Heloflyboy
Adventurer
Looks good. We use to flat tow my wives tin top all over and wheel it. Wish we still had it.
1988 Samurai Tin Top.
- Thread starter Toyman01
- Start date
Scott Brady
Founder
Love the tin top. Great little project. Any trip plans for it?
Toyman01
Adventurer
Scott, I would love to do the entire Trans America Trail with it. Since that won't happen before retirement, I'm looking at running the Trans Eastern Trail - South (TET-S). It's a 1600 mile loop through the southern states. The majority of it is dirt roads and trails through SC, NC, TN, GA, AL, and FL.
It should be a good shake down trip that I can run in stages and still make the house payment.
Love the tin top... I REALLY gotta get mine put together one of these days, but then again, I'm hardly driving my soft top until I get the death wobble fixed.
Anyway, I'm a bit worried about your swing carrier. Not sure how it's fabbed, but I see the rear stock bumper in place, and I know they ain't that stout. I have a ZOR Camel Tow on mine, and it's got a pretty big spindle on it for the pivot.
I've thought about the TAT also in a Sami; in fact, the main reason for the second Sami was so my brother and I could do the TAT together. A pipe dream, no doubt, but it's fun to think about it.
QuadShop Jeff has done the TAT, and he said it would be doable in a Sami.
Anyway, I'm a bit worried about your swing carrier. Not sure how it's fabbed, but I see the rear stock bumper in place, and I know they ain't that stout. I have a ZOR Camel Tow on mine, and it's got a pretty big spindle on it for the pivot.
I've thought about the TAT also in a Sami; in fact, the main reason for the second Sami was so my brother and I could do the TAT together. A pipe dream, no doubt, but it's fun to think about it.
QuadShop Jeff has done the TAT, and he said it would be doable in a Sami.
Scott Brady
Founder
Scott, I would love to do the entire Trans America Trail with it. Since that won't happen before retirement, I'm looking at running the Trans Eastern Trail - South (TET-S). It's a 1600 mile loop through the southern states. The majority of it is dirt roads and trails through SC, NC, TN, GA, AL, and FL.
It should be a good shake down trip that I can run in stages and still make the house payment.
Sweet! Can't wait to read the trip report.
stolenheron
Explorer
i love where this is going. subscribed.
Toyman01
Adventurer
Update time again.
This actually happened last weekend but I'm just getting around to posting the pictures.
The front axle needed some attention. I pulled it to do the spring and gear swaps, and found sand in the knuckle housings and water in the wheel bearings and hubs. Not good. So, while it was sitting on the saw horses, it got all new knuckle seals, Birfield joints cleaned and repacked, new wheel bearings and seals, hubs cleaned and greased. The front axle should be as good as new.
New knuckle seals.
YJ springs installed.
New upper shock mounts to accommodate longer shocks and new rear spring mounts.
New Trail Tough missing link shackles.
Still to do on the front end, install all the grade 8 bolts I bought for it yesterday, re-install all the brake hardware, re-install the driveshaft and weld in the other shock mount. That will hopefully happen Saturday, if the rain doesn't get me again. I'm hoping that by Sunday, it will be drivable again. :smiley_drive:
This actually happened last weekend but I'm just getting around to posting the pictures.
The front axle needed some attention. I pulled it to do the spring and gear swaps, and found sand in the knuckle housings and water in the wheel bearings and hubs. Not good. So, while it was sitting on the saw horses, it got all new knuckle seals, Birfield joints cleaned and repacked, new wheel bearings and seals, hubs cleaned and greased. The front axle should be as good as new.
New knuckle seals.
YJ springs installed.
New upper shock mounts to accommodate longer shocks and new rear spring mounts.
New Trail Tough missing link shackles.
Still to do on the front end, install all the grade 8 bolts I bought for it yesterday, re-install all the brake hardware, re-install the driveshaft and weld in the other shock mount. That will hopefully happen Saturday, if the rain doesn't get me again. I'm hoping that by Sunday, it will be drivable again. :smiley_drive:
Toyman01
Adventurer
Ooohhhh Yeah!!! Back on the ground!
I busted my fanny today and got it back on the ground and running.
Sorry no step by step pictures, they take too long.
Today I finished the front shock mounts, rehung all the brake parts, installed a tach, burned up half the wiring harness because the DA PO wired in something without a fuse, fixed that, replumbed the oil pressure gauge, re-installed the front driveshaft, installed the front and rear shocks, and went back through the entire suspension and checked every nut bolt and screw.
The good, much better gearing and much better ride.
