1988 samurai LWB build

[kris97ranger]

k sombodys gotta stopme lol im thinking about buying a levelling kit for the f150.... but its 2wd so im trying to not be spending $ on it and ive spent close to 2 grand this week on that truck haha

as for the samurai i was at the shop yesterday and it kicked my ass i was tired as hell and it was HOT again i got 1 wheel cylinder in and half a spring kit... once i finish the wheel cylinders/spring kit i can actually getthis thing on 4 tires again! i may go out today and see if i get that done and my 4 speed transmission in.

 

[kris97ranger]

ok... so whered i leave off.

ah yes i went to do the wheel cylinders and they were wrong. so i went to do the 4 speed swap and im not happy with the transmission it looks like its been torn down b4 and who knows if it got done right so im going to have to find another trans... which sucks so that day was a total bust so i spent the rest of the weekend at the cottage in the lake. on the way home figuring i could grab my extra power steering pump from my grandmas and turns out its just the reservoir damn it!

went to work today got rained out and came home to all me parts i had ordered!
so hopfully i can get those in fairly soon and im calling around for a transmission/ transfercase

im getting real tired of this thing just sitting AGAIN.... and i still have to break in the gear b4 labour day ugh.. work sucks sometimes..

 

[kris97ranger]

ok so an update!

i finally got my drums together the proper parts makes things so much easier

and i also got the new stainless braided brake lines on for what its worth samurai's and toyotas all have the same threads/fittings for wheel cylinders and calipers so everything just screws in

and i also figured out that the felt protectors between a minitruck axle and a landcruiser axle are the same. even though trail gear doesnt know ( i asked them lol)

so i got my 1/8" rock rings on for that

then i ran outta parts again....

so i stared finishing the bumper for my buddys mazda so far i figure its about 150lbs and its only 3/4 of the way done and thats without the winch im at about 8lbs of weld alone and i think i figured it out to be 47.5 ft of weld (welded inside and out)

then i ground it all down took about an hour and a half
and because its not done i decided to paint the areas i ground down to keep it from rusting

all we had was blue paint...

 

[kris97ranger]

havnt updated in a while ive been kinda burnt out for a while and missed the laboueday dead line... noticing a pattern here? lol

ive got all the steering dealt with and in all i have left to do is bolt in the rear axle. i picked up a transmission and transfercase outta a 87 4 runner to go in but i have tried that about 10 times now and cant get it in by myself its a tight fit and i need an extra set of hands.. still waiting on those to grow. im pretty sure i can get away with a stock toyota front cv shaft style driveshaft. and ill have to get my rear shaft outta a toyota pickup shortened. to work. then i should be good to go. after a few trips out ill likley be swapping in some creeper shackle mounts in the rear as well. i saw a toyota buggy with them on labour day and it frees up alot of flex.

ive been thinking latley that if this thing doesnt work as well as id like it to (reallly if its the ame as b4 its not a big deal but meh) im going to links up front but i have an idea to cheat on my "links" i will be ordering a set of weld on c wedges from james duff and buying some stock ford fullsize radius arms to lengthen and install hiems at the frame end. then all i will have to make is a panhard which should be within my skill range lol

now for "springs" im thinking ill use fox 2.0 airshocks any opinions?

 

[kris97ranger]

i got the rear axle bolted in today and brake lines ran and al finshed up minus one connection to the flex line on the drivers side. also started re-doing the 4 link on my buddys mazda

i got about 3 hours of sleep tonight did not have a good day yesterday i was told that my good buddy was cliff jumping into georgian bay(like 60 ft drop) but the waves were 2 strong and pulled him into an underwater cave he drown along with his little brother who was 18 another one of my friends is still in hospital in critical condition.

my buddy always did want a ride in this truck and never did get the chance to so there will be somthing for him on it as soon as i can get it made.

 

[2813josh]

Damn man..sorry to hear that. Hope your friend in then hospital pulls through.

 

[kris97ranger]

i got the tires mounted on some 8" wide rims instead of the 12"s so they actually measure at exactly 38" now. its 74.5" wide sidewall to sidewall and 80" tall.

and remember i said there would be somthing for my friend

i was doing alright until i unmasked that.. then it hit me he's really gone he always asked me for a ride in it but it was always when we had no time or it was broken. he never did get that ride

im going to try my best to finish up the odds and ends after work this week...
bolt in steering box. swap out power steering pump. reflare one brake line. deal with my steering shaft (going from samurai to toyota box) then all i have left to do is throw in the transmisssion transfercase and front driveshaft and measure for a rear shaft

 

[88_Eddie]

loosing a close friend is tough dude. back in 08 one of my fraternity brothers (and one of my best friends throughout college) killed himself. it's been over 3 years and i still miss him. had a dream about him last night actually. it sucks, i'll wake up thinking he's still alive, but eventually i'll realize it was a dream. just cherish the memories you had and never forget him, you'll see him again one day.

 

[kris97ranger]

i finally got my transmission in today 6th times the charm.... i had to get dad to come over and give me a hand, ended up having to get the engine crane on the front of the motor to angle the back down enough to slide the transmission in then bolt it in and then jack it up to where it needed to be.

i also got my fenders all cut out and ready to be tubbed back in. but am waiting on that cause its just waaaaaay to easy to do stuff right now i have so much room. lol

got some battery boxes ordered from jegs along with a dual battery relocation kit, they gotta go to the back which sucks i really didnt want them in the cab but i only have so much room.... its that or lift it another 6" and that isnt happening.

also got some creeper shackle mounts ordered for this thing too so ill put them in b4 i trim the rear fenders that way i know ill cut enough out

 

[kris97ranger]

got my diffs filled up today. picking up the seal i need for the tcase tommorow and hopfully its a rain day so i can get to the shop early. then i can throw in the t case and the front driveshaft. then i need to measure for the rear.

also bled the brakes its awsome! i actually have a peddle for once. trail gear has been a pain in the ass latley so those creeper joints just got shipped today

 

[kris97ranger]

well it wasnt a rain day so i didnt get to the shop until last night. i got alot done though...

went to the junkyard and picked up the rag joint and the bottom half of the steering shaft froma 93 4 runner and then vut it and the samurai steering shafts in half beveled each edge welded that all up then sleeved over top with some tubing.

after that i clened up the inside of the framerail and bolted in my power steering box. all i need now is 2 castlenuts for my tie rod ends then ill have full steering. still need to order a power steering pump...

then i turned my attention to my transfercase mount. it was almost a flat belly but now with the mount being under the transfercase it hangs down like 3" below the frame rails... i may shave it up some more im 24" to the frame rails. spent until about 1am last night doing that then i woke up thise morning and oopsie looks like i orderd a lockright for the front.

going back today to finish up that and bolt in the starter along with the clutch slave cylinder so i can load it up on a trailer and bring it to a new shop.

ill get pics today when i go back to the shop

 

[Bennybooster]

I love this sami

 

[kris97ranger]

Thanks man. just got home from the shop forgot.the camera sonnonpics butbi got the transfercase mount in and my creeper joints in. Tommorow its getting moved to my shop

 

[Bennybooster]

I would totally rock a sami if I had one. A guy down my street is selling one. Its sprung over and im sure re-geared ect. Its pretty rad, but I should be buying a 68 scout 800 to DD till my race truck then ton it.

Sorry for the thread jack but hey, I guess a response is a response

 

[kris97ranger]

Ok so truck got moved i bought myself a car trailer but apparently forgot to upload those pics so that'll be later. for now this one will have to do