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ZUKIWORLD Model Specific Suzuki Forum => Suzuki XL-7 (Gen. 1 Platform) 2001-2006 => Topic started by: ktec on September 11, 2016, 03:45:55 PM
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Hello,
I started to install the Rocky Road Old Man Emu lift and ran into a few issues and need help.
INSTALL COMPLETE! Thank you to those who helped...
Pics and more details below.
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I dropped the control arms when I did mine - and please note - what you have is not Old Man Emu's lift, it's Rocky Road's - Old Man Emu does not supply spacers.
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ok so control arms will be coming down.
How are ya'll with lifts extending bump stops? Will a stack of washers do it?
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I just installed the Old Man Emu springs + RRO spacers on my friends 2004 Vitara V6 last week. It was very easy to do with a set of spring compressors and an impact gun. It helps to have a friend stand on a 4' long pry bar to pull the A-arm down more to squeak the new spring in. I guess unbolting the A-arm would work too but the bolts and bushings might be all rusty and seized, versus a well-lubricated spring compressor thread which turns quite nicely. Also, it's probably impossible to do this job with the swaybar links attached to the control arms. Unless you are a real glutton for punishment, disconnect the links before you forget!
The rear is lot easier. Just unbolt the shocks, put a jack under the rear diff and lift it way up, then put a tall jackstand under each framerail just in front of the rear wheelwell. Lower the jack, pull the spring out by hand, install spacer, install new spring, repeat for other side. You may find it easier yet to get a friend to stand on the wheel (that's right, you don't need to take the wheel off to do it) to get it to drop down a little extra. Just keep an eye on the brake line to make sure it doesn't get stretched.
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I guess unbolting the A-arm would work too but the bolts and bushings might be all rusty and seized, versus a well-lubricated spring compressor thread which turns quite nicely.
Actually you DO need to undo those bolts & bushings, or at least, you would probably be better off undoing them.
In normal operation the control arms do not "pivot" on the bolts as the suspension moves up/down - the bolts lock the inner sleeve of the bushing, and the rubber bush twists as the arm rotates, if you leave the bolts tight and force the arm down with a pry bar, you run the risk of destroying the bushes during the install.
Also check your manual, you'll see the recommendation is to not fully tighten those bolts until the weight of the vehicle is on the wheels.
This procedure allows the bushes to settler in an "untwisted" position with the vehicle at it's "new" normal ride height - if it's not followed the bushes are twisted with the vehicle at rest, and twist even more when the suspension articulates leading to premature failure.
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Also check your manual, you'll see the recommendation is to not fully tighten those bolts until the weight of the vehicle is on the wheels.
This procedure allows the bushes to settler in an "untwisted" position with the vehicle at it's "new" normal ride height - if it's not followed the bushes are twisted with the vehicle at rest, and twist even more when the suspension articulates leading to premature failure.
I concede, that is 100% true.
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Thank you, gentlemen
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Just to touch on this once more...what he said is true, but it is not necessary to REMOVE the bolts, just LOOSEN them. I'm sure this is what he meant. What I meant in my post is that it is easier to get the assembly together when you already have the A-arm bolts in, rather than having the whole A-arm, coil spring, strut, hub, CV, and tie rod all flopping about as you try to line up the A-arm bolts. Cheers ;D
Got any before/after shots?
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I did mine (a GV, not the XL-7) single handedly in my drive way, by dropping the control arms - I had no trouble lining up the control arm pivot bolts - you could say that I've done this twice, because a year after the OME install, I went back and changed the control arms because the ball joints were worn, and that repair was also done, single handedly, in the drive way, and again, no trouble.
In terms of front suspension, the XL-7 and the GV (of the same generation) are pretty much identical, so the most significant difference between the two installs, would have been that I was not installing coil spacers - those could potentially make reassembly a nightmare.
With everything unbolted and the control arm pivot bolts loose, I did not have enough 'droop' in the arms to get the OE springs out, I could not get my coil spring compressors in position, so I dropped the control arms - personally I don't see how it's possible to get the coils back in (even the OE coils) with spacers above them, without dropping the arms, but, whatever works for you.
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Ok I'm going to tackle this job again and a mechanic advised to disconnect the ball joint, loosen the strut arm bolt, AND use a single post spring compressor ( Schwaben makes one called strut spring compressor).
I really do not want to get stuck in the middle of install, so with the spacers and OME springs, will all those steps be necessary?
I see Fordem didn't install spacers and it's a squeeze... With spacers must be really fun.
Any final tips,. I will be on a hoist with many tools just cannot find a single post spring compressor locally.
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Good Day fellow Zookers!
Finally got the RRO OME 2" lift installed and the truck looks excellent. The handling through the twisties is surprisingly good...I mean like compared to world-class sports car good. It is balanced, communicative, and I can take corners at 55+ MPH up the infamous Angeles Crest Highway. Of course this is also the design of the car and this new suspension only makes it feel better compared to the blown stock shocks.
