[dbmatthew]

I have been looking at a Calmini 3" strut elimination kit for my Suzuki Vitara 1999 2l. Where can you recommend I buy it from or would I be better off with a 4x4art 3 " Extreme lift kit? I am having trouble finding either kit online to ship to Tasmania.

[Gwagensteve]

I wouldn't buy either.
The strut eliminator kit is simply a work around for calminis inability to make a decent strut.

[dbmatthew]

What is wrong with the 4x4art extreme lift kit? What do I buy to lift my Suzuki Vitara?

[Gwagensteve]

950 Euro is going to hurt landed.

Much of this information is available though searching on this site.

I believe the 4X4art kit is an almost direct copy of the calmini kit. I have no idea about the quality of the shocks, fabrication, struts. I believe the front arms are OK, as are Calmini front arms.

Calmini struts are garbage, the shocks are close behind.

The diff drop brackets are vital and probably just fine (although the Calmini ones have oversized holes, as are all the holes in their kits)

Either kit will require some form of statutory approval in your state. This process may equal or exceed the cost of the kit.

I have no idea how I'd set up a vitara. I wouldn't own one at all by choice so I'm not the best person to ask, but I have been impressed with the vitaras I've been in with the following combination of parts.

Calmini lower control arms
Calmini diff drop brackets
Calmini strut spacers
OME struts
Calmini 3" front springs
Extended front and rear bumpstops
No sway bar
Calmini rear springs and shocks
Stock upper A arm on a custom relocation bracket.
Bearing supported stubby shaft with LHS swap. 26 spline front axles.

However, the result was a very soft riding, body rolling car that felt like a lifted patrol or land cruiser. it no longer felt nimble or small. It did have enormous front wheel travel (actually too much) but felt very good at speed. car was on 31 10.5's. It sat TALL.

Would I recommend this? Maybe. It was a LOT of troubleshooting to get right and reliable, and the rear shocks weren't really going to last. Maybe Atari will chime in with his feedback.

I'd run the minimum lift and skid plating, diff drops, and OME struts for a quick simple setup. around 2" of lift. cut guards to clear tyres as required. Front diff strength, road (and off road) gearing are far more important to sort than lift. If you need load carrying you can always run GV springs to get more rate with minimal lift.

Steve.