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NEW FRONT STRUTS TRACKER/SIDEKICK

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Offline kreator

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Re: NEW FRONT STRUTS TRACKER/SIDEKICK
« Reply #90 on: July 03, 2012, 04:17:48 PM »
While it is a different kit, the Calimini straight axle conversion uses the strut towers to hold a coil over as well.  They also include a strut brace across the engine compartment but then add an internal brace similar to what we did on Project Trouble and the White Rabbit.  Any thoughts of building a brace that slips inside the strut tower?

What did you end up doing for the movement of the lower ball joint on the a-arm?
I moved out and forward and I will be looking at what you had done on project Trouble and White rabbit
BOB | www.KreationFab.com | 503-689-1377

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Offline kreator

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Re: NEW FRONT STRUTS TRACKER/SIDEKICK
« Reply #91 on: July 03, 2012, 04:20:26 PM »
I want some lower arms for my Grand Vitara that will move the axle forward, any plans?

I have started building the fixtures to do just that , pics will be coming soon .
BOB | www.KreationFab.com | 503-689-1377

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Offline TrakJD

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Re: NEW FRONT STRUTS TRACKER/SIDEKICK
« Reply #92 on: July 03, 2012, 07:02:11 PM »
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And I have not heard of a single strut tower collasping using Trail Slayer's kit. 

Shocks and struts are different, and "coil-overs" are even more different. If you look at the trail slayer kit it does not mount a "coil" on the original strut tower, it actually uses the original coil location. The strut tower wasnt originally designed to hold the weight of the vehicle which a coilover will put on it.


I know that the strut towers tends to push back when wheeled hard.  Im just saying that since Brent uses this route for the Trail Slayer's shocks.   And Kreator comes out with a kit that includes Strut brace bar.  I dont see how it can collapse if reinforced with the brace. 

"apparently brent is using the Strut tower as the main position to bolt the shocks to."
This is what I said.  I said didnt say anything about COIL.  :) 

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Offline heiney.5

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Re: NEW FRONT STRUTS TRACKER/SIDEKICK
« Reply #93 on: July 04, 2012, 07:51:38 AM »
I have been wheeling this now for over 8 months and not found and flex in the towers . I like in put that helps me make my kit better , the thing that I have found the most is that the towers are differant height and that makes a big differance, and that the engine mounts are differant height between years and changes the cross brace. 


That difference is interesting....I never realized this or recognized it....I'm sure it makes a "universal" kit hard to "sell."


...... If towers are bending they must be bottoming out real hard. I here all the woes about the struts going bad and it is not the struts fault its the set up and its bottoming out or its topping out and blowing seals.


I agree with this to an extend. The factory coil has a bumpstop at the frame. So this will prevent the strut tower from getting the full force of a bottoming out.... However there are not limiting straps on the drop side, so alot of times the strut will blow due to it "holding" all the force on droop.....

I think the "main" killer on the towers is the "side-loads." The macpherson strut holds not only upward force but side forces also.... So when you are riding on your side, or when you are climbing an "obstacle" with one front tire all the forces are tranfered to that wheel and that strut tower. In my opinion that is were I see it taking the most abuse with "factory" setup.




I know that the strut towers tends to push back when wheeled hard.  Im just saying that since Brent uses this route for the Trail Slayer's shocks.   And Kreator comes out with a kit that includes Strut brace bar.  I dont see how it can collapse if reinforced with the brace. 

"apparently brent is using the Strut tower as the main position to bolt the shocks to."
This is what I said.  I said didnt say anything about COIL.  :) 


I guess maybe I confused your initial statement.... sorry. I will see if I can clarify my statement.

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The phase one kit kreator shows is similar to other kits on the market....and utilize existing coil bucket, and I would trust this to tried and trued... the coil is braced from the factory directly to the frame and has a bumpstop....the picture shown above but also here:


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The trail tough kit does use the strut tower for a shock mount. but also uses the factory coil location to support the weight of the vehicle like the phase one kit kreator shows.


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The phase two kit changes the whole front layout and is the one I would question the most. I'm not trying to be mean, just it should be realized that alot of force are on the towers ....Not just up/down force but forward/backward/ and left/right.... that and the factory bumpstop is gone so when you do bottom out all the up/down is transferred to the strut tower also, not directly to the frame like the factory. Pictured below, and shown in above posts.



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(at)TrakJD- so if your were talking about the phase one kit....sorry.

The phase two kit is where I question the strength the most.  I would highly suggest ppl to truss and plate the towers if they run this kit.




Difficult takes a day. Impossible takes a week.

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Offline Drone637

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Re: NEW FRONT STRUTS TRACKER/SIDEKICK
« Reply #94 on: July 04, 2012, 08:13:11 AM »
What did you end up doing for the movement of the lower ball joint on the a-arm?
I moved out and forward and I will be looking at what you had done on project Trouble and White rabbit

How far did you end up moving it out on the finished product?  We did 3/4" out and 1.5" forward but I believe you weren't going to go quite that far originally.

