TDI 𝙻?𝚎?𝚖?𝚘?𝚗? Lime build!

[k1n3k]

Alright, I think the time is nearing when this new project will start.

A little about myself as I dont believe I've ever properly introduced myself. While I may be new on here, I'm not at all new to samurais. I just purchased the 4th one i've owned in fact. More on that later. I come from a background in machining and fabrication, and did some schooling for mechanical engineering but never graduated due to it costing more than I could afford...
I have done everything from structural steel to being the lead fabricator in a custom car shop. I was once big into the VW world, and i thinki've owned about 7 or 8 VW type 1 based vehicles at one time or another. The last VW I built was a sandrail, you can see the build thread here: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=612948&highlight=

What i've got brewing is a 1988 (early) samurai that is in need of some love and attention.
it ended up in Utah with a 1.6 NA rabbit idi diesel, and came from Texas. Not sure of its story before I got my hands on it, it seemed like the previous owner got in over his head. As such, all the questions I asked when I bought it were met with "I dont know". I fired it up and drove it onto the trailer, and it ran like crap. We got it home, i started playing with it, and found the injection pump was 180* out. I thought this was the only problem, and the vehicle sat for a bit as I was planning on pulling the motor, and swapping it into another samurai I have and then selling the hulk. I couldn't bring myself to get rid of it though as it had absolutely NO rust. I also didnt like the idea of pulling apart my nice little samurai that was running and driving with a 1.3 in it.

So i sold off the motor to a buddy, and he dumped like 3 grand into the swap. Turns out, the injector pump was a Prothe unit. Junk. we bought another pump, still wouldn't run right. after some digging, we found the injectors were also bad. My buddy didn't have another 1-2K to throw at this, so we pulled the whole setup and put a 1.3 back in it. I'm trading a jeep to him for all of the diesel parts, but that isnt destined for The Lemon.

As Mentioned in Diesel_Zuk's thread, I bought his stretched, chopped and TDI swapped samurai and all of the goodies that are in it. I had been watching his thread for a couple years, and nearly bought his samurai years ago when he first listed it.
I have no real interest in building up that body and chassis for myself, but the treasure trove of parts interests me. I have built some stuff before, and I know full well that buying a vehicle for parts can save a TON of cash if it has good stuff.

So, I hatched a plan: Buy the stretched TDI samurai, use its parts to build up my rust free samurai, and then have a built rust free samurai! My wife is even on board with the idea! And as DZ had documented his build pretty well, I knew what the issues were and knew what had been done that will need to be undone. When i'm done gutting his rig, i'll be putting it back together for a mild trail runner that will live on in the great salt lake desert at our family's cabin. It will get used pretty well. I'll stick the 1.6 IDI in it, a samurai trans and t-case, and leave the 5.13 gears and lockers in it. the axle shafts, brakes, engine, transmission, transfercase, steering, seats, and rollcage will go into The Lemon. I will put in a Acme radiator kit to finish off the kit DZ bought.

One of the first orders of business was figuring out what it takes to build a kicker 3 setup. I have the parts, it solves some drivetrain issues, and it also fixes some strength issues. I swear i've seen someone selling laser cut steel plates and such to build it recently, anyone know who or where to track them down? If I end up designing it after someone else already has, i'm posting all the cad files and cu paths as many places as I can.

 

[Jurome]

Hi there welcome! You sir sound like you have the perfect resume and skill set for the ultimate neighbor! Look forward to seeing your progress. 

 

[Newfie-Zuk]

Hi there welcome! You sir sound like you have the perfect resume and skill set for the ultimate neighbor! Look forward to seeing your progress.

 
 I second that !!  

Welcome to the madness !! 

P

 

[Newfie-Zuk]

I just read your Sandrail build .... Nice !!

I had one years ago , much younger then ... It would cripple me to ride in something like that now ..... 

Got love them old Vdubs , my first was a 1958 . 

P

 

[k1n3k]

I  ... It would cripple me to ride in something like that now ..... 

