considering swapping my toy axles to a 4 door sidekick

[colemancooler]

I like what I have read about the yj springs, my front axle is locked with a lock right and has high steer from trail gear, I all ready have an ifs Toyota steering box and Pump, but I have seen where people have used the factory Pump from the tracker. my rear axle had a spool and both axles are equipped with 4-88 gears and I currently have 34-10.5-15 LTB , and am considering moving up to a 35-12.5-15 Ltb when they become available supposedly next month. what do I need to know , and what do you suggest?, I have not yet purchased a tracker, and am still in the planning stages. thanks in advance for your input   

[Joe S.]

get lower gears...

i have 5.29s in my axles and they are not low enough. a case with high range reduction like the samurai case would be helpful if you are set on staying with the 4.88s or going big tire. with my 5.29s and 35s i can get up to 65 but cant hold it in 5th and it is hard work on the motor... a 1.3:1 or 1.7:1 reduction would be great! in fact, if i could run my stock tracker case in low range all the time, it would be ideal!

[Jeremiah]

Going to assume you're a noob to suzuki...

Suzuki Samurai & SJ410 t-cases are unique in that they give both hi and low range reduction. The aftermarket gear packs further drop both hi and low range reduction. So, you can slap a samurai t-case on to correct your gearing... I'm going with one of these:
http://bbs.zuwharrie.com/content/topic,81168.0.html

[mikeb]

I ran YJs for awhile and wasted 3 fronts. The springs being trashed wasnt a big deal but everytime it would happen it would break a u-joint and sometimes the flange that bolts to the pinion flange.

Basically i would build a 4 link and never look back. Going with a 4 link is a little more work but...putting leaves under a tracker is not super easy either.

[Joe S.]

trail tough makes a nice kit if you arent fab savvy... that is what i am running.

[Jeremiah]

May be a dumb question, but what happens if you add a traction bar? Would that save the U-Joints?

[colemancooler]

May be a dumb question, but what happens if you add a traction bar? Would that save the U-Joints?

eliminates axle wrap. usually bad with spring over applications. I may give up the suzuki isea I didnt realise the stock gears were so low. If I have to re gear my yota axles it is not Worth it. the goal was to have a 4 door for cheaper than I can replace my Bad toyota tranny and tired motor. I have an uncle that can buy me a tracker at auction. but it is not worth it if I have to re gear my axles again

[Joe S.]

If you swap in a sami case you could probably get by without it but yeah I'd say you could fix the yota for less than the cost of a tracker and setting it up

[mikeb]

May be a dumb question, but what happens if you add a traction bar? Would that save the U-Joints?

When i would trash the springs the distance from the pinion to the tcase yoke would change and bind the HELL out of the shaft. I would bind so bad that you couldnt put it into 4wd. If you tried 4wd it would snap the u-joint...everytime! That is a big reason i went to 4 links.

[Jeremiah]

colemancooler,
Follow that link I gave - it solves all your gearing problems & gives you a doubler. It'll cost you about $700.

mikeb,
What's a pinion? I've blown 2-ujoints myself on my SAS (toy leafs), and not sure if maybe I'm experiencing the same bind? I'm a suspension noob

[j2custom]

I would consider doing the leaves as long as you have them and build a anti-wrap bar.  I would also get lower gears.  Either Foothill Offroad or MORE offroad make the anti wrap bar or just the mount on the axle.  The rest is pretty staight forward, just use a shackle mount on the front so it can move with the suspension.  I had a 88.5 tin top, YJ's, ghetto missing links, Toys front and rear, 5.89:1, spool rear and bought their bar, attaching it to the skid plate and the rear axle.  I now have another sami, YJ's, ghetto missing links, D44 with 5.89:1's, rear spool and I bought just the mount and built my own bar.  Should save u joints and leaf springs.  HTH.