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ZUKIWORLD Discussion Forum => Build Diaries, How-To, DIY => Topic started by: Junk-Yard-John (03-SWB Vitara) on October 14, 2015, 07:45:50 PM
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So ive jumped into a DIY suspension lift idea on my 03 Vitara 2.0 SWB soft-top 2DR trail-buggy.
;D
-i used rear ford focus wagon coils on the rear
-i used LWB 4/5 door coils up front with double-isolators.
-i had been running 31.5 x 10.5 265/75/16 on stock swb coils! lol
-i swapped in longer travel front struts- from the rear of a 95 GrandPrix
- i used ZERo shock spacers in hopes of another 1" of wheel travel with longer springs/shocks
-i run mustang rear shocks in the back because they are perfectly tuned, same diameter & longer
im on a budget but i have some to spend and a boneyard full of stuff to swap.
input please. thanks
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i will post photos up soon ! :) im using 95 grand prix rear struts on the front of the vitara to possibly add travel and camber adjustment, instead of spacers on stock struts. i also used mustang rear shocks - input?
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Finally some photos of what I'm working with. I'm dying for some input here!!!! this photo below is BEFORE i lifted anything. fairly stock aside from 265 75 16 tires and deleted inner wheel plastics and bumper plastics- plus i had to delicately hammer/fold-over the seam that protrudes and interferes behind the front wheels , in the wheel-well/arch. that allowed me to run the 265 75 16s on stock rims and stock suspension. no cutting or hacking- no flares- no big spacers- no lift-
after that i only encountered tire rub again at full turn and on big flex or big bumps- so thats why i decided to lift. and my suspension lift increases frame-to-ground clearance and suspension travel also, so thats the way to lift for me!
In the end i gained over 2" of lift - over 2" of frame to ground clearance- and over 1" more wheel travel. so why not? totally worth it
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Stock rear ride height on 265/75/16's, ... and after my spring swap lift (only REAR coils installed here in this pic) on the same tires, you can see about 2" lift, I think. i removed a few Ebrake cable holders to allow slack- and i bent the flex line bracket to avoid tension - I can only figure out how to post one photo per post, but it says I can do ten somehow?
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Rear Springs!
left to right:
03 swb vitara / 95 jeep zj / 03 focus wagon. All 3 are rears, I used the long and progressive focus coils of course :)
(FYI i had heard about these jeep gr cherokee coils online- but honestly they fit horribly either way and bigger diameter which interferes with the already minimal rear shock room/ focus wgn coils MUCH better for fit and lift and shock space)
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Front struts. 03 vitara front, vs, 95 grandPrix/regal rear -
they seem awful long but i have already installed them and it went fairly smooth. i had to elongate the top hole on the bottom mount of the GP strut for bolt and camber alignment- and i trimmed some of the GP bump stopper off also- but straight forward swap aside from that
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Front coils!
03 SWB 2DR Vitara coil, VS 2000 tracker 4x4 LWB 4-door spring
Slightly (about 5/8") taller spring, plus slightly taller double stock isolators- separated by a large steel ring, which seats nicely in between the two isolators for centering and rigidity. The steel rings look rough here, but I cleaned them up on a bench grinder smooth before i installed them
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I started this build, wanting a side by side utv, like a polaris RZR, can am commander, ect. So I installed a 2000 LB atv winch and bush bar. But this project could be possibly made street legal here in ontario canada with a little more work. but it was a UTV inspired build. i call it Suzi- the trail buggy. she dominates the hills- rocks and shes been thru 3 ft deep water- so i imagine she will only be more capable when im done.
plans include:
-get a tailgate
-get a proper top
-light bar
-weld rear diff
-3rd rear seat belt to match the GrandVit rear seat i installed
-DIY snorkel - (ABS or PVC pipe + cone filter?) and diff breathers
-vertical bull-bar grill protection addition (from extra recycled strut tower brace?)
! I would appreciate some input if anyone is alive out there !
...
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hi very interesting build. crown vic shocks work well for the rear , these motors don't like too swim without proper protection (I learnt the hard way and hydro- locked mine). ive done a lot to my 2002 2dr so any questions ask away
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yeah ive seen a few hydrolocked zukis online. so what snorkel do u run? stock airbox? thanks for the input
;D
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;D
Were sittin higher now
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I believe Mike Hagan tried the GP struts, and they wouldn't hold up to the side loads incurred during turning, etc. Mike tests his builds to the limits, and no one wants a front strut failure on the trail or highway.
