Im considering the possibility of cutting down a solid Sami axel housing to make my own steel independent third member.  Does anyone know if the pinion chunk will bolt and line up with either a Sami front or rear housing.  Im thinking about just cutting the tubes the right length and machining my own end flanges to accept factory bearings and seals.  Im sure there will be some of you that will just tell me to get an Anvil but I want to build it myself.  Besides if this works I should be able to do it for $50 or less (it pays to have access to machining tools!!).

Im considering the possibility of cutting down a solid Sami axel housing to make my own steel independent third member.  Does anyone know if the pinion chunk will bolt and line up with either a Sami front or rear housing.  Im thinking about just cutting the tubes the right length and machining my own end flanges to accept factory bearings and seals.  Im sure there will be some of you that will just tell me to get an Anvil but I want to build it myself.  Besides if this works I should be able to do it for $50 or less (it pays to have access to machining tools!!).

If you're going to do that use a Sidekick rear 3rd member and housing bigger r&p and housing. Fitment is tight... Here's a picture from the ZUKIWORLD archives:





From the article:

http://www.zukiworld.com/month_020103/feature_frontendupgradeswithhagen.htm

Good Luck, Eric

dude, i i'm one person that is all for fabing parts in house insted of calling up calmini.  but i can't really see how you could do it for 50 bucks.  you have to have the shafts cut and resplined.  don't know how much that costs?  you also have to build you own mounts(cheap).  i don't know if you will have to mess with the drive shaft if it is too short, but i dought it.  are you going to make is so you can run a drivers side CV shaft on both sides?

stu

dug up one more pic of Mikes front diff.


stu

Im not going to change the CVs or the axels I want to use all the internals from the original frontend.  Im not interested in a Sami hybrid locker.  For now Im going to stick with the Aluminum chunk and just want to change the rest of the housing out because thats what I keep breaking.

oh ok

stu

Im not going to change the CVs or the axels I want to use all the internals from the original frontend.  Im not interested in a Sami hybrid locker.  For now Im going to stick with the Aluminum chunk and just want to change the rest of the housing out because thats what I keep breaking.

Well, I'd suggest the XL.7 / GV Manual axle housing. There is a part number for it on the forum. Do a quick search...

GOod Luck, Eric

Can I replace the third member(carrier) with a steel one? The aluminum axle housing has worked fine, it's the third member that keeps breaking. Would one off a sami, or g.v. bolt up?

You need to weld a new tab on the side for the rear mount and slightly modify the carrier to accept the CV joint on the left side.  But yes, you can do it.

When and why is it breaking? That has to be the first question! Commonly in reverse? Under torque? When? I have mine on  and have slammed it on rocks, ran 35's with lockers all over SoCal, Hammers, Big Bear, Anaza Borego and have never busted one. Just ate up CV's. Do you run a manual or auto? How bad are you shocking it with torque or are you getting bitten by trail sharks?

Uh, somebodys been cruizin old posts. Didn't Birdhunter do this ?

Oh, wow.  2004.  I glanced at the date and didn't even realize....

Yea, BRD HNTR hacked up a Samurai rear.  Still having some teething issues though with the other mods he did. 

When and why is it breaking? That has to be the first question! Commonly in reverse? Under torque? When? I have mine on  and have slammed it on rocks, ran 35's with lockers all over SoCal, Hammers, Big Bear, Anaza Borego and have never busted one. Just ate up CV's. Do you run a manual or auto? How bad are you shocking it with torque or are you getting bitten by trail sharks?

On hill climbs. Get near the top and hit a stump or rock, pop the front end up and come down before I can get off the power. This is the second aluminum carrier I've broke in three years. Manual hubs, 5-speed, 30x9.5 tires, and open dif. I think I'm gonna just replace the whole thing, again, as my favorite trail run is comming up quick(Oct. 15th), then have all winter to come up with a more robust solution.

Ok, so the local u-pull yard has a 92 sidekick 4-door(5.12 gears) I think I'll pull the front axle housing out of. Does anybody know if the spline counts on the cv shafts are the same?

92 4-door with a 5-speed might have the lower geared 5.38's in it, if it has the 8-valve motor in it instead of the 16v.  If so you will want to grab the rear diff as well.

The changeover to the larger spline front end happened in 96, so if you have a 95 and earlier you are fine.  Otherwise you will need to swap the side-gears with your existing diff.