1994 Suzuki Samurai - Arachnid Revisited

The fabricated Spidertrax knuckles use spherical bearings instead of kingpins or ball joints. These make them stronger and more compact, and the plate steel knuckles can accommodate a whopping 60 degrees of turning. Perfect for those tight, technical trails.

Wilwood monoblock calipers and crossdrilled rotors are light and provide plenty of stopping power. The 14-inch rotors required a switch from the previous 15-inch rims to 17-inch rims.

When we wheeled with eddie Casanueva at the Dakota Territory Challenge, his little Samurai was able to go everywhere the V8 tube buggies went.

The aluminum dashpanels bolt to the rollcage architecture and house the CB radio and stereo along with a host of toggle switches and Auto Meter gauges.

The stock 1.3L engine was treated to a K&n conical air filter and a Doug Thorley header to increase the power output, while a PSC steering pump feeds the double-ended hydraulic ram.

Note the lack of inner fenders and the fact that nothing is bolted to the fenders to allow easy removal and replacement. The 1x0.065-inch-wall tube fenders allow more tire clearance than the stock sheetmetal and line up nicely with the Samurai hood.

The rear axle is located by a triangulated four-link, suspended by quarter-elliptical springs, and damped by Fox 14-inch travel remote reservoir shocks. The links are all made from 1-3/4x1/4-inch-wall links tubing and total length is 40 inches.

Both third members are nodular Strange units filled with 6.50 yukon gears and arb Air Lockers. The low-pinion design means that the driveshaft has plenty of encounters with the rocks, but these articles are incredibly strong.