ZUKIWORLD Online | Suzuki 4x4 Editorial and Forum
ZUKIWORLD Model Specific Suzuki Forum => Suzuki Grand Vitara, Vitara, Chevy Tracker (Gen. 2 Platform) 1999-2005 => Topic started by: AJMBLAZER on May 30, 2006, 03:44:02 AM
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With any luck the GV goes under the knife this weekend. Got any recommendations as to what I should do and not do?
Who's got a required tool list I could browse through?
Thoughts and comments very welcome.
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Alright, I will try to get the write up I've been planning on done this week. As far as tools go, It was pretty much just your basic handtools (and I don't have a well equiped garage... yet)
Metric sockets (good set)
socket wrench
breaker bar
torque wrench
extensions (handy, wobbly extension especially handy)
Metric comination wrench set
Snap ring plyers
BFH
1 more thing, something to hold the strut washer while you unbolt it, also useful for the bump stops. On the driver's side I was able to fit a 14" pipe wrench in the engine compartement, on the passenger's side I ended up using a 4" c-clamp. A 12" pipe wrench might work on both sides (all my adjustable wrenches were either too long, or too small). Some large channel locks would work good to, but you will likely need an extra set of hands to hold them while you get the nut off of the strut.
A pipe wrench worked perfectly on bump stops (the factory manual says to use a special tool hahaha)
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what are you doing? lifting it? If so there is a procedure on how to take the suspension apart and reassemble for kicks and it's basicly the same process only I'd remove the panhard bar before lowering the rear axle so it doesn't move sideways on you.
I haven't lifted a zuk yet but I've put quite a great deal of time into understanding how so I'm not the greatest to get advice from but there's what I have.
can't find the link on that procedure, only a body lift.. I know there is a suspension procedure in there too but I cna't find it right now, sorry
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Maplebar, I'd appreciate that write up verrrry much. 8)
Did you slot the struts or use camber bolts for the front end?
Strut washer...dunno what that is...although I likely call it thingymajiggy or something, what's it look like?
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I used camber bolts, the alignment shop said they were able to get the camber within spec. but it was on the very edge of the spec.
The strut washer is a big octagonol washer on the strut. It acts as a washer, but it is also slotted so you can hold the strut in place while you unscrew the nut.
You can see it in the middle of the mount for the strut tower brace.
(http://www.zukiworld.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=9861.0;id=376;image)
Holding the washer still while you unscrew the nut can be a real PIA since it is torqued to 50-60 lbs. In hindsight, it might be easier to remove the whole strut mount and dissasemble the strut on a benchtop (with a vise ;))
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Oh gotcha. That woulda been a thingamajig to me. I'll probably end up doing it like you did it and clamp it in place or something.
I'm wondering if I should slot my struts upper holes a bit?
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Maroon, removing the Panhard is not necessary ;)
What is for the rear is removing the brake hose clamps, the ABS cable clamps and the parking brake clamps. And disconnect the diff breather. Then remove the shock and lower away! ;D
For the front, I removed the strut bar. Then I removed the strut support (the black part that is supported by 3 bolts), to remove the whole strut and its support. The you can get a vise on your bench to firmly grasp that washer and you can remove the nut with the wheel tool (it's actually a very useful tool! ;D).
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Dumb question but with the snap ring pliers do I need the regular kind where the prongs stick straight out or the ones where the prongs bend 90 degrees?
...write up...write up...write up... ;D
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I used the kind with a 90 degree bend, you could probably do it with the straight kind but it would be more difficult to grip. I had to buy them so I just got a 4-5 piece set from harbor freight so I didn't have to worry about having the right kind ;)
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you should also have a scervice manual, it helped me yesterday.
it was easy to remove the gearbox when we had it.
and it does help to have a friend who has been working at Suzuki's for 7years -he became a phone consultant ;D
we also found out that zuki uses some odd sizes on the bolts, 12mm and so on.
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Maroon, removing the Panhard is not necessary ;)
What is for the rear is removing the brake hose clamps, the ABS cable clamps and the parking brake clamps. And disconnect the diff breather. Then remove the shock and lower away! ;D
For the front, I removed the strut bar. Then I removed the strut support (the black part that is supported by 3 bolts), to remove the whole strut and its support. The you can get a vise on your bench to firmly grasp that washer and you can remove the nut with the wheel tool (it's actually a very useful tool! ;D).
oh, didn't know, just seemed to make sense. thanks for the pointers though cause I might be messing with my back suspension soonish. I don't think anyone will know the difference after I do what I am planning but oh well.
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Maplebar, thanks, I'll have to go out and grab a set of those pliers. Seems like every time I need a set I have the wrong kind...luckily I thought to ask.
beerman, got a genuine Suzuki FSM sitting right here in fact. 8) Also have plenty of sockets, metric and standard.
Does any of this require andy really large sockets? Above 3/4" or 19mm? I can't see where but just want to make sure.
