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The cheap build revisited.( Or ) Data recovery atempt.

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Offline Boxcar

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The cheap build revisited.( Or ) Data recovery atempt.
« on: October 16, 2015, 07:43:26 AM »
 Due to the 3 year gap in Zuki Worlds archives ( The crash )  I have noticed a drop in activity on this sight.
It's a shame and quite honestly a HUGE loss to the Suzuki community.
IMHO , the info lost was priceless.
 My small attempt to mitigate this loss and possibly to spark new interest in this site will be to try to replicate my build thread.
 This will be an abbreviated attempt as my memory is sketchy and the rig was completed 3 years ago.
The good news : I haven't lost any of my data or pics / drawings.
And all that was done to the Zuke is now trail proven .....
 This may take a while, bare with me please.

 It all started the day after I sold my rather heavily modified and much loved 74 CJ5.
No mater how high a price tag you ask for a rig ( I thought I was safe at $8000 ), some one always steps up to the plate. Damn.......


 
God Bless
88.5 Samurai Heavily modified.

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Offline Boxcar

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Re: The cheap build revisited.( Or ) Data recovery atempt.
« Reply #1 on: October 16, 2015, 07:54:44 AM »
 I had to scratch an itch that had been nagging at me for years.
The day after the Jeep sold I found this about 300 miles north of me. ($2000 )
An 88 Sammy , Rust free , low miles.
 It had the standard flat black rattle can paint job , normal carb problems and a poorly executed buggy whip rear suspension . On the upside it did come with a re geared T case ,Calmini front and rear bumpers , a Portland 2 speed winch, and a rather nice hard top and soft top ( in the box ).
 The day I towed the rig home:

« Last Edit: October 16, 2015, 07:58:13 AM by Boxcar »
God Bless
88.5 Samurai Heavily modified.

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Offline Boxcar

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Re: The cheap build revisited.( Or ) Data recovery atempt.
« Reply #2 on: October 16, 2015, 08:04:47 AM »
 The plan :
Full exo cage, long travel suspension spring over yj lift , high steer , lockers .
No trimming of the body , 31- 33" tires all while maintaining its road manners.
And I should add , on a fairly scanty budget.
 The budget part got thrown out the window fairly early in the build. :P
God Bless
88.5 Samurai Heavily modified.

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Offline Boxcar

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Re: The cheap build revisited.( Or ) Data recovery atempt.
« Reply #3 on: October 16, 2015, 08:20:59 AM »
 I opted to do the exo and body first .
 I know this is backwards by most standards ( welcome to my world ) .
Started out by a friend delivering 100 ft of 1.5" dom tubing that was languishing in his rafters.
Price: Free, I love Kevin.... A great guy who never forgets a favor.....
 All bends were done using a HF tubing bender ( Just to prove a point ).
« Last Edit: October 16, 2015, 08:23:40 AM by Boxcar »
God Bless
88.5 Samurai Heavily modified.

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Offline Boxcar

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Re: The cheap build revisited.( Or ) Data recovery atempt.
« Reply #4 on: October 16, 2015, 08:24:35 AM »
More:

« Last Edit: October 16, 2015, 08:29:11 AM by Boxcar »
God Bless
88.5 Samurai Heavily modified.

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Offline Boxcar

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Re: The cheap build revisited.( Or ) Data recovery atempt.
« Reply #5 on: October 16, 2015, 08:43:08 AM »
More again:
 These pics show a double tube front end , I later opted to run a single tube front end for accessibility and fit.
To answer questions that I know from experience will be asked.
Yes , the hard top is still removable.  Slides right out the back.
 I utilized the Calmini bumpers and the existing nerf bars as a foundation for the exo.

« Last Edit: October 16, 2015, 08:48:59 AM by Boxcar »
God Bless
88.5 Samurai Heavily modified.

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Offline Boxcar

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Re: The cheap build revisited.( Or ) Data recovery atempt.
« Reply #6 on: October 16, 2015, 08:54:49 AM »
 Paint was an experiment.
I opted to use equipment enamel ( Rustolium ) due to budget constraints.
I wouldn't do it again.
SLOW cure time between coats ( 24hrs ) and basically no UV resistance.
 I now recommend polyurethane paint .
 Having added the disclaimer here is what was done:


« Last Edit: October 16, 2015, 09:00:25 AM by Boxcar »
God Bless
88.5 Samurai Heavily modified.

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Offline Boxcar

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Re: The cheap build revisited.( Or ) Data recovery atempt.
« Reply #7 on: October 16, 2015, 09:32:40 AM »
 The off road lights shown are 55 watt fork lift lights. $12 per unit at Napa auto.
They have proven to be very durable and provide plenty of light.
The cage was painted with Par products .
 The cage has proven to be a huge asset when wheeling. I have laid this rig on its sides more times than I care to elaborate on with no body damage.
 Now that the cage and body are out of the way I will go onto the many suspension and power train mods that went in to this build.
 Some were abject failures , others were changed out at a later date to maximize the rigs performance.
I will ( for posterity ) try to stay true to the actual evolution of the build.

 The Zuke came to me with a set of stock T-case mounts that had all of the problems that the stock system has.
At the time the the cradle type mounts were back ordered for many months so I opted for the Mighty Kong.
 It has proven to be a flawless mount. I highly recommend it.
 Once that little problem had been addressed I moved on to the suspension issues.
 The PO had installed a rather poorly thought out buggy whip rear suspension along with a back yard SPOA conversion.
 The thing drove like a ghost.
 The axles were stock Samurai , stock gears.
 I remedied all of these short comings by removing all of it and starting over from square one.
More later as I must now go make some $$$$$$$$
 
« Last Edit: October 18, 2015, 10:41:30 AM by Boxcar »
God Bless
88.5 Samurai Heavily modified.

