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How much do coil spacers lift?

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Offline longarch

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How much do coil spacers lift?
« on: September 17, 2008, 01:57:45 PM »
I have a Tracker with 30x9.50x15 tires on it and it has minor rub on the inside edge of the inner fender.The gap above my rear tires is 4" and the gap above my front tires is 2-5/8". Does anyone know exactly how much lift a 1-1/2" and/or a 2" coil spacer will lift the front end? I've heard a 1-1/2" will lift about 2" and a 2" will lift about 3" but I want to hear from someone who has experience with this.
'94 Tracker W/Hard Top
1.5" Front Coil Spacers - 2" Rear Coil Spacers - 2" Strut Spacers
30x9.50x15 Cooper Discoverer STT's
Calmini Front & Rear Tube Bumpers
Bored 30 Over & Head Shaved
Swapped 4:42 gears for 5:12's

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Offline Uncivilized

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Re: How much do coil spacers lift?
« Reply #1 on: September 17, 2008, 02:11:01 PM »
The lift ratio is 1.5x the actual size of the spacer. 1.5" spacer gives 2.25" lift, and a 2" spacer will give 3" lift(however, without other modifications, 3" lift is too much)

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Offline longarch

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Re: How much do coil spacers lift?
« Reply #2 on: September 17, 2008, 02:31:40 PM »
Thanks Uncivilized. I should have known I could count on you. What OTHER MODIFICATIONS must I do to use the 2" spacers?
« Last Edit: September 17, 2008, 02:34:09 PM by longarch »
'94 Tracker W/Hard Top
1.5" Front Coil Spacers - 2" Rear Coil Spacers - 2" Strut Spacers
30x9.50x15 Cooper Discoverer STT's
Calmini Front & Rear Tube Bumpers
Bored 30 Over & Head Shaved
Swapped 4:42 gears for 5:12's

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Offline rascott

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Re: How much do coil spacers lift?
« Reply #3 on: September 17, 2008, 02:51:37 PM »
my experience-
2" spacers in the rear will lift 2".
i tried 2" in front, but it jacked the front more than 2".
i cut them to 1 1/2" to level it out- i had heard this would happen, but had to experience it myself.....
perhaps if you have a winch or ? out front the 2" would work.
the struts will be pretty much maxed out, so either flipping or spacing the strut mounts will allow you to use the stock struts(i spaced flipped mounts 1/2"and could have spaced more).
longer shocks in rear.
i think jeff's spacers are real fine, and he's making mount spacers also?
i'm real pleased with the results.
'89 kick w/little motor, still got pieces of jeff's pucks, stan's sticks into 4.24:1 tcase, 31x10.5x15's, rear lockrite, kick power steering, some radios(kj6esv), bmw seat, other changes just because. done on the cheap.
suzi the psychic gets me fishing.

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Offline longarch

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Re: How much do coil spacers lift?
« Reply #4 on: September 17, 2008, 02:59:08 PM »
I do plan on flipping and spacing the struts to accommodate the new spacers. Do I need to drop the diff somehow or is flipping the struts all that is required?
'94 Tracker W/Hard Top
1.5" Front Coil Spacers - 2" Rear Coil Spacers - 2" Strut Spacers
30x9.50x15 Cooper Discoverer STT's
Calmini Front & Rear Tube Bumpers
Bored 30 Over & Head Shaved
Swapped 4:42 gears for 5:12's

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Offline rascott

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  • tread lightly monkeywrench a little
Re: How much do coil spacers lift?
« Reply #5 on: September 17, 2008, 03:08:32 PM »
i haven't modified my diff. mounts.
i think that if you do a more radical lift the cv joint angles will be too great.
i will probably swap my front strut mount spacers to 1" though, 'cause i think they will handle the increased droop.
also- i removed my sway bar up front to unlink the front. i was nervous |removethispart|@ this, but have found it predictable on the road. i'm pretty conservative on the highway and have gotten used to the extra body lean.
'89 kick w/little motor, still got pieces of jeff's pucks, stan's sticks into 4.24:1 tcase, 31x10.5x15's, rear lockrite, kick power steering, some radios(kj6esv), bmw seat, other changes just because. done on the cheap.
suzi the psychic gets me fishing.

