ZUKIWORLD Online | Suzuki 4x4 Editorial and Forum

ZUKIWORLD Discussion Forum => Suzuki 4x4 Forum => Topic started by: brace on June 27, 2007, 04:53:19 AM

Title: It's lifted, now it's squirelly
Post by: brace on June 27, 2007, 04:53:19 AM
I finally got my 31's, 1.5" spacers, rancho shocks, and strut spacers installed; now I almost lose control and get really squirrelly when I am in a right turning curve.  It feels like that I might roll over.   Keep mind my vehicle is right hand drive.  Could it be my alignment is that bad or camber is really bad.  I didn't get an alignment yet.  Any help would be greatly appreciate. 
Title: Re: It's lifted, now it's squirelly
Post by: Uncivilized on June 27, 2007, 07:32:20 AM
Fix your camber, and get an alignment, to save your tires too ;)
Title: Re: It's lifted, now it's squirelly
Post by: BigRedZuki on June 27, 2007, 09:47:18 AM
Did you take the sway bar off?
Title: Re: It's lifted, now it's squirelly
Post by: Drone637 on June 27, 2007, 11:50:14 AM
Camber and a rear sway bar will help that rear end tuck right in.  :)
Title: Re: It's lifted, now it's squirelly
Post by: Rhinoman on June 27, 2007, 12:35:41 PM
Have you got any downward wheel travel on the front end?
Title: Re: It's lifted, now it's squirelly
Post by: brace on June 27, 2007, 02:18:54 PM
Have you got any downward wheel travel on the front end?

I am going to get an alignment and remove the rear sway bar, but what is downward wheel travel on the front end? 
Title: Re: It's lifted, now it's squirelly
Post by: Mac500r on June 27, 2007, 02:32:05 PM
Leave the sway bars hooked up and get it aligned it will drive good again.
Title: Re: It's lifted, now it's squirelly
Post by: brace on June 27, 2007, 02:35:28 PM
Ok, now I am really confused.  I am supposed to remove the rear sway bar or add one to the rear?  I didn't see one there, so where do I get one from? 
Title: Re: It's lifted, now it's squirelly
Post by: Drone637 on June 27, 2007, 03:16:05 PM
First get your front end aligned.  That may fix your problem on it's own.

Stock they don't come with rear sway bars.  I didn't like the body roll that was introduced with my small lift/shocks and tires so I picked up the sway bar kit from Calmini.  After some modifications it fit and works well, but I would recommend going with an after market one from Circle Track or Summit.  If you do a search on rear sway bars there are links to where to buy one.

The problem with a rear sway bar is it will limit your suspension.  Since mine is a daily driver first I didn't see a problem with the trade off.  You might decide to keep the extra flex for off road feats of daring.  :)

The downward travel is how far your wheel drops when you jack up your front end.  Without long enough struts you may end up with only an inch or two of down travel in your front end.  If this happens when you go over a bump there is no room for your front shock to extend.  Thus it will try and pull your front tire off the road instead of leaving it in contact with the roadway.
Title: Re: It's lifted, now it's squirelly
Post by: olija on June 27, 2007, 10:14:14 PM
Did you flip your front strut mounts? If not, you might not have any down travel in the front suspension and that could be the problem.
Title: Re: It's lifted, now it's squirelly
Post by: brace on June 28, 2007, 05:43:29 AM
I put the strut spacers on for front instead of flipping the strut mount. 

I found out why the rear right  swayed so much today.  The lug nuts were the wrong type and worked themselves lose.  My tire flew up in the air about 20 feet high and came to rest without striking any of the parked cars that lined the road.   The only damage to my Zuk was the lugs were lost, studs got trashed and the drum backing plate was a little crumpled.    All in all, I am very thankful that tire didn't fall out of the sky on someone or someone's car, and I didn't crash and die. 
Title: Re: It's lifted, now it's squirelly
Post by: Uncivilized on June 28, 2007, 06:16:49 AM
I put the strut spacers on for front instead of flipping the strut mount. 

