[bjmate]

Hi fellow zookers,

I got my first zook (89 vitara) 6 months ago, and i love it.

It really shines on the beach (i litarally run circles around the big wheelers when they get bogged lol)

But i have found it lacks a little in the bush.

So i wanna just go through the mods i want to do so you guys can give me your thought and all the great info you have aquired for me to learn from (ps this is my first zook and 4x4 so be gentle lol)

1)the motor: Atm its got a g16a 8v carb but i have a g16a 16v efi to be put in. I recently found a forum saying you can get more power out of the 8v carb for less dough. Should i just stick with the 8v or go to 16v efi (i have a whole vehicle the the 16v came from so all the parts i need are there)

2)articulation/flex: so as everyone knows the vits flex is abit limited. I have searched and searched the option i like the most is the calmini 3" super articulation kit. Is this a wise option/cost effective?
Wanna try do it as cheap as possible but not dodgy (to an extent lol)

3)tyres: i'd like to run 33's for the sole reason of clearance. Atm im running 30 x 9.5 and thats the biggest i could go without scrubbing. And i seem to get stuck on the smallest if rutts/bumps. Are 33's wise? Whats the best way to gain clearance for them? Number 2) needs to accomadate for this (the vit already has 2" body lift btw)

4)rear diff lock: there 3 options i am thinking of atm, weld rear diff, mini spool or mechanical locker.
The main reason for these 3 options if cost effectiveness and the fact that it isnt my daily driver(but is road registered) so just trying to cut costs. Will these options work ok with the 33's? I dont particularly want to start snapping rear axels. What other options are there for "cheap" locking? I am optimg for just the rear as seems the rear mini spoolsand lockers are much easier to get, cost only having to buy 1 locker not 2 and i dont mind the idea of having to front "freewheel" over sticky spots to put less stress on the cv's (just my thoughts please give yours)

Any other mods i should look at just let me know. And your feedback is much appreciated!!!!

Sorry its abit of a long read lol but thought i'd put as much info as possible (but im sure i have missed some lol)

Thanks BJ

[shandy92]

Hey mate,

33's on a vitara cause a few issues that need to attention, the first and main issue is the gearing. there are 4.25 reduction gears for the lowrange but the highrange cannot be changed unless a set a 5.6-5.8 diff gears are sourced from the usa. (close the $1000, hard to find as the only sets being sold are the one that have been sitting in the garage for a while, not a shop). If your a good fabricator then you could fit a wt sierra transfer case, not a great deal involved just new mounts, tunnels work and some different drive shaft. the third option would be to get the undertaker which fit between the gearbox and the transfer case and reduces everything by 1.5x

you wont clear your guards even with the 3" calmini and a 2" body with 33''s, you will need to get creative with the guards. 31's will fit fine tho.

is this man or auto, if auto- it will help a lot with the gearing due to the way the converter works. if manual prepare to get use to changing clutchs. if you decide to go anything bigger than 30's then you will need to replace the front housing with a grand vitara steel housing and carrier, the alloy housings crack very easily. i would be careful with the 30's to.

lockers- i run 31's and a lockrite auto locker with stock axles, i have a very slight twist in them but nothing major. if its only going to be used off-road then i would weld it or buy a spool.
hope this helps and im sure some else will come in with some more info.

Mitch

[bjmate]

Thanks Mitch for ur input,

Oh sorry its a manual!

Might need to leave the tyres till last to see how all the other mods go before making the decision on bigger tires.

First thing i need to work out though is wether i keep the 8v carb motor or put in the 16v efi.

Hmmmmm

BJ

[skyman]

The 16v has always been a much better motor than the 8 valve in any configuration for us here. If you start adding mods to the 8 valve you need a different carby to feed that horsepower, and aftermarket carbs just don't do well off road.

Unless you have access to EFI for the 8 v that is.

I would say 1.6 16 valve all the way, just the swap to fuel injection is well worth it in my book.

[bjmate]

skyman wrote:

The 16v has always been a much better motor than the 8 valve in any configuration for us here. If you start adding mods to the 8 valve you need a different carby to feed that horsepower, and aftermarket carbs just don't do well off road.

Unless you have access to EFI for the 8 v that is.

I would say 1.6 16 valve all the way, just the swap to fuel injection is well worth it in my book.

Thanks skyman,

changing the EFI 16v was always my plan, but put me off when i saw ppl saying it better off with the carb motor.

will have to rip out the 8v at some point and chuck in the 16v and start stuffing around with electrics and fuel pumps.......haha

[skyman]

When I switched from carb to EFI for the first time with my 1.3 I wondered why I had waited so long. I put it off because of the wiring, I only went to a TBI style injection, but it was well worth it.

Instant starts, lower maintenance, no carby rebuilds, and more torque for the same engine EFI FTW! :peacout:

I really noticed the EFi difference on the freeway and crawling around the most. Then I switched to a 1.6 and I could not be happier. When geared right the 16v is a friggen ripper in a zook.

[bjmate]

Haha that makes me a whole lot happier about it all. Yeah the wiring is the thing scaring me aswell lol

I should just take my 8v out then i have no choice lol

[skyman]

The wiring really isn't as bad as it sounds mate. As long as you are not rushed, an understand how electricity works you should be right.

I cut down the sidekick harness and made it stand alone myself. Afterwards I stripped out the carby ECM, and all the associated carby wiring from the Zook harness (now just runs the alternator, lights and starter).

The U.S. Seirra's that run carby's have an ECM and about 1000 wires, so I cut all that out to clean it up in the engine bay. I am glad I took the time to do it now The wiring is nice and clean.

Anyways, I 'n no Auto 'lectrician but there is enough info on the web to figure it out, if you can read a schematic.

[skyman]

The wiring really isn't as bad as it sounds mate. As long as you are not rushed, an understand how electricity works you should be right.

I cut down the sidekick harness and made it stand alone myself. Afterwards I stripped out the carby ECM, and all the associated carby wiring from the Zook harness (now just runs the alternator, lights and starter).

The U.S. Seirra's that run carby's have an ECM and about 1000 wires, so I cut all that out to clean it up in the engine bay. I am glad I took the time to do it now The wiring is nice and clean.

Anyways, I 'n no Auto 'lectrician but there is enough info on the web to figure it out, if you can read a schematic.

[bjmate]

Looks like i'm getting the diff welded this weekend.

So one down haha

[DarkHorse]

So not a road car?

Welded diff will be shocking on the road, and is entirely illegal...

[bjmate]

No not a road car just my dirty weekender

[atari4x4]

i'd like to offer some advice, but your user name disturbs me too much. that is unless you are a girl...

[bjmate]

Lol im a dude. My nicknames BJ so yeah. Hope the advice is about my vit lol