Now that you know that bit of advise, it will be interesting to hear your results.
We have used GV & XL7 front springs for a cheap lift in our older Tracker/Sidekicks, as they are heavier weight spring. So your limited lift must be more from doubling the isolator and the spacer. I am running OME lifted XL7 springs up front, and they will take a stock pre 99 suspension to the top.
Once you get beyond 2.5" of lift you will start having issues with CV's breaking. Most of mine have broken when when extended and turning. When that starts happening, the solution is building or acquiring diff drop brackets to lower your front diff and decreasing the angles on the CV's. There is a modification putting a new flange on the Right side front axle stub so you can then run a left side CV on both sides. It makes changing out the CV much easier and only requires carrying one style of CV.
Every modification begets another modification. Welcome to the club, and I am sure others are following your progress.
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I really want to do a snorkel soon. I'm basically doing everyting with junkyard and or recycled parts. Epic Budget build, even the vitara itself came from the scrap yard. It was a tow recovery from the lake where he tried to launch his boat and ended up swimming the vitara. Insurance wrote it off, I had to drain all the oils and remove spark plugs and change computer to get it running again. I sold the soft top for 300 to fund the truck itself. Now I have 2 more soft tops, one is the old soft top from the guy who bought my nice one lol.
I'm interested if anoyone HAS done this GP strut swap before???, and if they did, how it turned out. I mean if you aren't sure, I'd like to know from someone who has done it. i have one side already installed- i just need time to get and swap the passenger side next- I never questioned anything other than the length, because my front lift isn't much, and the GP struts are much longer than my lift, I only worried about the fully extended strut when flexing may cause the cv to bind, but I could use straps to limit to extended travel (droop), like a monster truck lol. i didnt think the front would sit THIS high. its higher than i anticipated up front. since the top strut mount bolts to the BODY- not frame- would a 1" body lift eliminate that much droop from the front struts at max extended length? ive heard polyurethane pucks and PolyU skateboard wheels last forever. thanks for the input regardless.
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I did my lift with springs and spacers, including spacers for the front struts. Another option is flipping the strut mounts. I am at about 4.5 inches of lift using GV lift springs and the Jeff spacers. I used the Lincoln springs in the rear and kept stock struts with spacers in the front. I haven't had any issues, but I don't wheel mine hardcore.
Don't push beyond 4 or 4.5 inches without making big changes. I have changed my center differential mount, but need to change the other two mounts soon.
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This 2nd gen 2003 has a factory 4-link + panhard setup in the rear- and a 2.0L 4Cyl... and its much harder to flip strut mounts on the 99+...
Does the body lift raise the front struts max extended limit? ??? - since the strut towers are part of the body?? because that would help with my front droop limit concerns- or a limit strap.
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well how hard are you going to wheel this... they are very capable stock and for couple hundred you can use spacers and do a 2"body lift. I don't beat on my mule but she does work hard, I have only broke sway bar bracket and front diff. I usually point and go. I don't run a snorkel just stay outta water deeper than the front of the hood. The strut towers aren't part of the body, when doing a body lift the struts sit lower than the body
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the top strut mount mounts to the frame? it looks like the body on mine. it doesnt matter either way - i can use limit straps. but we put this thing thru crazy obstacles on the trail, including 3ft deep water.
susp lift is almost done but i do not get much time to work on it. i might do a custom 1"-2" polyUrethane body lift for a future project tho.
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Sitting higher. Lift complete aside from minor camber adjustments. I'm very happy with the turn out. I got everything for zero dollars since I work at our family boneyard.
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looking good.... and yes struts are attached to frame. strut brace attached to top of strut and body goods around mount
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thank you ;D
i also cut the front bumper cover in half horizontally- ditched the bottom half for approach angle- and cut holes for the ATV winch mount plate. im excited to be getting a tailgate this weekend and get the spare out of the interior.
any simple snorkel or interior roll-bar ideas?
