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ZUKIWORLD Discussion Forum => Suzuki 4x4 Forum => Topic started by: track_this on March 17, 2003, 08:27:53 PM

Title: calmini 3" body lift?
Post by: track_this on March 17, 2003, 08:27:53 PM
Has anybody installed this body lift? if so what exactly needs to be welded and can it be done by a do it yourselfer? any tips or hints on how to make it easier would be great. thanks
Title: Re: calmini 3" body lift?
Post by: ebewley on March 18, 2003, 12:39:22 AM
There is an article on our site that former editor, Junior, did which explains the body lift. Check the Article Archives.

Good Luck, Eric
Title: Re: calmini 3" body lift?
Post by: Trac95ker on March 31, 2003, 05:22:46 AM
I have the Calmini 6" lift on my Tracker and I had to get the t-case shifter extension welded.Thats the only thing. After its welded on, you need to heat up the shifter and bend it so it wont hit the sheetmetal on the floorboard hump. I also used both pieces of the stock shifter boot, just had to cut some slits in the bottom rubber piece. I have an auto trans so I did not have to do anything with the trans shifter. The other mod is that you need to grind down the rib on the bottom of the front third member.A hand held grinder works fine.
Title: Re: calmini 3" body lift?
Post by: Mac on April 14, 2003, 01:10:02 PM
Why did you have to grind down the bottom of the third member, that housing is a weak point to begin with?


Mac
Title: Re: calmini 3" body lift?
Post by: tonka-toy on April 15, 2003, 06:16:50 PM
grinding the rib down stops the 3rd member rubbing on the crossmember.
due to the way calmini have designed the kit, the front of the 3rd member has been rotated downwards so that the front halfshafts remain long enough after the lift. this in turn means that to clear the cross member, the rear of the 3rd member where it meets the front prop has been angled upwards.
this in turn creates 2 problems (1) the 3rd member angle now creates a weak point on the lug where it bolts to the cross member (2) if you drain the oil to change it in the diff ... then due to the new angle it will hold less than half the diff oil that suzuki state the axle needs to function correctly. ...... to counteract the 2nd problem we fill the diff with oil before fitting it ( carefully )
the diff angle still needs work to fix ........ :-/
Title: Re: calmini 3" body lift?
Post by: 1bigtracker on July 31, 2003, 03:36:50 PM
I had tons of probs ith my body lift.  first  if the bolts r rusty then spray them  the day before u take them off.  2,  i had to mod the floors, t-case shift knob, 5-speed shift knob,and steering shaft.  it was not as easy as they said it was.
Title: Re: calmini 3" body lift?
Post by: UberAsuna on August 01, 2003, 05:28:13 PM
My kit was aparently missing a few screws and nuts whatever u call them . The guy who installed mine was like nice body lift kit but u were missing a few shits in there and he had to use some from his extras from other lifts ... I dunno if this only happened to me but if yes then well i guess i got bad luck ..
Title: Re: calmini 3" body lift?
Post by: Mr._NSX on August 01, 2003, 10:02:32 PM
Quote
Why did you have to grind down the bottom of the third member, that housing is a weak point to begin with?


Mac


This is for the installiation of the suspension lift not the body lift.  I just got my calmini body lift and the first thing I noticed was 4 missing nuts and bolts and 2 missing 2x3in square tube sections.  I had to go to the local machine shop and get a similar section of tube at a cost of 3$.  Besides that everything was there.  As for the welding you have to weld the t case extension, ther are 4 3x2in square tube body spacers that need to be tack welded to the frame, and depending on what year of kick you have you may have to weld a seam on the stearing column after extending it. The instructions say that all welds should be performed by a certified welder.  I havn't installed my kit yet but it looks pretty straight foward and shouldn't  be a problem.

Hope this helps!!!!
Title: Re: calmini 3" body lift?
Post by: sidekick_nut on August 04, 2003, 06:12:13 AM
Quote


depending on what year of kick you have you may have to weld a seam on the stearing column after extending it.


Or (depending on steering shaft) build a 2 13/16 spacer like I had to...
Title: Re: calmini 3" body lift?
Post by: 1bigtracker on August 05, 2003, 01:24:04 AM
I used a long socket as a spacer for  the steering shaft
Title: Re: calmini 3" body lift?
Post by: LBC4x4 on August 05, 2003, 03:13:36 PM
I had problems putting the front bumper on and had to make some new tabs and screw them into the frame in order to get the bumber to raise the bumper and have it secure
Title: Re: calmini 3" body lift?
Post by: LBC4x4 on August 05, 2003, 03:14:58 PM
If you are willing to do some cutting and hamering of the front fender well you can fit 31x10.5 with an adition 1in coil spacer
Title: Re: calmini 3" body lift?
Post by: sidekick_nut on August 05, 2003, 09:48:48 PM
There must be a difference in years or something...  I fit 31x10.50's with no problems with the Calmini 3" body lift.  If I wanted 32's I could probably do it with a coil spacer and some trimming of sheet metal, wierd huh?
Title: Re: calmini 3" body lift?
Post by: Mr._NSX on August 05, 2003, 10:37:38 PM
i fit 235 75 15's with no lift at all and they are just under 30inchs tall.  I don't see how fitting 31's would be a problem with  a 3in body lift either. :P
Title: Re: calmini 3" body lift?
Post by: UberAsuna on August 06, 2003, 01:32:36 AM
Ok a question here .......
Whats the MAX size of coil spacers i can put in THE FRONT without having to change anything else ??
I know with 2" coil spacers i ended up having to get longer strust and all my other parts were REALY BENDING ... so whats the max with STOCK STRUST + 3" Body lift
Title: Re: calmini 3" body lift?
Post by: Fredo on August 06, 2003, 04:40:12 AM

1" coils spacers, but with my 2" i doon't have any problems!?
Title: Re: calmini 3" body lift?
Post by: UberAsuna on August 06, 2003, 05:00:04 AM
Quote

1" coils spacers, but with my 2" i doon't have any problems!?


So if i put in the 1" spacers i wont have to move anything else around and everything stays stock ??
and will i have to redo my alligment ?? cause see i did it 2 times already this year  once after a little accident  and the other one last week when i changed my Idler Arm(sp?) and 50$ everytime aint fun to pay :(
Title: Re: calmini 3" body lift?
Post by: MEDEL514 on August 06, 2003, 09:20:22 AM
I was told that to keep everything level, you'd have to run a slightly thicker spring spacer in the rear.  (i.e. a 3/4" in the front and a 1" in the rear)  

Because of the geometry of the front IFS, a spacer in the front will lift the car slightly higher that the actual thickness of the spacer.  
Title: Re: calmini 3" body lift?
Post by: UberAsuna on August 06, 2003, 10:44:07 AM
i have 2" spacers  in the back