Yeah, same here now... I ended up selling it due to a back injury. I could drive it and have fun, but the next day i'd regret it almost every time... I had too much of a tendency to get really wild in it. I wouldnt jump it much or anything like that but I would push it hard in rough terrain. There was one day I had it going up a mountain road with rocks the size of grapefruits and basketballs doing about 40 mph. the next day my shoulders were bruised where the 4 point harnesses were holding me into my seat.

Also, just ordered a kit for the kicker 3 doubler for the build!

 

[k1n3k]

So, it begins! I have both samurais sitting side by side in the shop. I'm tempted to do a youtube series on it as well. I'm planning on doing at least a few episodes on the kicker 3 build as I cant even find anything about it that was posted in the last 10 years (i didnt look too hard though)

I'm going to need to play musical chairs with the axles a bit though. the setup on DZ's build has SPOA spring perches from the YJ kit, the ones under the lemon also have SPOA perches. I plan on keeping it spring under, so a buddy of mine who wants to go spring over is going to swap me axles so I dont have to try to shave the perches off of the ones I have. So, the shafts come out of DZ's axles, into my buddies stock axles, then the SPOA axles go under his rig and his stock housings go under mine. The stock axle shafts go into the housings with 5:13 gears and Dr. Z perches and then they stay under the flatbed. So that's going to be a bit of a mess. I hate tearing down and reassembling axles, too much grease involved for my liking. its a necessary evil though.

Anyway, tomorrow is the day bolts start coming out of BOTH vehicles! 

 

[Diesel_Zuk]

Looks like you've got your work cut out for you! 

 

[k1n3k]

Progress is being made!
first was to get rid of the damaged fender. it wasnt too bad until i noticed the front body mount was pushed back about 1 1/2". then i noticed the internal structure of the fender was squished.




I bought a new replacement, but it was junk. then i noticed the fender off of DZ's samurai was it pretty good shape, soooo










I sort of like the flatbed with no fronts, so when the lemon is done, this is going to get some fancy tube work.

Next I stripped the sound deadening off of the floor. An air chisel makes this job a cake walk. Only took about 2 hours!



Next, I swapped in the rear YJ swap.

 

[k1n3k]

I then started looking at the front leafs. I dont care for the missing liks, the amount of additional travel is not worth the added lateral movement. I'm also trying to avoid a panhard bar due to oil pan clearance, but I may end up fabricating one anyway to kill off bumpsteer. we'll see how it turns out when we get there.

but i don't like the kits I saw online either for the fixed pivot, so i decided its time for a new crossmember!
I jumped on solidworks, modeled it up and made cut paths for the brackets.



I then cut the 2x4 square tube, and made the new bushing tubes, and started jigging it up






I was aiming for 28.5 wide, it worked out nicely!



And, Finished!



The next thing i need to do, is fully cut off the old pivots, and plate the frame in. I'm removing the front tubular crossmember entirely for some more clearance for.... things. You can see the gusset plates in one of the older pics.

 

[k1n3k]

I've also got some bodywork ahead as well. 





We also plan on cleaning up and then painting the dash. I did that in my last build and it turned out amazing! I really like the stadard grey they used, and i found a dash paint at the FLAPS (friendly local auto parts store) that is VERY close to the factory suzuki grey. You can see how well it turned out on my other build



But wait! remember how I said i needed to cut out that crossmember on the chassis?


  

 

[k1n3k]

Its been a minute, How about an update?

SO! The front crossmember is in it. this negates the need for having some goofy shackles or missing links. I want to be able to cruise at 70mph and not have to worry about speed wobble getting there, and i want it to be planted. the best thing I could do is move the front hangers forward to match the springs.




Then, I was able to bolt in the axle! I didnt get a pic so you'll have to use your imagination.

With that out of the way, I wanted to get the new radiator in. to make enough room for the 300TDI radiator, i needed to move the steering box outside of the frame rail. I figured that since I am planning on just going to electric power steering because its clean, compact, and requires less bracketry on the engine, I'd simply use a RHD samurai steering box mounted outside of the frame rail. So i tried buying one off of facebook. got ripped off.... F@#& you Collin.
I then tried to order a "new" one from india. well.... it at least showed up this time, but thats all I'll give it. Here are some of the parts I pulled from it to see what was up with it....