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I used this type of pliers (this is it isn't it? ???)
http://fotos.miarroba.com/fotos/8/3/83b56843.jpg
About the sockets, I think 19 is the largest (strut upper bolt). The rest are under...
Maroon, the Panhard does move the axle to the side if you lower it flat. But you would normally lower one side first, do whatever, then the other side. So the axle stays where it should, in the center. Besides, even if you lower the whole axle, I don't think it would matter too much...
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k, thanks. With those dingies on the top strut mounts I was thinking a big cresent wrench to hold the big nut looking dinger and use an impact wrench on the top strut nut.. think that would work? I have a vice but it's not mounted on a bench so it's pretty useless
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I'm not sure if it would work... If you have the tools, go on and try. I tried some invention but it didn't work, I had to remove everything.
My vice isn't attached anywhere either. I have a small one which is, but I used the large one I had from the other bench and I haven't attached it yet. It worked for me, I just placed it on the floor, my knees on the vice, and used the tire tool to remove the nut.
When putting it back together, remember to put thread lock on the nut, I forgot about mine and my strut came out in the middle of Barcelona! :o :o 5 minutes later it was back in place, but I had lost the rubber part and the washer. Somehow I found the nut on the engine mount and I was able to continue home.
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I second the lock tight advice, a friend of mine has lost a control arm bolt on the civic he had once and the one he has now twice.. I think he's an idiot for making the same mistake 3 times. He also cut the coils on his first honda, the one he has looks like drop coils but I could be wrong.. his camber is like / \.. it's sooo funny.
yea, I was messing with my back suspension today to see if I could get the isolators off and I couldn't and I pryed with s big screwdriver.. my friend said to try a pickle fork so I may try that next time I have time to tinker a bit
how did you get your isolators off?
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An isolator being the rubber thing between the coil and the chasis? Why remove it? I removed it to see what it was, I simply used a big screwdriver...
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Thanks guys. I found a Craftsman snap ring plier combo thingy. You can take the prongs out and replace them so it's a straight type and a 90 degree bend type.
I think the rear's getting done tomorrow...I hope.
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An isolator being the rubber thing between the coil and the chasis? Why remove it? I removed it to see what it was, I simply used a big screwdriver...
there is like a metal thing on top of it, is that part of the isolator or does the rubber part come off separate. I was going to put some small spacers I made out of boredom in.. 1/4 inch.. had the plastic and the holesaws so I figured I might as well... since I have nothing better to do I was thinking I might install them, the back seems way easy so I'll probably do that first, was going to today but when the screwdriver thing didn't work to get that thing off of there to put the spacer behind it I just put it back together... if nothing else the joke spacers I made will at least level it out a bit once I have them up front
if the rubber is separate from that metal sleeve I'll feel really dumb for not trying that.. I already do.. and the fact that I am even considering putting 1/4 inch spacers in.. but I can and it's free so why not
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Does any of this require andy really large sockets? Above 3/4" or 19mm? I can't see where but just want to make sure.
I'm pretty sure the upper nut on the strut was 21mm. I had shattered the 19mm socket on the last bolt when I installed my hitch so I needed a new set anyways.
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Well, got the rear done today. Took longer than I hoped for and I started much later than I had wanted but eh...the rear is done.
On the rears I had to use my coil spring compressors to get the coils back in, there was just NO way I could get them in with the spacers in their position. They were too long by several inches.
On to the front tomorrow. :P
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Yeah...uhm...maplebar I hate you and your rust free environment...off to town to find a ball joint puller...
The front is going slow but steady...but I'm stuck with the balljoints. I can't get them loose using any method available to me so I've gotta go find a puller.
Anybody know where you can get ball joints for these things or are they a dealer only item?
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Well, I now have a ball joint remover/installer set. Technically it's a rental from Advanced Auto but I might just keep it. The Ranger's going to need attention soon. Now to figure out how it works.
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It doesn't work and neither does the other stuff they had.
SO...without resorting to a pickle fork that'd likely damage the boot...and then make me replace the whole unit...what's my options? I can't get the knuckle off of the ball joint shaft.
Anybody? Seems awfully lonely in here...
JCDMRX's instructions didn't work. Maplebar's didn't either...anybody?
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If you can get a replacement boot, heating up the arm with a propane torch (not so hot it discolors or turns cherry-red!) and then cool it down by spraying it with WD40 allways worked for me when i lived back east. Be carefull when spraying the wd40, it can flare up some times.
This will at least save the joint, but it really looks like your going to have to suck it up and trash it.
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Yeah, I tried all of the puller's at AutoZone, Pepboys etc. and I couldn't get the angle/positioning right for them to work well on the ball joint. After I was done during the next week I did find that a local specialty tool shop had a one-armed ball joint puller with a fork on one end to go around the joint like what is shown in the factory repair manual. Did you find a puller like the one shown in the manual?
