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: dentedzuk on August 22, 2008, 06:52:49 PM
-
Whats up folks!
Next week I'm gonna buy a Calmini 2.5" susp. kit for my 01' 2.0L Vitara. I read about davyboys problems with waiting forever to get his and then having problems getting it installed, and that worried me a bit. I called calmini and was told their building a bunch of kits and will have them avail in a couple weeks so its doesnt seem like it will be a problem getting one.. But I'm still wondering how hard it is to install yourself? I was planning on installing it in my driveway.. is that possible?? Or do you need shop assistance? Any pointers on the install would be greatly appreciated! Also im riding on 225/75/16's mounted on factory rims which is getting alot of frame rub with my current homemade spacer setup.. does anyone know if the cal kit will get rid of the rub? Or should I look into new rims?
Thanks in advance fella's :)
James
-
Those tires will be fine after the lift.
-
Those tires will be fine after the lift.
cool! 8)
Anyone know if the cal kit sits like a spring spacer lift with the rear lower than the front?
-
I've had my Calmini kit on for about 7-8 weeks. Front definitely sits higher than the rear, but I think it'll come down....eventually.
-
Hmm... when I get mine I might try a 1" spring spacer in the rear. Maybe that will balance it out. ???
Where did you get your locker? Calmini & RR didnt have any when I called.
thanks
james
-
Part of the reason mine is higher in the front is my swaybar is removed. I had to....it wasn't fitting right. CALMINI should include something to address this in the kit. Oh well....just have to drive carefully on the highways!
-
The removed swaybar should not be a problem ....you will get used to it. Just don't slam on the brakes if you find yourself going to fast into a tight curve. Always slow into the curves and power out. It is just a matter of changing your driving to match the multi-purpose vehicle you are building.
-
FTS has a spacer for the sway bar (#35) http://www.fts4x4.com.tw/modules/news/article.php?storyid=14 it doesnt look like it would be hard to make. I really want to keep the sway bar after I install my calmini kit since I'm adding a safari rack which will be loaded down for weekend adventures.. I really dont want to get tippy on these utah mtn trails/roads. I'm also thinking wider wheels may be a good idea..l
-
Installed 1 1/2 coil spacers from Jeff H on my truck. Ended up with 2" of lift on the front of the truck and my sway bar wouldn't mount up either. Fabricated a couple of strut shims 3.25 inch long by 1.25 inch wide, tapped 9mm holes in them and used longer 8mm grade - 8 bolts into the stock mounting holes. Worked well. The frame where the sway bar mounts to is at roughly a 45 degree angle to the ground, so any thickness (shim) you add pushes the bar forward AND down a little. A 3/4 inch thick shim seems to be the ticket for correcting a 2" lift. Attachment at the A-arms is almost vertical.
-
Installed 1 1/2 coil spacers from Jeff H on my truck. Ended up with 2" of lift on the front of the truck and my sway bar wouldn't mount up either. Fabricated a couple of strut shims 3.25 inch long by 1.25 inch wide, tapped 9mm holes in them and used longer 8mm grade - 8 bolts into the stock mounting holes. Worked well. The frame where the sway bar mounts to is at roughly a 45 degree angle to the ground, so any thickness (shim) you add pushes the bar forward AND down a little. A 3/4 inch thick shim seems to be the ticket for correcting a 2" lift. Attachment at the A-arms is almost vertical.
looks good.. what did you fab that from?
-
looks good.. what did you fab that from?
Metal.
:laugh:
-
looks good.. what did you fab that from?
Metal.
:laugh:
oh... I thought it was rusty wood! ???
-
Used a piece of 1 1/2" square tube with 1/4" side walls. Split it right down the middle with a band saw, templated the holes from the stock mount, drilled them, then mounted them with the "U" side against the frame. Initially I intended to use the entire box tube as the mount. then once I trial fitted it was obvious 1 1/2" was TOO much so I split the difference and the 3/4" was just about spot on. Obviously you will probably want about a 1" spacer if you have your front end cranked up 2.5", maybe more if you're higher. But the price for a small piece of box tubing (usually scrap at a machine shop) is right. Probably the most painful part of fabbing these is cutting the tube length wise if you don't have access to a band saw.
