Quote from: jeff1997 on July 21, 2010, 11:06:04 AM

Not to be a jerk, but my lift kit is less than $200 and it would save you guys a LOT of hassle. Just my .02.

I use you spacers, and have a set in the rear.  I wanted more lift than your 2" provided for the front, so started with 4 door springs.  While your spacers do lift a vehicle, I think that ultimately longer springs provide a better ride.  I like working to make my Tracker better, so do not mind experimenting.  You are right, for less than $200 your spacers get one off the ground with a lot less hassle.  I did not need to buy my first set of longer springs, and the rest of my work was my shop time.  I support your spacers for those just wanting up, and enjoy sharing with those wanting to experiment.  If you notice in those photo's there seems to be a bright red spring spacers from jeff1997.

I agree, you can only get so much lift out of spacers without safety issues. If you want more than 2" springs and/or spacers are needed. I saw the pics and recognized the red right away.

So the Toy springs are WAY to strong.  The suspension did not even come up with vehicle weight on it and I could not attach the strut even with the 2" drop bracket.  References from lowrangeoffroad infrormed me that that the toy spring rate was about 500Lb/inch, but I think that info is mistaken.  I may try to find a longer spring with an actual lower rate or same length spring with slightly higher rate instead of looking at longer springs in general. Learning curve here.

Yes jeff, I could buy your kit, but wanted the better ride quality and travel longer springs would give, never mind the lower cost. There are still many spring options at the wrecker available and they will exchange the ones I already have so no loss but time.  Thanks guys about the panhard relocation and the proportioning valve extensions though.  I will have to give those some thought too.
If I can't find springs that will work, I can still make my own spring spacers for only another 20-$40--most of that for the welding at a shop since I don't have my own.  Thanks  BRD HUNTER .I can use the info you have provided and mod mine the same as well so less bulge in the spring, plus that little mod must have yeilded some lift by itself did it not?.

It did provide some lift, not as much as Jeff's 2" spacer so I cut one in half.  I used 1X1/8" flat bar to raise the spring pad, and think you could go to 1 1/2" (to the outside edge).  Drone637 got me a set of OME 956 springs for raised GV, which was more spring than I had travel for.  I cut off one coil and with my spring pad mod (no spacers) I had almost 15" frame clearance.  With 2" strut spacers (I believe Jeff's) I do not have much drop left (maybe 2"").  This much lift DOES REQUIRE dropping your diff.
If you cut your diff mounts and add extensions (as I tried) be sure to weld a piece of flat bar on outside of extended piece longer than the extension.  (overlapping the extension)  The cast hangers get brittle when welded (even using stainless), you would do better fabbing a new one similar to Calmini's.
I do enjoy the ride it gives.  (Or I will again when I get the engine swap done.)

I realized my mistake with the longer springs.  Suspension dynamics.  The control arm is a lever and the spring is in the middle of that lever, exerting force down on it at 500lb/inch.  The wheel end of the control arm is where the force gets exerted onto the spring, so that 1" of wheel travel equals 1/2" of spring travel.  So the spring rate at the wheel is 225-250 lb/inch to give ride quality.  I knew this part, but was not thinking about the spring's travel when the control arm moves, so I tried to use a spring that is 2" longer on the control arm--That iis like giving the equivalent of a 4" lift but with the higher spring rate of the toyota spring, closer to 5" since under load it would not compress as much.   DOH!  Thats why I couldn't even get the strut to re-connect at all--WAY to much lift there.

So my question for everyone selling these 2" coil spacer kits is-- How thick is your coil spacer to get 2" of lift, because if 2" lift at the tire means 1" of travel at the spring, then your spacer for a 2" lift must be only 1 or 1.25" thick right? 

My new plan is to make a spacer for the bottom of my existing coils that gives the COIL 1" to 1.25" of lift over factory, that should equal 2" at the tire.

My rear spacers are 2" and the fronts are 1.5". The 1.5" actually gives you a little more than 2" but it helps level the front out with the rear.

The rear of mine is actually sagging 1" lower than my front, so I will be lifting the rear 3" and the front to 2" to level everything out.

If you would need just a small spacer, .750" or 1" let me know. I have some oddballs laying around.

So its been awhile since my last post.  Got my 31" tires on order at Wlamart, the new Wrangler Authorities for CHEAP compared to everything else I have been pricing out.  They are aggresive for A/T tires!  These will off road nice but have good road manners for daily driver.   I may post on how they wear and handle since there are not alot of reviews on them yet (new product).  They are load range "E" so they will likely ride rough, but I expect since they will be on such a light vehicle, they will wear well and last a long time.

Got my lift kit completed with spacers for the front, and longer cherokee jeep springsfor the rear lift.  I am making my own spacers for the body lift out of 2" x .250 wall steel tube.  Most of them for sale online are just that, but I can cut and drill, so why pay for it.  Going to have to rig special mounts for the old bumper off my Toyota anyway. 

