PROJECT KICKER XL |
CALMINI
Products Solid Axle Swap putting Super Ahead of Dooper. |
Story/Editor:
Eric Bewley Photo: Eric Bewley, Dave Arnold, Sky Brown |
ALBANY, OR. —Project
Kicker XL has received a huge boost from our friends at Calmini Products. We have
installed their new Solid Axle Swap kit for Sidekick on our project vehicle and have been
fortunate enough to put it through it's paces for the last few months. We will make no
bones about it, this new kit is revolutionary and will change the Sidekick / Tracker
aftermarket landscape.
  
| Back in the May/June time frame, I was
approached by Steve Kramer of Calmini Products about putting a solid, or live, front axle
under our Sidekick formally known as project Tricker Kicker. It didn't take much
convincing as it is well known that I was having a hard time keeping front end parts
together. At the same time Jason Hutchision's IFS project Gina Lee, was having no
mechanical problems, I was blowing up basically every part between the front and rear
bumper. Frustration was mounting and I was ready for a change. |
|
Even with that type of motivation
is was hard to leave the comfort and handling the IFS kit offered. One of the best parts
about this car, something truly different than the Samurai, is it's ease of operation.
With the IFS suspension, the car drives smooth and predictable. I was worried about
loosing that characteristic at the expense of creating an off-road monster.
  
  
| My fears were soon put to rest upon receiving
and driving the car for the first time. There are so many custom parts on this car it is
truly amazing. A basic run down goes like this. Custom coil suspension all the way around
with a triangulated 4-link in the rear and a 4-link with Panhard bar up front. Four 9-way
adjustable shocks from Full-Traction adourn the corners. All links have serviceable joints
from Daystar. The drivelines are Custom long travel CV shafts from J.E. Reel. The full
Skid plate holds the modified T-case which sports front and rear Slip Yoke Eliminators, a
key component to making the Sidekick drivetrain a viable option to the hard-core buggy
maker, or avid Suzuki enthusiast. These are all
parts that pale in comparison to the fully custom scratch built front axle that uses the
Sidekick rear 3rd member, and ARB with custom 27 spline sidegears which couple to Superior
Axle Dana 30 Cromoly Axles. Knuckles are of Dana 30/44 design with adapters to use the
Sidekick Disk brakes. Hi-steer with custom Drag link and tie-rod. Spindles are Dana 30,
Warn Premium Hubs get the power to the ground. |
|
Talk about knocking it out of the
park! This combination of parts and suspension design create a bulletproof and flexible
solution. I have had a blast driving this car the past couple of months. It has become my
daily driver and weekend warrior. Handling both on and off road are incredible. There are
really no compromises here. The staff at Calmini have really done a magnificant job and I
would expect to see more and more SAS Sidekicks as people witness how well the kit really
works.
  
In it's final production form, this kit is
planned to be a complete bolt on. Imagine that, a fundamental and significant vehicle
change all done in a weekend with out using a welder. Something that was not possible a
few years ago is now not only possible, it's easy.
  
While there were approximately 400,000 Samurai
sold in the US, the Sidekick more than doubled that with 900,000+ sales. As Sidekicks
become more available to the enthusiast and with aftermarket producer like Calmini
creating great kits like this, I predict we'll see a wave of Sidekick off-road enthusiasts
in the years to come. Watch out! The Sidekicks are coming...
 ZW
|
