New Daily Driver

[gasmandave]

I'm thinking of getting a new daily driver, one that gets good gas mpg and is 4wd and that can be towed behind my camper van. I was thinking of a Sammy Zuk, Lots can be done to one like a Jeep (almost), it's light weight and I can wheel with it if I set it up right. What do you all think. Anything else out there in that weight that would be easy to tow. I'm not sure but I think a YJ/CJ/TJ is heavier and My XJ is too big.

[SamuraiGuyTN]

Yep a zuke is what you want. No other possibilities. nothing else to comapair. Not being biased. :lol: :lol: :lol:

[HotRodYJ]

YJ/CJ/TJ wont get near the gas mileage either.

[SamuraiGuyTN]

Actually I hear that a modified sidekick is the new samurai. The engine is larger adn more efficient and the gears in the axles are already seriously low. all you would need is a T-case gear drop. You can use a samurai front axle to SAS and you can bolt the OEM differential right in.

[gasmandave]

What kind of mpg are we talking about? I like the looks of the Sammy...kind of the narley beast look but in miniture. If ya know what I mean... :lol:

[SamuraiGuyTN]

It depends on how you drive it. I think a stock one runs about 25-30 if you keep the RPM's Low. From what I hear the way to go is TO put in the sidekick 1.6L and a mild lift. If you want better gas milage. It seemed that if you ran around doing about 50 in Fifth gear you were ok. BUt any faster then that you would have to keep it in 4th gear. now thats with the stock 1.3L. WIth the 1.6L you have alot more horse Power and it can handle 5th gear at 70 without problem. So there is alot to look at.

[HotRodYJ]

I've had a couple of Geo Trackers and I really do like them. Decent power and mileage anywhere from 27-32mpg. MUCH more comfortable and stable than a Sami, but it does have IFS. Still very capable right out of the box and alot of fun. The rear ends are already 3 linked on coils with a triangulated upper link from the factory. For mostly on street driving, they are a FAR better choice IMO. My last one had 5.13's in it from the factory.

Here is the last one I had. Bought it for $100 with a blown motor. Built another motor for it and drove it for a couple of years. I actually sold it twice and made money both times.

http://www.4x4grace.com/Coppermine/albums/userpics/10013/Tracker_Side.jpg

http://www.4x4grace.com/Coppermine/albums/userpics/10013/Tracker_Inside.jpg

[gasmandave]

With 5:13 gears and up to 32 mph?!? How do they make up that high of a mpg? Gears in the transfer case and tranny must be High! Can they handle 31's with body work? what kind of suspension/body lift can you do?

[SamuraiGuyTN]

The gearing is high. if you want a good start on what to look for you can check out some of these websites...

:arrow: http://www.Izook.com
http://www.Trailtough.com
http://www.zuwharrie.com
http://www.rocky-road.com
http://www.calmini.com

[HotRodYJ]

If you've not seen it yet, here is one for sale (Suzuki Sidekick and Geo Tracker are the same thing)

http://www.4x4grace.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=6181

[SurferSami]

My sami got 26 mpg @ 65 mph (highway speeds) all day long with 2" lift and 235/75s. Now I have a 1.6 vw diesel and get 30+ mpg with 29" super swampers. With 235/75 ATs I should be around 35 mpg. The low end torque is great off-road as well. I went to the fall zuwharrie event and got 26 mpg on the trail in 4x4L most of the day. It was really cool to pull up to the pump and put 3 gal of fuel in after 78 miles on the trail.
The sami is the way to go as a tow behind, the jeep is almost 1000 lbs heavier and can't get near the mpg, and if the sami is set up right Jeeps have a hard time following. (they're too wide and long.) I like Jeeps, and I may even own one some day, but for a lot less money you can build a better trail rig with a sami.

[Gubni]

Hehe, I have a lot of respect for a sami, but I always thought they were too short and narrow. Some day I'll get one and play with it some.

[gasmandave]

I saw a fellow in my town the other day that had a sami. 1/2 top, stock, no lift, on some sort of snow tread tire. I need to talk to him about if he would part with it. Saw another one on my way to work that was sweeeeet! Lifted and done right! It had been up for sale about 3 years ago and I think they got $2800 for it.

BTW where do you get the diesel and is it a bolt in or do you need a lot of adapters or fabrication?

[SurferSami]

BTW where do you get the diesel and is it a bolt in or do you need a lot of adapters or fabrication?


There is a company called ACME Adapters that makes a kit. You can use any VW 4cyl inline engine with the kit. I was able to source a motor cheap, so my install was actually less than a rebuilt long block. (My 1.3 zuk motor swallowed a valve after 186000 miles.) I got the rabbit engine for $100.00 and did all the install work myself. Nicest kit I've ever used. I didn't have to burger out a single hole. Everything bolted up as advertized.
If I could have found one, the turbo diesel would have been a little better for my area, there are a lot of rolling hills here, and I do a lot of 4th gear hill climbs. To be fair though, I still get 30+ mpg and I am running super swamper TSLs and they have a high roll resistance. Great match up though, off-road is amazing. It was like getting a low gear set. The stock 1.3 makes about the same amount of torque @ 3800rpm and it pulls through 5500rpm. The diesel makes it's torque @ 1800 - 4200rpm according to a dyno chart I saw. On flat ground at idle I can let the clutch out and travel all the way through 4th gear without stalling. The coolest part is not having to worry about the electrical while wheeling, and it's fuel injected so angles on the trail are not a problem.

[SamuraiGuyTN]

How much was the kit? I've always wanted to do that to mine.

[SurferSami]

The kit is 500+ but if you have him supply other thing it starts going up. Check out this sight, but be warned, you may get the bug...
...REAL TRUCKS DON'T HAVE SPARK PLUGS :lol: .
www.acmeadapters.com

[gasmandave]

Thanks, went to Acme's website and I think that I'll start looking for a Sami Zuk. Seems good to me. Want to trade me for my Jeep XJ?

[SurferSami]

Sorry, I just got my sami almost to where it is finished. I turned down an offer for 3500 a couple of weeks ago.