(http://i66.tinypic.com/nwzj8o.jpg)
(http://i65.tinypic.com/rsenht.jpg)
There are 2 issues I have discovered; one related to suspension and another 4WD.
Regarding suspension; There is a nasty clunk on rebound from the rear when hopping over let's say a parking lot speed bump, at under 7mph! Or coming over a ditch on a dirt road.
Could this be the rear shocks hitting full extension? Any other ideas or has any one else experienced this?
I tightened every thing and still get it. I am moving at reasonable speeds, not excessive, especially for a lifted truck.
4WD issue is this; I noticed the front wheels would not spin with 4HI or 4L engaged when I high-centered on an off road excursion. I figured this happened because without a center locking diff the ONE rear wheel slipping was getting all the power.
So Today I lifted the car up, engaged 4WD and while I can confirm the Transfer Case engages and spins the shaft to the Front Diff, none of the front wheels would turn.
I hooked up a multi-meter to the switch under the front diff and no power. No error lights with the 4WD buttons or lights either. Am I not engaging the front differential? What can I do?
Please help
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4WD issue is this; I noticed the front wheels would not spin with 4HI or 4L engaged when I high-centered on an off road excursion. I figured this happened because without a center locking diff the ONE rear wheel slipping was getting all the power.
So Today I lifted the car up, engaged 4WD and while I can confirm the Transfer Case engages and spins the shaft to the Front Diff, none of the front wheels would turn.
I hooked up a multi-meter to the switch under the front diff and no power. No error lights with the 4WD buttons or lights either. Am I not engaging the front differential? What can I do?
Please help
Because the XL-7 is part time 4WD, it has no center differential - when in 4WD, the front & rear drive shafts are locked together exactly as they would be if there was a locked center differential - 50% power to each end - the problem appears to be that the free wheel mechanism in the front diff is not delivering the power to the axle shafts.
Your car has the newer free wheel mechanism, which I am not familiar with, and have no documentation for - it's driven by an electrical motor, rather than air - but that as much as I can tell you.
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Double thank you Fordem. Getting many answers from you on both forums
;D
The 30amp 4WD fuse under the hood is ok too.
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Looks good, you planning to put some different tires on at some point?
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Looks good, you planning to put some different tires on at some point?
THank You
Yes I plan to get All Terrains; either KO2 or Kumho AT51.
The contemplation now is shall I attempt 245/70/16, which people claim rubs even with 2" lift, but then run 10-15mm spacers.
I have not read about anyone using spacers, so maybe that will alleviate the rubbing.
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It's not enough to know that it rubs, the important thing is to know WHERE it is rubbing.
Personally I would expect it to rub in a number of locations, adding spacers may help in one area and simultaneously aggravate the situation in another, also, be aware that as the rear axle moves away from the body, it moves forward, bringing the rear tires closer to the front of the arch.
A 245/70R16 tire is 2.4" larger than stock - I would expect the front tires to rub on the frame and also the plastic inner arch liner when on full lock - in a left turn the left tire will rub on the frame behind the wheel, and the right on the arch liner in front of the wheel, and vice versa for a right turn, there may also be some fouling on the seam at the back of the arch - if this happens, adding spacers will fix the rubbing on the frame, whilst aggravating the rub at the other two spots.
In the rear the tires are going to be very close to the front edge of the arch with the vehicle at rest, and under compression they will move back, very close to the rear of the arch - possibly close enough to foul and spacers are not going to fix that - IF it happens, trimming (or smaller tires) are the only options, be warned there is not a lot of trimming that can be done at the front of the arch.
One last thing - larger tires are going to affect your gearing - it's going to be very difficult, if not impossible, to find gears for an XL-7.
These are just my thoughts, based on what I have seen & experienced with my own car, take them for what they're worth and bear in mind, I drive a GV, not an XL-7, I have less lift than you do, and run smaller tires than you are planning to.
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I wouldn't expect a 245/70/16 to rub on an XL7 with 2" lift. I have seen pictures of XL7's with 245/75's with about 2.5" lift so I'm sure it's pretty similar. The XL7 has larger fender openings than a GV which helps alot too.
(http://jip.co.id/gallery/jip/article/thumb/20121126_105919_Untitled-2conten.jpg)
(http://jip.co.id/gallery/jip/gallery/large/2012_08_13_02_33_01_Untitled-2-image.jpg)
(http://jip.co.id/gallery/jip/gallery/large/2012_08_13_02_41_40_DSC_8940.jpg)
If it is only 2.4" larger than stock then you only need 1.2" on each end of the tire, which really isn't much in the big picture. I'm sure if it does rub it's not going to take drastic amounts of trimming to get them to clear nicely. If you do have bad rubbing at the front of the rear wheelwells, you can always buy the extended link kit from AlterEgo which moves your rear axle back.
If you have a manual transmission, you can run the differential gearing out of an automatic-equipped XL7 to compensate for the tires. This is what I am planning to do on mine when I put some nice big meats on it.