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why exaclty do you need to pull the ball joints? I would like to know cause I might be getting some ome coils in a while
thanks
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maroon, you need to pull the knuckle off the ball joint so that you can drop the a-arm enough to get the spring off. With the cv-joint going through the knuckle you have to seperate the two to do this...but you can't seperate them without taking the knuckle off of the a-arm...which is where I'm stuck right now.
maplebar, I tried big two armed pullers and little ones and found the same results as you. They had ONE single armed puller but it was too narrowl, wouldn't go in far enough over the edge of the knuckle to get to the ball joint stud with the screw. If it had been half an inch wider we'd have been in business. :P
Well, the shops are open again, off to go find a pickle fork and at least one lower control arm...
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Well...no one has new lower control arms in stock locally (big surprise ::) ) and the local junkyard that "had plenty" had exactly one right and one left with damage to the ball joint boots. They and another 'yard had more still on vehicles but both wanted a deposit before they even went out to get the parts...likely using the same method they used to screw up the ones I looked at.
You can get them brand spanking new on Ebay for about $160 delivered...but then I found a place in Minnesota that has guaranteed good used ones for around $60-80 each delivered to me. I called and the guy was very courteous and knowledgeable and said they'd go out today and he'd make sure they were low mileage and in great shape. They'll be here before the weekend. www.PamsAuto.com and Deep Discount Car Parts on Ebay.
SOOOO...I'm going to go put the passenger side back together and hope it's still aligned and wait for next weekend. At that point out comes the pickle fork and the damn knuckles are coming off no matter what!
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I just answered in another post, but you don't really need to remove the knucle from the arm, all you need to do is disconnect the rest:
Brake caliper (2 bolts)
ABS sensor cable (1 bolt)
CV You need to take out the hubs and remove the clips. Then you can slide the CV out a little, and when you lower the arm, you can shift the CV inwards as you lower the arm.
Steering link I'm not sure if this is absolutely necessary, but I would recomend it so you don't damage something (specially in the place where it bends, in the boot). A broken steering linkage on the highway would be painfull :o This is how I did it by combining two methods. One is in the following pic: http://fotos.miarroba.com/fotos/b/3/b39d01a8.jpg I placed the block and hammer so that the link wouldn't move at that end. That is so that the link inside the boot doesn't suffer too much. Then I used the brake tool as a lever between the knuckle and the link to pop off the link from the arm. The other method was placing a nut half way on the thread. Then you get a hammer and hit the bolt mighty hard. And you should end up with the link loose and a useless nut. Watch out, they have a weird thread (I had to go to Suzuki to get a new one).
Stabilizer Again I'm not sure if it is mandatory, but it is very easy to remove.
And I think that was it... Hope it helps ;)
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Oh, by the way, you might find that when everything is removed the arm won't go further down than a certain point. That's because the bushings bind a lot. You should loosen the bolts that join the arm to the car. That allows the bushings to rotate and so does the arm. The bushings otherwise don't rotate, they just bend letting the arm go up and down (I think).
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I had my cv at all kinds of crazy angles downward with the knuckle drooping a lot and my coil spring was no where near coming out. ??? Loose maybe, but not out. :(
I just want to make it driveable again so the wife will quit bitching about driving the Tracker.
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But did you really separate the CV from the knuckle, at least this much?:
http://fotos.miarroba.com/fotos/6/d/6d9a10c6.jpg
With this much I removed the stock spring and replaced them with longer ones...
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I just answered in another post, but you don't really need to remove the knucle from the arm, all you need to do is disconnect the rest:
Brake caliper (2 bolts)
ABS sensor cable (1 bolt)
CV You need to take out the hubs and remove the clips. Then you can slide the CV out a little, and when you lower the arm, you can shift the CV inwards as you lower the arm.
Steering link I'm not sure if this is absolutely necessary, but I would recomend it so you don't damage something (specially in the place where it bends, in the boot). A broken steering linkage on the highway would be painfull :o This is how I did it by combining two methods. One is in the following pic: [url]http://fotos.miarroba.com/fotos/b/3/b39d01a8.jpg[/url] I placed the block and hammer so that the link wouldn't move at that end. That is so that the link inside the boot doesn't suffer too much. Then I used the brake tool as a lever between the knuckle and the link to pop off the link from the arm. The other method was placing a nut half way on the thread. Then you get a hammer and hit the bolt mighty hard. And you should end up with the link loose and a useless nut. Watch out, they have a weird thread (I had to go to Suzuki to get a new one).
Stabilizer Again I'm not sure if it is mandatory, but it is very easy to remove.
And I think that was it... Hope it helps ;)
that's what I was thinking
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More pics:
http://fotos.miarroba.com/fotos/c/3/c383939a.jpg
http://fotos.miarroba.com/fotos/e/9/e9441756.jpg
http://fotos.miarroba.com/fotos/c/3/c37ac8d6.jpg
http://fotos.miarroba.com/fotos/6/d/6d9a10c6.jpg
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i found it impossible to get the lower ball joint separated as well. to get the coils in i bought an external coil spring compressor and was able to coax them in - but i only had a .75 inch spacer. i wish these things had a solid front axle - much easier to work on in my opinion. the lower ball joint wasn't the only thing i had trouble with.