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interior rollcage will be fabbing yourself and attaching to frame. Snorkel....well 3" abs will work for budget snorkel or buy a good one
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i took it out today for a 2.5 hr trip thru the trails in a rainstorm lol. im loving the way the boneyard lift works and rides. i let my buddy drive and he drives it like the ZOOKS of hazzard lol. ride is nice, perhaps better than factory on the trails
i was thinking maybe 2.5" for the snorkel? - and a custom jeep yj style interior rollbar- they attach to the floor of the body rather than the frame...
i love your front bumper BTW beagle :) good work
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thank you ;D
i also cut the front bumper cover in half horizontally- ditched the bottom half for approach angle- and cut holes for the ATV winch mount plate. im excited to be getting a tailgate this weekend and get the spare out of the interior.
any simple snorkel or interior roll-bar ideas?
I realize you are building a Gen 2 Tracker, but ideas are the same.
When we built the roll cage for Project Trouble (race car) we took photo's and measurementsto show how we made it. The roll cage starts on page three in middle of the threads. http://www.zukiworld.com/forum/build-diaries-how-to-diy/project-trouble/30/ (http://www.zukiworld.com/forum/build-diaries-how-to-diy/project-trouble/30/)
When I built my Sport Cage (I wasn't going to do frame attachments) I used the measurements from Project Trouble and I did the rear section a little different. I made the back section so that it would be the support for soft top. I came really close to what I wanted it to be. (Probably 1.2" further back would have been absolutely perfect, but I do not have to deal with back frame for soft top now. If I took my old soft top and cut it down I could run a bimini top off the cage.
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-xQLRb3XN2Vs/TyinzuqdbsI/AAAAAAAAJ7c/R83D7iyxR5w/s800/DSCF0643.JPG)
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nice cage man. good idea on the soft top support. exactly the kinda ideas im looking to steal lol jk ;) looks like it would hide nicely also. 5star job. mine might not be that nice :P
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More photos from the suspension swap! I don't always have the time and connection to post good photos. I usually take as many as possible when working/building.
I know they are bad- so I'm going to change the brake rotors soon, and I do use jack-stands, wheather or not you can see them lol.
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thx for the compliment on the bumper it started differently, but brd htr pointed me in the right direction and I've done some good deep cross ditches and yet hit the front of the bumper but the trailer hitch hits al the time through them. tried the winch out and I think that it will pull me out of any thing I get into, tried to pull stump out of the ground and it just dragged me forward :laugh:
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:laugh:
if only you had roots lol-
one note on this buggy build diary- front limit straps and / or front diff drop brackets are necessary to prevent CV binding, which only occurs durring max extension when no wheight is on the wheel: flexing- jacking- jumping. it rides/performs great, but when i jacked up the front, the CVs would bind under max droop because the "new" front struts are quite long and the CVs dont like to flex/droop quite that much lol. i think a 1"-2" front diff drop (brackets) would be beneficial- or simple limit straps.
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I am very amped / excited to have finally gotten a tailgate! No more plywood! :D I also picked up another rear seat from a 2dr, another soft top, a cargo cover (which is cool), a spare wheel cover, and some other stuff, including 4 different colours of CAMO PAINT! I will take photos perhaps tomorrow in daylight
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I have slightly more spare tyre room without the bumper cover. But my 255/70/16 spare fits with room to spare either way. i modified the 15" tracker spare cover to fit my 16" vitara spare- and i used a 7mm wheel spacer behind the spare wheel. Im confident i could easily fit a 265/75/16 spare without much hassle if i wanted, and i should since the buggy rides on 265s
input? Bumper cover, or no bumper cover? Spare cover, or no spare cover? I kinda like them. my hitch hangs there anyway so i cant gain any approach angles regardless for the rear. I will end up with camo paint in the end anyway
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Well today I installed an aluminum skid plate. It fit kind of nicely considering its from a chevy truck... Extruded aluminum I believe. About 7mm thick. Only one bolt int the front temporarily. I put two sturdy 3/8" mount bolts down lower, one per side. I tried to personalize it with a drill, and I did a great job, but my personalization "text" ended up backward, I guess I was too excited to do it, that I forgot to map out the drill spots on the front, I made the map on the back side and the text turned out backward, legible mostly only from the inside lol
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Nice looking skid pan. I would recommend another bolt up front, as hitting anything with the skid pan is going to pushl it back from the front. Then the force will be upward at the back where you have two bolts. How far back does that skid pan go? I have made mine to go all the way back and protect the transmission and transfer case, as I am running an automatic, and the transfer case hangs lower (and is aluminum).
