ZUKIWORLD Online | Suzuki 4x4 Editorial and Forum
ZUKIWORLD Discussion Forum => Suzuki 4x4 Forum => Topic started by: olija on October 29, 2006, 01:32:35 PM
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I want to put some 30" tires on my 97 4 door Sidekick but the only lifts I can find are the expensive/comprehensive Calmini one and the cheap but small Rocky Road 1 1/8 coil spring spacers. I'm looking for around 2-2.5" of lift. Recommend me some please.
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Id say 1.5" coil spacers front, 2" or 2.5" coil spacer rear...
Should fit 30's just fine.
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I always thought an easy lift would be coilover springs sold at summit. they are fairly inexpensive, but the spring mounts would have to be reworked....
Easiest lift is a spacer lift. I think Digger still sells the spacers.
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body lifts are cheap, too.
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I don't want a body lift.
Who's "Digger" and how can I contact him?
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look at this thread http://www.zukiworld.com/forum/index.php?topic=12283.0
then you will find "Digger"
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So with Digger's lift I can run 30" tires? I don't want to hack up the fenders much if at all.
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Yes, with my bigger spacers(the 1-1/2" height ones) 30's should be no problem at all with the right rims...
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body lifts are cheap, too.
Yeah, a 2" or 3" body lift and call it done for 30's. I ran a 30 on 15x7 with only 1.25" lift for a while. I also have friends running a 30 on stock 5.5" rims with no lift, and a little trimming inside the fender, but I find these rigs have low floors, so it's nice to have something to get it off the ground a little.
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Yes, with my bigger spacers(the 1-1/2" height ones) 30's should be no problem at all with the right rims...
I got the stock 15" steelies. Are they "the right rims"?
Here's a pic:
(http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/8/web/2492000-2492999/2492932_2_full.jpg)
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Either those rims would work or even a 15x7" rim with no less than 3.5" of backspacing(3.75" of backspacing works really well). Less backspacing sticks the tread further out from the fenders and they rub more.
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less backspacing leads to rubbing on the fenders, but with stock wheels you're going to find frame rubbage on larger tires. I don't know what size you intend to run, but my 31x9.50's rubbed on the frame on stock wheels. Then you're looking at spacers, and for almost the same price you could be buying some 15x7's
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A stock Samurai wheel is a nice choise for a 235-75 or a 30-9.5; they're still 5.5" wide, but the have 3.75" backspacing, .5" less than the tracker's 4.25" bs. It's only a half inch, but it does help.
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I got a 95 4 door with 30s on 3.5" backspace alloys with 1.5" coil spacers and 2" body. no rubbing. I think that I would rub with just the spacer lift at the top of the finder on the rear tire. I ran just the body lift for about 6 months with no rubbing. I added the 2 " extensions for the shifters and had no issues.
Hope that helps
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Hmm. Not sure if I want to switch the rims...trying to keep this budget after all. What's the biggest tire I could fit with Digger's 1.5" spacers? I was counting on 30" tires but it doesn't sound like it.
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Every tire manufacturer's sizes are different than every other tire manufacturer. What one company calls a 30" tire might only measure 29" actual diameter. I can tell you that with 1.5" spacers in the coils, some but maybe not all 30" tires should fit. If you try to use stock rims, you will have to adjust the steering stops to avoid rubbing on the frame at full lock. 235's would be a better fit on the stock rims with no trimming. Not even a full lift kit would give you frame clearance using taller tires on the stock rims.
Also keep in mind that you can't just slap 1.5" spacers in your coils and expect it to be finished. Spacers that thick will provide over 2-1/4" of front lift and will require either strut extensions or a upper strut mount flip just to keep the struts from topping out hard. To get the most out of the rear spacers, you would probably want new rear shocks as well. Decent ones can be had for around $15 each and a strut mount flip costs you under $5 for bolts and your own labor. Not a lot of extra cost, but you need to be aware of it before you start.
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Here you can see my budget lift: http://www.zukiworld.com/forum/index.php?topic=14485.15
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you can fit 235/75r15's with no lift (at least on a 2 door)
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I think I will just run 235/75R15 tires with the 1.5" lift when I get it. 30" tires sound like they might be a bit too big and I don't want to hack the fenders up. It's only a 1" difference anyway which means only a half-inch of clearance difference.
