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ZUKIWORLD Discussion Forum => Suzuki 4x4 Forum => Topic started by: GRVIT on August 18, 2004, 06:04:32 PM

Title: sidekick rear axle rotation-shocks ?
Post by: GRVIT on August 18, 2004, 06:04:32 PM
After being away for a while ,I m back again...too much work..
sorry for posting again a subject that has already been discussed in some previous posts,but I really dont have the time to search in so many pages....even if I did (done it sometime ago) ,I dont think that I would find the answer I m looking for.

So....I m ready to do the rear axle rotation modification according to M.Hagen's tech article, but I cant find any info about what kind of shocks a 99 model Ford F-150 4WD has.In the article it is said that a sidekick with a 3" (I have 3"+3") inch Calmini lift can gain 3 more inches of drop if rear shocks from a F-150 99 model 4WD are used.But what is the type of that shocks? F-150 are not imported in Greece so no info here.Are they Rancho ? Skyjacker ? Monroe ?   what ? and what is the specific product code ?  If anyone knows something about this it would be very helpfull.....you see when I m asking a 4x4 retailer for an F-150 99 model rear shocks,he needs to know the manufacturer of the shocks and  a product code in order to send them to me,which I cant find.
Sorry again for posting the already discussed subject but cant find an answer till now..... :(
Title: Re: sidekick rear axle rotation-shocks ?
Post by: tonka-toy on August 18, 2004, 11:29:33 PM
APOSTOLOS
LONG TIME NO HEAR FROM YOU ... HOPE ALL IS WELL WITH YOU.
IF YOU CAN GET A MEASUREMENT OF THE LENGTH OF THE SHOCKS YOU NEED AND WHAT FITTINGS FOR EACH END ( IE ... THREADED OR HOOP) THEN I WILL GET TRADE ON THE EXPLORER RANGE (PRO COMP) AND GET THEM SHIPPED DIRECT TO YOU ....
YOU GOT MY PHONE NUMBER AND E-MAIL SO LET ME KNOW
SIMON (TONKA-TOY) ;)
Title: Re: sidekick rear axle rotation-shocks ?
Post by: GRVIT on August 18, 2004, 11:38:52 PM
hey Simon, how are you ?  yes...long time no hearing from me.....too much work and ......2 computers (one laptop and one desktop)  fried... :-/
Got a new laptop a month ago.I ll e-mail you.thanks
Title: Re: sidekick rear axle rotation-shocks ?
Post by: GRVIT on August 19, 2004, 04:52:57 AM
Someone told me that I can use Rancho RS5236 for the mod I want to do. Any opinions about the specific shock ?  

Or does anyone know the length of the Calmini shock ,compressed and extended ?
Title: Re: sidekick rear axle rotation-shocks ?
Post by: wildgoody on August 19, 2004, 04:41:29 PM
The Ford F-150 4x4 rear shocks are too
long without relocating the upper shock
mount, and yes it's too long with a 3"
(75mm) rear lifted spring or spacer.

Use a 99 Ford Crown Victoria rear shock,
fits and gives plenty of travel, I was using
this shock when I went to Moab and have
no complaints.

The ones I got are Gabrial Gas Rider VST,
Sorry I don't have the model # handy, but
a little online research should get it.

Wild
Title: Re: sidekick rear axle rotation-shocks ?
Post by: GRVIT on August 19, 2004, 05:12:09 PM
Thank you very much Wildgoody   :)

Is there an article somewhere on how I can relocate the upper spring mount ?  any pics ,hints ?  

Any more info about where to search (on the net) for rear shocks for Ford Crown Victoria ? I dont know the model.Is it a 4x4 ?
If its a Rancho shock (the ones F-150 uses) can you propose another shock that will fit and that it will give more travel than Calmini shocks without the need of relocating the upper spring mount ?
I checked the pdf file of Rancho shocks specs but got really confused.I cant understand what to search for.
Title: Re: sidekick rear axle rotation-shocks ?
Post by: wildgoody on August 19, 2004, 05:24:45 PM
The Ford Crown Victoria is a 4 door
full sized Sedan, like the Police use.

