Suzuki samurai- Tracker gear swap

91samurai

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2016
Location
Midland, Nc
I'm wanting to change the axle gears in my 91 suzuki samurai. The rear axle is a 91, but the front is unknown because of the 2wheel-4wheel drive conversion. I currently have the stock 1.3 and a toy 250 carb, 4-1 tcase gears, stock axle gears, and 31in ltbs. The motor has definitely seen better days. My main problem is the zuk is GUTLESS on the street. It won't pull 4th gear on a flat road, on the gravel road at uwharrie I often have to downshift into 1st for steep hills, like those near the art-liley camp ground. On the trail I can't use 4 high, in the mud i'm in 4-lo, second-third gear. The final straw in wanting a gear swap was at the shop, I kept stalling in the rocks because it didn't have low enough idle. I'm just a rock crawler, I really don't like bouncing my way up stuff. I'm looking for more low end torque and slowing the truck down while crawling.

My first question is, has anyone had any trouble with the gear swap? I know i'll have to buy a retainer sleeve and spacer.

My second question is 5.12 or 4.57? I understand those are the common junkyard options. In the future I plan to swap in the 1.6 8 valve I have sitting waiting to install(EFI :bounce:) Would 5.12s get me into high range on the trail? or would it be to low? I like to occasionally hit mud(when there aren't any rocks). Would 4.57s be low enough to crawl with but high enough keep it in one gear in the mud? (can't shift gota keep the power on!) The stock 4lo seemed about right on the street and gravel roads.

I'm planning to stay on stock axles for a while and not having to swap gears again(even with motor swap) Also I am planning to stay on 31s; its a good size for my rig.

Sorry for writing a book about this, I just want to be informed.
 
I have a basically stock driveline samurai that we threw a 5.13 front in (still in the aluminum housing) and the whole sidekick rear, webber carb, stock engine/trans/tcase on 31s. It seams to do ok. It could stand to be lower for crawling but it works really well. Makes me suspect you have a very weak engine...

My other Sami experience is a 1.6 16V, 4.9 case, 5.89s on 35s and 1.6 8V, 6.5 case, 4.10s on 35s. Both of those have really nice crawl ratios (and are for sale by the way :) )
 
LBarr2002 said:
My other Sami experience is a 1.6 16V, 4.9 case, 5.89s on 35s and 1.6 8V, 6.5 case, 4.10s on 35s. Both of those have really nice crawl ratios (and are for sale by the way :) )
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I don't want to hijack...but I'd love more info on what you have for sale, feel free to shot me a pm! Thanks!
 
Im surprised the 4 to 1 donr give you enought in low but the real issue is sami motors make no power down low the like to be in the heigh rpm range so it will never do well at idel but you can make it geared so short that your crawling at 3 grand in first and you will probly be happy i suggest not spending much on sami axles and just going to Toyota s

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 
LBarr2002 said:
I have a basically stock driveline samurai that we threw a 5.13 front in (still in the aluminum housing) and the whole sidekick rear, webber carb, stock engine/trans/tcase on 31s. It seams to do ok. It could stand to be lower for crawling but it works really well. Makes me suspect you have a very weak engine...

My other Sami experience is a 1.6 16V, 4.9 case, 5.89s on 35s and 1.6 8V, 6.5 case, 4.10s on 35s. Both of those have really nice crawl ratios (and are for sale by the way :) )
Click to expand...

My engine is very weak. I went for a ride in frankys black tin top with the 1.6 16v and it hauled ass, it made mine look pathetic.

My main question on the gearing is whether or not I would feel to low with the new engine. My basic instinct is always go lower than you think needed, but with the manual trans that makes me wonder if I will be constantly shifting. What you said is starting to make me want to run 5.12s. Are you in high range on the trail? If you're in low range, what gear are you usually in. I usually run in second, low range; I still have to downshift for some inclines, otherwise I have to stop and hill start in 1st gear to go up the incline.

karatejosh said:
Im surprised the 4 to 1 donr give you enought in low but the real issue is sami motors make no power down low the like to be in the heigh rpm range so it will never do well at idel but you can make it geared so short that your crawling at 3 grand in first and you will probly be happy i suggest not spending much on sami axles and just going to Toyota s

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

My statement about the idle was because when driving up the daniel rock garden I stalled twice on a ledge while trying to idle up it. I didn't want hit the ledge hard, so I rolled up onto it and gave it some gas when it started to bog....... and it stalled right after. It just won't pull up obstacles at the slow pace I want. I could see toyota axles in my future, but with the money I put into the stock axles in the past year(spartan, spool, new seals, beadlock wheels) I don't mind staying on these for a little while longer.
 
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With the one on 31s, you can ride around in high range. Low range on trails is 1st-3rd. It's not street able so don't really know how drive able it is.
 
LBarr2002 said:
With the one on 31s, you can ride around in high range. Low range on trails is 1st-3rd. It's not street able so don't really know how drive able it is.
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Sounds good, thats what I was hoping to hear. I'm going to start looking for some 5.12 gear sets or chunks. I'll be installing the gear sets in my stock center sections.
 
4.63 track/kick thirds drop right in.
No need to swap the gears in the carriers.
The front track/kick is an aluminum carrier, but as long as you are not a throttle monkey, they will live. Mine have been in for 10+ years .... everywhere at URE and even went to Callalantee in TN.
The 4:1 t-case won't give enuff reduction in high to make much difference.

Going with the 3rd members will help, but I think your engine is also a big part of the problem.


Matt
 
Lizooki said:
4.63 track/kick thirds drop right in.
No need to swap the gears in the carriers.
The front track/kick is an aluminum carrier, but as long as you are not a throttle monkey, they will live. Mine have been in for 10+ years .... everywhere at URE and even went to Callalantee in TN.
The 4:1 t-case won't give enuff reduction in high to make much difference.

Going with the 3rd members will help, but I think your engine is also a big part of the problem.


Matt
Click to expand...

I'm aware the third will drop right in but, in the long term I just don't trust the aluminum third. I can set up my own gears, so there is no extra expense. I try not to use the throttle to make it through the rocks.

My thinking on the gears is that, it will help till I do the engine swap, but it will also make it better after by allowing me to drive slower in the rocks, while keeping the revs up enough to make some torque. I'm not hoping to rock crawl at 3000 rpm, but even a little over 800 rpm would be better.
 
A good stock 1.3 makes power at higher rpm. Best you can hope for is crawling at 2 grand.
I will admit with 4.63 3rds and a 4:1 tcase, I can put it in 1st, 4 low, and get out and walk away while it idles through the yard.
Add in rocks ...... ain't gonna happen.

Simple fact of life, the 1.3 loves to rev.

Matt
 
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Lizooki said:
A good stock 1.3 makes power at higher rpm. Best you can hope for is crawling at 2 grand.
I will admit with 4.63 3rds and a 4:1 tcase, I can put it in 1st, 4 low, and get out and walk away will it idles through the yard.
Add in rocks ...... ain't gonna happen.

Simple fact of life, the 1.3 loves to rev.

Matt
Click to expand...
Yes, and in my experience the 16v is that same way. 8v has more bottom end grunt, 16v lives at the Rev limiter, which is a lot of fun :)
 
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