Anybody got pics of this setup?
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I think I will just run 235/75R15 tires with the 1.5" lift when I get it. 30" tires sound like they might be a bit too big
235/75s may well be 30", especially on a stock rim. One tyre company over here dual marks their 235/75s as 30". BFG list there 235/75 as 29.1" on a 6.5" rim, a 5.5" rim will make it a little taller.
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Does anyone know how wide my rims are? I checked my owner's manual and my Haynes manual but neither of them say.
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If you have stock rims, they are 5.5" wide
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Would 235's even fit on these rims then? My dad says they won't but my brother says they will and he's a mechanic and has alot more 4x4 experience.
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Would 235's even fit on these rims then? My dad says they won't but my brother says they will and he's a mechanic and has alot more 4x4 experience.
They fit but its not a combination that the manufacturers recommend.
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I've been following this thread, as well as researching on the Web about lifting my Sidekick. I just bought a '97 4dr "Sport" model, and it seems that this model is a little different than the regular 4dr. I am planning to run Diggers 1" spacers in front, 1.5" spacers in the rear, and 225/75/16 Kumho mud tires underneath. Now, I have heard of flipping the front strut mount so the struts won't top out, but somewhere I read that since the "Sport" model has a strut tower brace I can't do this? Would I be better off buying BDS's strut extensions? Will I need adjustable camber bolts for the front struts? Also, I think that I need longer shocks in the rear, off of a Ford Crown Vic? I don't want to do a body lift, just wondering if anyone has lifted the "Sport" model, and how much difference it is? Thanks!
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Would 235's even fit on these rims then? My dad says they won't but my brother says they will and he's a mechanic and has alot more 4x4 experience.
Lots of people run a 235/75 on stock rims, and have no problems, some have frame rubbing, but that's easily fixable with an adjustment. Tire manufacturers will recommend no less than a 6" wide rim, but that's only .5" difference, hardly noticable.
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I'm not sure if I should get the 1" front/1.5" rear or 1.5" front and rear. I don't want it to look like the rear end is sagging. I figured if I got the 1.5" front and rear I would have the most possible lift and since the rear sits a bit higher than the front from the factory it wouldn't matter if the front lift is a little higher than 1.5" because I read that it actually gives you something like 2".
Help me out here, I'm almost ready to stop asking noob questions! ;D
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Measure your rocker panel right in front of your rear tire and right behind your front tire. If your front end is a 1/2" lower then the rear, go with the 1.5 on both sides. If they are even, then go with the 1.5" in the rear and the 1" in front. That way you get a nice and even lift to your vehicle. :)
On a side note, Digger's instructions are pretty solid. ;D
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I ordered the 1" front and 1.5" rear spacers. Thanks for all the help.
I notice that some of you run Crown Victoria rear shocks. Any particular reason for this or is it just cheap and easy to find?
Any other recommendations for rear shocks?
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The Crown Vic shocks are approximately 1-1/2" longer than stock, mount the same way as stock, ride nicely, have slightly narrower bodies than stock so they help the shocks clear the axle housing on articulation better and they are only around $15 each brand new for Monroe Gasmatics from Advance Auto Parts. Unless you are pounding on your truck really hard, these work great and are cheap and easy to put on... 8)
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not sure if the crow-vics are a little soft on your generation tracker but they are on a Grand-Vitara.. I used toyota 4-runner shocks that feel exactly like stock and provide more extension than the crown-vic shocks. They cost the same as the crown-vics (cheap)
Monroe part number #32248 (1990-1995 Toyota 4-Runner)
ends: S4/L3
compressed length: 12.875
extended length: 20.875
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So with my 1.5" lift, I need a 1.5" longer shock right? Sounds like the CrownVic shocks are about perfect...or am I missing something?
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well, you could put on a shock that is 3" or 4" longer to get more downtravel
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Wouldn't you need longer brake lines and axle linkage then?
Also, I noticed Calmini sells an idler arm brace. Do I need one of them for 235/75 tires or is it more for the bigger 31" and 32" tires?