I finally found the measurements that I took of the Sidekick before the lift, she was sitting at approx 27" to the lip of the front wheel well arch on the stock limp spagetti coils, she is sitting at 36" right now. That is a 9" lift out of the altered Ego lift kit and the 31x10.5x15's.

Looks better now. 

Took a pic today and thought I would share it. Plenty of ground clearance, my only concern is the front diff, gotta get a skid plate under there!

Nice writeup.

Thanks for sharing!


Marty

Thnx!


My uncle is a heep guy, he bet me a buck that the zuki couldnt climb up on some logs, he said if his  jeep couldnt the zuki couldnt, especially with open diffs, LOL she climbed right up on there with very little sweat and fanfare, LOL I am a buck richer now!

Definitely get yourself some skid plates! And while your at it strap down that front diff to prevent breakage. Been working on mine for years and many miles now. Nice flexy IFS, that Altered Ego stuff is THE WAY TO GO!

yeah I wasnt sure what I was going to do with the front diff, but I was thinking of going with steel parts if and when I put a locker or ARB in. I found a spare transfer case and will do 4.24 gears and install the twin sticks I have.

I wanted to go with the Altered Ego skid plates but that 10% duty to get it into the States sucks big raw green donkey dugans!

I was running their diff drop brackets and the aluminum third only lasted one trip, it met a rock and shaved off the bottom of the differential. I am pretty sure it was worse than it would have been, as it was sticking down that much further. 

I picked up a front OEM skid plate and paired it with the alteredego transfer skid & transmission skid. I'm happy so far. 

yeah I wasnt sure what I was going to do with the front diff, but I was thinking of going with steel parts if and when I put a locker or ARB in. I found a spare transfer case and will do 4.24 gears and install the twin sticks I have.

I wanted to go with the Altered Ego skid plates but that 10% duty to get it into the States sucks big raw green donkey dugans!

I've been running an ARB in the stock front diff aluminum housing with my own diff strapping system and Calmini skid plates with no damage whatsoever in 50K miles and some pretty seriously wheeling. The aluminum one will hold up fine if braced from twisting and is a bunch lighter than the steel counterparts.

yep that is the same skidplate I was planning on, it sucks when UPS holds your package ransom for customs and duties, so the altered ego skid plates are out, and besides i havntt been able to get hold of them, no phone or email replies.......

I will check out your strapping a little later, I was trying to change the rear D-shafts ujoints and procedded to hammer off the tip of my finger!

yep that is the same skidplate I was planning on, it sucks when UPS holds your package ransom for customs and duties, so the altered ego skid plates are out, and besides i havntt been able to get hold of them, no phone or email replies.......

I will check out your strapping a little later, I was trying to change the rear D-shafts ujoints and procedded to hammer off the tip of my finger!

Ouch! Been there before. The tip just popped right off and sprayed a few inches away. Can't even tell now though. Been about a decade and I don't even remember which finger it was. I used a bandaid to hold the tip on until it stuck back to the finger. Was just skin though.

yep that is the same skidplate I was planning on, it sucks when UPS holds your package ransom for customs and duties, so the altered ego skid plates are out, and besides i havntt been able to get hold of them, no phone or email replies.......

I will check out your strapping a little later, I was trying to change the rear D-shafts ujoints and procedded to hammer off the tip of my finger!

This is what I made for front Skid Plate.  A fab shop would bend it up pretty quickly.  I made a cardboard MOC of how I wanted it bent, and use an angle finder to get it close.  My dish on the bottom (used propane cylinder) is not heavy enough.  Mine is 3/16" and can be bent (but not by much).  I welded stiffeners on the sides to keep it from bending.

Get a piece of cardboard and see what you come up with.  (If you want my angles and dimensions I can get them next trip under it.)

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Altered Ego 4.5" lift install:

http://www.zukikrawlers.com/showthread.php?t=42276

Altered Ego 4.5" lift, (front):

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/suzuki/993529-altered-ego-4-5-lift-front.html

Alter Ego 1.5" Forward A-Arms:

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/suzuki/1025171-alter-ego-1-5-forward-arms.html

Altered Ego 4.5" suspension lift:

http://bbs.zuwharrie.com/content/topic,120903.0.html

AE 4.5" lift modifications, your thoughts?:

http://bbs.zuwharrie.com/content/topic,130163.0.html