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Mods for 1999-2005 Tracker (Grand Vitara)

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Offline caranpaima

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Mods for 1999-2005 Tracker (Grand Vitara)
« on: August 29, 2015, 06:56:48 PM »
Hello guys. Glad to be back.

Thanks to the assistance of many people in this forum, fordem above all, my tracker is now much more capable. However, I have some questions for future mods:

- Does anyone have any experience with OME shows on a 2.5 lift with spacers?  I have installed LRO red ones with Doetsch 3000 shocks in the back and OME struts in front; medium OME springs back and front. Is it true OME shocks are too short for this config?
- Are fog lights worth it?

Thanks in advance for the answers!
2005 GV!, TCase and Front Skid Plates; OME Suspension (rear shocks are Doetsch 3000); Low Range OffRoad 2.5" lift; Differential drop brackets;Panhard relocation brackets; Thule rack

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Online fordem

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Re: Mods for 1999-2005 Tracker (Grand Vitara)
« Reply #1 on: August 30, 2015, 06:57:13 AM »
OME shocks & struts are designed to work with OME springs, without spacers - they are longer (have more travel) than OE struts & shocks, but, based on my measurements, no more than 20~30mm longer, a 2.5" spacer is close to 60mm longer - which might put them near the end of travel.

Some folks feel that the suspension design allows more travel, and I believe that at least one vendor (Rocky Road Outfitters) sells lift kits based on the OME springs & shocks, plus spacers - you could take a look at what they offer.

Regarding fog lights - do you get fog where you are?

Many people do not recognize that fog lights & driving lights are two very different things, fog lights have a very specific beam pattern and are generally only "worth it" if used in fog.
'98 SQ420 Grand Vitara
'05 JB420 Grand Vitara
'16 APK416 Vitara
'21 A6G415 Jimny

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Online fordem

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Re: Mods for 1999-2005 Tracker (Grand Vitara)
« Reply #2 on: August 30, 2015, 12:30:52 PM »
I took a look at the Rocky Road kits - they use a 1-1/8" spacer along with the OME springs to get what they say is 2-1/2 inches of lift.
« Last Edit: September 01, 2015, 06:35:45 AM by fordem »
'98 SQ420 Grand Vitara
'05 JB420 Grand Vitara
'16 APK416 Vitara
'21 A6G415 Jimny

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Offline caranpaima

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Re: Mods for 1999-2005 Tracker (Grand Vitara)
« Reply #3 on: August 31, 2015, 10:51:55 AM »
Thank you, fordem.

As a matter of fact I bought and installed this 2" kit from Low Range Offroad [LRO] (jeff's red kit I think) a few months back.

http://www.lowrangeoffroad.com/suzuki/tracker-vitara-gv-xl7/suspension/basic-and-complete-2-inch-spacer-budget-lift-kits.html

I am very satisfied with the results: ground clearance is great compared with before. I went with the Doetsch shocks because I read somewhere (can't remember where) that rear OME shocks were too short for the lift with LRO spacers. I also installed diff drop brackets and the panhard bracket. Handling is great; the tail used to bounce right when going over a speed bump; now it does not.

The rig looks like this now:


I am a forester, and I use my car for work. As we often have to climb as high as 10,000 feet and above, it can be VERY foggy , and the stock lights are not much good in this conditions. Do fog lights really make any difference??

Thanks.
2005 GV!, TCase and Front Skid Plates; OME Suspension (rear shocks are Doetsch 3000); Low Range OffRoad 2.5" lift; Differential drop brackets;Panhard relocation brackets; Thule rack

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Offline beagle..t

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Re: Mods for 1999-2005 Tracker (Grand Vitara)
« Reply #4 on: August 31, 2015, 03:23:02 PM »
nice 2 dr tinny we don't have them here. I got 2 dr conv with 2"coil spacer and 2" body lift with 30" and love it
new rig aka "the mule" 2002 tracker
V6 swap auto  ,2 dr ,2" BL,2" jeffs kit 512 gears warn hubs and 30/9.5/15 BFG AT

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Online fordem

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Re: Mods for 1999-2005 Tracker (Grand Vitara)
« Reply #5 on: September 01, 2015, 07:01:05 AM »
Yes, fog lights do make a difference in foggy conditions - however - you will need to get true fog lights, forget about LEDs & HIDs, go for good old fashioned halogens, and get them from a reputable manufacturer like Hella or Bosch - be warned, there is a lot of cheap trash on the market, and you'll generally get what you pay for - Hella have a wide range of products, both budget & high end lights.