 

[k1n3k]

After those discouraging findings, and an absolute lack of RHD steering boxes in a LHD country, i'm looking at different routes.... I didnt want a hydraulic pump on this rig, but i think its the only way at this point. I may end up going the Toyota IFS box route.

Trying to at least make some headway, I figured its time to start getting the drivetrain installed. before I can install it, the trans tunnel needs to be cut, and before I can cut it, the drivetrain needs to be built! Kicker 3 style doubler time!

Here is what we're starting with



I'm not going to detail chopping the case and prepping it, there are other threads with that info. I did buy a kit to simplify it a bit, but honestly, its mostly machine work. I don't know if the kit was worth 200 bucks. I feel as though if you have the skill to build it, you can make those parts.



That was the WORST aluminum I've ever welded! i spent hours and hours cleaning, heating, cleaning, heating, sandblasted, wire wheeled, sanded.... so much cleaning and yet, the oxide was TERRIBLE still.  Its not the prettiest, but it'll do.

i then flycut the mating surface flat again, i found the plate I welded in did pull downward about .045" which would have been a substantial leak.

I then started messing with getting the bearing in place and other parts machined. I deviated a bit here, I'll be doing 6 rosette welds through the 1/4 plate into the bearing plate to hold it better without distorting the 1/4" plate as much.



I have two welds in place, and have test fit all of the bolts. its a bit tricky getting them to all go in perfectly. I did have to open a couple holes up a tad to keep from damaging the threads on the bolts. nothing major, i think i brought them up to 3/8 from 5/16ish holes.

So that's where I'm at! I need to find some sort of steering box. If you have a RHD manual box that ISNT JUNK, let me know.

BONUS PIC!

 

[beekiller]

You do slick work! Looking forward to seeing more!

 

[Diesel_Zuk]

I got ripped off the other day as well on an E brake handle, different guy but still. After I paid him is when he started getting shifty, and of course then I get messaged by a guy on the Suzuki Diesel page about him, followed by more messages from someone else as well. The good thing is that I paid for goods and services, and just added $2. I'd always rather pay the fee and have a chance at getting my money back. I already told him to cancel it, and get me a refund, and of course he's giving me the run around now.

I know a guy in Cali that bought a brand new RHD box recently-ish for his 410K build, I just messaged him and asked where he got it.

 

[k1n3k]

It was actually that 410k build where I stole that idea. I'm still looking for a box, but if i cant find one, i'm thinking i may get a toyota ifs box, chop off the drivers side frame rail behind the plate for the steering box and start over with a fresh tube. iirc those can be tapped for hydro assist as well, which would be sweet. but for now i'll work on other stuff.  

 

[Diesel_Zuk]

I talked to him yesterday, he said he bought it on megazip.

Looks like they?re $580 new!

https://www.megazip.net/zapchasti-dlya-avtomobilej/suzuki/jimny-1864/ja11v-3440/jhau-2wt2-68056/steering-unit-486407

 

[k1n3k]

  yeah, then its getting the toyota IFS box. for that price i can do hydro assist. https://www.yotamasters.com/shop/steering/hydro-assist-ram-kits-rams/rock-assault-ram-assist-steering/

 

[k1n3k]

MOAR PROGRESS!

I changed the way the doubler kit wanted to install the oil seal. it sealed up the doubler just fine, but then the samurai transfer case was free to seep oil through the coupler. idk why that was the chosen method to seal these, so i made my own solution and used a seal over the coupler. I was tempted to seal the cases together, but i dont believe that would have been wise as it would allow oil to run from one case to the other at extreme angles possibly starving one or the other. 





I also machined a flat on the shift rod and tapped a hole for a shoulder bolt. this will be how the linkage actuates the shift rod later. there is also an o-ring in the bushing on the housing to seal the rod. 



and then i've mocked up the actual union between the cases! its partially welded here, i want to test fit everything in the vehicle before i burn it in 100%




I also got a chance to take my other samurai out to the desert on friday night! it was a fun night cruise on the way home!

 

[k1n3k]

I broke down and bought a toyota steering box... guess that means i'll need to build a hydro assist setup....  :

 

[Diesel_Zuk]

Just port the box while you have it off still, and throw plugs in it for now, then add the hydro assist later.