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: fordy1 on September 15, 2006, 06:17:56 AM
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Do u.s. gvs come with traction control??
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I think the new '06+ models have some sort of electric doodad but the previous gens have nothing. Suzuki never even sold us a limited slip...for anything... :(
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my zuk is a gv 04 2.5 v6 that comes standerd with LSD in the rear, but i am still would like more traction.
a small company over here has just sold its seconed traction control kit for a gv and im
waiting for some feed back on the result on this unit.
alot cheeper than fitting diff locks front and back plus less strain on drive line.
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I didn't think any GV's got a LSD in OZ. Is it a QLD thing?
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I saw that traction control thing you were talking about. I've seen similar principled systems in action. They won't replace a well built rig with lockers and low gearing but they will get less capable rigs a long ways further than most would expect.
It's interesting to me but seeing as how we're half a world away, it isn't cheap, and I have a warranty for another 55,000 miles or 4.5 years I think I'll leave it alone. :P
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I didn't think any GV's got a LSD in OZ. Is it a QLD thing?
Haha, yeah whats the deal?
Late model GV's without ABS and now LSD's :-\
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my gv is a daily driver that does not get offroad to much, so the traction control unit would
be perfect and im only 45minutes from them.
the 03 update with the new dash came standered with LSD but i dont know if its just a QLD thing, suzuki does not bring suzukis in qld another company still has the import rights, thats y parts are hard to get and y people were stunned to see a roof rack on my softtop when nsw had many of these!
AJMBLAZER if you still have 4.5 years on your 03 warrenty!!!  how long is it?
suzuki still only had 3year 60,000 warranty when i got mine.
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In '03 Suzuki America made their warranty a fully transferable 7 year 100,000 mile limited warranty. When we bought ours in the beginning of '03 we were offered the option of upgrading to a 7 year 100,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty. It wasn't too much so we went for it.
Then a year later the Suzuki dealership closed and now the nearest one is 3 hours away but...
I'd have loved to have an LSD option...or anything...electric lockers, traction assist, traction control, you name it?
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I know ARB lockers are cheaper in the US, but for me getting the traction control kit and paying
more for GV brackets was still far cheaper than ONE locker installed by ARB here in Oz.
It should be up and running tomorrow (monday for thoses lagging behind ;D)
It has been a lot of work putting it in but has been a rewarding experience for me to try
with only limitied mechanical experience. Once I've set it up properly and give it a good test
i'll report back with an opinion and maybe a vid or two.
I asked Charles from Haultech if he would send a kit to the US and he said he probably would.
All up it only weighs 20kg so postage shouldn't be a huge issue.
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Keep us posted. ;D
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Well I don't believe it, its all gone to sh*t temporarily.
The brake place that was going to do my lines today decided
to pull out at the last minute. He got scared for some reason,
I think someone had a whisper in his ear about uncertified mods
and liability.
I am so angry, he could have said this a week ago when I showed him
exactly what to do and booked it in. Now I will have to get it approved
first or find another shop that does good work and wait to get in.
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Sorry about the delay, but I'm sure the results will be worth the wait. I'm waiting for results too! ;D ARBs are also expensive here (in the 1000€ range each, plus compressor, plus installation, so you're looking at around 2500€, and you need some thirds too), so this is very interesting! ;D
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So, where does this stand now? Any luck finding an installer??
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Okay I decided to proceed with the legitimate approach, submitting an application to the transport department so I could have the mods registered and satisfy the brake shops need to have it all above board.
I couldn't get any documentation from the supplier (things like the cylinder pressure test reports etc) so I submitted the application myself trying to sound as much like an engineer as I could. I contacted the authorities a few weeks ago to see why I hadn't heard back from them after six weeks (applications take 1-2 weeks) and surprise surprise they had contacted Haultech and were waiting on them to respond to their request for some additional info. ::)
I must say I'm impressed they didn't just flat-out reject my application based on insufficient documentation, but went to the bother of phoning the contacts I listed for the supplier and installer to try to get the thing approved.