96 Geo Tracker, x-SJ-410,  x-White Rabbit, x-Project Trouble
Crawlers NorthWest
x-Trouble Racing

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Offline kreator

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Re: NEW FRONT STRUTS TRACKER/SIDEKICK
« Reply #95 on: July 04, 2012, 09:21:33 AM »
What did you end up doing for the movement of the lower ball joint on the a-arm?
I moved out and forward and I will be looking at what you had done on project Trouble and White rabbit

How far did you end up moving it out on the finished product?  We did 3/4" out and 1.5" forward but I believe you weren't going to go quite that far originally.


I moved them like if you moved your rear out 1" and 1" forward .
BOB | www.KreationFab.com | 503-689-1377

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Offline TrakJD

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Re: NEW FRONT STRUTS TRACKER/SIDEKICK
« Reply #96 on: July 04, 2012, 10:10:34 AM »
Heiny.5-  No you're right.  I didnt realize we were talking about the coilovers.  I was under the impression that we were talking about the stage one where it doesnt eliminate the bumpstop.  Im sure there's a solution by adding bumpstop.  On my old tracker, When i did SAS, I added fishplate on the frame then welded a shock tower.  When you wheel hard, there tends to be couple cracks around where steering box bolts to.  Thats what happened to me.  

For the stage two, fishplates and new strut towers or some serious bracings (kind of like Mike Hagan's rockstar where he used tube from tower to frame.) is in order......  Calmini's SAS kit comes with new strut towers I believe.  

« Last Edit: July 04, 2012, 10:13:45 AM by TrakJD »

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Offline zukimarine

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Re: NEW FRONT STRUTS TRACKER/SIDEKICK
« Reply #97 on: September 10, 2012, 05:37:37 PM »
I finally get a chance to drive my sexy bitch zuki to the coast and before I can even leave town the timing chain breaks. good thing it happened before I left town  ;D :o. However....
the ride is so much smoother than in Bob's tracker. I love the way it handles and cant wait till I can drive it around topless next summer  ;D ;D ;D :P :-[ >:D :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

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Offline zukimarine

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Re: NEW FRONT STRUTS TRACKER/SIDEKICK
« Reply #98 on: October 08, 2012, 06:09:26 PM »
Ok, so after not making it out of town to the coast because of electrical errors..... :'( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( :'( The sexy bitch is up and running again and I love the new suspension.... what a smooth ride... can't wait to get started on the bumpers and exo cage.  ;D Thanks Bob !!!!!!!!!!!!! ;D ;D ;D

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Offline Joe Llamahead

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Re: NEW FRONT STRUTS TRACKER/SIDEKICK
« Reply #99 on: October 08, 2012, 07:01:30 PM »
Ok, so after not making it out of town to the coast because of electrical errors..... :'( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( :'( The sexy bitch is up and running again and I love the new suspension.... what a smooth ride... can't wait to get started on the bumpers and exo cage.  ;D Thanks Bob !!!!!!!!!!!!! ;D ;D ;D
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Sorry if i missed what you put the kit on ....... Can you post up some pics of your rig?

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Offline zukimarine

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Re: NEW FRONT STRUTS TRACKER/SIDEKICK
« Reply #100 on: October 10, 2012, 09:06:10 PM »
Ok, so after not making it out of town to the coast because of electrical errors..... :'( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( :'( The sexy bitch is up and running again and I love the new suspension.... what a smooth ride... can't wait to get started on the bumpers and exo cage.  ;D Thanks Bob !!!!!!!!!!!!! ;D ;D ;D
[/I

Sorry if i missed what you put the kit on ....... Can you post up some pics of your rig?

so posted  :D the pic of the zuki itself is before the lift was put on... will post some of it lifted when I get some taken.
« Last Edit: October 10, 2012, 09:09:05 PM by zukimarine »

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Offline plumcrazy2

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Re: NEW FRONT STRUTS TRACKER/SIDEKICK
« Reply #101 on: October 16, 2012, 08:52:54 PM »
what size of shaft is on your shocks aka struts. and on the strut tower bracing and bending. i also thing what is bending towers in is the bumpstops transferring load up through because on stock bump stops they are fully bottomed out way before strut is out of travel.  i`ve bent the bump stop area on control arms numerous times and towers were bending in. i installed hyd bump stops in same location with even more up travel and problem seemed to disappear and i use every bit of travel the stock struts have. just a thought.
« Last Edit: October 26, 2012, 04:46:15 AM by plumcrazy2 »

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Offline kreator

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Re: NEW FRONT STRUTS TRACKER/SIDEKICK
« Reply #102 on: October 17, 2012, 01:57:30 PM »
1 1/4" they are modified coil air shocks
BOB | www.KreationFab.com | 503-689-1377

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Offline plumcrazy2

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Re: NEW FRONT STRUTS TRACKER/SIDEKICK
« Reply #103 on: October 17, 2012, 07:00:18 PM »
thanks, i also tried something similar to this with a different company. they said a 7/8 shaft would work, wrong all i did was bend shafts 

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Offline plumcrazy2

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Re: NEW FRONT STRUTS TRACKER/SIDEKICK
« Reply #104 on: October 17, 2012, 07:31:28 PM »
is your setup for sale? if so what all comes with it and how much