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: Davyboy on February 17, 2008, 09:08:19 PM
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Well...I finally ordered the CALMINI lift kit for my truck. After four years and over 50,000 miles on the Rocky Road kit, my Old Man Emu springs were sagging. I must say...I have nothing but praise for the Rocky Road kit. The ride was superb, the coil spacers held up pretty well (of course, I wasn't exactly abusing my GV...minimal offroading), and my GV looked great. I really needed the new control arms and wanted the diff drop brackets. New Suzuki control arms would be $400 alone, so the CALMINI kit is really a decent bargain with everything it includes. I got it without manual hubs (since I already have them), knocking $80 off the retail price. I expect the ride to be a little more harsh now, but I don't really care about that. It will be great having the long travel springs and shocks with no coil spacers ;D.
In other news, I also ordered the Rocky Road supersliders. Good protection, and will help my passengers get into the truck a little easier. Between the CALMINI lift, Rocky Road 2" body lift and 31" tires, I'll probably be around 7" taller than stock ;D Will post some pics in a month or so when all is installed.
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Lose the sway bar. Flex the hell out of it and don't be shy at jumping the front end. All of this wiill help break-in and soften the springs. Expect the inital lift to be close to 4" before the springs settle down.
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Expect the inital lift to be close to 4" before the springs settle down.
Does that mean I'm looking at a couple of alignment jobs...one right after the install, then another in 6 months?
BTW, are there any safety issues with disconnecting the sway bar? My GV is still a daily driver, with lots of highway driving. Can I disconnect right before offroading...or is it a pain in the arse? I've never really looked to see.
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BTW, are there any safety issues with disconnecting the sway bar? My GV is still a daily driver, with lots of highway driving.
Oh boy... You're about to hear very passionate opinions on both sides of this question. Just use your own judgement, but bear in mind that if the manufacturers believed they could get away without including them, they most certainly would.
Can I disconnect right before offroading...or is it a pain in the arse? I've never really looked to see.
That's what I do. It's less than convenient, but not difficult.
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Alignments? I do them after every serious off-road excursion. but to be honest, yes. Those that buy the "lifetime" alignments get their money's worth, but usually end up with a boob who can't figure how to align things to being with. :laugh:
As for the sway bar, I'll be honesty with you. At first, I ran with it and climbed under the GV to remove it each and every time I wheeled. Frankly, that SUCKS.
Then I got one of the very few Rotational Dynamics sway bar quick disconnects, same as for the Sidekick and Sammy. Only problem is, the GV's bar is trailing the axle, which meant I still had to climb under to disconnect it by pulling the pin, same to connect it. That sucked less, but still SUCKED.
Finally, I pulled the pin and left it out (it was raining hard after a trail ride and I wasn't going to lie in the mud). Never looked back after a couple weeks of driving it into NYC for work. I prefer the ride without it, much more compliant, and no real body roll to speak of, and I've got a Calmini 2.5" plus the Calmini 3" B/L on 31"s, so I'm way tall. The quick disco pin still sits in the center console.
Is it as "tight" without it as with it? No, but the GV rode like a board to begin with, and never has a soft ride. But do what you feel comfortable with. Drive with it and without and you be the judge.
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last time i got work done on my front end we just eye balled the alignment and it was pretty close, if you don't have that sweet sounding option of 'lifetime alignments' this might be something to try. then once things settle in get a real alignment done. i've gotta find a shop that does that around here! or.... just add your coil spacer to the front after it starts to settle in a little................ >:D
those RR super sliders looks really nice, i'd like to get some also but RR could never tell me how heavy they were.. i'm always so worried about my rockers getting torn by rocks....
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those RR super sliders looks really nice, i'd like to get some also but RR could never tell me how heavy they were.. i'm always so worried about my rockers getting torn by rocks....
Well....when I get mine, I'll try to remember to weigh them and post the results. Thanks to everyone for opinions on the sway bar. I saw a recent article in one of the big 4x4 mags that compared disconnecting a sway bar v.s. adding a locker. Both will get you a similar distance up an articulation ramp. Of course, the best is to have both. I'll leave mine connected for now........
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I saw a recent article in one of the big 4x4 mags that compared disconnecting a sway bar v.s. adding a locker. Both will get you a similar distance up an articulation ramp. Of course, the best is to have both. I'll leave mine connected for now........
