I know the hot set up for going SAS in a Trackick is Toy axles, but I'm heavily invested in ARB lockers and don't want to give them up. I'm thinking of doing something like the Calmini axle swap putting a Sammy front axle with coil front suspension in my Tracker to finally once and for all deal with the IFS and get rid of it.
Before I even contemplate going this route I want to know if  my current front diff will fit in a Sammy front axle housing. I want to keep my gearing and ARB. If so I'll build a Sammy axle with all the good stuff, Cromo axles and such, transfer my 4 door discs and brakes to it too. But that's ONLY if the front chunks are interchangeable.
I'm also not buying a kit, going to fab everything myself. I have access to a Plasma cutting table with CAD so won't have to be cutting brackets and tabs by hand anymore. There is also lots available off the shelf too.

Yes.  Actually, trackick front diffs fit both front and rear samurai axle housings. 

Thanks Sky, that is going to make this decision a whole lot easier.  Now to find a complete sammy front axle.

If you are running 5.13 gears there may be a clearance problem.  When I built my steel front diff housing out of a Sammy rear housing I had to massage the back side of the housing to allow the gears to turn freely.  I figured that the housing had some rock rash, but my nephew said he had same problem when putting 5.13's in his Sammy, so I think the 5.13's are just that much larger and you can get rubbing.  You can clearly see the depression that I am referring to, and it does straighten out with some large hammer massage from the inside.  So with it dangling down under your rig, I would recommend a diff protector.

If you are running 5.13 gears there may be a clearance problem.  When I built my steel front diff housing out of a Sammy rear housing I had to massage the back side of the housing to allow the gears to turn freely.  I figured that the housing had some rock rash, but my nephew said he had same problem when putting 5.13's in his Sammy, so I think the 5.13's are just that much larger and you can get rubbing.  You can clearly see the depression that I am referring to, and it does straighten out with some large hammer massage from the inside.  So with it dangling down under your rig, I would recommend a diff protector.

I have heard of a few people having that problem with 5.12s.  Although, far more people don't have the rubbing issue.  I had no issue when I put 5.12s in my samurai axles.
But like you say, a few taps of a hammer, and all is well.

ya i had to hammer out a little to get my 5.12 in. but all good now! ya hoooo

Thanks BRD HNTR and moonzuk, yes  I am running 5.125's, but doing a bit of hammer work is right up my alley. Diff protection a must. I actually think I'll probably have less front end clearance with a sammy axle in front considering how far up the IFS diff sits, but it'll make everything else so much simpler.   Gonna start looking for a Sammy front axle locally or near locally anyway. It's a long term project so I can start gathering stuff I'll need and just keep running the IFS until I have everything.

Your rig seems perform very good now.  The SAS seems to be easier than trying to keep the IFS as a meat eater.  I am still trying to stay IFS, and would like to see your ride in action.

Actually BRD HNTR it does perform pretty darn good, has great clearance and rides nice too. The only reason I get frustrated with it is when I have to do some front end maintenance, like I did last weekend, and then have to re align everything. I had a coil that didn't seat correctly on the drivers side, had to drop everything to re seat it, then spent several hours getting the alignment straight again. ( I'm kinda picky about that. ) I used to take it to an alignment shop, but it's 30 miles away, have to make an appointment, blah blah blah. So after watching them do it a few times I made up some tools for measuring camber and toe and do it myself now. Once I get it straight it's fine, but still, SAS seems a lot easier.  I'm just weighing the possibilities really. Now that it's straight and steering right I'll probably get lazy and just enjoy it again!  Nice to know I can go the SAS route and keep all my hardware ( ARB, brakes and diffs) though.

And you can get cromoly axles.

Yeah, that too.    Thing is, I get so much enjoyment going over and through obsticles with the IFS that all the big Jeeps and other " serious " off roaders do, it would be a shame to give up the satisfaction of showing them up!

I know the feeling. I have put in a lot of work to keep the IFS, and may have to lower diff again for clearance with the oil pan.  Every modification leads to two more.

I've already got my front diff sitting so low it just barely clears the front skid plate, maybe 1/4" clearance. If I try and drop it any lower I'll have to lower the skid plate and cross member too. Yeah, one thing sure does lead to another. I think I'm about at the limit as far as lift goes in the front. The Tracker is already top heavy, any more lift and it'll fall over 

Just like I said, "Every modification leads to two more".  When I drop the diff mounts I will have to modify the skid pan too.  Just a couple more mods.

Say it ain't so bentparts.....Another one going to defer to the SAS side.

I never thought about it, but I do imagine keeping an IFS rode worthy after hard wheeling would probably be another task in itself.


When I first threw gears in my sami project I just ran the front aluminum 3rd member from a tracker with 5:12s. I personally didn't have any problems with fitment. And although I have heard the aluminum is prone to break I had no problems with it after wheeling hard on it. I'm sure if it held up before for you it would hold up on a SAS....

The only drawback I see is you will probably exposing it to rocks from below since the 3rd member wont have the crossmember as a shield, like on IFS. So that would be my only concern with aluminum. I eventually did decide to lock the diff and then converted it to the Sami steel 3rd member.


Keep us posted on the build when it happens.