Hello all,

I’ve been reading through this forum for quite some time but this is my first post. I have some questions about my Canadian 2003 Suzuki Vitara 2.0L 5 speed manual (4x4).

I use my Vitara for daily driving but I want a bit more off road capability (I hear taps on the bottom a little more often than I would like).

I would like to get OME lift springs and struts in the future.  I feel confident that I can install the new suspension myself (minus alignment).  I have stock 6.5 inch steel rims and I will be switching to 7 inch Grand Vitara steel rims to increase my track width for stability and reduced frame rub with bigger tires.

The stock tire size is 215/65r16.  I plan to upgrade from my current 215/70r16 (27.9 inch) Hercules Terra Trac ATs to 225/70r16 (28.6 inch) Terra Trac AT2s, Cooper Discoverer AT2s or BFG KO2s.

Based on what I’ve read, my Vitara has 4.62 diff gears stock.  I would like to upgrade to 4.88 gears from an auto Grand Vitara/Tracker to account for the 28.5ish diameter tires and get a bit more power back.

1.   Do gear swaps require any additional parts or specialized tools other than the 3rd member from a junkyard?  How difficult/involved is the process?

2.   Will I need to remove the entire front diff to swap the front third member or can it be kept in place.

3.   Does my lift (1.5inch OME), rim (stock GV rim 7 inch steel), tire size (225/70r16  28.6 inch), and gear (4.62 to 4.88) combination seem reasonable for a daily driver?

Thanks!

Your proposed configuration - 2.0 litre, 5 speed, OME suspension and 225/70R16 - is almost exactly what I'm currently running as a daily driver - the essential difference is that I have 7 x 16 Grand Vitara alloy rims.

Suspension...

The OME suspension will not give you 1.5" of lift, it's going to be closer to 1.25" - installation is not difficult, assuming a reasonable level of competency and a reasonably well equipped tool box - you'll need basic hand tools, a good jack and at least two pairs of axle stands, a ball joint extractor would also come in handy.  I did mine in my driveway over a weekend, but I could have done it one day, had I been so inclined - make sure to at least loosen the pivot bolts on the front control arms and rear trailing arms, and to retighten them with the weight of the vehicle on the wheels, as this allows the bushes to settle into the new resting position dictated by the change in ride height.  I did remove the front control arms but some people say it's not necessary, if you have a long enough pry bar.

Gear swap...

You might want to re-check that gearing before changing anything - as far as I know the stock gearing for a 2.0 with 5 speed is 4.875:1 - block the front wheels so the car cannot roll, and jack one rear wheel off the ground - mark the drive shaft and rotate the tire exactly two full turns whilst counting the number of turns the drive shaft makes.  My car is 4.875:1 and I find that works quite well with the 225/70 GrandTrek AT3s that I have fitted.

Assuming you can get front & rear thirds in good condition, the only special tool you'll need is a slide hammer puller, and there are ways to pull the axle shafts without that - the front axle banjo can remain in place - but you'll need to remove the right knuckle to get the axle out.

Let me know if you have any more questions ...

their is a sticker in your glove box with a number of codes the axle code is on that,
Axle ratios codes for second gen tracker-vitara HC1=4.62, HC3=5.12 and HC8=4.87

i haven't came across a 2.0 5 speed second gen tracker with any other ratio then 4.62 unless it was changed by po's

Interesting ...

Perhaps there is a difference in the axle ratios between the second gen Trackers & Vitaras (I've personally checked mine and it is a 4.875:1) - it wouldn't be surprising as the Trackers are supplied with 15" wheels, and the Vitaras typically come with 16.

most of the vitara's around my area came with 15's grand vitara's and lx7's were equipped with 16's from factory.  now grand vitara's had 4.88 gears but they are all 2.5 v6's here. from what i have owned and scrapped in second gen all 2.0 5 speeds have been 4.62, 2.0 auto have been 4.88 . they only ones i have heard of in second gen with 5.12 are early 2 doors with a 1.6's in them and some xl7's but never personally came across the xl7's with 5.12 before a local suzuki mechanic told me about them.

Thanks for the responses!  I'm currently away at school but I'll check my gear ratio by one (or both) of your suggested methods to get to the bottom of it.