Introduction

As an introduction, I would like to cover the reasons for my long search for the perfect suspension. In my area of the State of Utah there is a wide variation of terrain, from sand dunes to some of the most challenging rock trails in the state. One of my favorite things to do after and exhausting day of adrenaline rushed rock climbing is to kick it in a higher gear and spend some time racing around the sand dunes. For those of you that spend a lot of time on the sand, you know that in order to really enjoy yourself you want to climb the biggest and steepest hill out there.

After my power issue was taken care of with a 98 Sidekick motor, I started spending more time on the drive train trying to keep my axle housings from bending and keeping gears from shredding. I found the solution to drive line problems , which is covered in my last review found HERE.

Suspension and drive axles

I still had two issues to solve: suspension and drive axles. So now that we have the bases covered, on to the subject at hand.

I had tried several different leaf spring combinations and actually designed my own coil over kit for the rear axle. Rancho springs just didn’t seem to last when ran in a spring-over setup nor did any other lift spring on the market. The best luck I have had with spring-over is with bone stock Samurai springs. Experience tells me if you want to run a spring-over, don’t drive like I do, or run a coil-over spring setup, whether it’s a home made custom job or a kit. Thanks to all those in the aftermarket world that put hard work and brain power into designing the coil-over kit for the Samurai, so we enthusiasts don’t have to cobble something together in our garage.

The Perfrect Suspension?

After several failed attempts of trying to come up with the perfect suspension for my 1987 Samurai, I decided to try the Rocky Road coil-over suspension from http://www.rocky-road.com/. I was very excited about the kit and I just couldn’t wait to get it installed. I had bought it from a friend who had it sitting in his garage for six months. (What was he thinking?) I considered putting the kit on stock Samurai axles, but from my experience and from my superior ability to destroy any weak link on my rig, I chose to run Toyota axles. I found a matching set of axles, rounded up my parts and the coil kit, and headed to the shop. I stripped my Samurai down, removing all existing spring mounts and all the suspension components. At first I was kind of intimidated, but after laying the parts around and figuring out where everything went, it didn’t look
too bad.

For someone wanting to run Toyota axles, be patient, Rocky Road is coming out with a kit just for that. They will, of course, add the details for using Toyota axles to their installation instructions and add pictures to their website. As it is, you have to hack up the front coil mounts to make them fit. This is very crucial for the simple fact that you want your rig to drive straight. If you don’t get it exactly right, your axles will not be square with each other, and there is absolutely no adjustment in this kit. Overall, the kit was well built and well designed. I did have some issues with the studs for shock mounts and coil mount clamps breaking loose when I tightened them up. The manufacture drilled through a piece of plate for coil mounts and angle for the shock mounts and then the bolts are welded on from the backside. In my opinion it was probably one of those, “Heck man it’s Friday, lets go home” deals. The kit was very well welded except for those two incidents. This kit is basically self-explanatory, but does require welding and cutting skills, as well as the basic knowledge of measurement. You definitely do not want to try to tackle this kit if you are not totally sure of yourself and have some experience, or someone who does, to help you. I feel that the directions for the kit could include some high quality pictures and more detail. It was handy to have internet at the shop, so I could pull pictures up on their website, http://www.rocky-road.com/. The website needs to have more pictures, and maybe a special section on installation of the kit. Their site was helpful for the simple fact that I had never seen one of these kits installed, so I wasn’t sure on a few things. Installation went well for me, but because I used Toyota axles I had more work to do than someone wanting to run Samurai axles.

Testing

After installing the kit and finishing up all the welding, I was ecstatic to do the articulation
test. I pulled it out of the shop with brake lines dragging, and
lifted it up with the fork lift. I was able to get about 38 inches of
lift from the ground to the bottom of the tire with 32 inch tires. It
was quite impressive, as I was used to my stock spring-over.

When I took it for the first test drive, it still needed some fine tuning so it was kind of scary. People not used to the way a Samurai drives would have jumped out after the first block of the test run. For someone looking to have a vehicle that has awesome articulation, this is one good way to go. My # 2 Samurai with YJ springs and missing links will give it a run for its money on an articulation test. The ride seems to be quite soft and for those needing different spring rates Rocky Road can customize the kit to fit your needs. Driveability is still the short wheelbase feeling, but it hangs to the road even on corners. It still has some body roll, which is very manageable. The control arms have a lifetime guarantee against breaking or bending. They also have Johnny-joints, a rebuildable rod end. In other words, the kit is indestructible except in my case where I have already bent a front spring, but that in itself is another story. Coils on the kit do not have a warranty, so don’t drive like me!

The kit completely takes care of axle wrap and hopping up slippery rocks. This in itself is a blessing.

I have decided that after all the hard work, I am glad I didn’t pay the actual retail price for the kit. I feel it is priced very fair, but you need to have a money roll ready to get all the necessary accessories so your kit works at its full potential. The only reason I feel this way is because, for my activities, the coil kit may not be my dream suspension. Although it is a very nice kit, it could still use some fine tuning, especially for those running their vehicles on the road. An example is that there are no adjustments in the control arms. This can be fixed by aquiring cam bolts from Specialty Products Company. Rocky-Road continues to improve their products, as do all the aftermarket companies.Often, individuals need to modify a product to fit their needs. “One size fits all” does not apply in the four wheel drive world.

I am currently running 33-12.50 BFG tires and they fit very well, with a tiny bit of rubbing when articulated out. This would be completely eliminated with a 1 inch body lift. If this kit is something you might be interested in, I would suggest it to anyone looking for a coil-over kit, especially for those that want a suspension kit with trail-proven durability.

For more information on the kit and to see the manufacturer’s claims, check it out at http://www.rocky-road.com/. Rocky Road can also be contacted at 1-888-801-7271 or by email at gwbuild@rockyroad.
com.

Thanks for reading my review and stay posted for my next review on the OTT
industries Kicker T-Case Series. They are 2004 UROC and Cal Roc sponsors
for Darren Runion and Mike Shaffer. Kicker T- Case series can be seen at http://www.ottindustries.com/.