hi all,

i was wondering how many vitara/track kick owners have/are using strut spacers.

i'd love to see pics, as i'm in the process of 'trying' to make some.

i can't afford new struts ($300AUD ea), as i have just spent $950AUD on tyres, and still saving for a auto locker from RRoad or TT.

i had zero down travel with a 2" coil spacer, and with the strut mount flip, only have 1" D-travel now.

so if anyone could help me out, that's be sweet.
even better, is if someone had a template they could send me so i can cut out some steel out of flat bar, and weld a bit of pipe between them.....

anyway, thanks.

Here is a pic of the Calminis strut spacers offf a 95 Tracker. They may be the same.

Dig Cam Phone
Sorry, kitchen counter last min pics

Here is the one I built for the Pass
side, my drivers side is like the ones
Hotrod is showing

Enjoy

Wild

And another

Why not remove the strut top mounting and then make a template from cardboard. Leave some holes in the bottom like the Calmini ones cos otherwise they can fill up with water when wading. You need to make them the same shape as the strut top to ensure that they bolt up square in the strut tower.

thanks guys, i knew you all would come through.

who else besides calmini sell these? and for how much?

i can't really make them myself, as i dont trust my own welding 100% yet, and of the few engineering/steel fabrication places i've asked, they're just not willing to make any, and if they do, they want  about $100+AUD  for the 2 spacers.

and for legit/rego reasons, i wouldn't mind getting them from a company of some sort.

anyway, thanks for the pics, and if anyone has more info, please let me know.

P.S, love your work wildgoody.

thanks guys, Steve

Thank You Steve

BTW  you can't run a flipped strut
mount with a 3"  (75mm) strut spacer,
as it is 3" is on the long side, I found
the wire CV cage/ball retainer ring a
little dimpled around the edges where
the CV balls had been in contact at full
droop, so if you get somthing like this,
for the life of the CVs make it about 2 3/4"
or about  68-70 mm long, that should help

Good Luck

Wild

These are what I used on my Kick.  They are Exhaust collector flanges and heavy wall tube.   Mine are to long for a stock application, but could be cut & welded to fit.   They can also be welded at any angle to help with the camber issues of large lifts.  

whitfield, i was just wondering about the camber, and how i could adjust it from a strut spacer.

do you have any more info on this, such as measurements, methods, etc.

i'm scared that if i try to cut it on an angle for some camber adjustment, i won't be able to get everything aligned properly, and maybe put the castor out as well, and also, there are ways to get both sides the same, but how would you do it?

i won't do more than 2.5" with the spacer, as i only have a 1" lifted coil, and 2" spacer, and really cant afford to replace CVs all the time.

thanks again.
Steve

That's one reason for the design
I used,  it allows you to move the
bottom of the spacer and weld at
the right camber so it all sits right

Wild

so how did you figure out how much to move the plates to correct camber?

Use a magnetic angle finder,
stick it to the strut on the outside,
read it before you tear it down,
then set it in the same place when
you build the spacers, weld in place

Wild

camber bolts will be an easy adjustment for a 2" lift, so you can make the spacer square

woo hoo, i have just made some spacers up this afternoon (23/09/04), and they are a bit over 2", but not much.

i made them the same as the majority out there, similar to the calmini ones and the pics posted.

i just have to put them in and go for a test drive to see what happens, but the only thing i'm worried about are the CV angles.

but apart from that, everything else went ok.

i might have to save up for some camber bolts, but it seems as though it doesnt need it.

i'm also going ot go out for a drive this weekend, hopefully i can get a few pics up for you guys.

thanks for the help.
Steve

 
Another Happy Zukiworld Customer