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: vitarasean on February 23, 2007, 01:01:19 PM
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Hello,
First post and need help ???. I installed the Calmini 2.5" lift and not very happy. Is it supposed to be that stiff? I can lift up and down on the front bumper ,without any spring flex, until the tires start bouncing off the ground. I was in a hurry to install the kit before a Death Valley trip and was not pleased at all with it. At the last minute a made spacers for the front and reinstalled the stock springs. It helped a little but the rear was still too stiff. I called Calmini back to ask advice and they went ont he defensive quick. The instructions are pretty straight forward so I don't believe the install went wrong and after putting 1200 miles on it nothing has broken. I used an online spring rate calculator to determine the rates of the stock and Calmini springs and not much difference. Looks like they added 100lbs to the stock rates. This weekend I plan to replace the front Calmini struts with stock, remove the rear shocks and flex it as much as possible. I plan to use this vehicle off-road most of the time exploring the desert a lot of 40-50 MPH dirt roads. The stutter bumps were bone jarring in DV. At one point the door panel rattled lose from the door. Should I scrap the kit and replace with Fox Air Socks or fab up some Coil-overs??? Does anyone offer a variable rate spring?
I don't have the Calmini spings in the front but my camber in front is awful looks like a bowed legged old cowboy. I had to do something for the trip. I'll try to post some pictures.
Thanks,
Sean
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Hey dude, I am sorry to hear you are starting the same battle with Calmini that I have been fighting for the last 6 months. I have not at all been happy with the Calmini product and gotten nothing but a run around. I too have had the jarring sensation. It will get better, trust me. It takes time...I have a 2000GV and the springs did sack in. The only thing left is the binding, malfunctioning struts I am left with. I am in the process of trying to get them warrantied. They are hooped. They told me to jump my GV to settle the springs so that's what I did. How is your camber angle right now? The Rocky Road OME kit would have been the way. Another zuki bro worked over by Calmini :( Hit me back if you need any more info.
Steve
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Durango65,
Thats funny you mentioned the struts, I've been trying to figure out whats up with them. When you really push down on the front end you can hear the struts compress, a little, they really sound like they are in a bind. You can hear it in the cab. When driving through parking lots people start looking. Did your springs ever break in enough to provide some droop?
I fell for the "this is a suspesion kit not a lift kit". Without any droop and all lift I'm not sure they got it right. I'm gonna experiment today and will let you know if it helps. I did a little searching for spring rates of other "suspension kits" for different vehicles. A Ford Ranger used a 600lb spring rate. Why would ours use a 750lb? Any idea what OME uses?
Thanks,
Sean
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Hey Sean, www.rocky-road.com had lots of info on the OME springs, shocks and struts. My struts actually hold the vehicle up or down depending on where it is binding in it's travel. I am new to 4x4ing but I have an extensive suspension background in Mountain Bike suspension and the principles are the same. Our whole unit is oversprung, offers little to no compression at either high or low speed. Any vibrations at highway speed through your steering wheel?
Durango65
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Ok guys , here goes :)
I have just fitted a Calmini GV 2.5" lift recently too ( fitted in December ). I am also running a Calmini 3" kit in my Kick / Vitara.
The problem - the springs lift the vehicles between 4-5" when you first fit the kits ( I have actually fitted about 8 or 9 kits at this stage - club rigs ). The result of this much lift is that the suspension does not have any down travel with the initial lift and this causes a bouncy , clunking noise up front ( even your stock struts will do this initially ). This is turn damages the strut internals from all the pounding and from there they just keep on groaning and clunking.
Once you have been off road ( quite a lot ) things will settle down and you will loose some lift ( the settling period ). From here on things come right with the kit.
We overcome all these problems by leaving the stock struts in place until the springs settle and then we swap in the Calmini struts. Basically your stock struts are stuffed at the end of it but they are included in the kit so it doesn't matter.
I am very happy with my kit and I think the spring rates are very good for severe off road use. The rear shocks have too much compression damping if you are running empty but are fine if you have a decent load on board. I am planning on installing Rancho RS9000 dampers out back for their adjustability and some long travel struts up front because I have tweaked just under 4" of lift out of the front end. The LT struts will handle the extra lift - I did this on my Kick / Vitara. There is a thread on this too - search for 2.0 V6 and check out the resulting threads, its in there somewhere.
NB: When your springs settle the toe setting changes - it goes toe out slightly. Keep an eye on it or you will chew out your tyres and the handling will feel a little weird until it is set right again ;)
Hope this helps.
ZeusZuki 8)
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ZeusZuki,
Yes, that does help and goes along with what I'm finding out. I'm not sure if my body can handle waiting for the front springs to settle. I experimented this weekend. Replaced the rear shocks with 1999 stock Jeep Cherokee front shocks. They had the same collapsed length but are 2" shorter then Calmini extended length. Much better valving for my taste. That really helped I don't plan on hauling any groceries just a$$. Next I replaced the front struts with stock and drove the back roads. I had the stock springs, stock struts with a 1.5" spacer. The front was awful but the rear was great. I replaced the front struts with the Calmini and tried again. It felt great over most terrain but low speed turning sharp, bumpy terrain, up a hill it felt like the front and rear were fighting. It would buck back and forth. I guess my next test will be to install the Calmini front springs and try again. Anybody sell Calmini springs previously broken in?
