ZUKIWORLD Online | Suzuki 4x4 Editorial and Forum
ZUKIWORLD Discussion Forum => Suzuki 4x4 Forum => Topic started by: 96Kicker on April 13, 2007, 07:39:42 PM
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While I was in moab for Zukefari I took a day off of wheelin and spent it at the offroad expo show at the arena. I talked to David at the calmini booth and he told me they are getting the 5:83.1 ring and pinion gear sets back. Probably be around june or july this year.I cant remamber the manufacture but he said they are being made in the U.S. Either superior or yukon. If he is telling the TRUTH this is real exciting for the track/kick crowd including myself.
They are also coming out with a new long travel front strut that is soposed to provide 4 more inches of droop on the 3 inch kits, but you will be able to but these seperately he told me.
Thought I would pass this info along to everyone.
TJ
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I'd like to see the transcript of that conversation. I totally believe the "June or July" part, but that "this year" bit? ...
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i would be interested in the struts
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Ya I know hard to believe but thats what he told me.
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we can only hope.... (hopehopehopehopehope)
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Yeah, i saw the new struts there too. Supposed to be about 2" longer than the OME's.
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They are also coming out with a new long travel front strut that is soposed to provide 4 more inches of droop on the 3 inch kits, but you will be able to but these seperately he told me.
yes please ;D
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I will believe it when I see it. But in the mean time I will keep praying for some 5:83 gears.
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That's great news if it's true. I'll be buying.
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June -JUly is just around the corner,hlets hope for the good. :)
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Hi TJ...My first day in Moab, I ran into Steve at the store and he said that he had a set of 5:83 r/p for me. I had been after him for a year to find me a set for the White Vit. I told him I had already put a Ford 9, 5:83.1 in the rear due to the long wait but thanks for remembering.
Steve has never given me any reason to disbelieve what he says.
I certainly understand impatience and doubt but Steve has never given me any reason to disbelieve what he says. When the long awaited r/p sets are available I will buy some.
There was a time when we all enjoyed Calmini sponsored " Appreciation" runs with free hotdogs and burgers....
I guess he got tired of having his fingers bit...can't blame him for that...
just my 2cents worth...Gary
C
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steve's always been good to me. if I was him I would have said piss-off along time ago
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Good news Gary, you lucky dog,since you live so close and all.Ive never had any problems with calmini and cant wait for these to get in stock.
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This is high humor!
Here's an e-mail I got from Calmini on 5/18/2005 - yes, that's right, almost 2 years ago!
Bob-
We had problems with our supplier on the gearsets and will be making them ourselves on the next run. They will likely be available again near the end of Summer.
Best Regards
David Kampa
Sales Department
CALMINI Products Mfg.
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Faith is just that...belief in miracles... I prefer to beileve
It is really just a business mater. If there is enough need...someone will fill it ...for a price
Being a doubter takes too much energy... ;)
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This is high humor!
Here's an e-mail I got from Calmini on 5/18/2005 - yes, that's right, almost 2 years ago!
Bob-
We had problems with our supplier on the gearsets and will be making them ourselves on the next run. They will likely be available again near the end of Summer.
Best Regards
David Kampa
Sales Department
CALMINI Products Mfg.
Nice.
~Yours Truly,
One stupid, phony, three dollar bill.
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5.8 r&p's would be great >:D
I am already running the original proto type 205mm travel struts and all I can say is "YEE HA" , they are absolutely awesome. You would not believe how good these babies are ;D
ZeusZuki 8)
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5.8 r&p's would be great >:D
I am already running the original proto type 205mm travel struts and all I can say is "YEE HA" , they are absolutely awesome. You would not believe how good these babies are ;D
ZeusZuki 8)
Are you running them with the strut spacers or without? I would imagine not.
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I'm amazed that calmini is actually doing something different in their suzuki lineup, considering the change in popularity of the trackers/sidekicks over the past 2-3 years.
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Rhino - Strut spacers no longer required ;)
Calmini seem to be doing a bit of R&D with the Zuk line as of late - mainly the Kick / Vitara etc etc stuff though. It is all good news for us ;D . I believe the cheap price of Kicks has made them a very attractive option generally, this certainly is the case here in NZ.
ZeusZuki 8)
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What's the open and closed lengths?