I found out why the rear right  swayed so much today.  The lug nuts were the wrong type and worked themselves lose.  My tire flew up in the air about 20 feet high and came to rest without striking any of the parked cars that lined the road.   The only damage to my Zuk was the lugs were lost, studs got trashed and the drum backing plate was a little crumpled.    All in all, I am very thankful that tire didn't fall out of the sky on someone or someone's car, and I didn't crash and die. 
Whoa...
Title: Re: It's lifted, now it's squirelly
Post by: beercheck on June 28, 2007, 06:48:17 AM
That was going to be my next guess.
Title: Re: It's lifted, now it's squirelly
Post by: copperfever on June 28, 2007, 03:31:03 PM
Too bad you didn't get it on video... :o
Title: Re: It's lifted, now it's squirelly
Post by: kingzoo on June 29, 2007, 03:42:24 PM
  been there done that.however,my 31 incher on a 15x8 steel rim met up with a mini van.
Title: Re: It's lifted, now it's squirelly
Post by: ZeusZuki on June 29, 2007, 08:17:32 PM
Whoa dude  :o

Anyway, back on topic. Home grown lifts that use coil spacers or longer springs DO NOT usually have privision to correct the castor and this makes them wonder all over the road and feel like they do not want to steer straight - CASTOR IS IMPORTANT. The bigger the lift the worse it is.

Just my 2c  :-\

ZeusZuki  8)
Title: Re: It's lifted, now it's squirelly
Post by: beercheck on June 29, 2007, 10:37:20 PM
Sold my brother my '96 when I bought my '03.  He came to STL to visit and I swapped my 235s from the old one to the new one and sent him back off to Michigan with the new tires.  He calls me a week later asking what might make the thing shake and wiggle like crazy driving down the road.  Never had a problem myself.  I throw lots of ideas at him....

..turns out the lug nuts on two of the wheels were never tightened past finger-tight...

Oops.
Title: Re: It's lifted, now it's squirelly
Post by: ZeusZuki on July 01, 2007, 12:33:37 AM
Hey beercheck - your relationship with your brother is not on shakey ground is it  ??? . Are you sure you did not leave a few nuts loose on purpose  ;) LOL

ZeusZuki  8)
Title: Re: It's lifted, now it's squirelly
Post by: Cuthulu on July 03, 2007, 06:34:41 PM
I'm doing 1.5" inch lift with coil spacers, I wrote to KYB and they gave me the part number for 50mm longer rear shocks but no luck on front struts. :-\  Anyone have any recomendations, I would like to aviod strut spacers if at all possible?
Title: Re: It's lifted, now it's squirelly
Post by: Uncivilized on July 04, 2007, 06:42:39 AM
I'm doing 1.5" inch lift ...
...I would like to avoid strut spacers if at all possible
For what reason?
Flipping the strut mount and adding a .5" - 1" spacer will give you a perfect amount, and you could pull it off for about $25. I used 3-bolt 2.5" exhaust flanges as spacers, they're the exact shape as the strut mount, stacked 2 together, used longer 3/8" grade 8 bolts and I got the extra 2" of down travel I needed, but didn't lose any up-travel(there is unused up-travel in a stock setup, 2")
Title: Re: It's lifted, now it's squirelly
Post by: brace on July 04, 2007, 05:56:32 PM
I'm doing 1.5" inch lift with coil spacers, I wrote to KYB and they gave me the part number for 50mm longer rear shocks but no luck on front struts. :-\  Anyone have any recomendations, I would like to aviod strut spacers if at all possible?
I used strut spacers and they are working fine.
Title: Re: It's lifted, now it's squirelly
Post by: brace on July 17, 2007, 07:42:18 AM
Whoa dude  :o

Anyway, back on topic. Home grown lifts that use coil spacers or longer springs DO NOT usually have privision to correct the castor and this makes them wonder all over the road and feel like they do not want to steer straight - CASTOR IS IMPORTANT. The bigger the lift the worse it is.

Just my 2c  :-\

ZeusZuki  8)

So where do I get the necessary parts to correct CASTOR?