Aside from personal preference on lifts - Hopefully Rockrats will have the best of all worlds


Why is the low center of gravity such a big deal?  I already know the handling, arrowdynamics, etc. are worse.

The driver should know already know these things before attempting an off camber or sports car maneuver.

If it really is an issue we should go with coil overs through the fender wells like a rally car?

As for money spent on lifts and what not - I had to get used to buying additional parts and realizing it is a never ending cycle.

Jeff - are those longer shocks (rear) or struts (front)?

rjrick - High CG = more likely to roll or tip over (on and off road). I've driven low-as-possible-for-tire-size rigs, and ones that were lifted unnecessarily high up. There used to be a active poster on here (drove "the turtle") who fit 31" tires with just fender trimming I believe - it was amazing where he could take that rig.  Low CG = NICE. Confidence inspiring stable suspensions are a beautiful thing.

Unless things have changed, Rockrat's kit is going to be like a giant spacer (like the old Pro-Comp lifts) that drops the stock suspension setup, and will therefore retain stock travel (at least in the front). He looked into getting longer-travel struts, but couldn't source them for less than the already-loved OME strut. There's a long thread about it here:
http://bbs.zuwharrie.com/content/topic,85641.0.html

Looks like his work is pretty good, but I've not seen progress on it in a while. By the way, here's pics I took for him of my spare OME struts:

REAR shocks. I have never looked for longer front struts, I make spacers for them 

The Calmini kit doesn't include long travel shocks. They're stock travel - limiting the travel of their suspension to stock. The kit includes strut spacers (see red circles) = stock travel:

The Calmini kit does come with longer shocks also the rear arm allows more suspension droop by eliminating the restriction of the stock balljoint. The strut spacers are 2" long and give 2" more travel. This is because when the wishbone hits the bumpstop there is still 2" of travel left on the strut. Fitting the spacers brings down the top strut mounting and allows the extra travel to be used. The OME struts are only 1 1/2" longer so unless you fit a 1/2" spacer you get 1/2" less travel.
I think that this is an important point, it does seem to be widely misunderstood. It is very simple and cheap to get more articulation from the front suspension.
I accept your comments about the ride of the 3" Calmini lift, however they also offer the 2" option which is much more streetable but would require a set of strut spacers to get the extra travel at the front.

Thanks everyone this is good info

So if I understand this correctly and money not considered

A Calmini\OME hybrid is still best

OME Springs and struts with the rest from a Calmini 3" lift?

Yes, that's best. But, I still disagree that putting a spacer on a strut increases it's travel, and when I spoke with a Calmini rep, they told me their strut is stock travel with stock-like valving. I've shot some pics of my OME strut, if someone wants to take pics of a calmini one, I think I can find my old struts laying around somewhere. I'm very curious to know now - even if I am wrong - I'd rather the information on here be accurate for other people researching this.

FYI guys Monroe-Matic shocks part number-32260. They are 20" long extended,. More than enough to compensate for my coil spacers.

Are these the same shocks that you would ship with your coil spacers? (Monroe-Matic shocks part number-32260)

Would you also recomentd changing the front shocks?

Here is a chart that I modified to show you what the best shock selection is for a Trackick with Jeff's 1.5" front coil spacer (lifts front suspension 2"), 2" rear coil spacer, and 2" front strut spacers. I used the Monroe 37117's. They worked great, provided 1.75" more extended travel than the OEM stock travel, and didn't break my piggie bank.

With Jeff's spacers I was able to mount 30x9.50's on my tracker with very very little rubbing. I took a little hammer and bent the bottom inside edge of my inner fender and now I have no rubbing at all.

Longarch

Yes, that's best. But, I still disagree that putting a spacer on a strut increases it's travel, and when I spoke with a Calmini rep, they told me their strut is stock travel with stock-like valving. I've shot some pics of my OME strut, if someone wants to take pics of a calmini one, I think I can find my old struts laying around somewhere. I'm very curious to know now - even if I am wrong - I'd rather the information on here be accurate for other people researching this.

The Calmini struts are the same length and travel as the OE struts. The additional travel comes from the change to the top mounting position. The pic below shows a stock strut with no spacer, the spring has been removed and the wishbone is jacked hard against the bumpstop.



You can see how much travel is left in the strut, the strut actually has 6" of travel but only uses 4". Adding the spacer between the top of the strut and the mounting allows the entire 6" of travel to be utilised. If you use an OME strut with a spacer then it would be possible to get 7.5" of travel if you had some wider angle CVs.

Rhinoman that is the best way to try and explain to some folks what Calmini has done to actually increase front end travel.

    Kevin

x2 on the front end Calmini travel

Has anyone heard of a spring replacement for the Calmini 3"    OME would need a spacer

Someone on here bought some springs a couple of months back. I forget who, there was a fair bit of info in the thread.

Someone on here bought some springs a couple of months back. I forget who, there was a fair bit of info in the thread.

I think that was a shop in Las Vegas.  There are some shops in my area so I can get a custom set

Thanks

It would be nice to hear something about RockRats kit

My cousin wants to go with some coil overs for the rear but then it starts again and I would want to do the front as well.

So - by using a spacer, that extra 1" is compressed, and therefore allowing the suspension to travel down 1" further? So - at max, Calmini's squeezed out 1" more suspension travel? Seems someone could you just as easily replicate this effect with the OME suspension by adding a spacer (or strut mount flip?) getting even more out of the already long-travel OME strut? That would be sweeeeet. I still need to get some pics of the stock strut travel, anyone with a Calmini strut laying around want to take some measurements & post 'em up 

Wow, lots of good ideas and as you see, it all depends on what you plan on doing. If you fiddle with your ride enough, you wont have to spend a bunch of money. It makes for a fun time and you learn a bunch about your own ride. Purty soon you can smack up expensive riggs for a little bit of nothing!! Check it out.     or just tap on the world sign at the bottom of my post.