Anyone got any idea what's going on with this suspension lift from Alberta that I keep reading about. What is going on with this thing and when can we see it?
Any info would be great, thanks

i have heard nothing but i just supplied a local with 35 mm coil spacers  for the front of his XL7 ( 70mm of lift ) ( 3 inches = 75mm ) and he has promised to supply Pics so i will pass them on, should be interesting.

tim

I have a gut feeling that we are years away from anything decent being released for our platform....which sucks. Too many people still focused on Samurais and Sidekicks. The Suzuki brand is synonymous with cheaps-ass 4x4'ing (mainly because we take our rigs off-road versus the silly nim-wits who dump thousands into a new F150 and lift with monster tires and they never see gravel)

So what we need is some really rich guy to get into Grand vitaras and start experimenting with different lifts.I'll start buying my lottery tickets tomorrow.

that is it i am going to be a rich guy and start for us .....now how do i get rich what is the most lift using springs not spacers that is done on the GV.....what about the guy from iceland who has 35's how did he get it

I don't get that either. 35's and no gearing or engine mods. My 2.0 ltr is sluggish with 31's. 35's would be a joke. I just got a set of those Ironman Coils. I'm gonna try to squeeze 2.5 out of my truck without major modification. I've also got 2" diff drop brackets.I*'m sure there will be issues with steering. We'll see

(mainly because we take our rigs off-road versus the silly nim-wits who dump thousands into a new F150 and lift with monster tires and they never see gravel)

That is to dang funny and true.
LOL
I think I laughed up a lung......................

I haven't talked to the guy from zukination as of yet... I doubt he's finished his R&D as I think he's been quite busy...

There are really a number of problems of which why our vitrackers are not as easily moddable as their older kin

I think the body design was developed cab-forward style to maximize leg room and space... problem is it doesn't leave much fender to cut (if any) and reduces the ability to put larger diameter tires
Solution? Body lift
Then you run into another problem... brake lines etc.. of which will need to be extended if you are to install a combo lift of over 4"

I think the Frame is too wide as well.... This comes into play when installing a suspension lift as the front stock a-arm will pull in (in my case over an inch)
Solution? Only Calmini I know of has a set of a-arms of which they will not separate

Then the next part... the front diff... ugh
CV joints start getting quite aggressive after 2" of lift
Solution? Diff drop bracket, but I have not heard of any success as of yet
Talking to Jeff & the guy from Boondox, there is a potential of the diff drop bracket causing issues with the carrier/3rd member due to the driveshaft angle
So you might give one issue up for another (I'd rather deal with a much cheaper rebuilt CV)

It'd be great if there was a perfect kit
but even Jeff's kit was quite cumbersome... meaning that new rear shock perches and links would have to be replaced and even re-welded (using curry joints)

Thinking about it...
With the coil spacer lift I have in right now... I think I'll be happy with the RRO 2" BL, and a set of front wheel spacers running 32" pizza cutters (235/85/16)
build up some cosmetics and functional things like tow points and winch mount bumpers
and if required Gears/locker

anything more hardcore... I hate to say it, but I'd probably buy something domestic and cheap to use only on the trail
Always wanted a Ramcharger

ah dude don't kill the dream!

Honestly, when creative minds and money go to work then the sky is the limit. Just think, if half the effort that has gone into engineering a SAS kit for the tracker was put towards the Grand Vitara we'd be getting somewhere. And if bright people like Mike Hagen were to tinker with a Grand Vitara he'd get around any difficulties with some genius and a welder! I'm not saying the Grand Vitara isn't harder to mod then a Tracker but I don't think there are any obstacles that a properly engineered kit can't over-some (control arms and what not).

i see a calmini kit with a 1inch coil spacer in the front possibly working.. possibly blowing the aluminum front diff also...  so after the kit and new diff hoursing/3rd shortly after how much money has gone into this?  2grand, probably more.  solution.........samurai front axle on leafs with wheel spacers for width.  as much as this involves some fabbing which i can't do myself i think i'd rather pay somebody to do this than piss away all my money on the options out there.  even if we were only running 33's like this, the extra height could easily be gained under the frame.  but then is the samurai axle to weak for the weight of a 6cyl GV or 4door tracker?  not sure.  maybe this is just a dream but i think it's more of a reality than anything else in the air right now.

a proper kit needs to be engineer'd to have the following:

3" taller Coils/Shocks & Struts for our vehicle weight
Bumpstop extenders
Longer A" arms with perhaps a longer axel half shaft
Diff drop bracket
Driveshaft spacers for both the front and rear driveshaft
Simple 3" BL w/ all the required tubes and cables that need to be extended

when you start pushing past 3" for IFS, there is a tendancy for the coil to bind... so perhaps the A" arms will have to be a floating design for the seat

Gv's have rack and pinion steering and this is a big obstacle to work with. The early Kicks have recirculating ball steering boxes and tie rods / drag links - easy to work with.
Early licks have an upper "A" arm bolted to the diff - easy to fab up a new mount bracket to compensate for lift. GV's have a 4 link with panhard rod - geometry gets out of wack with a decent lift and is not easy to correct.
Diff drop brackets seem to help with cv angles but big lifts get the angles up.

Calmini have done a good job with their GV kit and until someone else builds something better it is the best option out there. One day someone may build a better kit but so far I have read good intentions but NO RESULTS so far  - less talk and more action people 

ZeusZuki 

that is it i am going to be a rich guy and start for us .....now how do i get rich what is the most lift using springs not spacers that is done on the GV.....what about the guy from iceland who has 35's how did he get it

The same way they get all of their trucks on big tires.  A short lift and then lots of fender cutting covered by big custom made fender flares.

How they drive them is either regear (if an option), live with it and only offroad in 4lo (which is the only place you'd find me when wheeling on super deep snow/ice pack), or go to extremes to get power out of the engine.

Updated -- My truck is now the project truck for Zukination

once finalized --- will be posted on their website of: http://zukination.com/

It going to be a 4" lift comprising of the following:

-Diff drop bracket
-New "A-arm" to relocate the wheel forward by about an inch or so (no added length so stock CV's are fine)
-3" Strut spacers (he's a firm beliver that the stock struts are a great match for the vehicle, and that even long travel struts will only add about 1" of uptravel, so not really worth buying as the downtravel is limited to the CV length anyway)
-4 coils matched to the application of the vehilcle (2.0 2dr - 2.7L XL-7) to add the 4" of lift
-Shocks to match the dampening of the front strut (again depentant on vehicle)

more stuff to be worked on shortly

Plus he will have other goods on the way
i.e. bumpers (i'm getting a tube pre-runner style (weights only 35 lbs) or a full anvil style which weighs closer to 70 (using 3/8" steel)

Rocker guards
Armour etc..

I'll post pics soon

p.s. I will be coupling this with a 2" BL

For the Track/Kicks 89-98 His kit is ready and looks awesome
Full 4.5" suspension lift... all bolt in with required hardware (i.e. A-arms w/ floating coil spring isolators)

I see me and my 35 inch GV have been mentioned... since its dark outside now here in iceland i´ll take pictures of everything that was modified when lifting it tomorrow
But keep in mind that  these 35 inch tires are not there for rock crawling and suspension stretching. Its for snow floating And the suspension length is okey but would propably never work for most of you guys

Also the fenders were cut alot and Custom fender flares put on as seen on the photos I have posted