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Rhino - Strut spacers no longer required ;)
I wondering just how much advantage you would really get from an extra 4" travel. With the OME struts I have had to reduce the thickness of my strut spacers to prevent the CVs from being damaged. Without spacers 2" of travel is lost straight away because the stuts hit the bump stops before they are fully compressed. Cost will be the big issue, OME struts + strut spacers (if you have to buy them) add up to a lot of money. If Calmini can sell the struts at a fair price then they will be onto a winner.
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not trying to hijack the thread or steel the thunder but steve at Boondox has a contact for 5.83 R&P gears and has a sign up sheet to buy them. I think he said the minimum buy was 20 sets, but don't quote me.Get 20 people call boondox and you have your R&P.. I actually thought about fronting the cash myself to get them.. But I decided I'm not in that business. Good luck..
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Rhino - extra 40mm travel ( aprox 60mm at wheel ). The struts work well, the cv's drop as much as the stock kit and do not bind but you gain more compression. The cv's and axles end up pointing up when fully compressed and I have not yet hit the bump stops.
cj - closed and open lengths, didn't measure but the stroke is 205mm ( that bit I measured ).
Mike Hagen had a set for a while too.
ZeusZuki 8)
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cj - closed and open lengths, didn't measure but the stroke is 205mm ( that bit I measured ).
So 14mm more travel than the Old Man Emu but it is the open and closed lengths that determine where that travel is and whether they have any more usable travel. Also be interested to know what the valving is like. I do think it is great that Calmini is finally offering a decent length strut instead of a stock length plus spacer. There is a another company here in OZ that supplies a strut that is supposed to offer more travel than the Old Man Emu but so far I can't get any figures for it. >:(
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OK I think I have this now
205mm = 8" of travel. Thats about 2" more than a stock strut and 1/2" more than an OME.
'4" more travel' assumes that the strut spacers are used as well. the stock strut doesn't use 2" of travel so thats that 2" plus the 2" longer stroke, sounds like a recipe for bust CVs.
Using the strut without a spacer gives no advantage over just using a spacer (maybe better damping), extra travel is still 2".
I would think that to get the best out of it will still require a spacer the height of which will need to be chosen to give maximum travel without compromising CVs, something like 1" maybe (with the diff drop brackets).
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Ok - try this then.
Stock struts - 165mm total stroke.
Old Man Emu - 185mm total stroke.
Calmini LT stuts - 205mm total stroke.
NB: This is rod stroke and equates to more travel at the wheel. You can not run spacers on top of the struts or your cv's will bind and break. You gain very similar drop away to the set up with the Calmini strut spacers installed but gain more up travel with the LT struts. The extra travel makes a huge difference and the damping feels very good ( no more stiff feeling ).
I have been running them for about 9 - 10 months now and can't wait for a set for my GV.
Hope this helps. I have some pic's that I will post soon showing the cv / half shaft angles at full drop away and full stuff.
ZeusZuki 8)
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Sounds good.
How do they run?
I Know that the OME is soft and comfie with out spacers.
that is what I run on my 95 Kick with the Calmini 3"inch lift.
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Hi Hotrod,
They run veeeeeeery smooth. The damping is soft ( read well suited to the weight of the rig ).
When I first fitted them I went for a drive down the road and my rig went from roller skate to caddilac. Since then I have wheeled heaps and am still getting used to them - picture this: you are flying down the trail and all of a sudden you come up unexpectedly on a large rut, your first reaction is a puckering of the old butt hole and then you brace yourself for the inevitable bouncing off of the roof, but it never comes ??? , the front end just soaks it all up and before you know it you are through ;D - they really are that good. And after all this time they are still runing as smooth as the day I fitted them ;) .
ZeusZuki 8)
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I called calmini about the the strut and they don't have a relise date as of yet. Not sure who i spoke to but he said when they are made available to the public they will post them on their wedsite.
Pierre
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Just a bit further info on the other struts available in OZ. They have an Open length of 501mm and a closed length of 304mm & Travel is 197mm. The price is a lot cheaper than Old Man Emu here too. AUD$220 per pair (plus 10% GST for Australian purchasers).They are from Dobinsons Springs http://www.dobinsonsprings.com/catalogues/Suzuki.pdf
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I talked to David at the calmini booth and he told me they are getting the 5:83.1 ring and pinion gear sets back. Probably be around june or july this year.I
Still waiting ::)
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I'm still waiting for the front winch bumper for the GV. ::)