With these shocks you will not need
to relocate the upper shock mounts,
like with the Ford F-150 Pickup Truck
rear shocks, this is why I think I would
recommend you use the Crown Victoria
Shocks

Wild
Title: Re: sidekick rear axle rotation-shocks ?
Post by: GRVIT on August 19, 2004, 05:38:45 PM
ok ,I understand.This may be the best solution.thanks.

But you see ,I live in Greece and I dont have any idea of how a Ford Crown Victoria looks like.... :)  and of course it is not imported here.....
so do you know where to search for those shocks ?
Ford web site ? ......  ?  dont know where to start searching......
Title: Re: sidekick rear axle rotation-shocks ?
Post by: wildgoody on August 19, 2004, 05:44:09 PM
for a 1999 FORD CROWN VICTORIA,
GABRIEL, GUARDIAN SHOCK
Part No.:   81495
Unit Price: $11.99 Ea. USD
Autozone.com

and the car look like this
(http://www.crownvic.net/liquid/web/1999_p71_front34.jpg)

Good Luck

Wild
Title: Re: sidekick rear axle rotation-shocks ?
Post by: GRVIT on August 19, 2004, 05:52:55 PM
 :) :) :) :) :)  thanks for the info and for the photo.
Now that I know how they look like ,if I ever come to US , I ll drive more carefuly  when I see one of those around...... ;)
Title: Re: sidekick rear axle rotation-shocks ?
Post by: mbmarkyb on August 19, 2004, 09:24:26 PM
i have seen those shocks on here too http://www.partsgalaxy.com/  they ship outside the US i think.

Are you saying you will gain an extra 3 inches of travel with these?

As we are on the subject, anyone recommend a front sidekick strut as i have calmini at the moment but want more downward travel about 2 inches.

Anyone know if the GV strut is longer than stock sidekick
Title: Re: sidekick rear axle rotation-shocks ?
Post by: GRVIT on August 19, 2004, 09:51:39 PM
well , I'm not sure if a 2" inches more drop at front will be good.I have the 3" Calmini lift and at full drop the driveshaft has already a scary angle.....
you say you have the 2" on a GV......Dont know if this is correct but maybe you could put a bit bigger (1" ?)front strut spacer like the ones the 3" Calmini kit has.
But I think that the 2" Calmini lift control arms are shorter than the ones on the 3" .....  so I think its better to stay as you are now,and put bigger tires.
Very sensitive things those driveshafts....... >:(
Title: Re: sidekick rear axle rotation-shocks ?
Post by: Utah_Tracker on August 20, 2004, 12:39:14 AM
This is kinda late, but when I rotated my rear axel, I kept the Calmini shocks but relocated the bottom  shock mount.  I now have about 3-4 inches of extra droop, but it limited my up travel.
  This arrangement worked best for my as my tire/wheel combo put the rear wheels into the top of the fender at full flex. Now their just off of it.
  I agree with the other guys about the IFS fronts. I tend to break mine up with just the Calmini 3 in. I don't want to weaken it any by trying for more travel.
Title: Re: sidekick rear axle rotation-shocks ?
Post by: HotRod on August 20, 2004, 01:29:26 AM
Quote


As we are on the subject, anyone recommend a front sidekick strut as i have calmini at the moment but want more downward travel about 2 inches.

Anyone know if the GV strut is longer than stock sidekick

OME P#N31S  Struts   for a 95 Tracker.
THey're like 2 1/2 inches longer than the Calminis and give a much better ride.
Title: Re: sidekick rear axle rotation-shocks ?
Post by: GRVIT on August 20, 2004, 04:52:12 AM
The 2 1/2 inches more is good ,but what about the driveshafts when susp is at full droop and under heavy stress ?
They can be used together with the Calmini's upper strut spacers ?
Title: Re: sidekick rear axle rotation-shocks ?
Post by: Zukipilot on August 20, 2004, 05:34:53 AM
GRVIT,
Here is the pic you asked for. Sorry for the bad quailty but it was the best one showing the shocks and all.
Zig
(http://www.eye-irritant.com/august2004/ShCreek9L.jpg)
Title: Re: sidekick rear axle rotation-shocks ?
Post by: GRVIT on August 20, 2004, 05:54:13 AM
its o.k .Nice picture and nice articulation.And with the Calmini shocks heh ? nice
on the other hand ,here is mine ,trying to pass an obstacle.... same suspension without the axle rotation.Not so good  heh ? its the photo on the left .(http://www.geocities.com/myz6884/parn7.jpg)
Title: Re: sidekick rear axle rotation-shocks ?
Post by: GRVIT on August 20, 2004, 06:03:55 AM
dont know why ,but I think that your springs (and others I ve seen) seem to be compressed more.... ???

