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ZUKIWORLD Discussion Forum => Technical Discussion - Beginner / Repair => Topic started by: mrdezyne on June 13, 2011, 08:14:00 AM

Title: Newb begining the journey, need drive line help
Post by: mrdezyne on June 13, 2011, 08:14:00 AM
Ok, just picked up a project 88 Sammy a few weeks back.  Wouldn't start but was trying really hard so I went through the ignition and replaced everything from plugs to battery cables.  A little carb cleaner and a shot of starter fluid later she came to life and sounds better every time I crank her up.  The idle is a little fast but I think the PO might have been making carb adjustments to hide ignition weaknesses.

So I take it for its maiden voyage around the storage lot, parking brake only, and everything seems to be going well, good throttle response, shifting is ok, transfer case seems to be working properly (I can see the shafts turning through the access holes in the floor, HA!)

All is good until I go to back it into the storage unit again.  No reverse.  The drive shaft from the Tcase is spinning in reverse but nothing is moving.  I go from 2H to 4H and get a bit of grind noise, hold the shift lever up in gear and reverse seems to lock in.  But the front hubs are not locked in????  This is how I backed it into storage. My thought was that my front axle pushed me back but the hubs were unlocked so I'm not sure what is going on here.  Obviously I plan to go through the whole system front to back but does anyone have an idea what might be happening?

Also I see the Aussilocker is only available for the toyota axles so  I tuess this would be a good time to swap to the Toyota axles if its in my plans?
Title: Re: Newb begining the journey, need drive line help
Post by: Drone637 on June 13, 2011, 10:31:36 AM
Just to verify:

When you put the transmission in reverse only the front drive-shaft spins?  But both drive shafts spin when in 1st-5th?

By default the Samurai is a rear wheel drive vehicle.  The front wheels are only engaged when you have it in 4 wheel drive.  For more information on the SJ 4-Wheel drive system you can view an old video that Suzuki produced for the UK market:

Part One:
Suzuki Four Wheel Drive Techniques Part 1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDvZbTo4lOQ#)
Part Two:
Suzuki Four Wheel Drive Techniques Part 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPHyJ_gncVc#)

For the Samurai axles you can get the Lock-Right, which is very similar to the Aussie Locker.  The Toyota axles are a bit more work but a lot of people consider them worth the time and money for 33-37" tires.  For 31"-33" tires it might be easier to just pick up a set of heavy duty front axles from Trail Tough.
Title: Re: Newb begining the journey, need drive line help
Post by: mrfuelish on June 13, 2011, 11:06:34 AM
There are three drive shafts in a sammie, you could have been looking at the intermediate shaft going into the transfer case, you might need to pull the shifter on your transfer case and replace the plastic bushing at the bottom of the hole where the shifter goes in.
Title: Re: Newb begining the journey, need drive line help
Post by: mrdezyne on June 13, 2011, 12:36:52 PM
Yeah now that I think about it that was probably the intermediate shaft changing directions and spinning.  So chances are the T case just needs some TLC.  the shifter is pretty sloppy, I'll check that bushing.  It looks like it needs new seals and all anyway.

I'll start there, thanks.
Title: Re: Newb begining the journey, need drive line help
Post by: Capt on June 13, 2011, 07:02:33 PM
First Welcome,
Can't tell what you all have there from the pic posted,
You are hiding alot with that Harbor Freight tarp.
Is that a DIY snorkel, or a periscope?

Seems all your issues are 100% cure---able !!
Your patient will survive, It's only a matter of money...........

Again welcome, there are a bunch of great members, and a few %*&^%$ to round it out to make this site.........
                   A REAL PARTY!!!
Everyone here feels your pain, post often; all will be glad to help!!

CAPT
Title: Re: Newb begining the journey, need drive line help
Post by: mrdezyne on June 15, 2011, 07:17:40 AM
HA!  Yeah the harbor freight top has been the only thing between my Samurai and torential downpoors and tornados here in Oklahoma the past few weeks.  Surprisingly enough it has survived!

And yes, the PO made some sort of snorkle contraption, its actually welded up nicely and made of a pretty heavy guage steel tubing, for whatever reason he painted it white and it does look like PVC.  I need to source a scoop top for it, he just put a cone filter element on the end of the pipe and called it good.  

After today I think I will have a little cash flow to throw at this thing.  BMW superchargers bring a premium!  :)

So its sitting on 33's with a SPOA (skeptical about how its installed), no shocks, no top, original everything else.

The wheels are 15x7 with a crap load of back space, so much so that the inside tires rub on the springs when I turn.  Fisrt thing is to get this rubber spaced out with a set of Wheelers 15x8 with 2.5" back space.

Its a project for sure but it will be a fun process...

BTW, does anyone sell those headlight and tailight brush gaurds anymore?  I kinda like them and the rear ones need replacing...
Title: Re: Newb begining the journey, need drive line help
Post by: Capt on June 15, 2011, 07:34:57 AM
On the light guards,
We don't have many Sammy's left here in Wisconsin,
I always look for them when I am out on a Junk Yard Safari, no luck yet.
I have a set for the front turn signals, and picked up a set of the old wire mesh headlite "Stone Guards" at a Swap Meet.
You can go "On Line" there are a couple of Suzuki Exclusive Savage dealers listed and try there.

