ZUKIWORLD Online | Suzuki 4x4 Editorial and Forum

ZUKIWORLD Discussion Forum => Suzuki 4x4 Forum => Topic started by: JnT on January 10, 2006, 01:00:00 PM

Title: Shackle lift
Post by: JnT on January 10, 2006, 01:00:00 PM
Just recently bought a 95 Samurai and joined this site.
The Samurai is stock with the exception of 235/75 mud grips. They look big on the Suzuki!
I just cut the door hinges to allow the doors to come off. I like it a lot!

Been looking at small lift kits.
The Calmini shackle reverse at 240.00 or 2 inch shackle lifts at around 50.00 on ebay.
Which would be better?
What complications would have to be addressed with each method?
2 inches will do for now as the truck is driven to work. Bought it to save on gas and don't anticipate doing any rock crawling or deep mud rides.
Title: Re: Shackle lift
Post by: tsanchez on January 10, 2006, 01:27:28 PM
I'm new to this so I don't have all the technical expertise that many here have, but I'll give you my two cents worth.

I put a set of the 2" lift shackles from e-bay ($60 shipped) on because I wanted a "cheap" lift on my new sammi.

In the meantime, I also had to put on new bushings (40 bucks), I need new shocks now (40 bucks) and I'm going to have to get shims to fix the caster angle and hope that fixes the crappy handling - I could probably use some steering correction as well...

So I've exceeded $140 and should spend $100 more...

The lift looks good from the side, and the back (for the most part) - But from the front I look like count zukula or something.  The front shackles hang almost as low as the front pumpkin...

YUCK

Now I've decided to ditch that lift and do what I should have done in the beginning -  I'm getting a set of YJ springs - I'll run those in the rear with fabbed plates and TrailTough YJ shackles and move my rears up front with missing links.  Add a dropped pitman arm for steering and some new shocks and brake lines from a junyard metro and I'll be good to go.  I'm staying SPUA as well.

As I said - My two cents worth.
Title: Re: Shackle lift
Post by: JnT on January 10, 2006, 01:35:10 PM
Thanks for the reply tsanchez!
This is what I need. Feedback from people who have tried them.
Title: Re: Shackle lift
Post by: ebewley on January 10, 2006, 01:38:31 PM
Just recently bought a 95 Samurai and joined this site.
The Samurai is stock with the exception of 235/75 mud grips. They look big on the Suzuki!
I just cut the door hinges to allow the doors to come off. I like it a lot!

Been looking at small lift kits.
The Calmini shackle reverse at 240.00 or 2 inch shackle lifts at around 50.00 on ebay.
Which would be better?
What complications would have to be addressed with each method?
2 inches will do for now as the truck is driven to work. Bought it to save on gas and don't anticipate doing any rock crawling or deep mud rides.


Welcome!

A 95 Samurai! Way cool... As far as those two lifts go, I would recommend the Calmini 2 inch. I've got that on my DD with 235/75 tires and have steered many people to that lift with good results. If you use a 2 inch shackle lift your shackles would be 4 inches long and this makes the caster on the front end change so much so that the vehicle will wander and will not drive so good.

Vehicle with 29 inch swampers (same size as 235/75x15) and the Calmini 2 inch S/R lift:

(http://www.zukiworld.com/month_020103/images/gijane/dsc00405.jpg)

-Eric
Title: Re: Shackle lift
Post by: JnT on January 10, 2006, 02:31:14 PM
Ebewley, thats a good looking truck!
Any problems or tricky parts to the Calmini kit?
Title: Re: Shackle lift
Post by: Rhinoman on January 10, 2006, 02:32:08 PM
With either lift you will probably need some longer shocks.
Title: Re: Shackle lift
Post by: ebewley on January 10, 2006, 03:28:21 PM
Ebewley, thats a good looking truck!
Any problems or tricky parts to the Calmini kit?



Would you like to trade?

There is a story about it here:

http://www.zukiworld.com/month_020103/feature_gijane.htm

The install is very easy and can be done with a floor jack and common shop tools in about 4 hours. The stock rear shocks can be reused but you will need longer front shocks for sure. There is shock part numbers here in the forum for this particular lift to get shock from Napa or any parts store.

-Eric