For gears, my research has revealed that the main post on the Zukiworld site here ....http://www.zukiworld.com/month_030104/feature_tsb_shiftontheflyremoval.htm.... is not quite correct in the information that it imparts.  All sidekick rear diffs are the 26 spline after '95, and they don't have to have been built in Japan only to fit into the Grand Vitara.  Same for the front.  The complete aluminum axle housing apparently bolts right into the Grand Vitara if you don't want to swap the internals.  Easier and bolts right in!  The only real mod you need to do at that point is to change the inner CV on the passenger side to the sidekick inner CV, then good to go.  I will be using the steel housing from the Vitara and swapping the mechanicals into it for the added strength.  I foudn a local guy near Ottawa that will sell me eveything I need and has done this mod himself, for $250---SWEET!

I also gained some knowledge about the timing chain rattle that is so common on the V6 engine.  Apparently, the ports for lubrication on the timing chain guides are very small, and if you don't change the oil regularly, they gum up and don't work as well at low rpm, and cause faster breakdown of the timing chain system.  Doing a thorough engine flush, and new oil, then chagne again after 500km to completely clean out the sytem, then put in thin oil (like 0w30) with a good lube additive like Lucas or Royal Purple, can clear up the rattle and repairs are no longer needed!!!  I am going to try this since my chain is making a bit of noise at idle.  I was going to get the chains serviced and tensioners replaced, but this may save me $1200!

More to come.....

Be very careful with that "thin" oil - maybe fit an oil pressure gauge so that you can see what the actual pressure is with the engine up to operating temperature, especially on a hot summer day.  The filter you use can also make a difference, I switched to the SGP (Suzuki genuine Parts) filter and was able to complete eliminate the rattle at start up.

Now - I see you mentioning "rattle at idle" rather than just at startup - you might want to change those chains anyway.

Hope you like those Goodyear Wrangler Authority A/Ts.  My buddy has them 31x10.50x15 on his 95 Toyota Taco and he sure does like them tires.  Every time I am in Wal-Mart I see them and wish they made them in a 235 or 30"
They look nice, and share a lot of the characteristics with the Wrangler Duratracs.  Both came out around the same time and apparently the Authority is only sold through Wal-Mart, and Goodyear teamed with another brand (Kelly, I think) to make it.  I learned this through word-of-mouth with the guys at my usual tire shop.

Nice to hear an update on the project. 

I think BRD HNTR has those tires on his tow rig, a Chevy 3500.  I don't know how well they work but they certainly look cool. 

Well, I hate to say that I broke down and bought a body lift.  They are not complicated to build, but there is the steering extension to deal with and I wanted to get everything done before winter. I purchased the Masterkit 1 set, and then very shortly found some local guys that make them for $250.  CRAP!  Not only that, Before I bought the lift, I called and asked Masterkit 1 about the shifter boots being problematic with the body lift (boots not fitting, shifter interference etc...) and they said they have never had problems with it.  I did.  I thought I might, but tried to cover the bases, and still ended up with the headache. I called them after the install, and all they could recommend is heating and bending the shifter.  I am not fond of that idea,and it does not fix the t-case shifter.  The biggest problem is that the second boot that comes up from the console bunches up and the shifter hits the plastic on the console when going into 2nd, 4th, and reverse.  The t-case shfiter also has a problem with the boot bunching and not allowoing it to shift fully into 4Lo. 

My solution was to cut the console with a hole saw at the 4Lo end of the console in front of the t-case boot to give it a bit more room to shift, but I still worry about it popping out of 4Lo when offroading.  I am going to do the same with the main shifter, cut some of the plastic off around the hole so the shifter does not hit the plastic, and then use a type of finish stripping to clean up the edge.  I will also be cutting the bottom 1 to 1 1/2" off at the front of the console to lower it around the shifter, again to give more room for manuever, and will again finish the cut edge with a trim that I have used before.  Its a U shaped piece of black plastic that clips on, similar to the stuff manufacturers use on the pinched metal seams on vehicles. 

Another mod I had to perform is the Charcoal canister under the hood.  With the body lift, it lifted as well, and was now in the way for the factory air hose to connect from the filter box to the intake.  What I did was grind the "V" shaped sides down a bit do it could sit lower in its factory location, and bent the metal tab down at the bottom of the bracket it fits into. I had to remove it to move the brake lines anyway, but this another mod that is not in the manual for the body lift install.

I installed the Cavalier shocks on the rear and they work nicely.  The Cherokee springs worked well except that they are bigger around, and rub against the upper mount and make a very irritating noise when they cycle.  So I got creative making my own spacers for the rear to work with the factory springs.  I had 2 cv axles that were useless laying around, so I took the inner CVs, cut the splines off, drilled and tapped a hole in them for the bump stop, and cut them down to 2 1/2" long at the cupped end, and then fitted them into place.  Not as clean as machined spacers, but they'll work just fine with the factory springs.  I fabbed a spacer for the Panhard rod using 2" square tubing.  Without this spacer, the axle stuck out 1/2" further on one side of the vehicle at ride height with the 2 1/2" lift.  I knotched it out to fit onto the factory bracket on the diff, drilled a hole in the bottom and another 2 1/2" higher in the tube, then bolted it in.  Worked like a charm.  I don't know why everyone sells suspension llift kits without this item.

