ZUKIWORLD Online | Suzuki 4x4 Editorial and Forum
ZUKIWORLD Discussion Forum => Suzuki 4x4 Forum => Topic started by: SiKiD_01 on September 21, 2004, 02:16:22 PM
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hi all,
i was wondering how many vitara/track kick owners have/are using strut spacers.
i'd love to see pics, as i'm in the process of 'trying' to make some.
i can't afford new struts ($300AUD ea), as i have just spent $950AUD on tyres, and still saving for a auto locker from RRoad or TT.
i had zero down travel with a 2" coil spacer, and with the strut mount flip, only have 1" D-travel now.
so if anyone could help me out, that's be sweet.
even better, is if someone had a template they could send me so i can cut out some steel out of flat bar, and weld a bit of pipe between them.....
anyway, thanks.
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Here is a pic of the Calminis strut spacers offf a 95 Tracker. They may be the same.
(http://www.eye-irritant.com/august2004/strut%20spacers.jpg)
Dig Cam Phone ;D
Sorry, kitchen counter last min pics ;D
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Here is the one I built for the Pass
side, my drivers side is like the ones
Hotrod is showing
Enjoy
Wild
(http://wildcatent.freeyellow.com/strut-spacer.jpg)
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And another
(http://www.eye-irritant.com/august2004/Strut Spacer.JPG)
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Why not remove the strut top mounting and then make a template from cardboard. Leave some holes in the bottom like the Calmini ones cos otherwise they can fill up with water when wading. You need to make them the same shape as the strut top to ensure that they bolt up square in the strut tower.
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thanks guys, i knew you all would come through.
who else besides calmini sell these? and for how much?
i can't really make them myself, as i dont trust my own welding 100% yet, and of the few engineering/steel fabrication places i've asked, they're just not willing to make any, and if they do, they want about $100+AUD for the 2 spacers.
and for legit/rego reasons, i wouldn't mind getting them from a company of some sort.
anyway, thanks for the pics, and if anyone has more info, please let me know.
P.S, love your work wildgoody.
thanks guys, Steve
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Thank You Steve
BTW you can't run a flipped strut
mount with a 3" (75mm) strut spacer,
as it is 3" is on the long side, I found
the wire CV cage/ball retainer ring a
little dimpled around the edges where
the CV balls had been in contact at full
droop, so if you get somthing like this,
for the life of the CVs make it about 2 3/4"
or about 68-70 mm long, that should help
Good Luck
Wild
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(http://photos.zuwharrie.com/users/whitfimb/Strut.jpg)
These are what I used on my Kick. They are Exhaust collector flanges and heavy wall tube. Mine are to long for a stock application, but could be cut & welded to fit. They can also be welded at any angle to help with the camber issues of large lifts.
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whitfield, i was just wondering about the camber, and how i could adjust it from a strut spacer.
do you have any more info on this, such as measurements, methods, etc.
i'm scared that if i try to cut it on an angle for some camber adjustment, i won't be able to get everything aligned properly, and maybe put the castor out as well, and also, there are ways to get both sides the same, but how would you do it?
i won't do more than 2.5" with the spacer, as i only have a 1" lifted coil, and 2" spacer, and really cant afford to replace CVs all the time.
thanks again.
Steve
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That's one reason for the design
I used, it allows you to move the
bottom of the spacer and weld at
the right camber so it all sits right
Wild
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so how did you figure out how much to move the plates to correct camber?
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Use a magnetic angle finder,
stick it to the strut on the outside,
read it before you tear it down,
then set it in the same place when
you build the spacers, weld in place
Wild
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camber bolts will be an easy adjustment for a 2" lift, so you can make the spacer square
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woo hoo, i have just made some spacers up this afternoon (23/09/04), and they are a bit over 2", but not much.
i made them the same as the majority out there, similar to the calmini ones and the pics posted.
i just have to put them in and go for a test drive to see what happens, but the only thing i'm worried about are the CV angles.
but apart from that, everything else went ok.
i might have to save up for some camber bolts, but it seems as though it doesnt need it.
i'm also going ot go out for a drive this weekend, hopefully i can get a few pics up for you guys.
thanks for the help.
Steve
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;D
Another Happy Zukiworld Customer
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guess what fellas..........
boo hoo now.......
i was a bit too/over excited about the spacers, that i didn't bother/was too lazy to flip the strut mount back to normal.
anyway, instead of saving myself a couple of minutes/a sh1t load of work to flip the mount back, i have to take everything apart again, and flip it back!
but i did find out that everything is good. as in....
i put in 2" coil spacer, and the strut had only 1" down travel, (with strut mount flipped!), then i put in 2" strut spacers, and now the front struts have at least 3" down travel, was good until i found that the CVs were binding like crazy to the point where the axle shaft would not turn! (at full extention/droop), and that after a good thrashing/running in process, i discovered that the struts, with this configuration, does not have enough up travel/compression, as it was bottoming out.
now if i correct the strut mount back to how it was, i lose 1" of down travel, my CVs will be closer to being safe, and in theory, should not bottom out with a soft to mild driving style.
story time is over, so now it's question time....
does this sound true/correct/resonable?
has anyone else had this experience/problem?
there are a fair few dirt/gravel roads where i am, and you can get up to some speed on these roads, eg: 60-70MP/H, where 60mp/h=100km/h. its just that, some times along these roads, you can get several small dips in a row, and that really gets the suspension oil hot!. so you can see how a lot of fun can end in a lot of tears if things dont work/f#|removethispart|@k up.
thanks again guys,
Steve
BTW: you should select whichever term best suits/fits the sentence/line.
;D
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That sounds about right, I made my spacers 2" so the suspension would hit the bump stops before the strut bottomed out. Someone else I know fitted 2 1/2" spacers and had the same CV problems.
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2" strut spacers, and now the front struts have at least 3" down travel, was good until i found that the CVs were binding like crazy to the point where the axle shaft would not turn! (at full extention/droop)
I warned you about doing that >:(
Posted on: Sep 22nd, 2004, 8:01am
BTW you can't run a flipped strut
mount with a 3" (75mm) strut spacer,
as it is 3" is on the long side, I found
the wire CV cage/ball retainer ring a
little dimpled around the edges where
the CV balls had been in contact at full
droop, so if you get somthing like this,
for the life of the CVs make it about 2 3/4"
or about 68-70 mm long, that should help
I hope you didn't do any real damage,
and no the dipps in the road should have
no negative effect on the CVs at full droop
Wild
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ta-daaaaaaaaaaaa!
(http://www.eye-irritant.com/august2004/DSC04590.JPG)
(http://www.eye-irritant.com/august2004/DSC04594.JPG)
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Noice, ;)
Wild
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Noice,  ;)
Wild
looks pretty good.