Title: Re: sidekick rear axle rotation-shocks ?
Post by: Zukipilot on August 21, 2004, 02:12:36 AM
The only thing limiting my upper travel is the coil springs them self. When I rotated the axle I noticed there was extra uptravel left in the shocks, so I placed the lower relocated mount as low as possible where the shock almost bottoms out when the springs are fully compressed.

Zig
Title: Re: sidekick rear axle rotation-shocks ?
Post by: Zukipilot on August 21, 2004, 02:16:28 AM
Hera is a pic of the same set up before the rotation

(http://www.eye-irritant.com/august2004/rampr3.jpg)
Title: Re: sidekick rear axle rotation-shocks ?
Post by: Kreg on August 21, 2004, 05:15:09 AM
Mike told me that the f150 shocks to use were the 2wd ones.  I guess the f150 4x4 shocks are longer.


I wonder how the f150 2wd shocls compare to the Crown vic shocks.  
Title: Re: sidekick rear axle rotation-shocks ?
Post by: mbmarkyb on August 22, 2004, 11:31:09 PM
sorry for the delay,i run a tracker/sidekick, UK Vitara, with the calmini combo lift and 33.12.50s Wrangler MTR . couple of other bits

picture on the twist off comp a month ago, slightly cheated i think as rear wheel washardly touching the ground giving me a score of 906. previous score was 872.

(http://pic15.picturetrail.com/VOL617/2393799/4721276/60026481.jpg)

you can see some more on my site ,,that needs updating as my ISP took back the webspace i wasnt paying for :-[
http://www.markyb.co.uk

My  tracker/vitara, was built in Ireland which may explain why i seem to have variants to others.its a 1990 spec but register as a 96  at full travel on the twist off ramp my drive shaft still have around 2 inches of clearance before hitting the wish bones,  I was hoping to find a medium as not to put stress on the cv by compounding the angle to much . but try to gain an extra inch or so.

The ome struts maybe the way forward but drop the spacer down to 1 inch or so , maybe not worth all the bother to gain a little more travel.

May upgrade the rears and have the articulation there and be happy. :-)

Cheers for your help
Title: Re: sidekick rear axle rotation-shocks ?
Post by: brlj on August 23, 2004, 07:05:22 AM
Hey mbmark, how does your suspension work with the 1" spring spacers?

Bill
Title: Re: sidekick rear axle rotation-shocks ?
Post by: mbmarkyb on August 23, 2004, 07:26:15 PM
Hi m8 , i have the rocky road spring spacers , I have only fitted them to the front springs.

I was starting to sag at the front . The front suspension still works well,
but i am after a longer front strut Than calmini,, to gain a little more,    the front springs compress fully still as i can see the paint coming off.

The suspension started to work properly once the Winch,
bumper and roll cage was fitted the extra weight helps alot.  

It took a couple of outings to get the spacers to settle in as it was just like when i first fitted the calmini kit a little hard
but weight and some good twisting routes soon sorted that .
Title: Re: sidekick rear axle rotation-shocks ?
Post by: jagular7 on August 25, 2004, 09:38:53 AM
Quote
for a 1999 FORD CROWN VICTORIA,
GABRIEL, GUARDIAN SHOCK
Part No.:   81495
Unit Price: $11.99 Ea. USD
Autozone.com

and the car look like this
([url]http://www.crownvic.net/liquid/web/1999_p71_front34.jpg[/url])

Good Luck

Wild


http://www.shockwarehouse.com/cgi-bin/shocks/search.html  for the police version

http://www.shockwarehouse.com/cgi-bin/shocks/search.html  for the civilian version