ZUKIWORLD Online | Suzuki 4x4 Editorial and Forum
ZUKIWORLD Model Specific Suzuki Forum => Suzuki XL-7 (Gen. 1 Platform) 2001-2006 => Topic started by: the_maplebar on December 16, 2005, 12:31:59 PM
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So I have my lift kit together and I just need to figure out what to do with the Strut Tower brace if I install strut spacers. I did some searching and found this:
I am also now concerned with the strut tower brace. Something I never really considered. I could get some longer bolts and sleeves to raise it as well but I wonder if it would compromise the strength of the whole torsional relationship. I already have the Calmini supplied sleeves on.
Any more description, or better yet pics of how this is done? Did you ever find a solution for this? From the ProjectNomaad writeup it looks like you may have just removed the Calmini spacers, used OME struts, and rolled sheet metal to make room for the brace after the body lift. Is that right? Did the sleeves seem to work fine with just the strut spacers?
Also I was looking at Jagular7's webshots, I remember you used to have pics of different springs and other suspension components. I couldn't find them on the website anymore, do you still have them anywhere?
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Apparently Jagular7's XL7 suspension photo album is not one of the publicly shared ones at Webshots, but I found a link to it in one of the other threads. So I don't need that info anymore.
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I don't think I have any pics of what you are looking for. To add, my webshots will be closing by the end of the month. I'm now looking for a place to put pics for cheap or free.
photobucket is one site.
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If you MP with your email address I will send you some close-ups of where I cut to fit the brace.
George
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I don't think I have any pics of what you are looking for. To add, my webshots will be closing by the end of the month. I'm now looking for a place to put pics for cheap or free.
photobucket is one site.
Tried CarDomain? I've got one for each of my 3 vehicles and it works great aside from the little CarDomain icon in the bottom corner of each picture you link to from there. Nothing major.
Okay, so what's the problem with this stuff? I don't think I'm seeing it but then I haven't looked too closely at the strut tower brace on my GV. Anyone have pictures?
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The strut tower brace and struts mount at the same location. The strut spacers don't actually extenc the struts, they space the mounting location down 1"-1.5". That also lowers the mounting location for the brace. This means that you will most likely have to cut the sheet metal on the fenders to get clearence, and it's most likely not going to clear the engine either.
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Finaly some pics of where I cut to fit the strut-brace after the 2" bd lift
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I hate to sound thick but can someone show me in that picture where it was cut?
How'd it work out for you blacknight? Any welding involved?
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No welding just cutting.
note the red marks
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Ok, that is what I thought you were talking about Blacknight but wanted to make sure. I understand how you would cut the fender sidewall to make space for the brace after installing a bodylift. I was wondering about dealing with the brace after installing strut spacers. I haven't installed mine yet, but it seems that the mounting surface will be lowered 1.5"... You may need to cut the fender sidewall to the brace to the mounting location, but won't it still hit the motor? I noticed in my first post that there has been a reference that Calmini supplies sleeves (to raise the brace?) with their strut spacers. Anyone know more about this?
Thanks
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George, I was looking back at old posts and realized that you have the Calmini kit installed. Do you not have to do anything with the Strut Tower Brace when you install the Calmini Strut Extension?
Thanks,
James
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Calmini said that I should of ground the holes for the bolts a little. But thing bolted right back up after installing there longer bolts and spacers. The reson a cut the wheel well was for the 2" body lift.
George
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I was wondering about that, seems like the bar has a little give to it if you put some muscle into it. How long are the spacers for the brace, and how big is the drop for the strut extension?
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Calmini said that I should of ground the holes for the bolts a little.
I was thinking about this overnight. If you ground out the holes you would not be able to screw the bolts back into the strut tower. So do you put the bolts through the strut tower and use nuts on the bottom? That would give it more slack when starting off the bolts, whick could then be torqued down to get everything staight, when bolting the brace to the strut tower it needs to be at the right angle to get the threads started correctly.
Just to make sure we are talking about the same thing, here is a pic of what I think I need to do in order for the brace to clear the engine after installing the strut spacers.
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You're grinding the hole to make it longer not bigger. The reson for this is the sturts are tilted in and as you rise the strut brace the alignment of the bolt holes changes
George
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It took me a while to process that. I kept thinking, "The holes in the strut tower are threaded, if you grind them out your screwed" ??? Until I finally realized you were talking about grinding out the wholes on the brace. It suddenly makes a lot of sense. I think I am ready to get some longer bolts on the brace and try out the setup. If everything goes well I will be installing the coil and strut spacers soon too. Thanks for all of the help, I was getting very close to just ordering the OME struts.
Just out of curiosity how big are the strut spacer's that Calmini uses, and are the spacers for the brace the same length or a little less? My strut spacers are 1.5" and I've heard the OME struts are 1" longer than stock. I've also seen another kit that has 1.75" strut spacers.
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And to get a better idea of the difficulty with the strut tower brace here are some pics of mine sitting flat in a garage.
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I'm baaaccckckkk . . . .
Just to clarify things for you guys.
1. Calmini instruction for the strut tower brace are to grind about an 1/8" in the front hole towards the center, that is in the brace itself not in the strut bearing plate. You do this because the drop puts a slightly different angle on the top of the plate, so it just makes it a little easier getting your bolts in without having to pry the tops toward the outside of the truck to get them in. Make any sense? :)
2. The sleeves and bolts will be your best option. If you didn't buy it from Calmini, the sleeves can be had from Lowes in the Specialty Bolt drawers, and the bolts are something you should take to an automotive fastner (bolt) company to have them size up for you, they are a fine thread compared to most of the bolts on the truck. I will try to take some measurements this weekend and get back to you guys. I still have the Calmini sleeves and bolts I just don't have a bolt finder tool thingi to tell you what the thread count and pitch are.
Hope this helps a bit. :)