It's a shame that the company that sold me the kit can't be bothered to provide a few bits of info so I can actually use the product I paid for nearly 4 months ago. I know that the Traction Control Kit is not their bread and butter but rather more of a hobby project that was supposed to take off one day, but at this rate I don't think it ever will if they are not prepared to support it properly and therefore I'm not going to recommend it to anyone either.
If I had the chance right now I would definately take my money back, but I think at this stage i'll just have to wait to see how it plays out. If I do get it up and running I will still be left a little sour from the experience and next year my main 4wding location will become permanently inaccessible so I won't have much use for it either. This was to be my treat for selling my GTR (2 years of mod hell finally over), I should have learned my lesson. ;)
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One other thing, one of the 4 solenoids on the main control unit had a leak so I sent it back to be fixed or replaced - that was 8 weeks ago...
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Have you been in touch with them over this to see what they are or aren't doing to help you and can you update your post on Outerlimits as I think others should know where you are at. Hope it all gets sorted soon as the product certainly has potential and you shouldn't be left high and dry.
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Yes I was calling every week or so up until the time I put my application in. At that stage I was told they were busy dealing with the air-con side of the business so I left it with him saying 'please don't forget about me, its starting to drag out too much now'.
As for OLs, I wasn't prepared to say anything there just yet as I thought that Haultech was involved somehow with ownership of the site and I didn't want to make things worse for myself just yet. Maybe thats what is needed but knowing my luck I would get pissed off and say something just as it all came good, and burning bridges when they are the only source of parts and knowledge isn't a wise move. :)
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I understand. Maybe it's time to give them a follow up call to see where things are at. Problem is for you that as it gets closer to Xmas most businesses get pretty busy with everybody wanting their stuff done before the holidays and you may not be a priority. Hope it gets sorted soon.
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One other thing, one of the 4 solenoids on the main control unit had a leak so I sent it back to be fixed or replaced - that was 8 weeks ago...
Time for your monthly check-up. How's it going? It's, like, the sweet part of summer down there right now, isn't it? Any progress?
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It is summer in OZ, however in Melbourne is has only just got back to feeling like it again. It has been so cold that we had an open fire going on Christmas day with snow in the not too distant hill's, I think it was the coldest Christmas on record! But we certainly can't complain, we are in a major drought and have some of the worst bushfires the state has ever seen.
Anyway that is enough of a rant about the crazy weather, any news for us?
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Sweet part of summer? Its too friggen hot! ;D
OK, so far I'm no closer to getting anything installed but I've finally decided to try and stir them into action and it looks like something will be happening soon. It might be just a case of getting a refund or maybe it will finally get done. I'll have to wait until monday now to find out where they want to go with it. I believe they might have another unit for me, but its the bureaucratic stuff that remains to be seen.
As for anyone here who was interested for themselves, basically I would say forget it.
If they ever get around to selling and supporting it properly I'll let you know but don't hold your breath.
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Sweet part of summer? Its too friggen hot! ;D
We're up to a balmy -6C today. The beer in my garage froze a couple days ago. I haven't been able to wash the salt of the truck for weeks, let alone get any work done on it.
As for anyone here who was interested for themselves, basically I would say forget it.
That's a bummer. I work for a company that engineers/manufactures automotive wheel balancers and aligners. I might have to head to the other end of the building and run this scheme by a couple of EE/ME types and see what they think, component- and programming-wise.
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Wow, I've never experienced minus any degrees. It was over 40c for three day last weekend though. At least the beaches are nice.
This pic was taken in winter :
(http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n75/GT35R/4WD.jpg)
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Wow, I've never experienced minus any degrees. It was over 40c for three day last weekend though. At least the beaches are nice.
I have no idea how to respond to that.
Is that a bullmastiff?
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I have no idea how to respond to that.
...how about we hate you... >:(
...in a jealous of your nice climate sort of way... ;)
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Yep, hes a bullmastiff. And he hates jumping in the back of the GV, can be embarrasing helping him get in.
(http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n75/GT35R/Alkimos-1.jpg)
Don't forget there's skiing and all the other wonderful things you can do in colder climates (can't think of any just yet) :D
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Don't forget there's skiing and all the other wonderful things you can do in colder climates (can't think of any just yet) :D
1. Maybe not burning yourself getting into your car
2. Avoiding being slow roasted once you make it inside
3. Avoiding nasty water restrictions coz we've been in a drought for 7 years or something (Southern part of Aust. anyway, the there has been flooding up north recently!!)