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i found it impossible to get the lower ball joint separated as well. to get the coils in i bought an external coil spring compressor and was able to coax them in - but i only had a .75 inch spacer. i wish these things had a solid front axle - much easier to work on in my opinion. the lower ball joint wasn't the only thing i had trouble with.
I think I will use a spring compressor when I do mine, my friend has a harbor frieght one I can use so I'm set. I believe I'll still have to disconnect the strut at least and maybe a couple other things but it will probably be less work overall
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Sergi, did you put longer coils in or a spacer?
How'd you manage to get the coils out with the arm still drooping like that in your picture? Mine was at least that far down and the coil was still firmly against the a-arm.
Maroon, make sure you use the kind of compressors where there's a set of two compressors that you put one on each side, you can't use an internal single compressor.
Yeah, I was looking at it last night after I put the thing back together and the passenger side balljoint boot is screwed up. Oh well, got some new-to-me arms and boots coming my way. :P
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i found it impossible to get the lower ball joint separated as well. to get the coils in i bought an external coil spring compressor and was able to coax them in - but i only had a .75 inch spacer. i wish these things had a solid front axle - much easier to work on in my opinion. the lower ball joint wasn't the only thing i had trouble with.
You could just unclip the out part of the axle at the hub.
George
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Sergi, did you put longer coils in or a spacer?
How'd you manage to get the coils out with the arm still drooping like that in your picture? Mine was at least that far down and the coil was still firmly against the a-arm.
Maroon, make sure you use the kind of compressors where there's a set of two compressors that you put one on each side, you can't use an internal single compressor.
Yeah, I was looking at it last night after I put the thing back together and the passenger side balljoint boot is screwed up. Oh well, got some new-to-me arms and boots coming my way. :P
didn't know they made internal ones. my friend owns some that go on either side and I can use them whenever I want so it's all good. thanks for the pointer anyway. It would suck to have the tool there and have to find a ride to go get a different one when it's taken apart
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Well, the front control arms showed up on Wednesday but the driver's side one has a bad balljoint. I called Pam's up and they apologized and sent me a replacement arm free of charge...the problem is they couldn't do it in time for me to have it this weekend. Not wanting to have another SNAFU like last time I'm letting it all sit until next weekend. :(
Maplebar, did you ever pickup that press/c-clamp thingy you said you found for getting the knuckle off of the balljoint? Get any details on it? I wouldn't mind trying to find one if I could figure out who makes it.
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Maplebar, did you ever pickup that press/c-clamp thingy you said you found for getting the knuckle off of the balljoint? Get any details on it? I wouldn't mind trying to find one if I could figure out who makes it.
No I never picked it up, I just looked at it to make sure one existed ;). I tried 4-5 stores on the weekend and no one had even seen a puller like the one in the illustration. I'm not even sure that the one I found is the right size to go around the balljoint, but it was a puller that looked exactly like the illustration. I found it at a mom and pop tool store that only. I also thought it was odd that Suzuki did not list it as a special tool, in mine Chevy manual it is listed as a special tool with a part number. I left the manual in my office, so I can get the part number monday if you are interested.
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Could you please?
I called the nearest Suzuki dealership (3 hours away now that mine closed :( ) and they had no clue about this thing. They couldn't find anything about it or if it was a special tool or not. Even the local Chevy dealership had no clue.
Do you know if it's a GM part number?
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No problem, I'm pretty sure it was a special tool with a GM part number. I'll post more info monday.
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Here it is the infamous "Ball Joint Remover" in the 02 Chevy Tracker manual it is listed in the front suspension section as:
Tool Number: J 43631
Description: Ball Joint Remover
On a quick search I found a Chevy Avalanche site that said you could order the tool here:
http://www.spxkentmoore.com/
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So is this the tool we're talking about?
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Yes exactly. In the Chevy manual there is another illustration of it not in use, where you can see that the top is a big 'U' shaped fork that slides around the ball joint. Hopefully it should stay in place much better than a universal 2-armed puller.
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Damn, must be nice. The Suzuki one shows nothing about the tool other than this illustration and a similar one where it's being used to take the tie rod off the knuckle. It doesn't even appear in the tool list at the end of the front suspension chapter.
Beth the Chevy manual has better grammar too. Sometimes you can tell the Suzuki FSM is a translation of another language. Them speke good engrish. :P
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Well, I got the tool a few weeks ago. Won't get into how much it cost... ::) If anyone ever needs to use it I'll rent it out... :P Local Chevy dealer laughed at me when I asked about borrowing one of theirs. :P
Due to family, school, and holidays I haven't had a chance to touch it until today. I'm starting again, have the stuff all ready and an alignment scheduled for it on Monday.