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Offline jeff1997

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Re: How much do coil spacers lift?
« Reply #6 on: September 17, 2008, 03:44:33 PM »
longarch, I make strut spacers so you will not need to flip the mount. The spacer is much easier to install.
1997 4dr. Sidekick Sport 1.8L DOHC
2" coil spacers- I make and sell 1.5" and 2" on e-bay.  Look under seller: hoepkers
3" Masterkit1 body lift
Custom strut spacers
31/11.50/16 Super Swamper LTB's w/1.5" wheel spacers Steel bumpers Custom cold air intake 2" exhaust w/cherry bomb 98 Expedition, 2" lift, 35's, Magnaflow exhaust - BIG BLUE

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Offline Uncivilized

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Re: How much do coil spacers lift?
« Reply #7 on: September 17, 2008, 05:00:41 PM »
What OTHER MODIFICATIONS must I do to use the 2" spacers?
You'll need to lower the front axle similar to the Calmini lift and Boondox Lift. I'm working on a method to lower it without new brackets and just a basic adapter, but haven't gotten very far yet(it's not going well). I'd also recommend widening too, as per here: http://www.zukiworld.com/month_120102/feature_hagan_frontendmod.htm 
A 2" thick strut spacer would be needed too. And of course, for the rear you would need a 3" spacer  :o or combination of a longer spring / coil spacer. I don't think you should use a 3" coil spacer - unless you extend the bump stop by about 2" or at least have something hanging down .75" lower than the coil - I've done this before by putting a piece of 2.5" tubing over the bump stop and tack welding it to the bump stop, then put on the spacer and cut the tube. It's there just to keep the coil from sliding out. The rear bump stop shaft is tapered so the tube fits over. Then, rotate rear as per: http://www.zukiworld.com/month_100102/feature_hagans_rearrotate.htm 

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Offline Digger

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Re: How much do coil spacers lift?
« Reply #8 on: September 17, 2008, 07:03:05 PM »
It has been my experience that putting 1-1/2" coil spacers up front and 2" spacers in the rear is real simple. Just flip or space the front upper strut mount and slap on a pair of longer rear shocks(I used 91 Ford Crown Victoria rear shocks and they worked great and were only $13 each) If you go higher than that, you take it from being really simple to being a real pain as you gotta think about lowering the diff up front(if you don't, don't expect your cv shafts to last a long time), plus you gotta think about longer rear shocks, extending the bumpstops and possibly even spacing the rear driveshaft.

I've had people tell me that they slapped in 4" coil spacers up front with stock diff mounts and the cv's didn't explode or spontaneously fall apart. These are the same people that are no longer out on the trails. You can go up to a 1-1/2" spacer up front and still expect reasonable longevity out of your stock CV shafts(and you'll get 2-1/4" of front lift to boot) but if you go higher, it will work for a little while, but the wear on the shafts is greatly accelerated. It's just not worth it to go any higher without a full lift kit or a solid axle swap...
Had a cool sig pic till I changed the text... sigh...
90 Tracker: "Silver", 2" BL, 1-1/2" Coil Spacers, Strut mount flip, Calmini Header, Winch, 31" Swamper radials, Sold.
98 Suzuki X-90: Calmini 2" Sus, 1-1/4" whl spcrs, 2" Exhaust, Cobra Safari Bar, Neon, Sold.
96 Suzuki X-90: Mostly stock daily driver(for now)

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Offline longarch

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Re: How much do coil spacers lift?
« Reply #9 on: September 17, 2008, 09:10:57 PM »
Thanks Digger and thanks to all that have replied to this posting. I have contacted Jeff and I will be ordering (2) 1.5", (2) 2" coil spacers, and (2) 2" strut spacers later this week or at the beginning of next week. Maybe when I get these installed my tires won't rub when I turn the wheel deep.