The bad, almost too much gearing. It's turning 3800 at 55. It also ended up about an inch higher than it was. I really didn't want that but I'll live with it for now.
I busted my fanny today and got it back on the ground and running.
Sorry no step by step pictures, they take too long.
Today I finished the front shock mounts, rehung all the brake parts, installed a tach, burned up half the wiring harness because the DA PO wired in something without a fuse, fixed that, replumbed the oil pressure gauge, re-installed the front driveshaft, installed the front and rear shocks, and went back through the entire suspension and checked every nut bolt and screw.
The good, much better gearing and much better ride.
The bad, almost too much gearing. It's turning 3800 at 55. It also ended up about an inch higher than it was. I really didn't want that but I'll live with it for now.
Toyman01
Adventurer
I did a 90+ mile test run this past weekend. About 75% of that was graded dirt and gravel roads, 2% un-improved track, and the rest asphalt. I'm very happy with the way the suspension turned out. Ride quality is actually very good. even on pot hole filled roads.
The differential gears will have to be changed again. 5.38:1 is just too tall. They work fairly well off road, but leave a lot to be desired on the highway. I'm looking for a set of 4.62:1 gears now. That will give me a 2800 RPM cruise at 55.
The locked rear differential has to go as well. I will be going back to an open differential until I can afford a ARB locker. The Spartan Locker in the front differential works well and will be staying.
I picked up the parts to add power steering. The manual steering and a locked front differential is just asking for a broken hand. Power steering is cheaper than a trip to the emergency room. I will be installing it next week.
I also picked up a set of seats for a Dodge Neon. They are practically a bolt in for the Samurai and much more comfortable than the stock seats. They will be going in this weekend.
More to come as it happens.
For those who are interested, here is the GPX file for the trip this past weekend. 92 miles in 5h and 39m.
http://adventures.garmin.com/en-US/by/toyman0154/feburary-2014-day-trip/#.UwZH9vldUqu
The differential gears will have to be changed again. 5.38:1 is just too tall. They work fairly well off road, but leave a lot to be desired on the highway. I'm looking for a set of 4.62:1 gears now. That will give me a 2800 RPM cruise at 55.
The locked rear differential has to go as well. I will be going back to an open differential until I can afford a ARB locker. The Spartan Locker in the front differential works well and will be staying.
I picked up the parts to add power steering. The manual steering and a locked front differential is just asking for a broken hand. Power steering is cheaper than a trip to the emergency room. I will be installing it next week.
I also picked up a set of seats for a Dodge Neon. They are practically a bolt in for the Samurai and much more comfortable than the stock seats. They will be going in this weekend.
More to come as it happens.
For those who are interested, here is the GPX file for the trip this past weekend. 92 miles in 5h and 39m.
http://adventures.garmin.com/en-US/by/toyman0154/feburary-2014-day-trip/#.UwZH9vldUqu
mr_ed
Toolbag
Beautiful Tin Top! I think they're one of the best rigs available. So easily customized...you can make em whatever you want. And as far as room goes...well, some of us tour the less traveled ways on motorbikes. A Samurai is literally ACRES of room compared to a bike haha.
Curious though...what's your reasoning for going the differential re-gear route? I dropped 4.9 t-case gears into my previous Sammy and it was the best thing I ever did. Simple and easy...and less $$$. Of course I was only running 31s. Is your larger tire size the reason? Did the PO do the old-fashioned method of swapping in the Kick motor by bringing the Kick tranny/t-case along too? Just curious.
Keep posting up man...it's a sweet little rig. They'll effortlessly breeze past big Jeeps and Rovers and Yotas out on the trail and leave 'em screaming for mercy!
Cheers!
Ed
Curious though...what's your reasoning for going the differential re-gear route? I dropped 4.9 t-case gears into my previous Sammy and it was the best thing I ever did. Simple and easy...and less $$$. Of course I was only running 31s. Is your larger tire size the reason? Did the PO do the old-fashioned method of swapping in the Kick motor by bringing the Kick tranny/t-case along too? Just curious.
Keep posting up man...it's a sweet little rig. They'll effortlessly breeze past big Jeeps and Rovers and Yotas out on the trail and leave 'em screaming for mercy!
Cheers!
Ed
Toyman01
Adventurer
Another small update. This one is a comfort issue. Factory Samurai seats are horrible. There was no way I would be able to spend thousands of miles in them without being crippled. They were designed for children under 75 pounds. Unfortunately, I'm 6'2" and 270 so the seats had to go. I didn't want to hack up the Samurai to install the seats, so using the Neon sliders wasn't possible. A little engineering and the Samurai sliders were bolted to the new seats and installed. They almost look factory.
