[reberz]

Hey all im new to here and pretty much the whole 4wd scene actually, been a few times in a pootrol and a hilux and want to get into 4wd, but it has to be cheap and stil have heaps of fun and loving everyones zooks on here ive been looking at sierras but they seem to be less and less common and getting way to high kms.. So been looking at vitara jlxs 1.6l... Peoples thoughts on these? I want to lift it and run hopefully 31" with either a removable hard top or a soft top. As for lift im unsure how high to go.. Or even how to do it, ive read grand vitra springs give you a 1.5" lift and run ome struts with flip top hat mod with spacers, where to get spacers? plus maybe a body lift?? Unsure if i need it? I will be doing nothing ridiculous but still a fair bit. Also people run no sway bars also considering this and would like to lock f and r but dont want to weld... How else to do it plus cost? Ok well most of that covered haha sorry for the long first post... Estimate cost? Vitara? Under 3k plus mods? 2k? New to this so unsure. Can people please share pics and help out a newbie

Fyi im currently driving a forester gt with power mods, this is all quite different! My vitara will be just for 4wd but road driven

[DarkHorse]

reberz wrote:

Hey all im new to here and pretty much the whole 4wd scene actually, been a few times in a pootrol and a hilux and want to get into 4wd, but it has to be cheap and stil have heaps of fun and loving everyones zooks on here ive been looking at sierras but they seem to be less and less common and getting way to high kms.. So been looking at vitara jlxs 1.6l... Peoples thoughts on these?
Well I like them... can have the same age issues as Sierras, often worse because they are a little better for long distances than Sierras. There are plenty around that have rarely been in 4WD, so in pretty good nick. The 1.6 motors were in Vits until about 96, so they're all at least 15 years old now.

I want to lift it and run hopefully 31" with either a removable hard top or a soft top.
Any number of options. 31s are big for Vits, but plenty of us have done it. Requires at least 2" suspension lift AND 2" body lift, plus a little bit of guard trimming and firewall flattening, and appropriate offset rims. Otherwise you'll need to cut the shit out of the guards.

As for lift im unsure how high to go.. Or even how to do it, ive read grand vitra springs give you a 1.5" lift and run ome struts with flip top hat mod with spacers, where to get spacers? plus maybe a body lift?? Unsure if i need it? I will be doing nothing ridiculous but still a fair bit.
Are you looking at a LWB or SWB (4-door or 2-door)? Have a read around here for some options and evaluations.
Grand Vit springs will give you plenty of height, but are uncomfortably firm for the lighter car.
OME struts are one of the few options for aftermarket gear that actually have more travel than stock, but they are expensive to buy new.
Strut top flip will give you a cheap extra inch of downtravel to match a smallish spring lift.
Strut spacers can be had from Calmini, Low Range Offroad, JimnyBits,Bits4Vits, Outdoor Auto.
You will need a 2" body lift if you want to run 31s and not cut most of your guards off.

Also people run no sway bars also considering this and would like to lock f and r but dont want to weld... How else to do it plus cost?
I've kept my swaybar in and the front flexes pretty well. Never run it disconnected, so can't comment but in theory it should flop around more - good offroad (unless your CVs are as borderline as mine) but not good onroad.
Non-weld diff locks are either auto variety - like LockRight, which engage and disengage according to the load coming through the diff, or selectable - air or electronically engaged. Auto cost a couple of hundred each, some people love them, I hated it. Air including compressor to run it can run to $2,000 for the first, $1600 for the second. E-lockers aren't commonly available here yet, and I wouldn't know where to start on pricing them.

Ok well most of that covered haha sorry for the long first post... Estimate cost? Vitara? Under 3k plus mods? 2k? New to this so unsure. Can people please share pics and help out a newbie
You can find a rough carb SWB Vit for under a grand. Good condition stock EFI LWB around $3,000 if you get lucky.
Suspension could cost anywhere from a couple of hundred to well over a grand, ditto tyres.
Have a look through the Rigs section, there are Vits at every stage of modification. Sort out what you want, see how others have done it and find out how to get around the problems you'll come across.

Fyi im currently driving a forester gt with power mods, this is all quite different! My vitara will be just for 4wd but road driven

It'll be different!

[reberz]

Im looking at swb ones, are there any other cheaper options of lifting? I have seen comodore struts mentioned a few times? Oh right well maybe 30" will be the go :s but i would rather 31"... Why didnt you like the lockers? Wow one for $1000?! Thats cheap... I would need it to be rego'd. Is it best to buy a modded one or mod one myself? And how much would a body lift cost? To lift the body at home would be very hard... I am quite mechanically minded so diy is no worries

[DarkHorse]

SWB - Commodore SHOCKS (rear) - there's a good thread discussing these here - viewtopic.php?f=17&t=13142
180SX springs (rear)
That's the really cheap option for down back. Front is not as easy.
For a full kit PM Dank about Dobinsons, he'll look after you: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=20219

I had a badly set LockRight in the rear diff for a while, so I shouldn't knock them as much as I do. It was clunky, tyre wear was terrible, and there was so much slack in the driveline that it rattled my axle bolts and wheel nuts loose.

Unless you get really lucky a $1000 SWB 1.6 will be a POS. I'd be looking more around the $3k mark for a clean one. It's worth looking for the EFI one (later years - mid 90s) if you can. Buying modded or stock depends a bit - if it's good gear and the work is done well you can save money on doing it yourself, but it also increases the chances that it's been used/abused hard.

Body lift here: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=15518 Best kit out there, good instructions. If you're mechanically minded it's an easy install - it was one of the first mods I did and it was in the dark on the street at the bottom of a hill. If I can do it most people can. Just need basic tools and a trolley jack.

[reberz]

Saw a standard vitara today with tyres at toolangi was mad! Im still looking around for one, best place to find a cheap one? I want efi but seem pretty pricey... Are the carby ones rubbish? Also im concerned i might roll it. Is it common to roll these? If so i might invest in a roll bar for safety?

[DarkHorse]

Carby not rubbish, but EFI a worthwhile extra expense IMO.

I found mine on eBay, turned up to be a member here. They come up here every now and again, but usually cheaper on eBay/Gumtree etc.

They will roll if you push them too far, SWB more so than LWB for obvious reasons. If I had a softop it's have a cage in it.