I have a 1996 Suzuki Sidekick JX 4drs with a Calmini 2" suspension kit. I've replaced the rear shocks & need to replace the rear coils as well. All canadian dealers who carry Calmini parts have stopped dealing with them. One dealer mentioned that the last order he placed took 8 months to arrive. I'm reluctant to order directly from them as the coils may well arrive in the fall. The coils uncompressed measure 12"-13" long & 5" in diameter. How do I go about finding similar coils? Thanks.

try alter ego motorsports in Canada (Kelowna)

Thanks. Tried contacting them but no reply. Meanwhile found some Old Man EMU coils that fit the SideKick. They have 2 models. One model is 13.2" long, 180lbs. Another is 13.8" & 200lbs. Present coil on the truck is 13" long. Which would be a better fit?

To make a selection based on your approach would require knowledge of the spring rate of the Calmini springs, and all you can give us is the free length, which, by itself, tells us very little about the spring.

It is possible to replace a long spring with a shorter spring and end up with increased ride height if the shorter spring is stiffer (has a higher spring rate), the converse is also possible, you can replace a shorter spring with a longer spring and end up with a reduced ride height - spring rate is a critical factor when selecting springs for any application.

I think I should point out here that the way Old Man Emu markets their suspension is distinctly different to how most other off road suspension manufacturers do - they will rarely offer springs for a specific lift or height increase, instead they specify their springs based on weight - the additional weight you anticipate carrying in the vehicle, and they design their springs to take the additional weight without sagging - the springs do give a moderate increase in ride height (about 30mm), and the stiffer springs will give more lift in an unloaded vehicle, but this comes with the disadvantage of a rougher ride.

Given the fact that properly selected OME springs are known to lift the vehicle about 30mm, the longer stiffer spring should give you a little more than that, so if you want to give them a try, that's the one to go with.

There are several other spring manufacturers who offer springs for the Sidekicks - Dobinsons (of Australia) have a presence in the US, and I believe Ironman (also of Australia) - you can try contacting them and asking how much lift their springs will give you.

Thanks for all the info. I will contact Calmini to inquire about their spring rate. Meanwhile managed to reach Alteredego & they carry 3" lift Zuki coils for the SideKick. For now, as the spring rate for the 3 coils is unavailable, would replacing a 2" coil (Calmini) with a 1.25" (EMU) or 3" (Zuki) cause any alignment issues in the rear of the truck. Installing the 2" suspension kit at the front required replacing a threaded rod near the cv joint with a longer one.