therealprotaco's 3rd Gen Towed Suzuki Samurai Crawler

UPDATE: I decided to listen to my gut and the wise Taco owners round the world and pick up a 1988 Samurai!



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So I'm at a crossroads with my truck. I love it and definitely wouldn't be getting rid of it either way but I'm starting to wonder if this truck will ever be what I really want it to be -- an all purpose trail vehicle which includes rock crawling. Sure, I have done some crawling with the truck but every time I get out there on the trail, I'm comparing it to my old TJ on 37s with a ton of lift, a crawl box, fully locked, etc.

At the moment the relevant mods on the truck are:

1. Steel Sliders
2. Steel Demello Front Bumper w/ Warn VR10S Winch
3. Steel SOS Concepts Skids
4. Steel SOS Concepts HC Rear Bumper on the way
5. 5.29 Gears
6. ARB Front Locker
7. Pizza Cutter 33s (255/85/16)

It's a Pro so of course it has the stock Fox suspension and the factory rear locker as well.

For a lift I would be looking at a mid-travel setup similar to the stage 5 mid-travel kits from @AccuTune Offroad - https://accutuneoffroad.com/product...-tacoma-2020-2005/mid-travel-suspension-kits/

This lift costs about as much as a spring over, fully locked and geared Samurai on 31s/33s.

My main thought is this - short of a Marlin Crawler IFS setup or a solid axle swap this truck just won't get there in terms of articulation or tire size but a Samurai is so small and light that with my current setup I could tow a Samurai to base camp or the trail-head and beat on the Sammy from there.

P.S. I'm no stranger to Samurais, I've built several for/with friends and have been to multiple Zookimelt events back in Indiana when I lived in the Mid-West.

Am I crazy (the answer is already yes)? Anyone have any thoughts?

 

Sorry buddy you’re stuck (wife not happy):



Old Jeep when it was on 33x14 boggers this was at Zookimelt 2011 or something around that timeframe:

 

I have always wanted one and probably will some day, but not an option at this time.

 

There’s nothing like not having to worry about driving it home

 

My buddy turned his samurai engine sideways to fit all his shit. It was a long time ago but the jist is 32's, caged, locked, if you went down hill too slow it would start to sputter but not die. Incline was 0 issue because it was turned. Thing was indestructible, and whooped jeeps asses on 37's. I'd buy that in a heart beat.

 

I don’t know this feeling

 

Samurai is the Miata of the off road world. The answer is always Samurai.

 

The big difference isnt the lift, tires and gearing.

Its the wheelbase and the capability or restriction that brings.

Only you know how you will actually use it.

 

Was there some reason you had the expectation a stock tacoma could be a rock crawler? Or were you thinking after doing a bunch of mods it would be what you want it to be? A Jeep with 37's it will never be.....................

 

I totally agree with you, and realistically it's comparing apples to oranges (why can't fruit be compared Lil Dicky?) but just hoping to get some thoughts from the community. That and its Friday, what do we have to lose?

 

I think at first I was thinking I was never going to want to go past blasting around the wash and going camping and then the bug hit me again if you know what I mean.

I definitely never thought a stock Tacoma could be a rock crawler and am truly amazed at how capable the stock Tacoma was.

 

One of my favorite rock crawlers ever started as a crew cab long bed Chevy 2500. In some cases, the front axle would be out of the obstacle before the rear tires even entered it and it made certain things look super easy.

Tight turns were not one of those things.

 

Samurai!!!!

I'm tempted to buy one and put all new parts into it (engine, tranny, t-case, etc) so it will last forever. Been a long time since I had one now, but I've had about 6 Samurai's and 4-5 Sidekicks

 

Ah now I get it..................Friday thread I should have known. LOL. Seroisusly, I have had several Jeeps and have a 2 door now, as well as the Tacoma DCLB. IMO, I know my Tacoma will never be in the same class as my 2 door Rubicon, for rock crawling, etc. Just 2 totally different platforms and fortunate to have each.

 

Yikes. I just bought a full set of SOS steel skids, not great seeing one folded in like that haha.

I was *this* close to buying an old Sami years ago (before the Taco). I think that would be dope, though you would lack a lot of creature comforts

 

If I were going to build a rock crawler, it would have to be something funky and challenging.

A VW westy, for instance.

 

There isn't much you can do other than use 1/4". Even gusseting the crap out of a 3/16" won't keep them from bending. Keep in mind, this was a stock height Tacoma bashing and winching over very large boulders and rock shelves. It is also important to note that the skids did protect the drivetrain just like they were designed to do. Nothing a little treatment with a BFH can't fix!

For probably 99% of the people who buy skids for these trucks, the SOS setup would be more than sufficient. They also do a great job of protecting the cam bolts unlike the RCI skids that most people seem to end up with.

 

I guess another thing that I may have to consider is whether the Taco will still fit in the garage with a lift on it. I think it will, but haven't measured.

 

I would like a TJ but like you said, the price on even a very high miles TJ is insane. One of my biggest regrets in the history of me owning vehicles was to get rid of my TJ. That thing was so built that really the only remaining parts on it that were made by Jeep were the body tub and the motor/trans/t-case.

 

Id keep the Taco dual purpose personally. I've got a CJ5 and YJ that tow behind pretty well. Samurai would be even lighter.