I have a 97tracker and it says Calmini parts wont fit. whats the difference how can i tell?

Replying to my own thread but..
The Jlx became the Sport and that is pretty much a 4door trackkick with a 1.8l.
Correct me if I'm wrong.

The Sport has a 1.8 engine and a wide track frame, the front diff drop brackets on the Calmini kit don't fit.

My lift kit fits the Sport perfectly.  That is what I based my kit on.

Replying to my own thread but..
The Jlx became the Sport and that is pretty much a 4door trackkick with a 1.8l.
Correct me if I'm wrong.

No, not exactly.
There were still "non-sport" trackers and sidekicks 96-98.
The sidekick sports had the 1.8 DOHC engine and were wider overall.  They also had a hydraulic clutch, 16" wheels, larger brakes and probably some other stuff I am forgetting, compared to non-sport trackicks.

The Sidekick Sport is a redesign; different frame, suspension, & the 1.8l engine. As mentioned it had larger wheels etc & also had different body cladding. (1/2 way up the doors.)
There was also a Tracker Sport model... but... I believe it only got the cladding & trim changes, & has the 'standard' frame, engine, suspension etc. Since yours is a Geo Tracker, not a Suzuki Sidekick, it should have the same frame, suspension, etc that most 1st gen (non-sport) trackicks have... meaning aftermarket add-ons like Calmini lift should work with it.
A few pics would verify this, but the sure giveaway is the engine. If it's the 1.6l 16v, it has the more common frame.

Hth,
Fuzz

The Sidekick Sport is a redesign; different frame, suspension, & the 1.8l engine. As mentioned it had larger wheels etc & also had different body cladding. (1/2 way up the doors.)
There was also a Tracker Sport model... but... I believe it only got the cladding & trim changes, & has the 'standard' frame, engine, suspension etc. Since yours is a Geo Tracker, not a Suzuki Sidekick, it should have the same frame, suspension, etc that most 1st gen (non-sport) trackicks have... meaning aftermarket add-ons like Calmini lift should work with it.
A few pics would verify this, but the sure giveaway is the engine. If it's the 1.6l 16v, it has the more common frame.

Hth,
Fuzz

The body cladding was available on ALL sidekicks not just sports, I have a 98' JX that came from the factory with it.

They made standard sidekicks and trackers along with the sport version from 96'-98', the brakes, frame and engine are the only differences, you could park them next to each other and visually they are the same(other than the sport label). The brake difference is simply the use of 4dr rotors and calipers on the 2dr's from what I understand.

Quote from: fuzzy1 on March 26, 2012, 07:09:39 AM

The Sidekick Sport is a redesign; different frame, suspension, & the 1.8l engine. As mentioned it had larger wheels etc & also had different body cladding. (1/2 way up the doors.)
There was also a Tracker Sport model... but... I believe it only got the cladding & trim changes, & has the 'standard' frame, engine, suspension etc. Since yours is a Geo Tracker, not a Suzuki Sidekick, it should have the same frame, suspension, etc that most 1st gen (non-sport) trackicks have... meaning aftermarket add-ons like Calmini lift should work with it.
A few pics would verify this, but the sure giveaway is the engine. If it's the 1.6l 16v, it has the more common frame.

Hth,
Fuzz

The body cladding was available on ALL sidekicks not just sports, I have a 98' JX that came from the factory with it.

They made standard sidekicks and trackers along with the sport version from 96'-98', the brakes, frame and engine are the only differences, you could park them next to each other and visually they are the same(other than the sport label). The brake difference is simply the use of 4dr rotors and calipers on the 2dr's from what I understand.

Okay, but I guess my point is, the Geo Tracker was never available with the 1.8l DOHC & redesigned frame/suspension. That redesign was only the Suzuki Sidekick Sport.

And if you were in a non-NA market you could get it with a 2.0L 24v V6.  Which sounds like a really neat little motor. 

And if you were in a non-NA market you could get it with a 2.0L 24v V6.  Which sounds like a really neat little motor. 

I don't think the V6 was ever badged as a Sidekick or Tracker. The Vitara and Escudo had the V6 and there was also a 2.0TD version and a J20 version.

The body cladding was available on ALL sidekicks not just sports, I have a 98' JX that came from the factory with it.

They made standard sidekicks and trackers along with the sport version from 96'-98', the brakes, frame and engine are the only differences, you could park them next to each other and visually they are the same(other than the sport label). The brake difference is simply the use of 4dr rotors and calipers on the 2dr's from what I understand.

I have to assume that you have never actually seen them parked side by side - there is an immediately noticeable difference - one is a larger vehicle than the other.

There are enough visible differences between the Sidekick (SE series chassis) and the Sidekick Sport (SV series chassis) that anyone familiar with a Sport should be able to tell at a glance which is which - I certainly can - The SV series are longer & wider, the front fenders have a more pronounced flare, the hood and grille are completely different.

I couldn't find side by side shots of a Sidekick Sport and a Sidekick - these are the closest I could muster - the vehicle in the foreground is an SV series chassis (SV620), which is essentially the same vehicle as the Sidekick Sport (SV418) but with a 2.0 V6 engine), the one in the background is an SE series (SE416)





Also - it's not just a 4 dr disk on the Sport - both 2 & 4 door models of the the SE416 Sidekick take a 15" wheel stock but a 15" wheel will not clear the calipers on any of the SV series chassis - the disks are larger in diameter.

Yeah forgot the hood had the extra bulge to it, the rest is the same, the extra width is due to the body side clading, not any change in the width of the sheet metal body. My 98' 2dr Sidekick jx next to a 98' 2dr sport when view from the side and rear are virtually identicle, same side molding, even the wheels looked the same but different dia's. visually just the hood and grille and the sport decal would give it away.

and thank you for clearing that up about the brakes, now to clear it up with the guys who told me,,,LOL