If you could post back on the 9000 results. I'm curious if the adjustablility will help.
Durango65,
I'll check out Rocky-Road. My struts have not gotten that bad yet, hope I miss out on that actually. No vibrations, but I bet it has to do with how ridged you described your frontend. I started with a 2" spacer and cut it down to 1.5" and reinstalled the Calmini struts and stock springs that helped the camber and the clunk noise went away. I wonder if you were to cut a little off the springs if that would prevent the strut from binding.
Thanks for all the input,
Sean
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Hey vitarasean, let me know when you go to DV again. I go out there occasionally too. Where do you live?
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vitarasean,
I will let you know how the Ranchos work out. I have fitted RS9000's in another Kick of mine and I found the adjustable dampening to be really usefull. They are a smooth running damper too >:D
Some people have absolutely no feel for suspension and do not benefit from quality shocks and this is a shame. Me, I have a motorcycle racing back ground and am fortunate to have a really sensitive bum LOL. Rancho RS9000's are worth their weight in gold as far as I am concerned ;D , as are any quality shocks.
Dampers can most definitely "make or break" a suspension kit IMO ;)
ZeusZuki 8)
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I'm near Auburn. First trip to DV. Beautiful place. Here are some photos a friend shot of the trip. http://tiocampo.smugmug.com/gallery/2504989
Not sure when I'll get back down there, But I'll post it if something comes up. I usually play farther North in Nevada around Fallon.
ZeusZuki, I'm no suspension expert but I've been around motorsports long enough to know when things are working and when there not. I've been driving the Vitara to work and it feels better. I noticed this morning the front is saging pretty low starting to look like a 70's hotrod. This weekend I will install the Calmini front springs and see how it goes. I will try your idea of running the stock struts.
Sean
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Don't get the wrong end of the stick here vitarasean - I was trying to get across the point that I can feel the the different settings and it does make a difference making the mod worth serious consideration - eg: worth spending your hard earned coin on ;) - no offense intended :-\
I am sure you have errr a sensitive bum too :o ??? - if you get what I mean LOL
Anyway to sum it up - good dampers are the key here I believe.
ZeusZuki 8)
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Great pics. I've been most of the places you had pics of. I only live a couple of hours away right now. I will be moving to Vegas soon so I still will only be a couple hours a way. Defiantly hit me up when you come down this way. Good luck with Calmini they are serious a$$holes.
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ZeusZuki, ;D Don't worry, I didn't take anything the wrong way hope that's mutual. English is kinda a second language to me, I was born and raised in the South (TN) ;D I often fubar my replies. But I make up for it with cold beer and stupid stories.
atc_gv, I cannot take any credit for the pictures. My camera is junk so I relied on friends to document the trip. And boy did they. They filled up 2-2GB memory sticks. Good luck with your move.
Sean
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ZeusZuki, Grin Don't worry, I didn't take anything the wrong way hope that's mutual. English is kinda a second language to me, I was born and raised in the South (TN) Grin I often fubar my replies. But I make up for it with cold beer and stupid stories.
We are sweet :) . Haven't been to the States myself but I sort of get the idea that the Southern folk are a little different than people up North - Zig seems to get a bit of a ribbing too. Whats the deal with this?
I would hate to see what you guys would do to a Kiwi fella :o LOL
ZeusZuki 8)
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i know some peapole use the Calmini kit and use OME springs & shocks +add spring spacers.
they say that the car rides better with that combo.
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ZeusZuki, All I can say is that if the South would have won things would be different.
beerman, I've never used any OME on any of my vehicles but have heard good things. Kinda makes lifting a Suzuki a complicated and expensive task.
I vote someone fab up an upper a-arm that will utilize a dual rate coil-over. I want something that will go fast off-road and be able to jump in the dunes.
Sean
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I too have the Calmini kit installed in a 2003 Chevy Tracker 2.0L. I agree with ZeusZuki's evaluation of the kit. I myself struggled with the kit and Calmini while installing it. What Calmini should tell people is that you HAVE too adjust for a serious camber issue (Camber bolts or grinding), you have too use spacers or a custom backspaced wheel. You will also have too buy a wheel alignment machine or develop a good relationship with your local alignment expert or you will shread your front tires. I have put 50,000 km's on this kit with about 10,000 serious offroad; it has finally settled in. The kit struts are finished now and I will probably replace with OME or something else (any suggestons appreciated). Calmini should also provide strut boots for the front struts with the kit.
All in all once you figure out how to dial the kit in, it is pretty good. I think the reason Calmini designed the front soo stiff is to allow someone to install a real engine like a Chevy V6 or V8 and also add a heavy duty bumper and winch.
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...as if they actually sold said named bumper that they have so proudly advertised for years and display on their project vehicles.