[inbits]

hey guys im new here i have recently aquired myself a 2 litre v6 vitara lwb widetrack

i want to get a bit more clearance underneath it whats the cheapest setup available without using spacers?

i am also thinking about doing a body lift further down the track whats involved with this as it has a strut tower brace is there a spacer or something available to rectify this?

if anyone has other suggestions for good mods that dont cost a bundle please share with me.

thanks in advance
inbits

[Mick70b]

Hi mate and welcome,

I've got the same Vit as you and at the moment my budget 2" lift consists of:

FRONT
GV front coils = $80 from wreckers (probably cheaper here if someones got some laying around).
Dobinson + 40mm struts = $300 at the moment from the supplier in NSW
(or fit strut spacers and use your existing stuts $220)

REAR
TE Gemini coils (from front of Gemini) $200ish
Commodore shocks (sedan rear) $100 supercheap

I'm also in the process of considering a body lift, a bit has to be cut off the top of the tower where the strut brace sits to make it sit properly, have a look at ninjamoses build up he had some excellent photos of what needs to be done there.

[MacDaddy]

Mick70b wrote:

Hi mate and welcome,

I've got the same Vit as you and at the moment my budget 2" lift consists of:

FRONT
GV front coils = $80 from wreckers (probably cheaper here if someones got some laying around).
Dobinson + 40mm struts = $300 at the moment from the supplier in NSW
(or fit strut spacers and use your existing stuts $220)

REAR
TE Gemini coils (from front of Gemini) $200ish
Commodore shocks (sedan rear) $100 supercheap

I'm also in the process of considering a body lift, a bit has to be cut off the top of the tower where the strut brace sits to make it sit properly, have a look at ninjamoses build up he had some excellent photos of what needs to be done there.

For $140 more you could of got a full Ironman 35mm Suspension kit, at $840 with free delivery...

[redzook91]

I'm running GV coils all round - $100, and VL Commodore shocks in the rear - $44 (from the wreckers)

That was a pretty cheap 1.5-2'' lift, and there's no reason I can think of that it wouldn't work in a Wide-track vit (mine's an older 1.6 4 banger), but someone may pipe up with an answer to that...

[atari4x4]

redzook91 wrote:

I'm running GV coils all round - $100, and VL Commodore shocks in the rear - $44 (from the wreckers)

That was a pretty cheap 1.5-2'' lift, and there's no reason I can think of that it wouldn't work in a Wide-track vit (mine's an older 1.6 4 banger), but someone may pipe up with an answer to that...

yep that will work in the SV vitara's as per Mick's set up above, you could also add a strut top flip.

As MacBear says, it all adds up it's not that far off the new price of a lift kit.

[atari4x4]

redzook91 wrote:

I'm running GV coils all round - $100, and VL Commodore shocks in the rear - $44 (from the wreckers)

That was a pretty cheap 1.5-2'' lift, and there's no reason I can think of that it wouldn't work in a Wide-track vit (mine's an older 1.6 4 banger), but someone may pipe up with an answer to that...

yep that will work in the SV vitara's as per Mick's set up above, you could also do a strut top flip.

[inbits]

ok so standard gv coils will give approx 2'' lift and will the strut top mount flip mean that i can get away with using my current struts?
will i need extended brake lines with this much lift?

thanks for the help so far

inbits

[redzook91]

atari4x4 wrote:

As MacBear says, it all adds up it's not that far off the new price of a lift kit.

MacBear wrote:

$840 with free delivery...

redzook91 wrote:

I'm running GV coils all round - $100, and VL Commodore shocks in the rear - $44 (from the wreckers)

I dunno Gus, $840 vs. $144, it's a fair way off the price of a new kit - unless a strut-mount flip costs about $600

(yes I am taking the piss )

[atari4x4]

redzook91 wrote:

atari4x4 wrote:

As MacBear says, it all adds up it's not that far off the new price of a lift kit.

MacBear wrote:

$840 with free delivery...

redzook91 wrote:

I'm running GV coils all round - $100, and VL Commodore shocks in the rear - $44 (from the wreckers)

I dunno Gus, $840 vs. $144, it's a fair way off the price of a new kit - unless a strut-mount flip costs about $600

(yes I am taking the piss )

yeah i had a bit of a fail moment this morning with those posts... i was making reference to the price that mick was quoting then i saw your post & edited it but ended up posting a 2nd post when i saw your post. EPIC FAIL

anyway MacBear's Ironman lift kit is a bit like the unicorn holding the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow while being ridden by a leprechaun... how many months has it been now... Macbear?

