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1991 Snow Tracker Build

FleshEater

Ordinary Average Guy
Joined
May 21, 2020
Member Number
832
Messages
3,294
Loc
Pennsylvania
Another weak budget build! :flipoff2:

All winter my buddy has been on me about snow wheeling in the SXS. Where we ride it either takes 45 minutes of dirt roads with some pavement, or trailer it to his house and ride from there. Anyone who has looked at a Yamaha Wolverine knows the bottom is all STEEL and mine is stripped of most of the paint from dragging over obstacles, and well the trailer frame is all steel as well. That matters because of one thing...SALT!

Since vacations are pretty much fucked this year from COVID regulations, and now word of sir nimrod wanting to limit state-to-state travel, I mentioned to the wife of building up a small winter wheeling vehicle.

Along came this 1991 Geo Tracker. Guy at work knew a guy who was selling, and I grabbed it for $750, which seems to be cheap in running condition.

He did a new clutch recently, new radiator, starter, alternator, and he kept the inside in great condition. The underside has Fluid Film on it from the 7 years this guy has owned it.

Tracker has 170,000 miles on it, and barely any rust. It’s a 5 speed manual and an absolute blast to drive. Needs a brake job front and rear to pass inspection and I think that’s it.

Current plans are as follows, in no particular order :flipoff2::

2” suspension lift
1” body lift (to help clean between frame and floor pans)
Paint job (either Rustoleum roller or bedliner)
Steel rear bumper
Steel front bumper with winch
New wheels
31’s
Lock right in the rear
Belly skid
Fix other worn out shit
Add power steering
Remove A/C
Add a header, because I have to fix an exhaust leak, so why not...
Snorkel
Bedline inside floor
Mechanical oil gauge
Mechanical coolant gauge

Going to tear into these brakes maybe tomorrow and see how bad they are. Wheel hubs and bearings need done, too.

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Definitely in on this, I have a soft spot for Sammies and Sidekicks/Trackers.

What tires are you planning on? Cheap SxS MTs? :grinpimp:
 
Definitely in on this, I have a soft spot for Sammies and Sidekicks/Trackers.

What tires are you planning on? Cheap SxS MTs? :grinpimp:

Honestly, the General Grabber X3’s in 31x10R15 caught my eye today. I’m going to avoid deep mud at all costs. This thing is small enough I should be able to bypass most mud holes.
 
I wish these were still readily available.

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We ran these on the Track/Kicks back in the day, there was a place that sold the recaps for $60 a piece, $40 if you brought him usable cores. They were a soft compound and worked great in Eastern OH strip mines.

We all joke now about how awesome they would be in a 40. :lmao:

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I wish these were still readily available.

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We ran these on the Track/Kicks back in the day, there was a place that sold the recaps for $60 a piece, $40 if you brought him usable cores. They were a soft compound and worked great in Eastern OH strip mines.

We all joke now about how awesome they would be in a 40. :lmao:

Man that’s a cheap tire!!!

The wife just said tonight, “Maybe the next South Dakota trip we’ll tow the Tracker out there so we don’t have to stay so close to the trails.”

This build might take a different turn...

For immediate conversation; does anyone know how to adjust one of these TPS? Can they be adjusted? My motor is idling like shit around 500 rpms, but wirh a alight increase in throttle it smooths right out.
 
Man that’s a cheap tire!!!

The wife just said tonight, “Maybe the next South Dakota trip we’ll tow the Tracker out there so we don’t have to stay so close to the trails.”

This build might take a different turn...

For immediate conversation; does anyone know how to adjust one of these TPS? Can they be adjusted? My motor is idling like shit around 500 rpms, but wirh a alight increase in throttle it smooths right out.

If that's the style TPS that has two bolts on either side, pretty sure you loosen the bolts a tiny bit and the slots on the TPS allow you to rotate it to tune it. Is there an idle screw too though?
 
If that's the style TPS that has two bolts on either side, pretty sure you loosen the bolts a tiny bit and the slots on the TPS allow you to rotate it to tune it. Is there an idle screw too though?

I might have to grab a service book for this. I’m not sure if the throttle body has an idle screw or not. Most of the stuff I look up for this brings up almost no results.
 
So, I just pulled the front wheels off this thing.

