Well I have a 87 samurai and it is very stock.  only new piece is a weber carb.  is their any book i can buy to help me in the suspension department.  I could spend a lot of money listening to people who has no clue in what they are doing because i have no clue.   I use to race cars so I'm not completely stupid but that is round track stuff.  thanks

Well, this site has many clue-full people on it. There are a couple of "how to modify your suzuki" books out there... Acks FAQs is filled with great info and this site is searchable and has over 20,000 topics started by members...

What information specifically are you wanting to discover?

#1 thing is to figure out what you want to do with it. Dirt trails, BIG rocks, mud? Lifts are only necessary if you're going over really REALLY big obstacles. Remember - the lower you stay to the ground, the more stable you're going to be.


I know it sounds silly - but just go out and wheel it - you might be shocked how how hard these will wheel when completely 100% stock and good tires (proper tires will do you just as much good as a lift).

I've had stockers, and lifted samurai's. I've almost always been happier with them as close to stock as possible (big tires on a 1.3L just don't mix).

Well, this site has many clue-full people on it. There are a couple of "how to modify your suzuki" books out there... Acks FAQs is filled with great info and this site is searchable and has over 20,000 topics started by members...

What information specifically are you wanting to discover?

Thanks for those kind words, Element!

TZLAMB:  Jeremiah has a very good point!  Way back in noneteen-aught-none when I bought my '88 samurai used, I drove it stock just to see what it could do.  It was a pretty amazing experience - especially for someone who had never driven offroad before!

A good place to start in terms of basic information would be a search for driveline at Ack's FAQ (the link is in my signature, below).  I assume that in circle track racing, you don't deal too much with driveline angles as a regular topic.  The links to information found in that search will get you started on one of th big problems we offroaders face in suspension lifts.

Hope that this helps!

My sammi was stock with some 30 inch super swampers, i wheeled it on dirt trails, sand, and mud.
It did way better than i though it would do, i was in 2 wheel drive most of the time. (the thicker mud was holding me up so i had to use 4 but it pulled through it with no problem) There were guys in yotas that were having a hell of a time even with 4wd, so I'm guessing that the low amount of weigh the sammi has really helped me on that one.

A vehicle that is set up for what terrain you wheel on is always going to do the best.
Lift it only as much as you need, then run a nice size tire on it.  Lockers with make you unstoppable!!

Amilla

We went snow wheeling over the weekend. two stock sami and two lifted and 16v trackers with 31s One sami had snow tires and chains, the other had 28 inch swampers they had now problems. we struggled to climb the hills. run stock till you find something you cant go over or around then figure out what to buy to biuld it so it will
Just my two cents

I run a tracker with 29" cooper M/T tires in the snow with 4 door kick. Only been stuck once, and that's 'cuse I was TRYING to get stuck. I was out with 6 other guys (two with winches) and wanted to see just how much trouble I could get into....

It took snow up to my hood to stop me And, Amilla's right - locked w/ M/T tires will make you unstoppable in all but the nastiest of rock obstacles.

i figure i should put my 2cents worth in here.
start using it with the idea "what would make this work better" and then look here (and make stuff yourself, as possible) and elsewhere. and see how it works.
then go from there.
i have a fishing vehicle as a second car.

Thanks so much for your help.  It makes good since to go out and get stuck first to see what it will do.  Don't worry i have a friend that will pull me out