I been off roading a 1995  16 valve 1600 for years with the only modification being 2 inch spring spacers.
I refer to it as my poor mans all weather side x side that needs much better handling and more power.
I googled long travel Tracker suspension and ran into this site while looking for Tracker suspension kits.
Since a number of you desert race these cars I am looking for advice on where to start to make these cars handle the whoops and terrain found in the desert and sand dunes.
I want to keep the 4 Wheel Drive.
Is this a Spec. suspension class?
Are bump stops and bypass shocks allowed or used?
I have fabricated complete long travel coil over suspension for sand cars and rock crawlers so I am comfortable fabricating if I knew what works for these short wheel base and narrow track cars.
Altered Ego in British Columbia sells a 4 and 1/2 inch lift for the Tracker for $2200.
Calmini sells a 3" lift for $1000 and both kits are bolt on.
The Altered Ego kit extends the wheelbase a few inches to allow 32" tires.
I assume added wheelbase is good but heavier tires also kill the marginal power available.
I searched all the threads on this site for suspension builds and ideas and must have missed them.
Thanks for your consideration.
Herman Pahls  Coquille, Oregon   541 404 6464

Welcome to the forums. 

It is hard to get a long travel setup for the front due to the limitations of the strut based suspension.  You only have 6 1/2" of suspension travel, the only question is where you start.  If you want a true long travel front end you need to find a longer strut and modify everything to fit or build a custom upper a-arm.  Then you have to deal with the CV's not having enough travel.

I am the only one in the class that has kept the 4 wheel drive hardware, basically because I want a 4x4 race rig more then anything else.  It does help in some areas, but a 2wd setup is lighter and it means you can play with your front suspension more because of the lack of additional parts to keep track of.

What size tires are you looking to run?  Are you looking for as much air time as possible or just to run a bit faster across the dirt? 

Below are some of the build threads or shots of builds:
http://www.zukiworld.com/forum/build-diaries-how-to-diy/project-trouble/
http://www.zukiworld.com/forum/race-team-introductions-information/team-zukspeed-so-cal/
http://www.zukiworld.com/forum/race-team-introductions-information/team-zwo-zukiworld-order-salem-or/

You missed my build thread Kris! 
http://www.zukiworld.com/forum/build-diaries-how-to-diy/cherry-bomb/
also, bob is making a kit to replace the struts with custom fox coilovers that range from 8" travel to 10" right now. Its a little more exspensive than the calmini kitmbut it also uses much stronger steel for the componets.

Iis there a link to the thread on (bob's ?)fox shocks long travel?

You missed my build thread Kris! 
http://www.zukiworld.com/forum/build-diaries-how-to-diy/cherry-bomb/
also, bob is making a kit to replace the struts with custom fox coilovers that range from 8" travel to 10" right now. Its a little more exspensive than the calmini kitmbut it also uses much stronger steel for the componets.

Your fault for being harder to find. 

For the coil-over strut suspension you can go here:

http://www.zukiworld.com/forum/general-suzuki-forum/new-front-struts-trackersidekick/

I want to thank those that responed to my questions.
Please advise which suspension kit or combination of kits and shocks and struts is giving the best handling for those of you that race Trackicks or pre-run in the desert.
If fabrication is required that is OK.
How much wheel travel are these cars getting front and rear with 4WD and how much in front with 2WD when the CV's are not a limiting factor?
I have learned from this forum that most of the race cars are 2WD.
Thanks   Herman

The travel is the same with the 2wd unless you replace the strut, since it is what limits your over-all travel. One of the advantages of 2wd vs 4wd is that you can lift a bit higher since you do not have to worry about the CV angle causing the CV's to break.

You also loose some weight.

The Altered Ego kit does extend the wheelbase, improves the handling, but the springs are intended for running far heavier steel bumpers and a full size spare. I have the AE kit with stock bumper, no rear seat or spare and have to run 2-100 pound bags of sand in the back to get a proper ride. Handles very well on the dirt back roads as well as fire roads. With 31's there is approx 15 inches between the frame rails and the ground.

I work with Drone 637 (kris) on building our cars and have borrowed ideas from lots of ZW builds over the years.  While I have been intrigued by the AE kit that talonxracer has built, I do not want to Have to carry 200 lbs of weight for best ride (it may be necessary for the trip but not for the ride). 
I have 4 linked the rear of my tracker, and the ride and handling has improved dramatically.  Kris busted a modified 3 link during the last VORRA race, and in another race the ZW group had two or three broken 3 link systems (although I think Dave {the winner} is running a stockish 3 link).  I have extended my lower links to 30", and then I am running crown vic. shocks and modified YJ front springs (in back) for a little more travel.  Limiting straps are a necessity because my 4 link will drop enough for springs to pop out, and I use bump stops off my 06 silverado (axle to frame) to limit up travel.
If I could afford them I would try Bob's Fox shock/strut replacement for the front suspension http://www.zukiworld.com/forum/general-suzuki-forum/new-front-struts-trackersidekick/]
[url]http://www.zukiworld.com/forum/general-suzuki-forum/new-front-struts-trackersidekick/[/url].  Kris & I have been adding 1/4"X2" flat stock braces to the side of our strut towers and have not had any bending of the towers.  (As my motor compartment is full, I don't have room for the tower to tower brace that Bob has in his kits).  I have modified my front spring pads, moved my ball joints forward, using XL7 OME SPRINGS, lowered my diff., and while working good still limited to the 6" travel on struts.  I think that with Bob's Fox shocks, lowered front diff and fitted with VW/Porshe CV's you could achieve front suspension that would match the 4 link rear.
For power I would go with 2.0-2.3L motors.  I am running a 2.7, but there is not a lot of room for maintenance, and the Aerio 2.0 can put out 155 hp (almost doubling stock) with more room to work on it.
I ran 30" tires for a couple years, tried so 31" tires and that is where you really notice the power drop from larger tires.  With some good deals I am now running 33's.  But race car is running 30X9.5X15's.
While I have not raced my Tracker, or ran the dunes, it has been built to get me where I want to go.  And working suspension is what does that.

 

Looks good, how did it handle compared to the 2-door?

Sooooooo much better.

Sooooooo much better.

Time to build another rig. 

Quote from: Bigzook on October 02, 2012, 01:21:25 AM

Sooooooo much better.

Time to build another rig. 

I do want to point out that the coil over shocks wouldn't fit Zukiworld Challenge class rules.

-Eric

Yes! thank you for clarifying that eric. You can go a long way with the original strut design of the sidekick. The front of the race kick handles pretty dang good, but the 4 door is in a different class.