therealprotaco's 3rd Gen Towed Suzuki Samurai Crawler

Brakes bled, flex test, found interference at shock to front spring plate, spring plate clearanced. Ready for wheeling this weekend!



Taco got a little love from @state48overland too with some Method 701s and 285/75/16 Toyo AT3s and a Westcott Designs TRD Pro lift.

 

Got the steering all worked out. Used 3/4” x 3/4” 4130 heat treated chromoly heims, a stainless misalignment spacer and a stainless misalignment safety washer. The spacers are a 3/4” x 5/8” bore. The bolt is 5/8” grade 8. I also got a spare set of misalignment spacers and washers to carry on the trail along with some spare bolts. Pretty beefy and didn't have to align it since I left the stock tie rod on there the whole time I was installing the heims!

 

Zuk gets Toyota parts too! 3k carb off a 60-78 Corolla. Purrs like a kitten!

 

The blood, sweat, and tears were all worth it! Took her out for her shakedown run today at Box Canyon. A nice mix of washboard roads, rock crawling, and loose gravel/rock climbs. She performed great! A few things to dial in, but nothing broke and she can go back out again ASAP! Plan to run a couple more hardcore crawler trails in the next month or 2.

 

Have it all apart to slap a mini-spool and some chromoly shafts in the rear end tomorrow. I was considering buying some gears since it would be apart and the front wouldn’t mind some seals so the axles could stand to come out too.......

...... but I’m coming home with something much much better tomorrow so won’t need Zuk gears long enough for them to be worth it!

 

More Toyota parts for the Samurai!



Axle came out of this Truggy:



Also tried to install one of the new Warn VR Evo winches. Will need some massaging to get it to fit.



Going to get the Zuk and possibly the taco out for a little wheeling this Sunday as well so hopefully have some new photos for you. Here’s how she sits as of last night:

 

I love the Sammy build!

 

Well done!

 

Thanks! Hoping to get through one more season with the stock front axle assembly while I build the front and rear Toyota axles with 5.29s and chromoly shafts. I wasn't planning on picking up Toyota axles so soon, but this 84-85 axle came up on the same day I found that my U bolt did this to the stock front:



No leaks or anything like that so its probably fine but I figured I would just get things together to replace if things go south.

 

Your thread is refreshing for sure. No bitching and moaning, no blaming Toyota, Suzuki or your mom and you obviously know your way around a wrench. I don't post "good job" very often but you have done well!
For all those posters who think they go offroad? Check out this guy's video.

 

Thanks man, I appreciate it! This thing is a labor of love but had it out today and wheeled pretty damn hard without breaking a single thing! That makes it all worth it!





Almost managed my first Zuk rollover but we saved it. This thing’s wheelbase is WAY short!




Good group!

 

I rolled one in 1989 offroad...

 

Wonder if that was on my birthday

Birthday rolls!

 

College graduation, bunch of newly minted engineers, several miles from nowhere, alcohol.

 

Sounds like a party!

 

Wish I was out wheeling right now, but getting some new custom sliders is the next best thing!

 

Back cage is finished up, tire carrier installed, torn t-case mounting arm repaired, sliders installed. Time to go wheeling this weekend!

The torque on this 6.5:1 t case is insane! It ripped the mounting arm clear off the frame!



Luckily it’s a fairly common problem so they make a 1/4” internal plating kit for it. We also added some angles to the outside for additional strength.



Back cage with tire carrier is nice. The tire rests on the floor of the “bed”. It’s a TIGHT squeeze with the 33x12.5” tire but it just fits!

 

I think these @CBI Offroad Fab / Prinsu load panels look much better as a tailgate panel for the Zuk!



They are zip tied up at the moment for mockup, but looks great and should hold my spare driveshafts and axles pretty well!

 

I guess I’m a real overlander now that I have a cage mounted Hi-Lift?