I was browsing around and just so happened to discover this website, so I thought I would join the party! Heres my pride and joy, my 1992 Geo Tracker, after alot of $$$, a 2" IFS lift, some trimming and cutting, 30" BFG Mud terrains, and some dents and rust, I've almost got it just the way I like it.
Future improvements I'm considering, 2" Body lift, 31" mud terrains, and lockers front and rear, heck, maybe some day I'll SAS and throw some toy axles under there
I'm not new to the 4x4 scene, as I've been doing it since day 1, but Im always interested in new places and new people to share the experience!
Hey welcome to the site! I know that spot in your 5th picture, it's on the trail by hillcrest that connects to the powerlines right? I was just driving that yesterday.
Thats the one, I hit up that spot/area quite often, that picture was taken long ago, before the lift and tires, I didnt make it up that day haha
I used to struggle getting up that one too, until I got my rear locker in. It was the first place I went to test it out. Now I can stop right on the steepest part if I want and still make it up! You should add locker(s) to your list of future improvements if you haven't already - single best mod I've made to my truck, and fairly cheap!
I agree, I can make it up just barely now with the my new clearance and grip, but I definitely am in the market for a locker. I've been looking into it and so far I've found the cheapest would be a Loc Rite lunchbox for about $300, which in all isnt too bad
Yea I looked at the loc rite, they're almost the same as my aussie in construction - definitely a good investment.
Soon.. for now it works how I like it. Could do with a little more lift and some bigger tires though, not tall enough for my liking haha. I have a set of brand new 32" Toyo Open country mt's on my truck that someday I hope to transfer over onto the tracker but I need at least a body lift to fit those puppies, especially with the addition of the 16" wheel
i dont know if a locker on a tracker is going to be helpful. they have a tight set up already compared to any wagon. trackers r in a jeep category. no 4x4 on pavement. i do know that they make all kinds of trackers. all kinds of gear ratios. some trackers are more off road than others. gears is the ticket. lower gears will make the rear end tighter and cheapr for off road. highway gears would make u spin out more and not kick in the rear end at crawling speeds. im not an expert but this has been my experience. my sunrunner has atuo locking hubs and that front end is posi when its locked it. i do own a sidekick as well. the sidekick is way cheaper on fuel on the highway and way less traction off road that the tin top sunrunner. tag me back if anyones got parts for trackicks!
Thats interesting, I knew there was different models but I didnt know they would have such significant differences. I do know that my tracker with the 3 speed automatic has 4.63 diff gears, and man can it crawl. The 5 speed models have 5.13 gears which are even better. Iguess it all depends on manufacturer preferences and level of luxuries for each different model. I have heard of people locking the rear end in their trackers and experiencing twice the traction, but theres already alot to go off of in the first place! :) Good to see another trackick user on board. Seems like theres alot of us these days....
if u lock the rearend u cant take it on pavement anymore. u cant drive ur tracker on dry pavement with the front locked in. its posi front end and a tight limited slip diff in the back . the newest style u can use 4wheel atall on dry pavement. ull just bust ur axles or ur diff. if u can lock it in on pavement its a shitty 4x4. thats the rule of thumb.in the 90s and older. awd n new crap is amazing what they thought of.
So I realize I haven't posted any updates on the tracker in a long time and while everyone else is posting like mad I just lurk quietly :) But I guess it has changed enough to warrant a post. Since the last update ^ there's been some changes. The 2" lift has somehow manifested itself into a hybrid 5"ish Frankenstein lift with the help of some second gen coils, spacers, and shock tower adjustments, and some new tires and a winch found their way onto the front as well as some new 5.13 gears. She now sits pretty, although 5" of lift on stock IFS setup is all bark no bite, my cv angles are too steep for 4 wheel drive at the moment so I have my quiet 2 wheel drive fun every now and then. It's a simple and solitary life really. I feel like a SEMA pavement princess, all looks no function. Right now I'm in the process now of acquiring parts for the SAS swap I intend to have done by the end of June, so I can get back out for some summer wheeling. So sorry all, that I haven't been out for any wheels or meetups lately, hoping that will change in the next couple months!
Lookin good! Can't you just drop the front diff with some spacers to fix the cv angle?
I could, and originally I was going to do that. But I've been wanting to throw a solid axle under it for a long time and I figured it wouldn't be worth the diff spacers for just a temporary fix, I might as well just suck it up and use it as motivation to do the swap
I love an SAS'ed anything!
Post up as you go
I'll do my best. On that note though if anyone has a lead on a samurai hi-steer let me know!
