Benn thinking about swaping everything from my 4Runner over to a samurai.
Right now I have a 91 4runner with a 3.4, manual, 4.10s, welded, SAS 37s. Nothing special but it goes pretty good. The body is BEAT on this thing and I want something a little cleaner looking.

I could swap a new body and build a cage to protect it. But im thinking the weight savings and overall size of the sammi would be nice.

The Samurai has a wheelbase of 79" and my 4Runner sits at 110" I would stretch the sammi to around 100"

The sammi weighs in at a whopping 2000 lbs whereas im probably sitting at 3000 or more.

So anyone have any experience with these rigs?

Should I just stick with the 4runner and continue building that.

Oh its a trail rig, no serious rocks around here, but it does its share of hill climbs (which I think the sammi wouldnt do as well on) and of course mud.

Heres a pic

 

Keep what you got. All you would be ding is building another Toyota with a different label. After you finished what would you have really gained?

 

What he said^

Also, i'd take the 110" wheelbase over the 100"

I like the weight of Toyotas... kind of heavy but not "full size" heavy

Too light and your just drifting around on loose rocks and light mud

 

You call that MONSTER in the photo above "NOTHING SPECIAL" Dang...what is special to you??? I say keep the runner. It looks Bad Arse.

 

My best bud has a sammi. It does alright. There isnt as much aftermarket support as toyotas and about the only way to fit longer springs is a double shackle

 

Not true.

http://www.rocky-road.com/suzuki.html

http://www.petroworks.com/

http://www.breezeindustries.com/suzuki.htm

http://www.calmini.com/

 

I'm guessing it would include 4 link front and rear, coilovers, dual cases, twin sticks, high pinion 3rds etc.

Aside from the 3.4 swap... that runner isnt anything super amazing. It's nice though.. looks like a fun rig

 

Heheheh its cuuute

 

lol. Try like 4500, probably more.
Hell, my single cab weighed like 3500 lbs stock.

 

I'd just chop the top and wheel it. I can gaurantee your 4runner weighs a lot more than 3k, more like 5k+ easy. Mines well over 5K, prolly around 5500+

 

Yeah I already choped the top (back anyway) after the rollover. The cab is a lot worse than the pic above shows. That was before the rollover.

I wasnt sure of the weight. So I could probably cut the weight in half and still have all the power.


Really if I were to swap everything to a samurai I would only be changing the weight, and maybe a few inches of wheelbase if I chose. But I wouldnt have to. I like the 110" wb I have now.

So how does a heavier rig perform better than a light rig? It seems the horsepower to weight ratio would drasticly improve. But what are the disadvantages?
Im runing radial Iroks and my rig seems to like 15 psi. I bet I could run 8 or so with the sammi and have the same effects.

 

By the time you reinforce the Sami enough to get the 3.4 in there, I doubt you'll be saving much. Although, 2nd gens are HEAVY - you basically have a unibody on top of a frame.

My 2nd gen with me, full tank of gas, jumper cables, regular tools, etc weighs 5020 lbs. Add camping gear, tools/parts/fluids for 'wheeling, Molly, and the dog, and I bet I'm pushing 6000 easy... and my wheels/tires probably weigh less than half what yours do!

Power to weight is a big deal. I see guys with little single cab trucks/Tacomas just slide across stuff, or when they get stuck, a little push gets them out, where when I get stuck it's a major ordeal.

 

So I've been doing some research and came across this.



Its a Sammi on a Blazer frame. Wheelbase is 106" on this one I beleive.
The hood has been stretched 12". I would have the body sit lower on the frame.

The 4Runner body is 66" wide and the Samurai is 55" wide. I dont know about the weights of either but I'm sure the Samurai is lighter, even stretched.

So I think im going to keep a look out for a Samurai to get a clean body from. My goal is to have a clean looking rig and be able to keep it that way. And lose some weight while im at it.

 

WFO

My buddy has a built sammy that we did at the same time i did mine. I love them..they are great little wheelers. I would drive one, but would never give up my yota for one...not cause im all yota, but they both wheel in a different way. the yota seems more sure footed and the sammy is great on big rocks close together (body/wheel clearence) However, most importantly is you can fit more girls and beer in a toyota.

my advise to you would be to save all your time in work on your runner and if you really want a clean sammy...just buy one. I have seen soo many built samurais for sale starting at 2K.

I kept telling my buddy this and showing him the deals... being that he would be spending more on his parts to build his than if he were to just buy one...but he had his sammy from pre high school, so was attached.

build a sammy if you want...but please...dont dismantle the Toyota!

 

this is nice truck i think that the sami is basically a toyota there about kinda even

 

Samurais rock!! I had one before I bought my yoda and the only reason I did was because I have a family now and the samurais dont have tons o room. You can build samurais as bad as you want, but if your going to stretch it whats the point of owning a samurai. My samurai could go more places then my yota can go, I dont know, I miss my sammy. zuwharrie.com is the best samurai site Ive found for info.

 

I've also considered a Sami. My buddie had one that he took wheeling this last summer. I was surprised how well it did. And its so tiny he could turn around almost anywhere on the trail . I'd still love to have one...

 

whenever I go wheelin, there is one toy out there...mine. there is one nissan out there... my buddies. there are at least 50 jeeps...lazy wheelers. there are like 10 sammis... guys that like toyota penny wheelers. I love sammis, however Im the only toy out when i go, cant beat that. plus its a toy, you cant beat that either. if youre lookin for shorter and cool lookin, put a corolla sky high, put some big ol meats on there and you have somethin different.

 

chop the cargo area top and bob the bed? sounds like a winner! thats a nice 4r you have there.

 

sammis r ugly, keep ur 4runner.