The big problem with most lights in fog is that fog is composed of millions of tiny droplets of water vapor suspended in the air, and the lights reflect off of the droplets, back into the driver's eyes - purpose designed fog lights have a sharp horizontal cut off and a wide beam angle - they need to be mounted as low down as you can practically get them, so on a lifted truck, you're looking at under the front bumper - the ideal thing for you would be the OE lights (which I believe are Bosch), if you can locate them - they're sometimes available on ebay or through Amazon.

Your fog lights will need to be wired so they come on with either just the park lamps or low beam headlamps, do not wire them to come on with the high beams, the high beams will reflect off the fog making the fog lights ineffective - the reason I say no LEDs is because the majority of LED lights on the market, even those advertised as fog lights cast a circular beam (or dozens of circular beams to be more precise) they lack the horizontal cut off required, HIDs are generally too white & too bright, my suggestion is that you go for a light with a clear (not yellow) lens, and if you feel so inclined you can try the "selective yellow" fog bulbs.

Off topic - but - where did you get your snorkel from?  Is that one of the Brazilian made OGZ units?
« Last Edit: September 01, 2015, 07:05:36 AM by fordem »
'98 SQ420 Grand Vitara
'05 JB420 Grand Vitara
'16 APK416 Vitara
'21 A6G415 Jimny

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Offline caranpaima

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Re: Mods for 1999-2005 Tracker (Grand Vitara)
« Reply #6 on: September 03, 2015, 08:24:11 PM »
Hello fordem.

The snorkel was manufactured by Tecnotrilha (http://www.tecnotrilha.com.br/index.asp?item=conteudo&codmenu=8336) in Brazil, but it is essentially he same as OGZ, though this latter company seems to make them better. Mine is fiiberglass. Since I have the snorkel I haven't really forded any streams (we're at a El NiƱo year and rainfalll has been low almost a year ) that I would not have dared without it, although the year before that I did some crossings that I was pretty uncomfortable with and only went through because going back was worse in terms of danger (narrow roads along a terrible drop, armed groups, etc.) or plainly just too far. Would purchase again the snorkel, but from OGZ (found out about them after buying mine from tecnotrilha).
2005 GV!, TCase and Front Skid Plates; OME Suspension (rear shocks are Doetsch 3000); Low Range OffRoad 2.5" lift; Differential drop brackets;Panhard relocation brackets; Thule rack

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Online fordem

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Re: Mods for 1999-2005 Tracker (Grand Vitara)
« Reply #7 on: September 04, 2015, 04:57:20 AM »
There's some nice looking stuff there, at attractive prices too ...



Fibreglass snorkel - USD$180



Winch bumper - USD$400

Unfortunately, even though geographically we're neighbors with Brazil, there is very little trade between our countries - it's actually easier for me to order stuff out of the US.
'98 SQ420 Grand Vitara
'05 JB420 Grand Vitara
'16 APK416 Vitara
'21 A6G415 Jimny

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Offline damon12345

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Re: Mods for 1999-2005 Tracker (Grand Vitara)
« Reply #8 on: February 22, 2020, 12:38:42 PM »
What website can i order the winch bumper from. Been looking for a decent bumper for a decent price, seems like there isnt many options
98 chevy tracker

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Online fordem

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Re: Mods for 1999-2005 Tracker (Grand Vitara)
« Reply #9 on: February 22, 2020, 05:24:01 PM »
Did you read the thread or just look at the pictures?  There is a post in the thread that has not only the name of the company who makes that bumper, but also a link to their website ...
'98 SQ420 Grand Vitara
'05 JB420 Grand Vitara
'16 APK416 Vitara
'21 A6G415 Jimny