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Offline nprecon

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Re: The cheap build revisited.( Or ) Data recovery atempt.
« Reply #8 on: October 17, 2015, 04:12:02 PM »
Keep it coming, Boxcar.  This is a good read with a good story and info.
'02 Chezuki Tracker with a 2 Liter and 5spd.  It works for me!!!

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Offline beagle..t

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Re: The cheap build revisited.( Or ) Data recovery atempt.
« Reply #9 on: October 17, 2015, 10:02:34 PM »
ya it takes time to do your build up again ....I re did mine but lost a lot of Info and questions that were asked but put it together the best that I can recall.
new rig aka "the mule" 2002 tracker
V6 swap auto  ,2 dr ,2" BL,2" jeffs kit 512 gears warn hubs and 30/9.5/15 BFG AT

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Offline Boxcar

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Re: The cheap build revisited.( Or ) Data recovery attempt.
« Reply #10 on: October 18, 2015, 10:37:49 AM »
 I started with the axles.
 I double trussed both front and rear , added bash guards ,   molly shafts , a quick change rear shaft conversion kit from Lowrange
new bearings and seals , A Spartan locker up front and a mini spool in the rear.
 The mini spool and molly rear axles have since failed ( the spool exploded ) and have been replaced with another Spartan and a new set of mollies.

« Last Edit: October 18, 2015, 11:36:53 AM by Boxcar »
God Bless
88.5 Samurai Heavily modified.

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Offline Boxcar

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Re: The cheap build revisited.( Or ) Data recovery atempt.
« Reply #11 on: October 18, 2015, 11:22:48 AM »
 I then contacted Lowrange yet again to order the long travel suspension upgrade  ( with shock hoops ) that I knew I'd need.
 The system has weld on hoops and a bolt on rear cross bracket.

http://www.lowrangeoffroad.com/suzuki/samurai/suspension-parts/suzuki-samurai-aluminum-rear-upper-shock-mount-by-low-range-off-road-ssp-rusm.html

http://www.lowrangeoffroad.com/suzuki/samurai/suspension-parts/sky-upper-front-shock-hoops.html

 I added to this a set of Monroe Gas shocks all the way around ( 1995 Ford F250 Front ) that ( if my memory serves me correctly )
are 30" extended and 17 compressed.
This works out to be the perfect set up for my SPOA Samurai.
 
 Now to the springs: I did run the stock springs for a while ( aprox. 3 months ) While deciding what to do.
I opted for the Jeep eater kit and a set of STOCK YJ springs.
 WOW , what an upgrade. I can't stress the advantage to this conversion enough.
 I can't find any pics of the Jeep eater kit install . Sorry It's been a while.
Ended up just using the bracket's that come with the kit.
Adding 5" to my front frame horns , and fabed up 1" boomerang front and straight trussed rear shackles   to finish out the conversion. 
 I don't recommend Missing Link shackles up front..... I have had some bad results running them....
Now on to the steering:
 I knew that the lift I had built would require a full high steer conversion.
I don't like the Mercedes arm set up ( Just me , run them if you like ).
And the off the shelf systems out there require an attachment through the calipers. Didn't like that either.
 I opted to fab my own.


 

 
« Last Edit: October 18, 2015, 11:27:05 AM by Boxcar »
God Bless
88.5 Samurai Heavily modified.

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Offline Boxcar

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Re: The cheap build revisited.( Or ) Data recovery atempt.
« Reply #12 on: October 18, 2015, 11:35:26 AM »
 I ran this steering arrangement using a drop pitman from LR For a few months and then added
a pan hard rod ( again fabed in house ) .
I am now running with a power steering conversion with this high steer system ( more on that later ).
 The steering works perfect. Tons of clearance and zero bind.
The cap bolts for the king pin covers are now grade 8 , as are the 14mm bolts that tie the high steer arms to the factory steering arms. ( lock tight is required here ).
 I have zero bump steer and no wonder....
« Last Edit: October 18, 2015, 12:14:26 PM by Boxcar »
God Bless
88.5 Samurai Heavily modified.

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Offline Boxcar

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Re: The cheap build revisited.( Or ) Data recovery atempt.
« Reply #13 on: October 18, 2015, 11:44:02 AM »
 I now decided to address the axle wrap problem I had in the rear.....
I looked at several different designs for a solution and ended up going with a Bam Bar set up.
It is the only design that offers an absolutely zero bind solution to this problem.
 This design must be fabed in house as the dimensions are  specific to the vehicle the bar is to be used on .

   
God Bless
88.5 Samurai Heavily modified.

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Offline Boxcar

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Re: The cheap build revisited.( Or ) Data recovery atempt.
« Reply #14 on: October 18, 2015, 12:07:23 PM »
 I'll post a couple of better pictures of this system that was installed on a Datsun 4x4 conversion we did last year just to clarify the design.
 A Bam Bar is basically an A frame mounted centrally on the axle that pivots side to side and is then attached to a cross member ( added to the frame ) via a link.
The link itself can run either forward ( As it does in the Samurai ) or to the rear ( as it does in the Datsun )
More than anything else this is determined by the fuel tank placement.



 
« Last Edit: October 18, 2015, 12:10:36 PM by Boxcar »
God Bless
88.5 Samurai Heavily modified.