[tombutt]

mate id stay away from the body lift unless you really want to run 245/75/16 or bigger as they handle like shit well mine does with 2.5 spring lift and 2 inch body with no sway bar and 225/75/16 tyres soon to be 245/75/16 i plan on ditching to body lift and cutting gaurds out some how as im over the shit handeling

[inbits]

Sorry but how does the body lift affect the handling? besides a higher cog the fact you dont run a swaybar would contribute most of the bad handling wouldnt it for no real gain with ifs?

i plan on running 31's when my budget allows

[redzook91]

Hmm, dont know what's up with tombutt's handling, I'm running 2'' body, 31's and detached swaybar and it's all good.

dont expect a whole lot of flex out of the front when all said and done, that's why front lockers were invented. Focus on getting the most out of the rear with longer shocks and bumpstop extensions to stop them topping out.

And I'll try and beat Gus to saying it - your front diff is going to love 31's

seriously

[atari4x4]

tombutt wrote:

mate id stay away from the body lift unless you really want to run 245/75/16 or bigger as they handle like shit well mine does with 2.5 spring lift and 2 inch body with no sway bar and 225/75/16 tyres soon to be 245/75/16 i plan on ditching to body lift and cutting gaurds out some how as im over the shit handeling

i'm guessing you like to thrash around the road a bit... of course it's not going to handle like a sports car, you need to drive it accordingly.

maybe you need to look at getting some different springs or some offset rims, mine will lift an inside wheel when carving up a beach doing silly stuff at speed & hooking do-nuts but at no stage does it feel SHIT, maybe i'm used to the way it handles. it's never had a swaybar on it & at one stage was lifted 3" spring & 3" body on 31's, now it's got a 2" BL.

[tombutt]

well everyone that drives behind and or near my car goes wow it just rolls so far around the corners id prefer to lower it and cut the guards to suit and regain some handeling

[atari4x4]

tombutt wrote:

well everyone that drives behind and or near my car goes wow it just rolls so far around the corners id prefer to lower it and cut the guards to suit and regain some handeling

lol mine does that.... drive slower.

[tombutt]

no matter how slow you go it still does it plus what happens when someone pulls out in front of you or trys to merge into you

it gets very instresting and yes i want new suspension but im waiting for tsor gear to be made

[inbits]

i know all bout the front diffs and i will be upgrading to a steel one before i even think about getting the 31's

and flex wise i know its will never be good up front so why do people remove the swaybar? does it give any more flex that its worth not having

inbits

[tombutt]

it gives more flex im looking at making some sway bar disconnects best of both worlds then

[redzook91]

the small increase is worth the tiny effort it takes to disconnect. I didn't really notice the difference onroad either...

[tombutt]

haha i noticed it in a big way maybe its a 2l thing

[redzook91]

I don't drive like Colin McRae though

[tombutt]

i do on dirt on road i dont thats fatzook in his ute

[atari4x4]

tombutt wrote:

i do on dirt on road i dont thats fatzook in his ute

what...

[tombutt]

fatzooks ute likes to create smoke whilst going around corners

[Fatzook]

tombutt wrote:

fatzooks ute likes to create smoke whilst going around corners

I don't smoke

[got_bar_work]

Start by using xl7 struts with strut flip . Vit struts are to soft by the time u get bull bar steel diff etc
Then go with the gv and Gemini coils it pretty good but u need the short ones or the coils fall out

[atari4x4]

got_bar_work wrote:

Start by using xl7 struts with strut flip . Vit struts are to soft by the time u get bull bar steel diff etc
Then go with the gv and Gemini coils it pretty good but u need the short ones or the coils fall out

wouldn't short coils make the problem worse?

[inbits]

I think he means shocks?
Does anyone know what the internal and external diameter of the rear springs?

[got_bar_work]

Sorry I mean there is different length commo shocks

[Brett]

so how do they go with some weight in the back on gemini springs? do they drop out or would the gv be better?

how much of a bump stop ext do you need with the strut mount flip on the front and the commodore shocks on the back?