Wish me (better) luck. :P
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Thanks to Maroon for his suggestion of kicking the spring in. It took me probably as long to get the d-side coil spring out and then install the spacer, isolator, and coil spring as it did to do the rest of the work on the d-side. I managed to do it but oy, I think her next vehicle is going to be a diesel SFA Suburban. Same gas mileage and leaf springs! 6 bolts and you're done. :P
I used Sergi's suggestion to get the thing in. I loosened the lower control arm bolts at the frame and basically squeezed, wiggled, kicked, and swore it in. Never touched the ball joint.
All I have to do now is reinstall the brake caliper and pads and the driver's side is done. Then on to the passenger side.
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Thanks to Maroon for his suggestion of kicking the spring in. It took me probably as long to get the d-side coil spring out and then install the spacer, isolator, and coil spring as it did to do the rest of the work on the d-side. I managed to do it but oy, I think her next vehicle is going to be a diesel SFA Suburban. Same gas mileage and leaf springs! 6 bolts and you're done. :P
I used Sergi's suggestion to get the thing in. I loosened the lower control arm bolts at the frame and basically squeezed, wiggled, kicked, and swore it in. Never touched the ball joint.
All I have to do now is reinstall the brake caliper and pads and the driver's side is done. Then on to the passenger side.
no prob on the suggestion
k, on the passenger side you can't just unbolt the CV from the flange so it's a real PIA in my opinion. you need pry bars to get the CV out and you'll want to take the hub off as well and undo the C clip. what will likely help is the ball joint undioing. don't worry about the pullers and pickle forks... they are just a conspiracy to make you spend money. I had to remove my steering knuckle to reinstall my front axle and my friend just hit the knuckle with a short sledge on the part that goes around the ball joint and it came right out... I couldn't believe the simplicity.. do that if you need the ball joint off and get a set of pry bars and some gear oil to top off your diff because you'll likely lose some oil. a new snap ring for the axle side of the CV and new seal may be a good thing to pickup because it is likely you might mess those up as well. if you break the snap ring and lose it in the axle you'll have to take it apart and dig it out like I unfortunately had to do. you might want to borrow some spring compressors from napa as well if you have boondox coil spacers because without them you probably won't be able to line it all up.
i forgot if this was adressed but to get the tie rod end undone you can get a punch and a dead blow and after it's unbolted put the punch in the dimple in the bolt and hammer it right out.. works great. might have to hit it really hard
best of luck to you
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I didn't touch the CV other than to move it on the driver's side. Hoping not to have to do anything with it on the passenger's side. On the driver's side and the passenger's side I've taken the hubs and snap ring off and just let the arm droop so far that the cv-shaft nearly pulls out of the bearings in the knuckle. HOPEFULLY I can do this on the passenger's side as well.
Oy, you did the tie rod the hard way. Stick a bottle jack with a peice of wood on top of it up against the bottom of the tie rod end so it's held in place. Then take an impact and whiz, off comes the nut. If the stud starts to spin with the nut simply put another crank or so on the bottle jack. Remove jack. Thread the nut onto the stud so it's about half way on the stud and the top threads of the stud are completely inside the nut. Whack with hammer once or twice...should fall right down. Remove the nut and the tie rod should pull right out of the knuckle.
I tried a method similar to what you describe for my ball joint last month. Nada. Remember I live in the land of road salt. Two winters seem to have rust cemented that thing in there really good. I have the proper press for it now but eh, don't feel like using it if I don't have to. I'm going to see how the lift goes and if it goes like the d-side I shouldn't have to touch it.
I have my own coil compressors. Putting a lift on my Ranger last year taught me the value of having a set when you're installing a lift at 11:30pm and there's no place open to get coil compressors.
I'm using JDMCRX's high density plastic spacers. I put some pictures of the rear up on my cardomain site in the GV page. Note that I painted mine black. I figured the white would be really obvious to Suzuki warranty people... ::)
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Oh yeah, maplebar and quaddawg will probably hate me but the BDS strut extender just screwed on. I didn't have to clean anything beyond wiping the threads with a rag and blowing into the extender just to make sure there was no crap in it. I twisted it on with my hands. Can't see it needing to be tighter than that, it was all the way bottomed out.
Hopefully the other one goes on as easily.
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Yeah...it didn't and proceeded to strip out the threads of the strut too. >:(
So now it'll be on jackstands until tomorrow. Luckily one of the local parts stores can get me a replacement KYB strut tomorrow for a decent price. However NO ONE up here has any front struts in stock for a Grand Vitara...at all...joy. Guess I need to go call the boss and ask for the day off tomorrow. ::)
Gotta love living in the wilderness...northern beauty my |removethispart|@ss...
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the tie rod was pretty easy the way I did it but your method seems like it would work well in the higher road salt areas. there is allot of salt here too but probably not nearly as bad... I wish that stuff didn't exist.
just thought I'd give you an extra method, sucks it didn't work. the drivers side would have gone much quicker if you'd unbolted the CV flange but I guess since you got it fine like that the other side should go just as well or better
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I'll just say it was interesting. I got it but I hope I didn't screw anything up.