Happy Trails,

CAPT
Title: Re: Newb begining the journey, need drive line help
Post by: Drone637 on June 15, 2011, 05:53:16 PM
E-bay is the place to get those from.  They were an option on the SJ-410 so you can find them for sale out of the UK.  I ordered a set once, never showed up though...
Title: Re: Newb begining the journey, need drive line help
Post by: mrdezyne on January 10, 2012, 09:23:15 AM
FYI, LowRange now has the light gaurds...

http://www.lowrangeoffroad.com/index.php/suzuki/samurai/exterior-body/suzuki-samurai-reproduction-head-tail-signal-lamp-grille-covers.html (http://www.lowrangeoffroad.com/index.php/suzuki/samurai/exterior-body/suzuki-samurai-reproduction-head-tail-signal-lamp-grille-covers.html)

Getting back to my original question, once I dug into both the trans and tcase my shifting problem turned out to be a combination of bad shift sheets in both and a broken shift bolt in the trans, the whole thing was just loosey goosey and would not keep a gear.  Have since rebuilt the tcase with 6.5 gears and did the dual bolt trans shifter mod so that bolt will never break again.

Title: Re: Newb begining the journey, need drive line help
Post by: Drone637 on January 10, 2012, 10:32:59 PM
Holy old thread follow-up Batman!  :D

Pretty cool that Low Range has the guards now.  Glad you fixed the problem!
Title: Re: Newb begining the journey, need drive line help
Post by: mrdezyne on January 11, 2012, 07:02:21 AM
This is nothing, I brought back a 2006 thread over on the ZU yesterday about header wrap... LOL!
Title: Re: Newb begining the journey, need drive line help
Post by: Drone637 on January 11, 2012, 10:24:13 AM
Did the header wrap work?  :D
Title: Re: Newb begining the journey, need drive line help
Post by: Capt on January 12, 2012, 12:33:04 PM
Ditto on the CURE,

Also great find on the guards !!
Just curious how the head lamp guards mount?
If they just mount to the plastic grill, They'll look cool, but not much else.
My rear bumper already has the holes for the guards. I am going to check for availability.

CAPT
Title: Re: Newb begining the journey, need drive line help
Post by: tuxblacray on January 12, 2012, 01:06:48 PM

I have a set of the OEM headlight guards. The mount with 1 side using the 2 outside grill screws and with 2 screws into the frontside of each fender. Once all of the srews are in place they are very sturdy.

You can kinda see this in this photo....

(http://inlinethumb26.webshots.com/47961/2607860250081905758S600x600Q85.jpg)
Title: Re: Newb begining the journey, need drive line help
Post by: Capt on January 13, 2012, 09:46:26 AM
Thanks Tux,
I get it now how they mount up.
I already have "Stone Guards" from an old Austin Healey site. (Vintage Racer)
They are holding up well, even survived playing "Chicken" with a 12 pointer in 2006 !!
By the way Nice Rig, Just curious, what are the 2 little black "Horns" on the windshield frame
above the Zuki windshield decal ?

CAPT
Title: Re: Newb begining the journey, need drive line help
Post by: tuxblacray on January 13, 2012, 02:24:55 PM

No problem anytime Capt.
I remeber the Austin Healey (I'm a Vintage Kinda Guy...)
LOL... 12 pointers aren't very forgiving sometimes!

Those are rubber bumpers for the hood to rest against. I will most likely be removing them in the spring. I have another hood that I am molding a cowl induction center into and have purchased the hood prop for it.

This OEM hood has modified cross bracing to clear the 1.6 8V but I want a smidgeon more clearance than it provides. It will be on the For Sale Block along with a passenger side door & tailgate....

                                                                                              Tux...
Title: Re: Newb begining the journey, need drive line help
Post by: Drone637 on January 13, 2012, 09:01:12 PM
Those are part of a fold down windshield kit, so when you drop your windshield it doesn't sit on the hood.  :)
Title: Re: Newb begining the journey, need drive line help
Post by: tuxblacray on January 14, 2012, 04:05:11 AM

Dang Drone ya caught that.... (thanks)  ;D

I read that after I wrote it and thought.... "that ain't exactly rite...."

But either direction it does the same thing... (seperates the 2 from damage.) so I left it...  :laugh:
Title: Re: Newb begining the journey, need drive line help
Post by: mrdezyne on January 16, 2012, 08:25:54 AM
I think the header wrap will work great, only time will tell.  I'm not in a wet climate, in fact we have been in drought conditions for almost the past year so I'm not overly concerned with them soaking in moisture, plus everything is coated with a Silicone high heat protectant so hopefully it will help block any moisture soak.

I have all the original light gaurds, even the little side turn signial gaurds but the rear ones are pretty rusted and the fronts are kinda bent up.  I hope they still stock them when i'm ready to start adding the foo foo stuff...
Title: Re: Newb begining the journey, need drive line help
Post by: Drone637 on January 17, 2012, 08:47:31 AM

Dang Drone ya caught that.... (thanks)  ;D

I read that after I wrote it and thought.... "that ain't exactly rite...."

But either direction it does the same thing... (seperates the 2 from damage.) so I left it...  :laugh:

I run mounts on the hood from a Jeep YJ.  Gives it a cleaner look in my honest opinion.  :D

mrdezyne:

Let me know if you notice a difference with the header wrap.  I have always wondered if that stuff is worth it.