That comparison was undoubtedly with regard to off-road performance exclusively. You won't get much argument around here at all on this point: Sway bars (anti-sway, whatever) don't belong off-road. Period. That lame article was obviously comparing articulation with traction and.... okay, here's the deal: Traction is WAY better, in practical terms, than articulation. Without traction, you can shove your articulation up your .......whatever..... You've got to really try if you want to get yourself into a position where that isn't the case. The benefits of light weight and narrow track that our rigs provide is what evens the field versus Jeeps etc. A locked Vitara//Tracker/Sidekick/Saumrai versus any Jeep/Toyota becomes a matter of who wants it worse.
Anybody care to argue? (Don't worry, there's plenty of room for argument here..)
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:) ;) :D ;D >:( :( :o 8) ::) :P :-[ :-X :-\ :-* :'( >:D :angel: :laugh: :police: :sleepy:
did i miss any, pretty useless post isn't this.
the thread itself is good though!
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For those who are interested:
According to my shipping email, Rocky Road's Supersliders for the 1999-2005 Grand Vitara 4-door weigh 86 pounds. That includes the box and shipping materials. Can't wait to get them! ;D
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For those who are interested:
According to my shipping email, Rocky Road's Supersliders for the 1999-2005 Grand Vitara 4-door weigh 86 pounds. That includes the box and shipping materials. Can't wait to get them! ;D
Mine are sitting here and say 100 lbs ??? There's no box, only shrink wrap.
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Strange....two possibilities. They rounded up on you. Or, because I have them made for the 2" body lift, there is a difference in weight. ???
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I'm going with #1 >:(
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great news on the slider weights, thanks guys. mine being a 2dr they would be even less!
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Before installing the sliders - replace the small bolts that RRO supplies for sill attachment with some stainless steel ones if you live in the rust belt. Mine disintegrated after 2.5 years. Use plenty of anti-sieze on the larger frame bolts. Also, plan on stripping and repainting after 3 years.
Corrsion has been the only problem that has plagued my sliders. They have been great otherwise.
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"rust belt" i like it!
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how long did it take to get the lift??
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Got the supersliders today. Man, are they solid! Attaching them to the frame looks like a no-brainer. The sills, however, might be a different story. :-\ I'm guessing I'll need to remove and bore a couple of holes in my plastic rocker covers. Man, sometimes I hate all of that plastic trim sh!#!! Given that these suckers weigh over 40 lbs. each, maybe I'll just let the shop that's going to install my CALMINI lift put 'em on. I would probably need help from a couple of people....plus, without a hydraulic lift, it would be a total pain in the ass getting under there and attaching them.
Still haven't got the lift. It's only been about 10-11 days. I'm guessing it'll be a couple more weeks, at least.
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may i ask what the calmini kit cost you in florida? i'm curious as to the difference here in canada, i was quoted 1045cdn shipping included.
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Got the supersliders today. Man, are they solid!
You're going to love those. I've had my regular rock rails (super sliders weren't out at the time) almost two years. You may find yourself intentionally aiming for stuff you used to avoid for fear of folding your rocker panel into the floor pan. Planning on upgrading to supersliders myself after a body lift (gotta make way for 31's); then, I'll have some rockrails for someone to buy.
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Well.....I've got one superslider on. Turns out it mounts to the sills and replaces the little body tabs that hold the plastic rocker piece on. I just put the 5 small bolts through there, while using about 20-30 muscle groups I never knew I had. Then, with the help of my jack, I was able to line up the main mounting brackets on the framerails. Bored the holes one at a time (a 5/16 metal drill bit on a high speed drill works great) and used the big bolts. It looks fantabulous! :-* I'm in love with 'em. Now, Ill do the other one tomorrow (in between rain showers). Then, I'll be sure to post some pics!! BTW, it is very tricky to do this alone, but it is possible. I wouldn't have been able to do it if I didn't already have the suspension and body lift, though. I would definitely recommend having an assistant and a jack. The actual weight of the sliders is 42 lbs. each, including hardware, for those who would like to know. Later.....
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Thats nuts. Alot of weight lol.
Any more updates?