Now I'm just hoping the strut is here at 8am like they said it would be and then all I have to do is install the extender... :P...install the whole strut, and then put the brakes back together and we're off for an alignment.
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I'll just say it was interesting. I got it but I hope I didn't screw anything up.
Now I'm just hoping the strut is here at 8am like they said it would be and then all I have to do is install the extender... :P...install the whole strut, and then put the brakes back together and we're off for an alignment.
sweet, I need my alignment soooo badly.. doing it asap
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Yeah, I get to call them tomorrow at 8am and say..."remember that 8am appointment? I won't be there, can I bring it in later and still have it done today?" :P
I hope they don't remember this is the second time it's happened.
I'm running out of excuses for the boss. :P
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that sucks. I am having trouble finding camber bolts in town. don't want to slot my struts cause some slot the top, some slot the bottom and I don't want to ream it out where it shouldn't be reamed. I'd like to let the alighnment shop worry about which hole they use for the bolts too
can't wait for an alighnment and new meats
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You'd slot the top. If your specs were really out you'd slot both. Same with camber bolts. They go in the top ones and if you're really FUBAR'd you put a second set in the bottom holes, but you shouldn't need to. Your CV's would kill you before you needed that much correction.
Try NAPA, my local place has them. Either that or look for a place that sells Ingalls products. They're good stuff and made in the USA. Worse comes to worse you can get them from www.SummitRacing.com and have them before the end of the week. That's where I got mine.
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thanks, I might have to give some of those places a try. don't want to try the slotting because since they are ome struts it would be way to expensive to make a mistake
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...it would be way to expensive to make a mistake
I know that feeling.
One $66 strut and a day of work later... ::)
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Okay, it's all back together. Just going to finish my lunch and I'm off for an alignment. Luckily the shop was cool about it and just bumped me back on the schedule and other jobs forwards. 8)
Looks different, I think she'll like it.
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Okay, it's all back together. Just going to finish my lunch and I'm off for an alignment. Luckily the shop was cool about it and just bumped me back on the schedule and other jobs forwards. 8)
Looks different, I think she'll like it.
yea, that's awesome. I got my camber bolts today and I am getting an alighnment today as well. think I'll keep an eye on your car domain to see the transformation. I like the way my GV turned out except for all the money I've put into it coil spacers are a bit redicuos... stupid ome struts
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I'm actually at the alignment shop right now. Mine exhibited many of the quirks you mentioned in your OME post. Tracking ruts, sorta bouncy, felt like it was tippier, etc. All signs that the tires aren't sitting correctly and the incorrect steering and suspension geometry was giving us problems. Can't imagine standing it for 500 miles, I was definately noticing it for the 15 miles I had to drive to town.
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I'm actually at the alignment shop right now. Mine exhibited many of the quirks you mentioned in your OME post. Tracking ruts, sorta bouncy, felt like it was tippier, etc. All signs that the tires aren't sitting correctly and the incorrect steering and suspension geometry was giving us problems. Can't imagine standing it for 500 miles, I was definately noticing it for the 15 miles I had to drive to town.
lol, it wasn't that bad at all with the sway bar in and it does go perfectly striaght. there is some touchyness and I just got used to it. I may have gone more than 500 miles. I bet my ome's will do fine once I get it alighned today
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Well it's done. The camber isn't perfect but it's close. I'm not worried. Toe and caster are MUCH better than they were...which I bet was the factory "settings" after 44,000 miles.
Drives nice and rides nice.
Anybody who used a spacer lift notice theirs sits a little nose high or appears to? I'm kinda hoping the springs settle some more after sitting for a day and a half with almost no weight on them. Maybe it's just the way the body looks, dunno. ???
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Okay, here's the write up:
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2175091/1
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Looks good but put the front shock boots on.
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Looks good but put the front shock boots on.
agreed. I put the rock shields back on when I put in my ome struts. the stuff said about my pro comp shocks said shock boots keep rocks and stuff from nicking the shaft which can cause seal failure. put those rock shields on. those strut shafts are really vulnerable so clost to the tire like that
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Heh, I haven't run shock boots in years. ::)
If my tires can throw a small rock up fast enough to nick the hardened chromoly steel of a shock/strut rod then I've got bigger problems. In over 5 years of doing it this way I've never had a problem.
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Heh, I haven't run shock boots in years. ::)
If my tires can throw a small rock up fast enough to nick the hardened chromoly steel of a shock/strut rod then I've got bigger problems. In over 5 years of doing it this way I've never had a problem.
well, you have a good point there. can't argue with the experience. a friend of mine doesn't run shock boots cause with them mud builds up around the shock seal and he can easily clean them off without the boots
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I've found a lot of crap and sh&t inside shock boots...stuff they were supposedly protecting the outside from.
Just another way for lift and shock companies to get money from you. Not to mention how else could you get bring pink or bright green on your truck? Shock boots!
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I've found a lot of crap and sh&t inside shock boots...stuff they were supposedly protecting the outside from.
