[thompson_2986]

Hi guys,

Did have a '93 WT sierra with 31" tyres and reduction gears plus other stuff a few years back and ended up selling it due to not using it and having three regos. Did pay for my tinny though so some bonuses.

However the time has come again to purchase a 4WD again but wanting an everyday driver as well. Drive 35 mins to work, mainly on the highway so sierra is out. Been there done that.

Looking for information in regards to grand vitara's i.e. what is the difference between pre 05 and post 05

Are the Auto's any good (Wife wants auto and I'm working on this)?

Not looking to do the serious 4wding (mud runs) but would like to know that I could launch a boat from the beach and tackle basic to medium tracks. Is the 4wd system good or is it a close to being a soft roader?

What can be done to them? i.e. tyres size with and without lift but keeping it 100% legal. I'm in Vic so total lift 75 mm, no more than 50 mm from tyres or suspension.

Thanks in advance for the help. I have tried searching but there seem to be lots of rubbish in between useful information.

Cheers

Tom

[fordem]

Pre 05 is body on frame construction, post 05 is monocoque; pre 05 is macpherson strut IFS with a live rear, post 05 is independent front and rear; pre 05 is part time 4WD with two speed transfer case, post 05 is AWD, with an optional "four mode 4WD" - if you have the four mode option you get a two speed transfer case and a lockable center diff, please note, the front & rear diffs are not lockable.

My biggest concern with the post 05 models is the suspension design - it is, in my opinion, not suited to a vehicle that will be taken off the pavement - the front suspension is a macpherson strut with a control arm design better suited to a FWD sedan, that in fact is where I first saw it, Toyota has been using it on Corollas since the late 90's, Mitsubishi has it on the Lancer, and it's popular with several other manufacturers - the rear suspension is a multi-link design with just too many links - I've seen several stock, unlifted, post 05 vehicles with front suspension damage caused by bad roads, and there's been quite a bit of discussions on the various forums about rear tire wear - I did notice the other day, that the factory alignment spec has the rear end with quite a bit more toe-in than the front, something that I found quite unusual.

Lifts are easier on the pre 05, go too high (>40mm) on the post 05 and you'll destroy the front control arms.

The automatics are decent - pre 05 is a four speed electronically shifted Aisin Warner design (the 03-72LE), post 05 is, I believe, a five speed transmission, again electronically shifted.

[thompson_2986]

Thanks heaps for that information fordem.

For other people reading this post I have read via the forum that the 2.4lt engines seem to have problems.

[losfer]

It appears that they may of sorted the head issues on the newer 2.4s but i have new horror stories... i replaced an abs module on one the other day that had 26900 on the clock. Total cost with reprogramming.. $2503. Quite a common problem i have sold a few abs modules for higher k cars but this one shocked me. Car was just out of warranty (july 2012 build date).

Sent from my GT-I9295 using Tapatalk

[thompson_2986]

With the pre 2005 what are the 2.5lt engines like?

[ZUZUKI]

The SQ625 is a great compromise - IMHO.
Have owned one from new & still love it & think there is nothing better for what I do with it, & think it will do what you are saying you want from a 4WD.
The 2.5 V6 is a bit thirsty on fuel (tank is 66litres & you'll get about 10-11L/100km on a country run & 13ish around town) is robust, but has a couple of common issues. Oil leaks from an o-ring between the block & alloy sump, towards the front on the passengers side - this can be bad enough to be a RWC fail. It's a PITA to fix. The rear crank seal is a bit vulnerable on cars used in deep sand (bell-housing not too well sealed up from sand ingress)- autos are better in this area.
The biggest issue is the timing chains - way more complicated than it really needs to be & an expensive fix due to the labour involved - probably looking at $1000+ for a workshop to do it. Chain kit is $200-250 & the rest labour.
Usually give plenty of warning that they need replacing (lots of thrashy noise from the front of the engine), but sometimes the tensioner can break the pawl. If the chain breaks, it makes a big mess. Seems to be around 200-250k km that chains need doing at.
The 5door wagon was also available with the J20 4cyl - also has timing chains with similar issues! Will struggle with boat towing / beach work & still likes a drink.
Keep in mind, the autos had alloy front diff housing & centre which is a weak point when you go proper 4WDriving with grippy tyres. Manual cars had a steel diff - can be swapped into a auto, but the ratios are different, so the ring & pinion needs to be correctly set-up again. Also have an unusual vacuum operated front driveshaft engagement arrangement - in place of auto or free wheeling hubs. A bit less reliable (pump & diaphragm can fail) at this age - having said that, mine has never given me any trouble & can it be replaced with earlier Vitara bits.
Cars are getting older, so price of a reasonable car is 4k upwards, where as the JB / JT 2nd gen. Grand Vitara realistically starts at $9+k. This series was also available with a 2.7litre version of the 2.5L V6, with the same issues. Car was bigger & possibly a little heavier (?) so didn't really go any better. You could get a 3.2litre V6, based on a GM design (Commodore / Captiva) which fairly flies, still not good on fuel. The 2.4L 4cyl, as you say, seems to have cracking head issues. A small lift will fit 215/85R16 or 245/75R16 (about 30") tyres

So, buy a car with a quiet, leak free engine - one that has done little to none off roading & been well serviced is a good start, & you'll have happy times.
A suspension lift of 40mm will fit 225/75R16 tyres (just under 29") - plenty of choices of brands & patterns. Doesn't affect gearing too much. To go a bigger tyre than that gets involved. Early cars (1998 - 2001) often didn't have SRS airbags, so body lift is an option, but it will be starting to get close to your 75mm total lift height by that stage, so not worth it.
Good luck.
Michael