Hey people , I'm from Chile and have a some trouble to get lift kits over here , so we make our own stuff.
Now I have a 2" suspension lift a long with a 2" body lift but want more flex , I was thinking in the tree inch calmini suspension system. It seems to me that the key is in the wire diameter and the free height of the springs.
Can any body help me with that ?
Can I get more flex by changing my springs to some longer ( 4" morethan stock ) but with a smaller wire diameter? (a thinner wire)
Anybody with a 3" calmini lifty could meassure the wire diameter and the number of turns in the spring?

Thanks a lot to everbody

excuse my english.

I'm sure your English is much better
than my Spanish/Portugese, no worries
on that.

I just measured the stock 4 door coils,
about 14mm wire, or 9/16" if you prefure
SAE measure.  When you go longer on a coil
(more coils) the spring rate gets softer, so don't
go smaller wire and longer, or you will get
a saggy front end.

I got plenty of flex from 3" coil spacers and
some 3" extensions for the front struts, still
running the strut spacers, but the coils I have
added some sections of 4 door spring, now
with the wider front wheels I wish I had used
the whole 4 door spring, and added sections
of the 2 door spring.

For your information the
front 2 door spring rate is about 450 PSI and
the 4 door front spring is about 500 PSI, this
might help you to get another spring that is
heavy enough to give you the lift you want

Good Luck

Wild

Flex is mainly restricted by strut and shock lengths. 2" strut spacers will give around 44% more front travel. At the rear longer shocks can be used but the top diff mount is the restriction, the Calmini setup uses a Heim (Rose) joint. Alternatively you could make up a spacer like Wildgoody's (you'll find pics if you search). Calmini rear springs are about 18" long.

wild :
what do you mean by adding sections of a spring , did you kind of weld a piece of 4 door spring , or just put it on top or something like that?

I have thought of extending the front struts longer , but my worries are for the cv joints , I've seen some people with bigger strut extension and the cv constantly pop out , I don't really know if it's a particular problem of those sidekicks or if it happens to everyone.

The rear of my suzuki is working good .Got longer shocks ( Isuzu Trooper  model) and made an extension for the upper A-arm and got pretty good flex. So I'm turning to work towards the front suspension.

The problem is that the spring is to hard and the front A-arm never reaches the rubber stop under any condition. Actualy if a I get a front wheel on top of something it only moves up a couple of inches.

Any ideas?

Douglas

.....snip.....

The problem is that the spring is to hard and the front A-arm never reaches the rubber stop under any condition. Actualy if a I get a front wheel on top of something it only moves up a couple of inches.

Any ideas?

Douglas

Have you disconnected the sway bar from the control arms? Totally remove it from the link to the arm and you should get more flex. I have mine removed totally and drive defensive-offensively. I know how my truck will react. It's something you have to get used to.

To add, you could remove the coil up front and get an idea of the movement of the arm. Binding in the bushing is common with bad bushings.

Yes I actually took a 4" section (100mm)
of a 4 door spring and welded it to the top
of the 2 door spring, but this weld does not
flex at all, it's just there to keep the 2 sections
together, you cannot weld spring steel, it
will loose it's "spring" and collapse.

Good Luck
Wild

ChileKick here's some approximate figures for you.

380mm high, 12 coils, 16mm wire dia. (inc. paint)

445mm high, 14 coils, 12.5mm wire dia. (inc. paint)

I have mine removed totally and drive defensive-offensively. I know how my truck will react. It's something you have to get used to.

I removed mine as well but I found that adding 1 1/2" wheel spacers returned the handling to stock. With the strut spacers fitted the sway bar was fouling on the steering and limiting drop.

Rhinoman, wouldn't getting rims with 1-1/2" less backspacing do the same as your wheel spacers? What does that do to outer fender clearance?

Wild: after adding my winch and bumper setup, the front of my Tracker is sagging some. Do you think I could just swap in a pair of 4 door coils to level it out again, or would it be too much?

Thanks to everyone , you have been great.

I'll let you know how things turn out.

thanks again , and if I can help you back with anithing I'll keep searching the BBS.

Douglas

Rhinoman, wouldn't getting rims with 1-1/2" less backspacing do the same as your wheel spacers? What does that do to outer fender clearance?

Yes, I borrowed the spacers off my buggy just to see how it handled. If you check around the rims are probably not much differen in price compared to a quality set of spacers. Clearance was OK on 215s with a 2" spring lift. I'm now on 33 x 9.5s with 95mm backspacing. I cut back about an inch on the outer fender and cut and shut the footwells. The handling is pretty good considering the body is 3" higher now.