Just another way for lift and shock companies to get money from you. Not to mention how else could you get bring pink or bright green on your truck? Shock boots!
you know, now that you mentioned how difficult it would be for a rock to nick a chromoly shaft and all the build up, I am actually thinking I should take my rear shock boots off. the front is rock shields similar to the ones that are built into your napa shocks. what's your take on that style?
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Eh, they've been made that way for decades and decades. So a lot of them are still made that way. I've considered taking a cutting wheel to mine and whacking the cover off at the top but eh, dunno if I care enough. As long as the shock keeps moving it should be okay as the seal cleans the crap off of the shaft. Maybe it looses a few years of life...but I'll likely replace them before whatever accumulates in there would ever get to be a problem.
Another helpful hint on shock maintenance...WASH THEM! In the winter I try to wash my vehicles once a week VERY well. Clean all of it top to bottom and underneath. So my shocks get hit by water spray and sometimes I even take a swipe at them with the brush. Road salt and grime doesn't sit on my shocks for months and months, eating away at them.
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Wow, very nice car, the JDMCRX's kit looks to be working great. How much actual lift did you get right now? What is the distance from the top of the rim to the fender? If we all measure like this we can compare suspension lift accurately, without bigger tires...
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My .02 cents this vehicle has macpherson struts there is alot of force applied to the strut. So little pieces of sand get in there and cut the seals up in the shock. I sent u 2 rancho strut boots they go ontop with the washer and the bottom zip ties on. I see alot of tracker guys here no dust boots and they screw there struts up they start leaking and other that have boots no probs. my .02 cents.
looks good.
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Wow, very nice car, the JDMCRX's kit looks to be working great. How much actual lift did you get right now? What is the distance from the top of the rim to the fender? If we all measure like this we can compare suspension lift accurately, without bigger tires...
Thanks, we're quite pleased with it.
You know, to be honest, I forgot to take any measurements before I put the lift on. However the difference is visually noticeable and the wife has now told me it's not getting any taller. She's too short (5'2")...you should see her trying to get into my Ranger or the Tracker... ;) ;D
The distance from the top of the front rims to the edge of the fender above them looks like just about 12".
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Wow, very nice car, the JDMCRX's kit looks to be working great. How much actual lift did you get right now? What is the distance from the top of the rim to the fender? If we all measure like this we can compare suspension lift accurately, without bigger tires...
Thanks, we're quite pleased with it.
You know, to be honest, I forgot to take any measurements before I put the lift on. However the difference is visually noticeable and the wife has now told me it's not getting any taller. She's too short (5'2")...you should see her trying to get into my Ranger or the Tracker... ;) ;D
The distance from the top of the front rims to the edge of the fender above them looks like just about 12".
my boondox lift is noticable too only I wish i had more lift now but my new tires will make it taller. aren't your front spacers like 1.75'' or something and the back 2 inch? mine are 2 inch at the tallest part and 1.5 at the lowest and I'm pretty sure they did more than 1.5 inches in the back.
I might get some shock boots for my struts cause they were so uber spendy and I will clean my shocks from now on
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I beleive JDMCRX makes them so they are 2" front and rear installed. With the lever affect of the front suspension 1.5" of spacer = 2" or so at the wheel. The rear just gains whatever height you wedge in there.
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I beleive JDMCRX makes them so they are 2" front and rear installed. With the lever affect of the front suspension 1.5" of spacer = 2" or so at the wheel. The rear just gains whatever height you wedge in there.
I just read that his 1.5 spacers lift the front 1.75 inches and the bck is a 2 inch lift but yours looks pretty level. I am pretty sure maple bar used his lift and his looks leaning forward a tadd.
I am kind of wishing I would have got the same spacers as you but oh well
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We may not agree on a few 4x4 things but I will say his spacers are good stuff. They fit very well and worked nicely. If I had to do it again I'd have gone another route but that's not JDMCRX or his product's fault. His service was good and the product is excellent.
My front coils aren't turned correctly. Meaning their lower ends aren't up against the stop for them that's cast into the lower control arm. I just couldn't turn them enough to get them in. That MIGHT have mine sitting a bit higher in the front...not sure. Not to worried about it anyways.
Off to go give the little beastie an oil change and tire rotation.
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Maroon Monsoon,
When are we going to see some pics of this rig of yours? I've been following this for 6 pages now lets see this bad boy!!!!! :)
I just finished my lift, 3" front and 3 1/4 " rear, the 3" body lift has been fabricated and I am just waiting for my extended brake lines to be fabbed by a local shop and I will slap it on ,bolt on my 32's and post some pics. :)
Lowrezolution
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Maroon Monsoon,
When are we going to see some pics of this rig of yours? I've been following this for 6 pages now lets see this bad boy!!!!! :)
I just finished my lift, 3" front and 3 1/4 " rear, the 3" body lift has been fabricated and I am just waiting for my extended brake lines to be fabbed by a local shop and I will slap it on ,bolt on my 32's and post some pics. :)
Lowrezolution
I had a post about it and put up a few pics. didn't want to interfere with ajm's post but here's a pic
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/719871
I'd like to see some pics of yours, sounds like it's pretty cool
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Well it's done. The camber isn't perfect but it's close. I'm not worried. Toe and caster are MUCH better than they were...which I bet was the factory "settings" after 44,000 miles.