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Pictures/Update please.... this thread is a nice read. Keep it going! :D
In particular, I'd like to hear feedback on the RR 2" Body Lift kit as well. I have it ordered, and will be getting a local shop to put it on. Wondering if the installs are hassle free or are there any common problems encountered? Also gonna be going the Calmini 2.5" route after a while as well. More feedback on the kit would be appreciated.
-Glenn
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I can't wait for the feedback either. I'm looking at lifting my 01 Tracker 4 door too. I ordered the RRO 2" suspension lift a few years ago, but canseled my order 3 months later because I really needed tires and couldn't wait any longer. I need tires again, so I want a lift again. I put 235-75-R15's on it with very little rubbing, I want 31's. It'll be nice to have somebody that had both lifts give a comparison and also know how long it takes for them to ship it to you.
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from my understanding calmini shipping times vary greatly, but the lift comparison will be nice!
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Update:
Still waiting on the lift...it's been a little over a month now. They charged my credit card almost immediately, and when I called them 4-5 days ago they told me it shouldn't have been charged so quickly....as they are still waiting on a couple of things they don't have in stock. They kindly offered to refund. I said I would give them another week. If it still hasn't shipped, then I want a refund on the credit card until it does. My kit won't include the manual hubs (I already have them), so the price was $915 plus shipping. Total is $1054.89, putting the shipping at about $140 for the kit without hubs. I hope they ship it soon.....I really don't feel like waiting for 3 months (like some other people, apparently). I'll keep you all up to date.
Regarding the RR body lift.....it's okay. I would tell someone to go with the Masterkit 1 body lift over the RR, since it includes bumper brackets, and steering modification at no additional charge. The RR kit seemed to be a more generic kit (it included brake lines that weren't the right fit, or even needed on the GV/V6Tracker for that matter). Also, the directions are kinda weak. Also, if I remember correctly, we had to reuse a part of the front two rubber body mounts along with the stuff they supplied. Here's a writeup on the install that will help:
www.carneyco.com/ProjectNomaad.pdf
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Thanks for the update Davy. Definitely makes me debate the RR body lift a little... but at the same time, I figure that with the money saved, the guy doing it will be able to fab up brackets, etc... to have her done right. Still waiting on RR to ship it to me though. I just got her a couple weeks ago, so I'd hate for her to come out as a Frankenmobile! :P
I'm sure it'll be fine.... keep us updated!
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i didn't need the brake line extensions that came with my rr body lift either, just loosened up the lines and relocated the mounts, the bolts for the front mounts in the kit were not long enough. the instructions were a little weak but the link provided by davyboy will tell you all you need to know, the install was time consuming.
hope that calmini lift comes in soon!
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just FYI, they charged my card the day i ordered it and it took 2 months (and 4 phone calls, and 4 emails) to get it. they are a pain to deal with but i really like my lift on my 04. was not that hard to put on, maybe 8 hrs with two people not really in a hurry. and i had put one on my 90 a few yrs ago.
i bet if you get a refund they wont build it. so if you really want it you should wait. sucks i know.
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Their kit is just Sky Mfrg. body lift.(it came with a sky sticker)
Mine came with the lines and when I called they were no help. They said it go's on the caliper . I said there is a banjo fitting on that end. He asked what is a banjo fitting? ???
The front bolts were too short,I think they go on the pre 99' trackers/Sidekick.
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This is one reason i hesitated buying this lift over 3 years ago. The BS. I pay i want a rough day not year later for being a big shop. Buying from a small business guy i know like me shit happens thats ok but a big shop like calmini comon.
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Yup, I'll just wait for that Zukination lift to come out. I want a lift, but I don't want to wait for months after I pay for it!
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r u still waiting after 3 months?!?!?!?!? WTF.
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r u still waiting after 3 months?!?!?!?!? WTF.
Actually, it's been a little over two months......I've decided not to have them credit back my credit card, so they'll actually build it/finish it. I'll be calling them tomorrow to see what's going on. Very, very strange business model that CALMINI has. I don't get it...I'll give them a few more weeks (for a total of 3 months), then I'm gonna cancel the order and give Zukination another call to see how their kit is coming along. I'll keep you all posted.......
