I am soooo glad you posted this discussion.  I am just starting to build an 88 Sami and was going to order some items from Calamini.  I like the 6.5 gear set.  Anybody have any comments on the product?  I looks like other similar ratio gears require some alteration grinding inside the transfer case.  I don't like the idea of weakening an already light case.  I do like the Calamini gear set so I'll contact Low Range and see if they plan to get it back into stock? 

Carl 

All the 6.5 kits require grinding on the inside of the case.  It's not to bad though, and is quite easy to do.  I run the Trail Tough gears in mine and have never had a problem with them.  Make sure you get some stronger transfer case mounts though.  The lower gear ratios put a bit more strain on the stock ones then they can handle.

I am soooo glad you posted this discussion.  I am just starting to build an 88 Sami and was going to order some items from Calamini.  I like the 6.5 gear set.  Anybody have any comments on the product?  I looks like other similar ratio gears require some alteration grinding inside the transfer case.  I don't like the idea of weakening an already light case.  I do like the Calamini gear set so I'll contact Low Range and see if they plan to get it back into stock? 

Carl 

you have to grind the case its not very much, but i belive it does weaken the case you MUST upgrade your t case mounts MUST not just because you WILL tear them to pieces but your t case will tear in half i went with rocky roads kung foo t case mount passenger side (driver not avail) and have broke 2 cases right in half gears falling out on the ground. i recommend the mighty kong from trail tough and possiblt strapping over the case to hold it in the mount as an extra precaution

I do think Calmini is a good company, but to me it seams like they are more focused on Nissan's now more than Suzuki's.
You could try going to Boondox motorsports.
They have a nice sas lift coming soon. It's a fully bolt on kit too.
There are some pics of it on the how to section

you have to grind the case its not very much, but i belive it does weaken the case you MUST upgrade your t case mounts MUST not just because you WILL tear them to pieces but your t case will tear in half i went with rocky roads kung foo t case mount passenger side (driver not avail) and have broke 2 cases right in half gears falling out on the ground. i recommend the mighty kong from trail tough and possiblt strapping over the case to hold it in the mount as an extra precaution

Make sure you use Lock Tight on the mounting bolts for your transfer case.  They have a habit of working loose, then allowing the transfer case to flex and break.  That is what happened to mine.  Well, the rock probably didn't help...

Another issue that will happen is the twisting of the passenger side transfer case mount.  One simple way to fix this is pull it off and weld a piece of angle iron or square stock to the inside of the bend.  This will get rid of the flex and help solidify your drive train.  Of course, this will put more strain on your stock rubber mounts, making an upgrade even more important.

my mounts were a kit from rocky road the nuts are nyloc they did not loosen instead they ripped through the "high performance lifetime warranty rubber bushings" and then folded the paper thin washer and sucked clean through the mounting holes after my drivers side bracket folded in half the the entire case proceeded to flip up slamming into the floor of my zuk thus cracking the case in half and the center gear fell out on the ground! im told this has never happened to anyone i guess my 37's are hard to turn i drilled out all the holes to 1/2" and swapped hardware out but not before
welding some 1/4" plate to all my frame mounts and gusseting the drivers side mount with 1/4" flat steel in the shape of a "T"  i guess that will work for now it really needs a strap going over the top of the case and attaching to the mounts thus holding it down

That was the one that I could find.    Simple fix is to just get some larger high quality washers.  That way they don't dig into the bushings.  I would have liked a little tougher poly but since I switched washers it hasn't mattered.  I also built a kong style bracket that connects the two mounting brackets.  This way when I drop my t-case on things the brackets take the brunt instead of the case itself.

I ordered a Calmini cam for my sidekick and luckily I took it to a local machine shop before I installed it, because they put a micrometer on it and found it had much less lift then advertised and even had less lift than my factory cam.  I called them and they said they outsource the production of that camshaft and had no idea what happened.  I returned it and put my stock one back in.

I ordered a Calmini cam for my sidekick and luckily I took it to a local machine shop before I installed it, because they put a micrometer on it and found it had much less lift then advertised and even had less lift than my factory cam.  I called them and they said they outsource the production of that camshaft and had no idea what happened.  I returned it and put my stock one back in.

Man, thats alot of work for no gain on someone elses mistake.