-
thanks nprecon, I am definitely going to copy what you did and just try to adjust for more lift. Probably do it this weekend too since I got my calmini kit today... which by the way looks pretty good! Well minus the shocks & struts. They where already a bit bent/dinged, and missing some paint. I'm guessing from shipping and (ruff) handling since they came in a box on there own and looked to be kicked around a bit, thanks UPS! I couldn't wait so I went ahead and threw in the rear springs/shocks..got the hotrod look going now until the weekend. : ;D
-
O.K. here are my experiences with the Calmini lift. I have put over 200,000 km's on it now (about 150,000 Highway, 50,000 Offroad pounding).
Installing the front end was initially a challenge, I can now take apart and reinstall the front end like a pit crew. It is a good idea to have a spare CV Axle Clip because it can break when removing the CV from the Front Diff. It is also a good idea to pre-load the the coil springs with the kit if you have access to a good spring compresser. It would have made it easier to get them in the first time and for a smoother ride initially.
Rear end is simple, just make sure to check the bolt tightness after going offraod. I noticed the the bolts in the rear linkage would get loose, I have since used thread locker and check routinely.
The fun part is alignement. It took me a couple sets of tires to get it right. You MUST use camber bolts or ovalize your struts to achieve the correct camber. Then I have also noticed that I only get the correct wear on my tires if I have a very slight toe-in on the alignment.
I haven't noticed any swaybar problems with the kit as stock, except when I turn the wheel hard to the left and drive in reverse. I am going to try and add a swaybar spacer of 3/4" - 1 " as some of the other posts have suggested.
One of teh things I am thankful for is that Calmini has made the design of the kit easy to change the various ball joints on the front end as I ahve had to replace them a couple of times.
Oh yeah, you have to got to get rid of the stock shocks and struts and replace them with OME or something else. Or just go offroading and smash the crappy ones that Calmini puts in the kit first then replace them.
-
Thanks for the info 4D-SPUDS I'll keep it in mind after I get my kit installed! My zuk's front end is still on jack stands..working on it when I can. Got most everything done minus springs & tie rod ends and locking hubs. I have some spring compressors from auto zone to help with the springs.. but they are a real pain. I've been trying to keep the blue paint unscratched but I think its going to be inevitable while getting the springs in.
As for the OME stuff.. maybe someday after I blow what Calmini supplied. I still have a RRO B/L to install and am in search for a rear locker I would like to get first.
-
Finished installing my kit! Here some poser shots: 8)
-
How about some daytime shots? And maybe a couple on flat ground? Or even better, off road!
-
I got some from this weekends camping trip I'll post after I figure out how to get them off the phone!
On another note..
Make sure you install the cotter pins that come with the tie rod ends from the Calmini kit. I forgot to put them in and the nuts loosened themselves up.. When I checked them out (because the steering was very loose) the nuts were about to fall off.. Nothing is worse that losing steering on the highway!
Well of course there are a few things.. but flying off a cliff screaming seems kinda crappy to me! :o Anyways hopefully everyone else was smart enough install theirs correctly.. After I put the pins in my tie rod nuts haven't move and believe my I've been checking!
-
Does anyone know the lengths of Calmini shocks? And maybe the extended and compressed lengths? I want to put coil spacers in the rear to balance out my lift. The front is running high..
thanks
James
-
Does anyone know the lengths of Calmini shocks? And maybe the extended and compressed lengths? I want to put coil spacers in the rear to balance out my lift. The front is running high..
thanks
James
it will come down im time but if you add a 1 spacer to the rear a 1999 ford f150 two drive will fit realy nice. NOT THE 4X4 ones they are way too long.
George
-
Thanks Blacknight! Will I need a drive shaft spacer?