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i didn't need the brake line extensions that came with my rr body lift either, just loosened up the lines and relocated the mounts, the bolts for the front mounts in the kit were not long enough. the instructions were a little weak but the link provided by davyboy will tell you all you need to know, the install was time consuming.
hope that calmini lift comes in soon!
Got any pics of those extensions? Looking to extend the rear chassis-to-axle line. Any chance those would do the trick?
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i didn't need the brake line extensions that came with my rr body lift either, just loosened up the lines and relocated the mounts, the bolts for the front mounts in the kit were not long enough. the instructions were a little weak but the link provided by davyboy will tell you all you need to know, the install was time consuming.
hope that calmini lift comes in soon!
Got any pics of those extensions? Looking to extend the rear chassis-to-axle line. Any chance those would do the trick?
sorry, no pics of the extensions that came with the kit, tossed them when they were not needed. not sure that exending the rear lines is really required, well, depends what you are doing but mine are stock still and i have roughly 5inches of lift out back with shocks about 1.5inches longer than the comon crown vics. i've had no issues to date this way.
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Well.....called CALMINI today about the kit. Apparently, they were waiting on a "steering adjuster." I didn't know the kit even had one. Anyway, they have the steering adjuster now, but it seems their shipping department is backed up, and things are slow to ship. He couldn't even estimate a ship date for me. I think he tried to call the shipping dept. and got no reply. By the time I get this kit I'm gonna need new tires....and maybe a toupee, walker and AARP funeral/final expenses coverage. Rediculous...........
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Here's a pic of the RRO brake line extensions that come with the body lift. I still have mine sitting here. I don't believe there's any way to use them, but maybe someone else can confirm that. ???
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The CALMINI kit is in the mail!! ;D Just got a tracking number for the shipment, and it's due to arrive next Wednesday 4/23. Will keep you all posted.
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wtf, with me it was always waiting on struts. what yr is your vit? there is no steering adjustment in the kit that i know of. at least not on my 04. also glad to hear your finally getting it, but, asap when it arrives, go through everything and make sure it is for your car. they sent me the wrong drop bracket for the pass side and i didnt know it for 3 weeks after i got the kit and then had to wait 3 more to get the exchange (which actually went really well other than time). keep us up to date! ;)
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wtf, with me it was always waiting on struts. what yr is your vit? there is no steering adjustment in the kit that i know of. at least not on my 04. also glad to hear your finally getting it, but, asap when it arrives, go through everything and make sure it is for your car. they sent me the wrong drop bracket for the pass side and i didnt know it for 3 weeks after i got the kit and then had to wait 3 more to get the exchange (which actually went really well other than time). keep us up to date! ;)
My Vit is a 1999. The CALMINI kit part # is 19800, and that is what they are sending according to the shipping email. How am I supposed to know if the parts are right? I guess I'll see if they're labeled, and compare to the website before taking it to the shop for installation. If something isn't right, and I find out half-way into the install, I'll go postal! :police:....:o....:'(....>:(....>:D That would really screw me financially! Anyway...let's hope for the best. Can't wait to get the damn thing, and get it installed!
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Steering adjusters. He prolly meant the tie rod extensions.
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just look at the parts in the box and compare to you car. really look at the front stuff, that is what was wrong with mine and i didnt know it till the last.... good luck, i am sure it will be ok. >:D
yah, tie rod ends, lol
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davy have you recieved your kit yet? and if so how long did it take because i just ordered mine last week and im not looking forward to waiting 2 months for it. oh and by the way i had the same problem with the bogus brake line extensions with that rr body lift. they were usless to me to,,,,
if anyone can let me know what kind of surprises ill have with my calmini lift install let please let me know so i can prepare. im hoping its easy as just bolting it on but i cant imagin it being perfect, so fill me in, anybody. thanks.
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It took me two months to get the kit. Maybe you'll get your kit sooner if they have everything in stock. ???
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ok well i hope everything goes well for you on the instal. let me know how it goes and what kind of problems you run into so i might know what to expect. good luck.
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Any update on the install yet?
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Hoping to install it within the next couple weeks. I've been very busy, and since my truck is a daily driver, I need to drop it off at the shop for a couple of days when I won't be needing it. After the install, I'll take it to my alignment guy. I'll keep you all posted....sorry for the wait.
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Any updates on this?? I know this is a little old :)