rz,AW4,dana 300 and a k24, gm auto, Dana 300. I imagine close to the same.
 
Last edited:
Covecrawler said:
So what drivetrain did you settle on?
Click to expand...
Nothing yet. I need aftermarket4x4 to sponsor this build. :flipoff2:

Covecrawler said:
I would love to see a more reliable all aluminum drivetrain that fits the bill. As stated 2.0l/2.3l is questionable.

Wonder what the weight difference would be between a 3rz,AW4,dana 300 and a k24, gm auto, Dana 300. I imagine close to the same.
Click to expand...
The new 4.3 looks great, but I’d want to see if I could make a gen 4 ls oil pump on it with a baffled pan.

The difference between the autos is roughly 10 lbs.

3rz is 381lbs (long block I think). K24 is 281lbs (long block). If I wanted a fun round town runner, I’d do the turbo k24 and a 5 speed. That would be a riot, but they don’t make the torque down low like the 22r/3rz.
 
Also, I completely forgot about this, but nitto makes a 37/11.50/17 in the all terrain flavor. Tall and skinny would make it easier to package and less rotating weight (yes, I know it’s not that much difference, and they don’t make a mud tire in that size.)
 
Aren't some of the UTV tires now coming in 35-37"x10.50? Could be an option since they are now doing dot tires and they are lighter weight than an LT tire.
 
Most of the dot ones I’ve found are a 20” rim, I’m not opposed to the idea of a 20” tire, but I’d have to run a stock rim until I found a set of used beadlocks. Those beadlocks are expensive.
 
Just went down the 1.4l ecotec rabbit hole.

As a mechanic I generally regard the Cruz and Spark as throwaways. They give my customers constant cooling and PCV issues.

But online people seem to praise them for their weight, compact size and power output. 153hp I think is the highest stock rating…

Bolts to a 2.2l Rodeo RWD T5R…haven’t seen a 4x4 option of any kind though.
 
Does that engine use the same trans bolt pattern as the S10 2.2L? If so the 94-95 2wd S10's had a T5 with removable bellhousing so you could swap that bell onto a 4x4 T5 or other GM trans.
 
350TacoZilla said:
Does that engine use the same trans bolt pattern as the S10 2.2L? If so the 94-95 2wd S10's had a T5 with removable bellhousing so you could swap that bell onto a 4x4 T5 or other GM trans.
Click to expand...
That s10 2.2 looks like the standard gm v6 pattern or the BOP (Buick, Olds, Pontiac) bellhousing. The ecotec looks completely different, like this.

IMG_8907.jpeg


Looks like the only ecotec factory rwd trans is a Pontiac solostic. But it’s the same ar5 transmission as the 5 speed Colorado/h3 (Newer ax15, but the Colorado bellhousing is different)

IMG_8908.jpeg

Solostis trans /\
 
Ah ok. I knew the s10 2.2 was odd that it used the 60* FWD style block\starter but then took a rwd trans, 94-95 last years of the T5 and first years of that generation so its an odd duck. So I guess someone going the manual route could go ecotec, pontiac solstice bell, and some combination of AX15, colorado AR5 or maybe toyota R series trans? it would come down to mix and match for input depth and splines I suppose.
 
They make an r150 adapter for it.

I’m still trying to stay auto.
 
I like the ecotech, k24, and gm power plants for buggies/cars that don't get driven on the road. They are compact and are reliable when made to idle around rock crawling tight trails with the occasional boost to bump up an obstacle. No way i'd rely on them to be driven long distance daily.
 
mightymouse84 said:
I like the ecotech, k24, and gm power plants for buggies/cars that don't get driven on the road. They are compact and are reliable when made to idle around rock crawling tight trails with the occasional boost to bump up an obstacle. No way i'd rely on them to be driven long distance daily.
Click to expand...
Why not?

They are still showing use in daily driver situations.
 
I'm steadily leaning towards the cheap as hell and aluminum drivetrain of:
2.7 suzuki v6, 185hp.
95-00 montero trans and try to rework the plugs to make the suzuki wiring work,
NWF Intigrated blackbox,
Dana 300. with a short tailshaft.

My next question would be, If you had a 231/dana300 combo, would you leave the 2.6:1 gears in the 300, or would you put 4:1 gears in it?
The 231/dana 300 would be a 100:1 crawl ratio, or 231/dana 300 (4:1) is a 161: crawl ratio.
 
bad zuki said:
I'm steadily leaning towards the cheap as hell and aluminum drivetrain of:
2.7 suzuki v6, 185hp.
95-00 montero trans and try to rework the plugs to make the suzuki wiring work,
NWF Intigrated blackbox,
Dana 300. with a short tailshaft.

My next question would be, If you had a 231/dana300 combo, would you leave the 2.6:1 gears in the 300, or would you put 4:1 gears in it?
The 231/dana 300 would be a 100:1 crawl ratio, or 231/dana 300 (4:1) is a 161: crawl ratio.
Click to expand...
Lower the better in the gears for the big rocks/high traction out west. **** it's even pretty useful around here.
 
woods said:
I vote for all the crawl ratio.
Click to expand...
Only reason I'd go against it is breaking things....
Bound up, a 22re, 5 speed, duals w/4.7, 5.29s/37s will break OG longs while lugging at idling. A V6 would probably break something when you aren't looking.

Slander said:
Lower the better in the gears for the big rocks/high traction out west. **** it's even pretty useful around here.
Click to expand...
What it looks like when you take off in low low and first gear. :flipoff2:

monsters-university-snail-4107307502.gif


Heck my heep is 58:1 CR, but it has the torque to spin 40s. I can always put the 4.1 in the 300 if I want a lower ratio.
 
bad zuki said:
Why not?

