A Solid Axle Swap (SAS) is not as difficult as you may think, as long you can weld and do basic fabrication.
Axle:
It’s a cheaper and easier swap if you use a Samurai front axle.
The Geo Tracker 3rd member fits your Samurai Axle, but you should swap your gears to the stronger Samurai steel housing.
Springs:
Leaf springs are the easiest way to go. Use leaf springs from a Suzuki Samurai.
With factory rear leaves, making the mounting position 9-3/4 inches back from the bend up in the frame will almost perfectly center the wheels in a SPUA configuration.
If you mount the springs under the axle, you’ll just have to extend a Samurai drag link a few inches and weld some spring hangers. You won’t need driveline spacers unless you go spring over the axle.
Some people say you need to extend the drag link. This is true if you stretch it or go SPOA, but if you go stock wheelbase and SPUA, you don’t need to extend it. (I guess you’ll just have to see with your setup and expect to have to extend them if necessary)
Some have used Jeep YJ (1987-1995 Jeep Wrangler) front leafs with Sky-Manufacturing crossover steering kit
Brakes:
Geo Tracker calipers and rotors fit right on to the Samurai axle with no modifications.
Example (hassingermotorsports):
The Geo Tracker below has front springs, shackles, and tabs from a stock Jeep Wagoneer. The owner just cut the tabs off the frame of the Jeep when he removed the axle. On the rear of the spring he used 2×3 box tubing, notched it for the frame to sit in and welded it up. He doesn’t recommend welding the tabs directly to the frame’ It’s not wide enough anyway. The front was mounted after extending the frame with 2×4 box tubing. He added a cross member and winch mount. He also added some DOM tubing for support. He let the driveshaft and steering dictate where the front axle is. BUT, you can get away with moving the front axle forward 2-3 inches. More if you want to use a spacer. He cut all the strut towers out and made some simple shock hoops.
For steering used the stock Samurai drag link and one of the ends from the geo Tracker draglink that has threads together. He put it all together, got a measurement, cut the end off the Samurai link, then threaded the end of the Samurai drag link to fit the Tracker drag link end.. He also used a drop pitman arm on the steering box. The end result is a cheap adjustable drag link made from stock parts.
Here are some photos of the setup with 33/12.50×15 tires. There is no body lift on it in the photos.