Does this look right for specs? (Napa 99 f150 shocks)
Upper Mount:Stem 3/8" x 16
Lower Mount:Loop Type 12MM x 1 1/2"
Compressed Length:13.875"
Extended length:23.750"
Travel Length:9.875"
-
How about some daytime shots? And maybe a couple on flat ground? Or even better, off road!
Forget the phone pics.. I can't figure them out! Here is some daytime semi flat ground pics!
-
Very nice and clean looking trucklet you have there, dentedzuk... but I don't see any dents on that baby!!!
-
-----Thanks Blacknight! Will I need a drive shaft spacer? ------
good question, i'm wondering the same and also wondering about any brake line adjustment requirements with these shocks.
-
The only issue that I ran in to was the parking brake cable. Now that could be because the 2" body lift I have?? Just end up unbolting the tie down on the frame by the rear wheels. As for a drive shaft spacer I don't have one and the tail of the drive shaft is pull out some so a drive shaft space would be nice.
George
-
Very nice and clean looking trucklet you have there, dentedzuk... but I don't see any dents on that baby!!!
Thanks man.. I've pulled most the dents out that my wife put in it before it was mine! But I did add one on last weekend camping while loading the roof rack! >:( ... I' got some bed liner that im planning on applying to the lower half and frame of my zuk after I intsall my B/L after that I won't be to worried about dents much more.
The only issue that I ran in to was the parking brake cable. Now that could be because the 2" body lift I have?? Just end up unbolting the tie down on the frame by the rear wheels. As for a drive shaft spacer I don't have one and the tail of the drive shaft is pull out some so a drive shaft space would be nice.
George
I wonder if a tracker drive shaft spacer would work? If not im sure it would be easy to fab...
Anyone else have tire rub on their rear brake lines?
-
Bzzr2 instead of just unbolting those two tabs holding the brake lines, I just made two 2" long metal extenders boltes one end to the tab and then attached the brake lines back to the frame at the original location. These extenders will keep the brake lines from snagging on ground crap that brushes under the frame while still providing the slack for the axles to move while lifted.
-
Bzzr2 instead of just unbolting those two tabs holding the brake lines, I just made two 2" long metal extenders boltes one end to the tab and then attached the brake lines back to the frame at the original location. These extenders will keep the brake lines from snagging on ground crap that brushes under the frame while still providing the slack for the axles to move while lifted.
thanks for the thought - have any pics of this? my lines are maxed out and i'd like to get more travel..
-
NOT much to them, just two pieces of relatively light guage sheet metal (2" long and 3/4-1" wide) with a hole in each end for the bolts. I used a piece of galvanized steel from one of my house window shutters I took down. It is 1" wide and about 1/16" thick.
Run the factory bolt thru one end of the 2'' "extender" and screw it into the original factory crossmember mount. Then take another small bolt and nut and bolt the factory hand brake line mount to the other end. This "pushes" the line forward a little and takes some of the the "U" shape out of the line.
If you lay on your back under your truck and look straight up at the hand brake lines where they bolt to the frame cross member, you'll notice the hand break cable is kind of "U" shaped (to the rear). The point where the lines are secured to the crossmember appears to be FARTHER back than where the cable goes through the little rubber guide bushings (by the rear wheels). The two inch tab kind of "pushes" the cable back forward and takes most of the the "U" bend out of the line.
When I put the coil spacers in, and later on another truck the OME springs, I had to unbolt the two hand brake lines from the cross member in order to get the axle to tip enough for the springs to fall out and to reinstall. This "extender" doesn't make the hand brake lines longer, I think it just allows you to use more of the stock hand brake line from the crossmember. You still want to make sure the insulator on the hand brake line on each side is riding within the little rubber guide next to each wheel. Not a hi-tech solution, but it keeps the lines out of harms way in about the same way the factory did. Best of all, this mod doesn't cost hardly anything, just your time really.
If you're running 3" of lift or more on the rear, I suppose... you should consider a new/longer replacement lines. You can only get so much adjustment out of the stock ones.