God bless.
« Last Edit: September 18, 2008, 10:37:17 AM by longarch »
'94 Tracker W/Hard Top
1.5" Front Coil Spacers - 2" Rear Coil Spacers - 2" Strut Spacers
30x9.50x15 Cooper Discoverer STT's
Calmini Front & Rear Tube Bumpers
Bored 30 Over & Head Shaved
Swapped 4:42 gears for 5:12's

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Offline Digger

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  • 1996 Suzuki X-90 4X4
Re: How much do coil spacers lift?
« Reply #10 on: September 17, 2008, 09:45:05 PM »
Nice looking tracker. The lift should help, but it looks like those wheels are putting the tires further out of the fenders than stock or similarly backspaced to stock wheels would. That could be where a lot of your rub is coming from. You really don't want rims with less than 3.75" of backspacing, any less and the tires stick out and because of that, they travel in a bigger arc through the steering range and are more prone to rubbing.

I have actually heard of people running 30's on a stock tracker with no rubbing. A lot of that depends on the rims you run with them... The lift will help though.
Had a cool sig pic till I changed the text... sigh...
90 Tracker: "Silver", 2" BL, 1-1/2" Coil Spacers, Strut mount flip, Calmini Header, Winch, 31" Swamper radials, Sold.
98 Suzuki X-90: Calmini 2" Sus, 1-1/4" whl spcrs, 2" Exhaust, Cobra Safari Bar, Neon, Sold.
96 Suzuki X-90: Mostly stock daily driver(for now)

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Offline rascott

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Re: How much do coil spacers lift?
« Reply #11 on: September 18, 2008, 09:24:35 AM »
nice looking rig.
i think you'll be pleased and with 30x9.5's it seems the fit will be real good.
i did a little body lift by replacing that grommet on the bottom of the mounts with a thinner one and spaced the body up 1 1/8". it let me run 31x10.5's w/a little hammering and bending. still have those well plastics in there. still some touching now and then, but i don't care.
good project.
'89 kick w/little motor, still got pieces of jeff's pucks, stan's sticks into 4.24:1 tcase, 31x10.5x15's, rear lockrite, kick power steering, some radios(kj6esv), bmw seat, other changes just because. done on the cheap.
suzi the psychic gets me fishing.

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Offline rascott

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Re: How much do coil spacers lift?
« Reply #12 on: September 18, 2008, 09:34:01 AM »
oh yea- mabe get yourself some camber bolts to replace the top strut bolts.
you'll want to get an alignment when you're done.
'89 kick w/little motor, still got pieces of jeff's pucks, stan's sticks into 4.24:1 tcase, 31x10.5x15's, rear lockrite, kick power steering, some radios(kj6esv), bmw seat, other changes just because. done on the cheap.
suzi the psychic gets me fishing.

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Offline longarch

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Re: How much do coil spacers lift?
« Reply #13 on: September 18, 2008, 10:36:40 AM »
Thanks for the advice Rascott. The effort you, Digger, and Uncivilized put forth in words will go to very good use in the next couple of weeks.

Boy........ I'm so glad I swapped out the 4:62's for the 5:12's. What a great torque improvement, the speedometer is almost correct now, and the fuel economy is better. I certainly reccomend anyone going to 30's or 31's to do this.
« Last Edit: September 18, 2008, 11:02:50 AM by longarch »
'94 Tracker W/Hard Top
1.5" Front Coil Spacers - 2" Rear Coil Spacers - 2" Strut Spacers
30x9.50x15 Cooper Discoverer STT's
Calmini Front & Rear Tube Bumpers
Bored 30 Over & Head Shaved
Swapped 4:42 gears for 5:12's

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95sidekick

Re: How much do coil spacers lift?
« Reply #14 on: September 20, 2008, 04:18:07 PM »
The lift ratio is 1.5x the actual size of the spacer. 1.5" spacer gives 2.25" lift, and a 2" spacer will give 3" lift(however, without other modifications, 3" lift is too much)


i have 2 "  in the front you get about 3 " of lift an never had to modify anything cv shaft dont make noice everything moves free , have these on a 4 door an 2 door? maybe im lucky ?