ZUKIWORLD Online | Suzuki 4x4 Editorial and Forum
ZUKIWORLD Discussion Forum => Suzuki 4x4 Forum => Topic started by: Drone637 on January 18, 2007, 04:07:41 PM
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A combination of things have happened to my vehicle recently. Toyo AT tires, 1" spacer in the rear, and Ford rear shocks.
Sadly, I'm not sure if it's a combination of items or just one causing most of the problems, but the Tracker is no longer near as stable on the highway as it used to be. Especially in the grooved pavement of Seattle Freeways. It just feels like I have a lot more body roll, combined with better grip from my tires.
Should I go with stiffer stocks in the rear, or spring for the Calmini Sway Bar kit? I have seen a few people mention it when searching the forum, but nobody has really posted on it other then for an Izuzu.
http://www.puresuzuki.com/sway_bars1.htm
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Stiffer shocks will firm it up. Do you still have the stock sway bar on?
I'm in seattle too.
OME is the best up here though for the crappy roads.
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if its wandering all over get an alignment. something is wack. stiffer shocks help but also make the ride kinda harsh
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A combination of things have happened to my vehicle recently. Toyo AT tires, 1" spacer in the rear, and Ford rear shocks.
Sadly, I'm not sure if it's a combination of items or just one causing most of the problems, but the Tracker is no longer near as stable on the highway as it used to be. Especially in the grooved pavement of Seattle Freeways. It just feels like I have a lot more body roll, combined with better grip from my tires.
Should I go with stiffer stocks in the rear, or spring for the Calmini Sway Bar kit? I have seen a few people mention it when searching the forum, but nobody has really posted on it other then for an Izuzu.
[url]http://www.puresuzuki.com/sway_bars1.htm[/url]
i had the Calmini sway bars on my old 98 tracker. they were a huge improvement over stock. keep in mind there is no stock REAR sway bar. i also had Koni rear sport shocks, and H&R lowering springs. with those 3 mods and some 10" wide rims it handled like a sports car, without the hp. maybe saying it handled like a gocart is a better description :D there was no body roll.
i would recommend buying the sway bars.
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I understood the sway bar kit was really intended for lowered vehicles. You say you have a 1" spacer in the rear, do you have any spacers in the front? Raising the rear without raising the front will could the steering geometry. Are the Ford shocks well matched to the springs, if they are under/over damped that could cause stability problems. The other most likely problem is tyre pressures, you may need to experiment a little to find the ideal pressure.
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I have the vehicle leveled out, I think I am about 1/8" of an inch shorter in the front then in the rear. 1" wheel spacers, other then that I'm stock.
Dropped: Yea, I noticed the lack of a rear sway bar. I figured putting something back there might help. :P If it wasn't for the fact that I like taking my vehicle upwards, it might be fun to build it like your old one. My last couple convertibles were a blast because of the go-kart feel. :D
Chet: I am going to go in and look at it, but it doesn't wander so much as really want to cut when changing lanes at high speed. It might be that the front end is out of alignment or the tie rod ends are getting sloppy, and the problem was magnified by the new tires.
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If you are going with a tougher anti-roll bar, remember the XL-7 is much stouter than the L4 Tracker/Vit's. A V6 GV's might be, too, but I've never checked. Direct swap in (99 and up, anyway). A wrecking yard might be worth a visit, $-wise, versus Calmini.
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I understood the sway bar kit was really intended for lowered vehicles. You say you have a 1" spacer in the rear, do you have any spacers in the front? Raising the rear without raising the front will could the steering geometry. Are the Ford shocks well matched to the springs, if they are under/over damped that could cause stability problems. The other most likely problem is tyre pressures, you may need to experiment a little to find the ideal pressure.
when i purchased them from Calmini they said they are intended for lifted trackers since they are a off road performance company,but they help for lowered trackers as well
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...coughshamelessplugcough...
I have two GV/XL7 swaybars sitting in my garage. PM me if interested.
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Will the XL7 sway bars bolt right up to the Tracker? What does it take to put them on, since the tracker does not have stock rear sway bars?
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Since they mount similarily I'd bet they bolt right up.
Fronts only, even the GV and XL7 have no rear bars from the factory. Frankly the front bars are hardly necessary. The body lean is minor around curves and the ride gets better without them on.
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Since they mount similarly I'd bet they bolt right up.
Fronts only, even the GV and XL7 have no rear bars from the factory. Frankly the front bars are hardly necessary. The body lean is minor around curves and the ride gets better without them on.
Yep, fronts only, and they'll swap right in to track/vits. 98 and older track/kicks, no.
I do MUCH prefer the on-road handling with the sway bar installed. It still handles better than a jeep even without it, though.
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Has anyone compared how they mount on the older rigs? I know you can adjust the frame mounts on the bar so that wouldn't be an issue, just the ends and where they mount.
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Has anyone built a rear sway bar for the Trackers? I know someone was looking at building a Rally Tracker a while back.
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Has anyone built a rear sway bar for the Trackers? I know someone was looking at building a Rally Tracker a while back.
I've got a rear sway bar on my Sidekick. Works good, last a long time... :) I used off-the-shelf components from a circle track supply company. Speedway Engineering...
Good Luck, Eric
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Great, now I'm looking at aftermarket kits... way to open up a whole new door Eric. ;D
Do you happen to remember which kit you bought? Looking around on Summit Racing Competition Engineering has a universal 42" wide kit that might work well.