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sidekick front axle problem

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Offline zukcrewcab

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sidekick front axle problem
« on: January 20, 2009, 07:25:31 AM »
i have a 95 kick with a 3 1/2 calmini lift that I added coil spacers to level it out.  Took it out this weekend climbing some sandy hills and when it started to labor I heard a loud clunk comeing from the front end.  Pretty soon it resulted in the cv joint housing and bearings on the drivers side cracking completly in half.  Is this a common problem or maybe a problem with the bearings I did not know about till now ( first time ever I offroaded since purchase about a year ago.)

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Offline Zukipilot

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Re: sidekick front axle problem
« Reply #1 on: January 20, 2009, 10:14:24 AM »
Depending on how hard you wheel it. If you ride hard you will want to do something like 37Kickers Toyota CV conversion for a stronger CV. UNLESS.. you did something like an upper strut mount flip when you did your lift and or strut spacer. This will put your CV's at to drastic of an angle and you will snap a CV most every time due to the angle of over extension (pulling CV past retainer clip)

HTH,
Zig
Zukipilot
'92 Liberty Overland Sidekick

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Offline zukcrewcab

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Re: sidekick front axle problem
« Reply #2 on: January 20, 2009, 11:11:15 AM »
I put on just what calmini gave me with the lift kick, but I added the coil spacer to level it, which made the front end way to harsh.  do you think the coil spacer is throwing to much angle to the cv joint.  The hills I went up any of my previous rigs could have went up with no breakage, (jeep wrangler, chevy and ford trucks, stock suzuki sammy.)

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Offline Drone637

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Re: sidekick front axle problem
« Reply #3 on: January 20, 2009, 11:59:01 AM »
Sounds like CV angle to me.

And to be fair, your other rigs listed are mostly straight axles.  And the Tracker in stock trim would have probably climbed it just fine.  IFS front ends are a bit tricky to get used to and tuned in.  :)
96 Geo Tracker, x-SJ-410,  x-White Rabbit, x-Project Trouble
Crawlers NorthWest
x-Trouble Racing

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Offline Zukipilot

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Re: sidekick front axle problem
« Reply #4 on: January 20, 2009, 12:46:45 PM »
The harash ride is from the front suspension being topped out. So in most situations you are running your CV's at a harash angle unless your front end is compressed. I would remove the spacers and live with the raked front end look, pop in another CV and give it another run.

If you can, get you a stock replacement half shaft, I use to blow apart AutoZone rebuilds on a regular basis.

Zig
Zukipilot
'92 Liberty Overland Sidekick

Re: sidekick front axle problem
« Reply #5 on: January 20, 2009, 03:00:23 PM »
I have an extra brand new CV axle that I will sell you for $25 plus shipping...  I think it is remanufactured... if you want a picture PM me your email. 

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Offline skitime

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Re: sidekick front axle problem
« Reply #6 on: January 20, 2009, 05:15:44 PM »
I think this might of been your problem.  A new 3" Calmini is set up for a four door Tracker.  If you use the rear spring then the rear end will be too high.  So you put spacer in the front which over stresses your CVs.  Instead of lifting the front you should of cut the rear springs.  Secondly the 3" Calmini suspension is very stiff if you don't add a heavy front bumper to soften it. The new strut is very stiff and would not even compress on mine until I put weight on the front.  You could put your old strut in until you decide to added a heavy bumper or live with a ridiculously stiff front end.

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Offline Rhinoman

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Re: sidekick front axle problem
« Reply #7 on: January 21, 2009, 04:53:42 AM »
The front on a Track/Kick sits a little lower than the rear, thats the way they come from the factory. Its level when a line taken along the lower edge of the hood is parallel to the ground.
2000 Vitara 1.6, 3+3 Lift, 33"MTs, 5:83s, LWB brakes, Winch, Snorkel, Safari Rack
1986 SJ413K PickUp, 1.6L conversion.

OBD1 - Full diagnostics on a PC/Laptop: http://www.rhinopower.org

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Offline zukcrewcab

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Re: sidekick front axle problem
« Reply #8 on: January 23, 2009, 09:29:13 PM »
I have a cv coming from hawk and they gave me some set up pointers.  I am going to pull the spacer out and see whats up.  hopefully that will work.  I don't think i was beating on the car, so I hope tis works.  Any body know about trail toughs new heavy duty cv?  new bumpers are in the works right now, winch is ready to go on.

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Offline dustybadlands

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Re: sidekick front axle problem
« Reply #9 on: January 29, 2009, 06:43:10 PM »
from what I gather on their latest post's link, the only mention of "CV's" is on the front and rear driveshafts Trail Tough offers. Please correct me if I'm mistaken. I also have the forward "rake" going on, my front bumper with winch prolly weighs almost 200 #'s. I'm building a swing-out rear spare tire mount and I'm adding rear tube fender flares. I'm opting for more rear weight to pull things level. I thought of spacers for the front too, I think I'll wait for the inevitable CALMINI "sag" to set in first.
"If nuthin' changes, nuthin changes. Do what ya  always did, get what ya  always got !"

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Offline zukizuki07

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Re: sidekick front axle problem
« Reply #10 on: January 29, 2009, 08:31:44 PM »
pull out the spacers or drop your front diff. should solve/help
96 2 Door Tracker
4 door springs, Calmini 3"BL , Trailtough Mini spool , 31's
Plans: Jeffs  diff spacer, bumpers, smittybuilt 8k winch and XL7 iron Diff. housing swap