# Geo Tracker/Suzuki Sidekick Donor?



## kittydog42 (Sep 18, 2007)

I built one (a Geo Tracker) and it worked well. I got around 25 miles in Seattle in mixed terrain, using 10 T-1275 flooded 12V batteries. I put 6 in the back where the fuel tank was, and 4 up under the hood. I cut out access holes in the floor of trunk area to water the batteries.


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## SinkTip (Jul 21, 2008)

Was yours a 4x4 too?


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## TX_Dj (Jul 25, 2008)

The main reasons, IMHO, that 4x4s get a bum rap as EVs are:

1) Carrying extra weight of a transfer case and front axle
2) Not all 4x4s are created the same- some have locking hubs (which allow the front wheels to freewheel at the hub and generate much less drag) and some have axle-engagements which can be shifted from the cab (which keep the front axles spinning, but disconnect one axle shaft from the differential, thus the diff still spins but not the driveshaft causing more drag)

If you have the type that has locking hubs (which I know the Samurais did, but not sure about the trackers) then all you worry about in 2WD mode is carrying the extra weight of the parts that make it a 4x4.

If/when you find yourself in a situation where 4x4 helps, it's nice to have the option.

Read some of Roderick Wilde's stories from the EVDL archives about his land rover conversion. The one in particular I'm thinking about was when some friends (in a 4x4!) came to visit him in the dead of winter and ran off the road and couldn't get un-stuck. He took the land rover down the hill, hooked up to them and pulled them out like they weighed nothing.


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## kittydog42 (Sep 18, 2007)

The one I converted was a 2WD, 4 door.


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## Jzap (Aug 13, 2008)

TX_Dj said:


> The main reasons, IMHO, that 4x4s get a bum rap as EVs are:
> 
> 1) Carrying extra weight of a transfer case and front axle
> (edited)


I am considering a Tracker (or Sidekick, same truck) as a base for an EV. I would suggest using an early (first generation) '89 through '98 model. They were available with 2WD and manual transmission, which is what I would look for. In the early '90's, (I think up to '93) there was a 2 door hardtop (tintop) available that would make a good 2 seat EV. If you want 4 passenger capability, go with the 4 dr wagon.

I would not recommend 4WD. My '96 with ICE really drags down in 4WD. It takes a lot of energy to run the 4WD system. If you want 4WD, I would suggest looking for one with manual hubs as mentioned above. The first generation also had the option of autohubs. But, I think 2WD is the way to go. Look for the 2WDs down south. They sold a lot of them there.


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## SinkTip (Jul 21, 2008)

Yeah I found that the 2wd weighs about 200 pounds less too.
Still, there are lots of 4x4 trackers locally - way more than 2wd. I might bite the bullet and go for a 4x4...


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## xrotaryguy (Jul 26, 2007)

The tracker has a conventional 4WD system right? If so, all ya gotta do is yank the guts out of the front diff, ditch the transfer case and find/fabricate a 2wd driveshaft. Axles are surprising light once their axles and differential are gone and a 4WD front axle should work happily sans axles and diff.


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## TX_Dj (Jul 25, 2008)

I'm not sure about the tracker, but I know the Samurai has a divorced transfer case. I can't remember if it has a centered diff, or if it was offset, but Suzuki does things sensibly, so I'd have to say that I bet it's centered. You should be able to pull the t-case out and install a 2wd driveshaft (or have the existing one lengthened). 

Unfortunately, I don't think the "pull the guts" will work. The samurai/tracker had 3rd member axles, and the axle shafts are held in at the diff... so if you pull the 3rd member out, you have nothing to hold the axles in.

But they DID make 2wd samurais and trackers... either find one that's already 2wd if you don't want the 4wd parts, or find the front suspension from a 2wd... it ought to be easy to adapt.


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## Jzap (Aug 13, 2008)

Unlike the Samurai, the Tracker/Sidekick has independent front suspension (IFS), so the axles and CV joints are exposed, like a front wheel drive system on most cars. Also, the transfer case is integral with the transmission, so, pulling the guts out of the front diff isn't really an option. 