Then again I just took a trip down the great ocean road and got rain every day!
None of which really applies to traction control but we are just talking about the weather ;)
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Heck with the traction control, that seems to be a dead issue at the moment. Mods can split this out if easily enough.
I'm a smooth-coat border collie guy myself (Australian lineage, actually, and my whole reason for having the Tracker...I should post some pics of her setup in the back....water...food....tether....it's her mobile doghouse, she spends more time there than at home), but one of my best buddies has a champion bullmastiff. Dead ringer for yours, but he's up from his trim 135 to about 140 at this point. Helluva dog.
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I like the way border collies herd things, ducks, kids, anything. Its hilarious.
And they probably don't sh*t the size of rhinos which would be nice.
My boy came from the offspring of US and UK champions. The breeder wanted us to show him but I'm not into that whole scene, its a little freaky to me.
As for T/C, the software is the hardest thing to engineer. The guys would have spent countless hours on design and testing. I think it would be useful just to at least have some manual control over the brakes to get out of a tight spot. Just yesterday I got stuck with the wheels crossed up in the sand and the chassis wasn't even touching anything.
I had previously wanted just to get some kind of twin handbrake made up, because of the rear drum brakes the handbrake is strong and the two cables enter the cabin before they link behind the lever. If you could pull the cables seperately at least you would have some kind of rear 'locker' to avoid the situation I was in yesterday. If I had the fabrication skills and equipment I would have tried that as a cheap 'n easy option.
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I like the way border collies herd things, ducks, kids, anything. Its hilarious.
And they probably don't sh*t the size of rhinos which would be nice.
She does like things to be in their place, which she considers her job to determine. No actual herding training with mine, but she does do Flyball occasionally, which in some respects is even weirder than showing..
Oh, and she sh*ts on command. Coolest and most convenient pet trick EVER. No waiting around in the cold or rain. Vet wanted a sample last week when she was in for shots. "No problem, Doc. Be right back."
(http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t31/poky-dot/Dash/Dash.jpg)
I had previously wanted just to get some kind of twin handbrake made up, because of the rear drum brakes the handbrake is strong and the two cables enter the cabin before they link behind the lever. If you could pull the cables seperately at least you would have some kind of rear 'locker' to avoid the situation I was in yesterday. If I had the fabrication skills and equipment I would have tried that as a cheap 'n easy option.
I'm doing that very thing. Kept the console (which is right here beside me as I type, waiting to have a 2nd slot cut into it) and brake lever from the XL-7. As soon as I get a weekend over 40 degrees or so, it gets done.
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Thats a great action shot. 8)
I have no idea whats shes doing though.
So I'm not the only one who's had the dual handbrake idea, hey. It will be interesting to see how that works out for you. Some shots of how you attach the two mechanisms would be nice. Are you going to have them both with the ratchet function?
I finally managed to contact my beloved T/C supplier today.
After apologising for forgetting about me they promised to get onto it straight away. I should have the computer sent to me soon and he is chasing up the paperwork side of things aswell.
Who knows, it might all come together finally. It could take a month or two to get done by the time I get the brake lines altered and everything inspected ( I 'fessed up to larger tyres and lift on my application which require their own testing by the licensing dept ::)).
I'll keep you guys posted.
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..........
Just an update on my traction control saga,
I've had the computer returned to me in good working order some time ago and its
now in the car with everything else ready to go except that the brake lines are
still not plumbed in.
Its pretty sad seeing the shiny new bits that now have some surface rust on them
and its still never been used. I literally got off the phone 5mins ago to the supplier to see what was happening with the engineers documents that I need so badly and..
that guy is in the US for business purposes and has been for a while. They are waiting for him to return so they can get the papers off him and send them to my licensing dept.
So, more waiting for me it seems. Man I'm a patient guy.
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That sucks man. This happens everywhere though. People with more ideas and skill than business sense or honesty.