After working for 6 months on a Texas Bronco...I was reminded how much rust sucks. :mad3:
 
Honestly, the General Grabber X3’s in 31x10R15 caught my eye today. I’m going to avoid deep mud at all costs. This thing is small enough I should be able to bypass most mud holes.

I think you'll be missing out if you go with a normal truck tire. Each one is made to hold more that tracker weighs.

Even if you just go with a more mild tread pattern, the sxs tires will work way better.
 
I think you'll be missing out if you go with a normal truck tire. Each one is made to hold more that tracker weighs.

Even if you just go with a more mild tread pattern, the sxs tires will work way better.

For some reason I keep forgetting this only weighs 2,400 lbs. Plus there are not many tire options at 31” for SXS tires. The EFX are $224 a tire, which is not budget friendly for something that could potentially run on the street in the summer.

Back to the drawing board.

As of right now I had to pound the front wheels off this thing, and all the brakes/rotors are rusted tighter than a nun’s ****. I’m sure the rear is the same way.

Also, the steel wheels are so rusted they’re not holding air, and steering with no power steering and 18lbs. in street tires sucks on the road. So this is either getting built right now, or will sit until whenever.
 
I did all new copper nickel lines and all new rubber hoses on mine when I got it. One of those things that sucks to do but will only need done once type deals.
 
I did all new copper nickel lines and all new rubber hoses on mine when I got it. One of those things that sucks to do but will only need done once type deals.

99% of the lines are actually perfect and rust free. The rubber lines under the wheels wells are bad. There are two fuel lines near the tank that look like they’ll need addressed this year.

There are too soft spots underneath, near the rear seat body mount, but they’re solid enough for this junker.

I changed my plans a little at the moment, because I want to bomb around in this thing NOW, before winter ends!

Just ordered everything to do all the brakes, Warn service hubs (pretty sure these ones are fucked), coil spacers, rear upper link drop, Grand Prix struts, Thunderbird shocks, wheels, and 30” tires.

Not sure I’ll get the rear end locked up this year, but it’s like a tank in 4WD as is.
 
For some reason I keep forgetting this only weighs 2,400 lbs. Plus there are not many tire options at 31” for SXS tires. The EFX are $224 a tire, which is not budget friendly for something that could potentially run on the street in the summer.

Back to the drawing board.

As of right now I had to pound the front wheels off this thing, and all the brakes/rotors are rusted tighter than a nun’s ****. I’m sure the rear is the same way.

Also, the steel wheels are so rusted they’re not holding air, and steering with no power steering and 18lbs. in street tires sucks on the road. So this is either getting built right now, or will sit until whenever.

A lot of utv tires seem to run tall, and truck tires are the opposite. I'd bet the 30s will be very close to most truck 31s. Every brand is different though, on either side.
 
Actually if they run big, then 32" UTV tires would be good and there are plenty of options in 32x10r15.

Or would these limit steering angle too much?
 
Any chance anybody has two of these laying around and would want to unload them?

I ordered Warn service kits thinking I’d just service them. Every bolt holding the locking hub cap on needs drilled and tapped. Fuck doing that.

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Actually if they run big, then 32" UTV tires would be good and there are plenty of options in 32x10r15.

Or would these limit steering angle too much?

That was my thought, I think I overshot it a bit. 32s is actually kinda big for one of these little things.
 
So, Tracker reeked like musty, moldy shit today. Checked the carpet and it was soaked. Said fuck it and pulled it all. Found one hole in the back.

Looks like I caught it at the right time.

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The lower gearing is nice but these motors are weak.

Wasn't that at all, my 2.0 is 125 hp. Just fitment problems, then trying to over build the front end to make it strong enough for the bigger tires.

On the other hand, now that I have the Sami, I'm glad I did the 32s.
 
I don't know how else to say it.

These little rigs NEED sxs tires, it's night and day. Depending on the brand, on truck tires, you can pull the cores and the tires won't be flat. They suck on a light rig. It's like the guy who runs e rated nitto or toyos on a small Toyota or jeep.

Those tires are probably rated for 2800 lbs ea, where a sxs tire is probably 1000 lbs ea. They're literally made for something this weight.
 
not all of us skipped over this part of the build like you did :homer::flipoff2:




we get it you like sxs tires on sami's :flipoff2:

I might paint up my Bronco wagons wheels and swap them on during the summer with summer tread tires, or whatever I can find used.
 