My home brew spacer on the front seems to have yielded a 2" suspension gain, but the tires have cambered in at the bottom, ALOT.  Even with the strut drop bracket.   My front tires look like this  \  /  .  I talked to a local guy (Use your local Suzuki Guys, they are very helpful!).  He suggested using a smaller bolt in the top hole of the strut mount on the kingpin to gain 1mm or so of camber adjustment, and if that is not enough, drill the holes on the strut bracket bigger (top hole only), to gain another mm or 2 to get the adjustment right, then tighten the bolt and away I go.  Simple enough.  That is my next project. I worried about it moving, but if anything, the way the force is distributed on the strut at that point, it will only be pushed int he direction I want it to go anyway, so the smaller bolt should not be a problem.  I'll use a grade 8 fine thread bolt and strength won't bean issue.

I am also doing a hood snorkel going up to a scoop on the hood, making the snorkel more of a cold ram air intake.  The scoop is big enough that I will also mount some lights inside it for NEAT factor.  I have got pics of those here.

The tires look amazing, but haven't had them on the road yet.

Update:  The camber adjustment went easy, I found brass bushings at the local fastener store that are 7/16" OD and 5/16" ID by 1" long, which was perfect for the 12mm hole and I got grade 8 8mm fine thread bolts for the top holes and new grade 8 12mm bolts for the bottom.  This bushing worked PERFECTLY to fill the hole so there is no slack and the 8mm bolt gave me room to adjust the camber as far as it could go in at the top.  The tires check out as level straight up and down with a level placed on the tire which is apparently where I want them. Yeeha!  Alignment appointment for next Monday. 

Funny thing is most companies offering lift kits for Kicks and Vitaras don;t seem to offer this bracket, so I've addeda pic to show what I did if you want to build your own.  Since my rear lift is 2 1/2", I drilled my holes 2 1/2" apart, so you would obviously drillyours to match whatever lift you install.

Since my spare tire will be bigger to match the rest of the wheels in case of flat, I made a bracket to bolt onto the carrier at the back that raises the tires up 2" higher so the door still clears the bumper.  Its painted ugly, but with the tire on, you can't see it. Its' just 1 1/2" by 3" tubing cut and drilled, and bolts from the local fastener shop that the Lug nuts fit onto with locktite, and since it is hidden behind the spare, theft is not an issu, you can still use the factory key lock for what its worth. 

I also wanted to post my experience with the gear swap:

TO START--the post on this forum that you need gears from a 96,97,98 Japan made sidekick works, but they are hard to find and expensive.  BUT--you don't need to make a hybrid axle!  The GV inside CV is the same spline as the new gears you are installing, so why change?  You can re-use the factory axle!. They should be the same 28 spline, that is the reason for using these gears in the first place!

HOWEVER-- I found some local guys who've done this before, and you can use the gears from 89-94 sidekicks, pretty much any sidekick, but this is where you need to build the hybrid axle for the passenger side.  You need the inside CV stub BELL piece of the CV (the outer Piece of it-usually green) from the donor vehicle you got your gears from, that will be 26 spline.  That is why ideally you would want the gears from the post since you would retain the stronger 28 spline shafts, but the 26 spline will work.  Now, the GV shaft is to big for this CV to fit onto, its physically bigger, the Bell and the Race inside, even the ball bearings are bigger, so what you need to find is the axle from a'98 sidekick sport.  The axle on it has the 28 spline inside CV, but the Bell is physically smaller,and it has the added bonus of being the same length as the GV shaft which is about 1/2" longer than the sidekick shafts.  So what you need to do is you undo the boot, remove the thin retaining ring, pull the 28 spline bell off, leaving the race and ball bearings in place.  Slide on the Bell from your donor CV that has the 26 spline to match your gears, replace the retaining ring and the boot, and you have your shaft!  Much easier to find these parts (Gears), and only a little more work to fit them.  Depending on where you are, cheaper too since they are more common.

Note:  This shaft will be your weak link in the system.  Since it is smaller than the GV shaft on the other side, it will tend to break more easily.  The Sidekick Sport shafts can be gotten NEW for $150 CDN, or a wreckers for $75, so they are not expensive to replace.  The 26 spline inner bell is so common its not even funny. Keep in mmind that even if poeple say its the weak link, the outer CV's are ALL still 26 spline, so that means there is really nothing to be gained in strength with the inner CV since the outer is still weak too.

Another Note:  The axle seals for the inner CV's on the Grand Vitara are the same part number as the sidekick, they are all machined the same, so since you have all this apart anyway, now would be a good time to change the oil seals.  Just order the factory part for the Grand Vitara.  The sealing surface is the same on all of them 26 adn 28 spline alike!

Happy Gear Swaps!

Next is the hood scoop install and trailer hitch/tow points on the rear.

pics