Has anyone looked into putting XL7 springs in a Grand Vitara?

The XL& is about 500lbs lighter and can carry about 300 lbs more payload.  If the spring perches are similar, I figure that it might be a cheap upgrade, with minimal lift, probably just under 1 inch.  The ride might also be a little stiffer.  Springs are sometimes cheap at the wreckers, though.

Just a thought...

Marc

LOL cheap call suzuki You will have to give ur right and left nut lol. The XL7 & passenger would lift the GV but at $225cdn a piece FUCKKKK that

It would however be much cheaper if some of the lifted XL-7 owners on this forum would part with their springs for a price? That would make their lift cheaper as well

I have gotten springs cheap for other cars from the wreckers.  They typically aren't high movers, I guess.  I never suggested buying them new.

Marc

I have done just that. Spring and shocks from a late 2004 XL7 (with 5000km) into my 2001 GV V6 (had 80k km at the time, just over 100k km now). The rear coil free standing length is sightly longer and the overall coil diameter is slightly bigger but it fits in the axle fine (keep an eye on the diff housing breather hose when you are lowering the axle when you are fitting the spring).

More importantly the actual coil wire diameter is 1mm thicker and there are less number of coils hence the spring rate for the XL7 spring is quite a bit stiffer. The end result is a 20-25mm lift at the rear. Initially I re-fitted the Bilstein rear shocks I had on the GV from day one with the XL7 springs and found the stiffer springs overpowering the shocks (mainly topping out). I then fitted the XL7 shocks, they are around the 15-20 mm longer with a huge increase in damping (both compression and rebound). At full travel the handbrake cable is a little tight so you will have to keep an eye out for it. The shock and springs work well together.

As for the front the springs they have a similar number of coils and the wire diameter is ~0.5mm less with the XL7 spring so the indication is that the spring would be softer than the standard GV spring. This is interesting maybe Suzuki is expecting the XL7 owners wanting a softer ride. Not wanting to lower the front I just left the stock GV springs in the front. However I did fit the newer struts from the XL7 into the GV, they are pretty much the same (however they do have a different part number) and could not really notice any difference.

The end result is much better handling and ride. The car handles rough terrain much better especially with a load in the back. I am thinking about getting some spring spacers for the front to raise it by around 20mm though, mainly for more clearance.

Sweet!  I figured it could be done.  So you only did the rear, eh?  What did you put in the XL7?

If the front springs have a smaller wire diameter and a smaller coil diameter, the spring rate should be harder.  I find it highly unlikely that the XL7 has a softer ride, especially since the tow rating is double the GV.  That might have to do with the wheelbase length, though.

The rear shocks on the GV are VERY soft.  A small change in damping would be very noticable.  You can feel it squatting nicely when accelerating and cornering at the same time.  With no weight back there, it needs it.

I'm going to try and find some springs now!

Marc