They are still showing use in daily driver situations.
Click to expand...
I operate a shop and see what fails. They may be daily drivers but they sure as **** make my shop a lot of money. As stated before ****ty cooling components wiring etc. I wouldnt put in the effort due to the risk of them being ****. The honda **** is tough though just not into putting car engines into rock crawlers. I like the low end torque the rz platform brings as you stated before.
 
bad zuki said:
Only reason I'd go against it is breaking things....
Bound up, a 22re, 5 speed, duals w/4.7, 5.29s/37s will break OG longs while lugging at idling. A V6 would probably break something when you aren't looking.
Click to expand...
Don't want to jinx it, but I have this combo with a v6 on a 5700lb rig and good so far, need to be aware of what's going on, but it's not the glass axle shafts everyone talks about. I'm monitoring my friend who has a similar setup, but with a 3rz, he just slapped 40s on it and I want to see what happens for my next tire potential tire option.
 
Here’s the picture of it. Caught a leaf spring and twisted the OG long and broke the collar on the hp elocker.

IMG_8947.jpeg


Drove home from gore Friday night, drove and hour away and picked up a spare hp elocker, swapped out the parts, and made it back to the event at 9 am.
Holy cow, that was some stupid cold wheeling. I think it was a high of 40* with no heater.

Slander said:
Don't want to jinx it, but I have this combo with a v6 on a 5700lb rig and good so far, need to be aware of what's going on, but it's not the glass axle shafts everyone talks about. I'm monitoring my friend who has a similar setup, but with a 3rz, he just slapped 40s on it and I want to see what happens for my next tire potential tire option.
Click to expand...
You drive wayyyy easier than me. Granted it was just uwharrie…. (Famous last words) :flipoff2:
 
bad zuki said:
Here’s the picture of it. Caught a leaf spring and twisted the OG long and broke the collar on the hp elocker.

IMG_8947.jpeg


Drove home from gore Friday night, drove and hour away and picked up a spare hp elocker, swapped out the parts, and made it back to the event at 9 am.
Holy cow, that was some stupid cold wheeling. I think it was a high of 40* with no heater.


You drive wayyyy easier than me. Granted it was just uwharrie…. (Famous last words) :flipoff2:
Click to expand...
That was not a good representation of how I wheel lol!!!

But knowing how to drive it helps, like I will bounce the hell out of stuff, but it helps not to be a knuckle dragging tard about it.
 
Size difference between the Suzuki/montero (left) and the Jeep (right) the Suzuki body is definitely smaller.

IMG_9062.jpeg


Nifty bit of info, some of the Suzuki v6 autos are a larger output shaft, but they still aren’t the same output as the Cherokee 23 spline. They are a 03-71le and not the 72. I think that’s the stronger version, but I’ll have to read up on it.


The 2.7 v6 is the same bellhousing surface to clutch fan as a 1.6 16v. So if you want to stab it in a Sami frame, it will fit, but a few custom peices will have to be made and the firewall will need to be trimmed and an external mounted power steering box is a must.

IMG_9064.jpeg


Overall length is 47.2” from clutch fan to output shaft.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_9057.jpeg
    IMG_9057.jpeg
    4 MB · Views: 49
I don't run 33s but built my Sammy under similar wants. I even drove it from Vancouver, BC last year to run the Rubicon and back.

I'm running an ALH 1.9 TDI with some go fast mods. Gets incredible mileage still and should be around 180hp/350tq
 

Attachments

  • IMG_5404.jpeg
    IMG_5404.jpeg
    2 MB · Views: 76
  • IMG_0035.jpeg
    IMG_0035.jpeg
    2.4 MB · Views: 76
  • IMG_0971.jpeg
    IMG_0971.jpeg
    2.7 MB · Views: 84
Last edited:
BCzuk said:
I don't run 33s but built my Sammy under similar wants. I even drove it from Vancouver, BC last year to run the Rubicon and back.

I'm running an ALH 1.9 TDI with some go fast mods. Gets incredible mileage still and should be around 180hp/350tq
Click to expand...

That is sweet!
 
BCzuk said:
I don't run 33s but built my Sammy under similar wants. I even drove it from Vancouver, BC last year to run the Rubicon and back.

I'm running an ALH 1.9 TDI with some go fast mods. Gets incredible mileage still and should be around 180hp/350tq
Click to expand...
That thing looks great. Do you have a build thread on that unit? What is it? 35s and like a 97” wb?


Whenever I follow through with this, I’m keeping the tumor of a tail end these things have. I totally didn’t go get measurements off a factory lwb recently.

IMG_8992.jpeg
 
37s and 107" wb. It started as a factory lwb but the body got pretty wrecked from wheeling so rebuilt it. It's still the same length as factory just with the wheel well moved back. I had a build thread on Pirate "lwb samurai round 3"

Pic of when I picked it up in 2007, I have a bunch of pics of it on my instagram @slicknic604
 

Attachments

  • Samurai.webp
    Samurai.webp
    31.3 KB · Views: 72
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar Threads

Bench building next project truck
Replies
1
Views
250
Ranchtruck
Bench building-Which V8??
2 3
Replies
72
Views
3K
Covecrawler
Covecrawler
bench building, help me decide..
Replies
21
Views
688
urjb
Silly ideas while bench building a MDT. Dana S110 front axle?
Replies
6
Views
459
arse_sidewards
arse_sidewards
T.M.'s Bench-Building Thread
2
Replies
49
Views
3K
Provience
Provience
Top Back Refresh