Drives nice and rides nice.
Anybody who used a spacer lift notice theirs sits a little nose high or appears to? I'm kinda hoping the springs settle some more after sitting for a day and a half with almost no weight on them. Maybe it's just the way the body looks, dunno. ???
Sorry to re-hash old stuff... but yes after installing Josh's spacers... my front end seems to sit slightly higher
I also tried following Josh's instructions by slotting the top bolt on the strut... and I still can't get the camber right, I even slotted it 6mm towards the strut and it still sits rather "toe out"
crap
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Camber and Toe are two different things requiring different adjustments. What are you trying to correct?
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My wheels are like this: \ /
The alignment seems just fine, it tracks straight and doesn't pull at all
I already slotted the uppper strut bolt 6mm towards the strut and at first it looked fine, but now it's starting to stick out
I'm thinking either it's the strut bolt being loose, or .... something is messed up
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i just did the same lift (strut extenders instead of strut spacers) and i have positive camber as well \ /
i filed the top bolt hole on the bottom strut mount inward far enough that the knuckle could be pushed in so that it hit the strut.... ie if i filed the hole any bigger it wouldn't matter as the knuckle can't go any further in-ward at the top. I'm thinking I'll need to either grind a bit off the knucke where it hits the strut or file the bottom bolt holes outward (have to think about this, not sure if there are negative consequesnces of doing that).... or, someone will enlighten me as to what i've done differently than everyone else (sans r3cc0s).
otherwise, i'm pumped! looks cool. The BDS strut extenders were a royal pain in the arse until i re-read AJMBLAZERS cardomain profile and took notice of this statement: "I had to turn down the first step of the strut past the threads just a bit in order for the extender to slide over." Upon first glance I had no idea what he was talking about... but by now I've learned the hard way what he meant. I had to do the same thing to both my struts to get the extenders to thread on.
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Looking |removethispart|@ http://www.puresuzuki.com/vehicle_pics.htm
It appears even with the Calmini lift that the front wheel wells seems to have more space than the rear... looks alot like mine (I'll post pics soon)
I'm going to see how much I can adjust the strut to see if I can get a little bit less positive camber, but if grinding is required... Well, Neil come by Dan's place on Saturday morning as he said he'd help look into it again
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i just did the same lift (strut extenders instead of strut spacers) and i have positive camber as well \ /
i filed the top bolt hole on the bottom strut mount inward far enough that the knuckle could be pushed in so that it hit the strut.... ie if i filed the hole any bigger it wouldn't matter as the knuckle can't go any further in-ward at the top. I'm thinking I'll need to either grind a bit off the knucke where it hits the strut or file the bottom bolt holes outward (have to think about this, not sure if there are negative consequesnces of doing that).... or, someone will enlighten me as to what i've done differently than everyone else (sans r3cc0s).
otherwise, i'm pumped! looks cool. The BDS strut extenders were a royal pain in the arse until i re-read AJMBLAZERS cardomain profile and took notice of this statement: "I had to turn down the first step of the strut past the threads just a bit in order for the extender to slide over." Upon first glance I had no idea what he was talking about... but by now I've learned the hard way what he meant. I had to do the same thing to both my struts to get the extenders to thread on.
Dan had grinded the strut 6mm inwards on the upper top bolt, and like your problem, we can only push the knuckle so far...
I tried pushing it in as far as I could and tightened it w/ a breaker bar... to no luck
looks like we'll have to grind this weekend -> i'm heading out to Dan's in the morning and he has a small 4.5" angle grinder that should do the trick
Just wondering if anyone can suggest how much to "grind" off the knuckle?
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Hey man shot me a email to jpbauto|removethispart|@yahoo.ca
The front camber works. Im gonna look for some pics exactly what we did.
The 4cyl lift 2" in the front and the gv 1.75" due to the engine weights. the rear is the problem as im runnin a 2.5" spacer in the rear and its pulling the brake line. Im trying to get a shop to make me lines but its taking longer then i wanted.
Im gonna contact earls again and see what we can fab up. I did a 3" spacer for the rear and its sits nice but u can not drive it with the stock brake line and the pan hard bar is being pulled a bit.
Ill play with it this winter and so forth
If anyone has questions email me jpbauto|removethispart|@yahoo.ca or call me I will help.
josh
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here's pics of mine with the lower hole ovaled, front spacer is 1inch from JDMCRX. works great.ÂÂ
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Nice pics. The trick I saw is, once you are happy with the position, tack weld a washer to the strut to fix the new position. Should prevent slipping under impact load.
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Yeah that would work too :)