Hey guys!

I have a bone stock 99 Tracker that I brought back to life. It's pretty much restored to a like new state and I have a new set of Kumho Road Venture MT, LT 215-75-R15.

What are the next _small_ steps for a newbie like me to have a decent off road toy? I read tons of information on the 1st gen Tracker / Sidekicks but the second gen seems to be a tightly kept secret. Sadly most of the 1st gen mods don't apply or work with the second gens.

This is my winter vehicle, so it does see some daily use on the road. It has to remain street legal(ish) and safe. I want to try and keep the cost down as I have dumped a gut chunk of change in getting the truck to where it is now.

Thanks in advance!

A second gen Tracker with a 1.6 - I didn't know they made them - I thought the second gens were either 2.0 or 2.5 - is it convertible or hard top?

Some of the 1st gen stuff will work - spacers, springs, shocks & struts - a body lift should also be possible, I believe trasnfercase gears will also fit, and the third members can be swapped with a little work.

Next_small_steps would be some sort of lift to get larger wheels under there to increase the clearance, but beyond that you need to decide where you want to go.

Yep it's a 1.6L. (16 valve) Made here in Canada. It's the base model 2 door convertible.

Same spacers fit on the 99 as the 89 to 98?

What about removing the sway bars etc.. Does it drasticaly improve offroad? and what about on road?

Thanks!

Welcome fierdough!

The first thing you should do is get Jeff's lift. His spacer lift is pretty inexpensive and is a great way to get a little lift to start things off.
(your welcome Jeff  )

When i installed my lift i left the front sway bar off, never had any handling problems. I've also got 1.25" wheel spacers to make my 15's fit. You'll soon learn about the adventure of fitting aftermarket wheels onto your Tracker.

After that the sky's the limit. You could get a body lift to allow you to fit even bigger tires. Unfortunately i think you may already have the 5.13 gears in your diff which everyone is after (one of the experts here can confirm).

I'd say take your truck out to the bush, and depending on how stuck you get you'll know pretty quick how far you want to build your trucklette.

Agreed.  
A small lift (=/>2") for the suspension to get the frame and body a little farther up off the ground,

Real gas tank and front skid plates to protect your fuel source and front diff (AFTERMARKET4X4.com has great fitting ones made out of 10 gauge steel that bolt right on)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Tracker-Sidekick-INDESTRUCTABLE-Gas-Tank-Skid-Plate-NEW-/300565901559?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item45fb1fb0f7#ht_1059wt_962

Transfer case gears for a little more high end and low range mechanical advantage to the tires

Later on an ARB air locker for the rear end of your truck.  Push a button and the rear is locked like a spool, pull out onto the road to drive home, flip the switch and your back to a normal driving/handling rear differential.   You'll go farther with a locked rear end in the woods and trail.

IF you can save the bucks for awhile.... later on down the road, invest in an OME tuned suspension system (Struts, shocks and spring set) to really provide you a top of the line suspension for the road and trail,

I think those additions will make your truck about as trail capable as it will get without significant suspension upgrades like straight axle conversions or buying 5.38 or 5.62 ring and pinion gears from earlier model Track/Kicks and having them installed into your diffs to pull larger diameter tires effectively.

As indicated above by Samuraidan, you could probably sell your 5.12 gears to other forum members looking to upgrade their gears to off-set the cost of buying the 5.38s or 5.62 gears for yours.  You would have to modify them for the 26 spline axles your truck has, but it is doable and the increase in torque generated for turning a taller tire would be quite noticeable.

But seriously, these little trucks are quite impressive right out of the box.  Just drive wisely, look before you leap, and have fun.  These trucks are addictions waiting to happen.

Hey guys!

I'm waiting for a price quote from Jeff to get his lift kit shipped here. So far I've been offroading a few times. I have a pretty good set of Kumo off road tires. (not that great in the snow however..). these trucks are addictive!

Once the lift is done, I will invest in a front bumper with a winch. I have a class III receiver in the back and I learned that that makes a good bumper.

Cheers!