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thanks hntr. it will get more bolts up front for sure. this one does not go far- just enought to protect the radiator, however i do have more sections of the aluminum chevy 1500 4x4 skid plates so i will likely add more when i can ;D
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I didn't think it was ever gonna get stuck, I was wrong lol. Had to use a loader tractor to get it out :D
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Excellent budget build thread.
I am interested in seeing how well your front struts hold up. I don't do any rock crawling and they may work for me.
I am also interested to see how well the rest of the aluminum skid plates are going to fit.
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hey guys
ive been using this vitara every chance i get to go trail riding, and the suspension has never let me down. ive posted some videos previously of a dashcam in the rig, and recently i posted up a new video today
check out my youtube!
youtube.com/MrJohn613/videos
https://youtu.be/57uWxmHS4DE
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some photos plus video links, feel free to SUBSCRIBE to my youtube channel.
https://youtu.be/57uWxmHS4DE
https://youtu.be/Oo1a4QMNcGg
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I just love these little trucks!
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my mom had a samaurai bush buggy when i was a kid, its in the blood i guess lol. they are definately under-rated for thier capabilities. ive only been stuck in this thing once, and shes been in some wild and mucky places. lots of fun for sure
new video is live today
https://youtu.be/UUZgz3oJETk
check the link and SUBSCRIBE for future new video notifications ,
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I built a 60" 5ft plow out of scrap materials, the plow itself is the bottom side of a heating oil tank. The framework is mostly 1/4" angle. I also installed a larger 4000 lb winch which lifts the plow up and down. Manual 5 position angle. Suspension works amazing. Used it for 3/years, just sold the whole rig as a plow truck, but I'm replacing it immediately with a 2000 4rd gr vitara. I will likely do the exact same lift on the next one, aside from possibly bigger front springs, since its going to be a 4/dr
Plow video finalé (part 6)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NL1WY2_DffI
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Have you started on your 4 door yet? The Focus Wagon springs definitely interest me...I will have to start looking for a wagon at the junk yard.
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John,
Nice work and thanks for bringing these ideas to the community. I have 2 4Dr/4WD Gen2 vehicles I am currently working on and need to know more details about what you did to your 2Dr. First, what model year range on the Ford Focus wagon coil springs? I think the wagon was a Gen1 vehicle only so, this should correspond to the 2000-2005 model years for the North American (NA) market. I am uncertain about the model year range in other markets around the world but, it it apparent the Focus was initially introduced in the European market. I found some information that suggests the Focus wagon may have been produced for the NA market until 2007 but, I need to confirm this.
The rear Grand Prix McPherson struts appear to be used on other vehicles. Are you able to comment on this?
The steel wheels you mounted the 265/75R16 Goodyear's on are the 16" OE wheels for the Vitara or Grand Vitara in North America. I doubt they have the offset or, backspacing necessary to clear these wider tires. I saw a set of these at one of the local U-Pull salvage yards last weekend so, I will return there to measure offset/BS of these to see if I can answer this question on a broader scale. I think tires in this size range require 8" rim so, this is likely to result in aftermarket wheel BS choices of 3.75" or 4." Not many options here. My only concern is if these BS measures result in contacting the front fender or rear quarter panel under full suspension flex. I think your YT video stated you used bump stops on the knuckle to prevent contact with the frame at full lock? This is what I would suspect might be required given contact on the frame as you approach full lock. I am considering slightly smaller tires (i.e., 265/75R15 or 265/70R15) coupled to a small lift and your project gives me hope I might be able to make this idea work. These tires are 1" and 2" shorter, respectively, than the 265/75R16 Goodyear's you began your build with. This configuration is for the first vehicle, which will become my wife's so, she does not need rock crawling capability.
I know what the Fox body Mustang is so, this info helped. A co-worker at my previous employer owns one.
After the experience you have gained with driving this offroad do you still think it is balanced well? Meaning, as one example, did you ever consider looking into improved struts or shocks for these same vechile applications to improve the capability or your vehicle or the longevity of these parts?
Thanks again. This is good information.