YotaAtieToo You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.

Just a couple thoughts. Take it with a grain of salt.

People seem to be worried about life span on the road using SXS tires. Once again vehicle weight being low they don’t disappear the tread like you’d think. Of course on a half ton truck they wouldn’t last but on the tracker I bet you can’t put enough road miles on it to wear them out “prematurely”.

I run the ITP’s at 9 psi on stock wheels and they barely bulge on the bottom. I don’t notice them being to low till about 3 psi.

As for running tall. I put the 30x10x15’s on the stock 7” wide wheels and they were actually 30 1/2” tall. Now that they’re worn down they’re still 30” tall. I won’t be putting LT tires on it ever. Looking at less aggressive SXS tires though.

Lastly. Byro is holding out on you. He’s a MAXXIS rep, why not trying to talk us into the Roxxila?
 
YotaAtieToo You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.

Just a couple thoughts. Take it with a grain of salt.

People seem to be worried about life span on the road using SXS tires. Once again vehicle weight being low they don’t disappear the tread like you’d think. Of course on a half ton truck they wouldn’t last but on the tracker I bet you can’t put enough road miles on it to wear them out “prematurely”.

I run the ITP’s at 9 psi on stock wheels and they barely bulge on the bottom. I don’t notice them being to low till about 3 psi.

As for running tall. I put the 30x10x15’s on the stock 7” wide wheels and they were actually 30 1/2” tall. Now that they’re worn down they’re still 30” tall. I won’t be putting LT tires on it ever. Looking at less aggressive SXS tires though.

Lastly. Byro is holding out on you. He’s a MAXXIS rep, why not trying to talk us into the Roxxila?

You’re right. We run a lot of roads down in WV every year. My Wolverine fully loaded up as it sits is probably around 1,900lbs. with everyone in it. My radials on that have lasted extremely well over the 1,200 miles I put on them in less than a year.

The original bias ply Maxxis that came with it burnt off in no time flat.

I went with 30x10-15 Tusk Terrabites, which is what I’m running on the Wolverine. They hold up well and I have only needed winched, or worked out of deep, sloppy mud. They’ll be good if we tow the Geo out west, too.

I think it’s just hard for some of us to get over the UTV tire on a passenger car thing. It’s a rather new idea as technology has progressed.





Side note: I’m looking over this A/C system. I want to pull it and add power steering with a P/S cooler. Looks like there is a decent amount of electrical hooked into this system. This old OBD-1 is archaic enough that I can pull those plugs and leave tied up somewhere, right?

Also, no one waste time bitching about hot summers. It’s not that bad here and I never use A/C as I like cruising with the windows down. :flipoff2:
 
YotaAtieToo You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.

Just a couple thoughts. Take it with a grain of salt.

People seem to be worried about life span on the road using SXS tires. Once again vehicle weight being low they don’t disappear the tread like you’d think. Of course on a half ton truck they wouldn’t last but on the tracker I bet you can’t put enough road miles on it to wear them out “prematurely”.

I run the ITP’s at 9 psi on stock wheels and they barely bulge on the bottom. I don’t notice them being to low till about 3 psi.

As for running tall. I put the 30x10x15’s on the stock 7” wide wheels and they were actually 30 1/2” tall. Now that they’re worn down they’re still 30” tall. I won’t be putting LT tires on it ever. Looking at less aggressive SXS tires though.

Lastly. Byro is holding out on you. He’s a MAXXIS rep, why not trying to talk us into the Roxxila?

I think a lot of people are just looking at the tread, and figure the Mt looking utv tires are just like a truck Mt. When it's not even close, they're lighter, flex better and ride a lot better.

I was going to say the same thing, unless you start daily driving it, I wouldn't worry about wear. Maybe do a lunchbox rear to help a little there. After I got the carnivores, I read that they were pretty much the worst for wearing fast, like some guys would wear them out in a season on a sxs. So I was super worried about it, after 2 years of just about every use there probably at 1/2 tread or a little more. Which is about the same depth as most truck Mt's are new.

My carnivores need ~15 psi to hold the Sami up with out bulging. I like ~6 for rocks.

I really want some roxxzilla stickies!
 
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