Damn, it’s been a long time. Been off the online radar for quite a while now, so much has happened around this site! Nice to see Shane still running the place and keeping it alive and well. Since my last post quite a lot has gone down. The old black Tracker is no more :( Still have her, she's just slowly being torn down for spare parts and rusting away.
I actually ended up going another route. Bought a second, mint condition little yellow bugger and started putting all my work into her. She’s been through every phase of lift now, from little spacers, to Cherokee coils and janky angles, and now runs on a full leaf spring SAS setup. A slow work in progress, figuring out little shit and annoying noises takes up most of my time these days. But I have a few plans in the works. For now she wheels better then I ever could have expected out of a Trackick platform.
It’s nice to be back on the site! I’ll try to stick around this time 🖕😁🖕
Hey long time no see - new truck is looking awesome! Love the SAS but I'm also digging that low COG big tires look - looked like a little offroad gocart! I don't see too many trackers/samurais on the trails much anymore, glad to see you're still reppin one!
Always have a soft spot for trackers. Such cool rigs. Awesome looking build and rig. Maybe we'll see that out on the trails sometime and see what it can do.
Thanks gents. Yeah I love these little rigs, so small light and easy to work on, I'll probably have this one forever until it gets chopped up and buggied.
Shane I had a lot of fun with the low stance big tires, but it was rub city, and I went through 2 front diffs in about 2 months. The stock casing just couldn't handle the force of spinning those big meats. Has all the clearance in the world now, and no strength issues so far, though I am a fairly gentle driver. It does amazing on the trails, it actually blew my mind how adding decent suspension travel over the limited IFS actually made a world of difference. Still open/open for now so that is my most limiting factor, but it does pretty good due to the wheelbase and weight.
Haven't wheeled in quite a while actually, really itching to get out there. I'll keep my eye out if there's any runs going on locally (she won't do over 70km/hr xD)
I saw the little yellow track up Sicker solid front axle as i remember .....one of mine is the 1999 red 4 door tracker my kid drives the black sidekick ...Have not been out much this year maybe in the new year
That's right, I think I remember that. You guys were rolling with the dude from Sooke in the red solid axle blazer that day.
All this action on the forum is getting me fired up.
Been in the shop the last few weeks trying to tie up loose ends and get my shit sorted.
Sorry I don’t take many pictures when I work.
First up, Ol yeller needed a new trans. Pulled the auto trans out of the old black unit (rip) and spent some time swapping it over.
Yellow was a manual so the swap was a little involved, but luckily these little 3spd autos will literally run off nothing but a vacuum signal 😂
Yesterday plumbing in a cooler temp sensor so I don’t have to worry about boiling the trans on a run. Runs 170f all day long.
Gearing in the 3spd is much lower than the manual trans, so matched with my 5.13 axles my crawl ratio is now much nicer and no more fried clutches!
Chasing a rear end vibe as well, pinion angle was all sorts of messed up so had to take the shims out of my leaf packs. All smooth now.
Also picked up a free bush bumper and a working old beast of a Warn winch. Have to get it to lose about 100lbs haha but it should work.
Finally up and running, except for an absolutely terrible noise from my rear driveshaft which I am blaming on the ridiculous play in my slip yoke (junkyard 4runner shaft what can you expect)
Gettin ready for the next run!
Dude! That thing is awesome! I must see it go!
Nice score on the old Warn! I always wanted to rock one of those 8274 models!
Same here! It needs a new cable and definitely a new fairlead. But it spins and pulls like a tank and is old school af, right up my alley
Love looking through this thread, such good memories. Sort of becoming an archive for me of my rigs over the years.
Anyways another update. The old Warn winch was not in very good shape. It will be a rebuild process and I’ll use it in the future but for now I bit the bullet and purchased a new 9.5k winch to get me by.
Not sure how I’ve gone so long without one. Got it mounted yesterday, super happy with the result. Still have to construct the bumper around it but it will work for now.
Next up, sliders. But for now I am quite happy with how it is running and performing.
That's hilarious, full SAS but no winch. Definitely a much needed upgrade! Rig is looking great.
You'd be surprised where I've been without one! Always a little nervous while I was doing it though. Now I have peace of mind and can be more ambitious when I'm out alone.
Thanks it is coming along nicely. Ordered some 4:24 transfer case gears yesterday, should give me a 135% reduction, then she'll really crawl nicely.
Also have a full set of Toyota axles to go under front and rear. Welded IFS rear and welded front with IFS hubs for extra width. Should be swapping them in this summer.