See How Brett’s Samurai Conquers the Trails With Clever Engineering

When you see a Suzuki Samurai properly built like this ‘87 beast, you start to understand why these little rigs have such a devoted following. This particular Suzy belongs to a wheeler who goes by Brett, and he’s turned what most people would consider a grocery getter into a legitimate trail machine that’ll make you rethink everything you thought you knew about compact 4x4s.

The first thing that hits you about this build is the rubber - we’re talking 35x12.5R17 Goodyear Wrangler MTRs wrapped around Pro Comp Series 51 steel wheels. Now, slapping 35s on a Samurai might sound like a recipe for disaster, but Brett knew exactly what he was doing. Those meaty tires with Kevlar sidewalls are serious business, and seeing them tucked under the Samurai’s compact frame is honestly pretty wild.

Here’s where things get interesting though. Brett didn’t just bolt on bigger tires and call it a day. He knew that little 1.3 liter (0.34 gallons) (0.34 gallons) 4-banger wasn’t going to turn those massive hoops without some serious help, so he ditched the factory Suzuki axles and swapped in Toy units front and rear. The real magic happens with the gearing - he’s running 6.4 gearing in the t-case that gives him that extra control offroad.

Brett pulled the factory leaf springs and replaced them with Jeep Wrangler YJ units that are longer and give the rig much better flex characteristics. To get lift an clearance for the 35s, he mounted the spring in a springover configuration. And for extra droop? He’s got drop shackles - pull a pin and you can droop when you’re crawling technical terrain and need to keep those tires planted.

Brett fabricated his own front bumper that flows perfectly with the Samurai’s lines, and it’s not just for show - there’s a 9,000 lb Badland winch mounted up front for those inevitable recovery situations. The custom rock sliders protect the body while adding structural rigidity, and the rear bumper includes a built-in receiver for tow points.

The fact that this body is still in excellent condition for a Wisconsin rig from ‘87 says a lot about how well it’s been maintained. Anyone who’s dealt with salt belt vehicles knows what a miracle it is to find clean sheet metal from that era!

The soft top setup means Brett can drop the roof during summer wheeling sessions, which has to be an absolute blast when you’re crawling through tight trail sections.

During the flex test, this leaf-sprung setup managed 31" of articulation, which is genuinely impressive for a suspension design that most people associate with rough riding and poor off-road performance. Those YJ springs combined with the custom shackle setup and Rancho shocks create a system that actually works pretty well in the rocks.

Seeing builds like this reminds you why the Samurai developed such a cult following among serious wheelers. Sure, they’re small and underpowered compared to modern trucks, but they’re also lightweight, nimble, and incredibly capable when set up properly. Brett’s Suzy proves that with the right modifications and some serious fabrication skills, these little rigs can hang with much bigger and more expensive machines on the trail.