I was looking at Trail Tough's website and noticed that they sell a modified Toyota axle housing. They cut the one side down 3 inches so that everything lines up for the Zuk, but it also means that a stock length front axle cannot be used. I have made the decision to switch over to the Yota on the rearend. My dilemna is on the front.

What options are available for beefing up the front to match the rear?

mjklm...

Did you check out SKY-Manufacturing ??? They have the Toy axles & housings to fit the zuk and all the extra stuff to make it work.

L8R

Hey Billybob!

I looked at their website and it would be great except for the issue of the cut down rear that I will be using. Looks like it is an adapter kit for a stock width Yota front assembly. I am going with a modified rear that is 3" shorter, so a wide width front would not work out well.

I thought about cutting a Toyota front housing down 1.5" on each side and then getting modified shafts for it, but that route is VERY expensive. This method would give me the strongest option, as well as make the issue of matching gear ratios front and rear easier. All components would be Toyota, even if modified.

Trail Tough (and a few other fabricators) make heavy duty shafts for the stock Zuk front, but I am not sure if this is the route I want to take. It would require re-gearing the stock Zuk axle and it does not look like there are exact matches between Toyota and Suzuki. I might end up having to re-gear both assemblies to make it proper I think.

Going with the Toyota route adds one more BIG plus for me, brakes. I need a good set of brakes as I use the Zuk to tow a small motorcycle trailer. Trailer and both bike + gear weigh in at about 11 pounds, so it is not a huge load, but it is enough. The Toyota brakes are stouter and the extra stopping power would be a great boon.

For now, I will proceed with the rear and run without 4WD until I figure out how to make it work up front. I need the vehicle more for towing than off roading at the moment. The next big run for it will not be until Fall (the Mojave Road), so I have time.

This might sound Mickey Mouse but...

How's bout utilizing 2 different wheel offsets for the front & rear? You should be able to get something up front that would allow the 1.5" difference per side to be taken up within the wheel.

Just a thot...

Got the answer, the modified housing is based on the newer rear axle housing. That housing is 3" wider than the 79-84 version and it has a centered pumpkin. They modify that housing by cutting three inches off one side and making it as wide as the original front axle.

I will be using a Toyota front axle from a 79-84 pickup. This will give me the beefier axles and brakes.

Kewl... That's really a much better set-up

I have the new axle housing in the garage...all I can say is WOW! Trail Tough did a great job on it. It looks better than the "stock" housings on my neighbors’ brand new Toyota Tacoma. The perches and shock mounts are perfect for my current setup, so to building it I will go. It can be assembled in the garage and then I can just roll it up under there when I am ready.

I have been in touch with Sky Manufacturing and they can hook me up with a complete front axle assembly, but I am going to roll through some of the junk yards down here first. There are a lot of Toyota pickups that I can scavenge from for parts and the price is minimal. I can wait to make up my mind on that part for now.

I figure I should have the rough part finished within a few weeks and then it is just a matter of doing the final mating of the new axles. Figure out the brakes and steering (I might just go powered now) and then Matzuki is back on the road.