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Samurai

crispins

FJB
Joined
May 21, 2020
Member Number
846
Messages
1,634
Loc
Pigeon Forge, TN
I am looking for something to winter wheel here in the mountains.

Mostly everything here is SxS trails so have been looking for a 2 door hardtop tracker, people think they are gold, can't find one for a cheap price.

Finally found a Sammy today for $1,200.

Looks decent has soft top but I'll live with it.

All I want to do is 2" lift, atv tires, and winch.

When I check it out tonight anything particular I should look at?

I've had a Sammy a long time ago but never wheeled it as I bought a Tracker that needed less work.

This should work fine as a cheep SxS, right?
104664427_257122049072212_2315662072986626949_n.jpg
104495419_257121969072220_1623924691718445536_n.jpg
 
That's a $4500 rig out here :rolleyes:​​​​​​

I'm basically doing the same thing. I tried using a 4 door sidekick, but was basically the same size as a 4runner or xj and didn't really hit the sxs mark. They do ride much better though.

Go with an old man emu (Arb) lift, they make good shit and are known for the best ride.

Lock rites are like $200 per diff. If you lock the front grab some ~$400 chromo shafts.

Stick with 30s or smaller unless you want a big project.

You'll have to gear the tcase right away. I'd go for 4.9 gears, unless you want real creepy crawler just go straight to 6.x.

From what I've heard, the standard warns aren't any better than the cheapos, Im not sure about the fancy xenon or whatever ones though, but they are like $800 for a 5500 with synthetic rope. Viper makes a decent sxs winch for the price. I have their 6k wide drum elite on my sxs and it was only like $300 with a wireless remote, synthetic rope, in cab switch, snatch block and universal mount. I plan to put this on my samurai.

As far as mechanical, it's just like any other vehicle, they don't really have any major problems that are specific to them.
 
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That's a $4500 rig out here :rolleyes:​​​​​​

I'm basically doing the same thing. I tried using a 4 door sidekick, but was basically the same size as a 4runner or xj and didn't really hit the sxs mark. They do ride much better though.

Go with an old man emu (Arb) lift, they make good shit and are known for the best ride.

Lock rites are like $200 per diff. If you lock the front grab some ~$400 chromo shafts.

Stick with 30s or smaller unless you want a big project.

You'll have to gear the tcase right away. I'd go for 4.9 gears, unless you want real creepy crawler just go straight to 6.x.

From what I've heard, the standard warns aren't any better than the cheapos, Im not sure about the fancy xenon or whatever ones though, but they are like $800 for a 5500 with synthetic rope. Viper makes a decent sxs winch for the price. I have their 6k wide drum elite on my sxs and it was only like $300 with a wireless remote, synthetic rope, in cab switch, snatch block and universal mount. I plan to put this on my samurai.

As far as mechanical, it's just like any other vehicle, they don't really have any major problems that are specific to them.

Heck yea, I am starting to remember this stuff from when I researched the sammy I had like 12 years ago.

Plan is def 30" or smaller ATV tires.

There are 1,000's of acres of trails and they go right by my house so I don't need to worry about street riding it.

Was going to just Lincoln lock the rear and leave the front open but for $200 I would likely just throw the lockrite in it.

Seller says it runs good and has hot heat so sounds like I will be bringing it home later tonight.
 
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Heck yea, I am starting to remember this stuff from when I researched the sammy I had like 12 years ago.

Plan is def 30" or smaller ATV tires.

There are 1,000's of acres of trails and they go right by my house so I don't need to worry about street riding it.

Was going to just Lincoln lock the rear and leave the front open but for $200 I would likely just throw the lockrite in it.

Seller says it runs good and has hot heat so sounds like I will be bringing it home later tonight.

Ya, that's what I'm going through as well. My first vehicle was a Sami, about 15 years ago. I had no interest in keeping it small though. And since I was in high school, it was all about the cheaper the better (spoa, welded front and rear) junk yard leafs, ect.

Now I'm usually willing to spend a bit for better performance, locker instead of welded is nice, aftermarket springs instead of clapped out flat junkyard shit just waiting to snap :laughing: so it's definitely a learning curve.
 
That is well worth $1200.

A 2 door hard top tracker is surprisingly rare around here. If you want one, you're definitely going to pay for it.
 
Mini-spool in the rear. 6.5s in the t/c with some form of quality mount. 31s.

Wheel everyday and never worry. :cool2:
 
I've been farting around in this one, 32s, welded rear and 4.16 gears
MVIMG_20200620_171355.jpg
after messing around a fair amount, I'd say the 4.16 case would be perfect for what op has in mind. It's plenty of gearing 90% of the time, with only 30s it will be great. It's even good in high range.

Once you get into rock crawling type terrain, I definitely wish I had the 6.x gears.

Like I mentioned earlier the 4.9s might be a perfect medium if you want a little more than the 4.16 crawl.
 
So the one I posted was sold within 6 hours of the listing, I could not get there any quicker so I lost out on it.

I think I want a Sammy more than a Tracker so i will keep looking.

I cannot figure out a way to save a search on FB and get notifications of it, if anyone knows that let me know.

I'll get one this year, like I said it will just be used for wheeling from Dec - March so I have a little bit of time but I def want to get it sooner and get it built and ready to go for this winter.
 
If you aren’t set on having a solid front axle don’t rule out the Track/kick. I’ve had both and as much as I love the look of the Samurai, my Sidekick was much more forgiving. I had a hard top on it and daily drove it the majority of the winter and it was great. I haven’t had my Samurai out in the winter yet.
 
Going from a samurai to a tracker you get some trade offs.
You gain: fuel injection, more power, power steering, better ride, stronger rear axle, slightly nicer inside, aa little easier to find parts for, automatic(if equipped obviously.

In trade you get: more weight, larger body, weak front diff and axles, non replaceable windshield frame and top pieces, more complex, potentially less reliable suspension, slip yoke tcase, only 2 aftermarket gear sets available 3:1 and 4.24:1, 1:1 high range (when you have 5.13s stock there is no where to go for bigger tires)
 
Looks like a fun start! Something is goofy with the shackles, that and the windshield/missing mirror/bumper jacked around makes me think there is only a driver side pic for a reason:) That said Jump on it and have a blast
 
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