You might get a little bit of an advantage by dropping the front drive shaft. But why do it? If you go 4WD, you really don't have that much of a disadvantage. In the real world, a 4WD Tracker, operating in 2WD High range with the manual hubs in "free" position only gets about 3 or 4 MPG less than a 2WD. My 4WD '96 Tracker convertible gets about 29MPG operating in 2WD mode.

I would go 2WD because they are available around here. If you come across a 4WD, and want to convert it, I'd say "go for it."


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## TX_Dj (Jul 25, 2008)

As has been discussed at length on EVDL recently- an ICE already wastes 70% of its energy as heat, and an EV wastes 10-20%, thus small things make a bigger impact on range. So 2-4 mpg difference between ICE 2wd and ICE 4wd would be a much bigger deal on an EV...

Even still, I think if I could get enough range from a 4WD conversion, I'd have one- just so I can have 4WD when needed. But down here in this part of Texas, 4WD isn't necessary unless you want to do some serious off-roading.


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## maverick (Sep 24, 2008)

kittydog42 said:


> I built one (a Geo Tracker) and it worked well. I got around 25 miles in Seattle in mixed terrain, using 10 T-1275 flooded 12V batteries. I put 6 in the back where the fuel tank was, and 4 up under the hood. I cut out access holes in the floor of trunk area to water the batteries.


I am excited to see this thread on the sidekick, I'm thinking of doing a 2dr 4x4 sidekick or tracker, and mounting the batteries as you suggest, including cutting the rear floor. Would it work on a 2dr?

I also have some ideas about mounting the motor to a sammy t-case with the lower gearset (4.16 low) and running it without the transmission. 

I would basically be driving it to/from work (6 miles each way), 4x4ing (towed to trailhead) and general running around. 20-25 mile useful range.

I'm thinking FB-4001 motor, Curtis or Logisystems controller and 12 (or more) yellowtops. No idea on the charger (I see Zivan alot in the EValbum)

I will have my current projects wrapped up this summer, and a friend has a few sidekicks, and he is interested, so I guess we will do it next fall.


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## hjet (Dec 11, 2009)

What is happening to all the used engines? Does anyone have plans they can share for the conversion? How much does it cost to convert from gas to EV? This is a cool idea. My daughter ran her Sidekick out of oil and needs an engine to make her car work now.


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## green caveman (Oct 2, 2009)

hjet said:


> What is happening to all the used engines? Does anyone have plans they can share for the conversion? How much does it cost to convert from gas to EV? This is a cool idea. My daughter ran her Sidekick out of oil and needs an engine to make her car work now.


We've just started a Sidekick conversion (2 door, 4WD). 2-door is quite a bit lighter than 4-door. My son wants the 4WD - it does snow here so it's not illogical - and the fact that the car is a "convertible" doesn't hurt. So far it seems a good choice, but we won't really know the negatives until it's finished.

We got the engine out just before we went away for the holidays. We have 104V in 8V golf-cart batteries. We just picked up a manual steering box from a tracker which should save us running a power steering pump. The availability of a manual box and the prospect of after-market suspension for battery carrying seem to me a plus on this vehicle.

Today we made a cardboard mockup of the motor (11" forklift) - it looks as though it will fit. 

We have the sepex motor discussed in this thread . MHWC on ebay still seems to have the same motor for sale and if someone would like to buy similar, maybe we can figure out adapter plates together. (Let me double check that it does actually clear the front differential before you buy one).

The Sidekick engines are in (relatively) high demand by Samurai owners. The Sidekick 8V engine is (so I'm told) very easy to put into a Sammy. The 16V engine less easy, but you get more power when you've finished. Might be worth factoring into your initial purchase of the car.

Unfortunately, the engine in our Sidekick was so trashed that no one would take it (we even got down to "it's yours if you pull it"!).


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## JJ Joseph (May 7, 2016)

I know that this is an old topic, but all respondents seem to have missed that 4WD Trackers & Sidekicks (but not Samurais) can be converted to 2WD simply by removing the detachable front diff. It's that easy, and takes maybe an hour at most.


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