[suzpect90]

hey im new to the world of 4x4 i recently got a 1994 lwb vitara off a family friend unfortunetly its only a auto but its fine for now im in the thoughts of to keep it or get something a bit bigger cause i have a 2year old daughter

i want to be able to pick my daughter up on my weekends and take her camping at bribe and d.i and places like that, only thing im worried about is the space apart from the cage on the roof has anyone done any modification on in inside to increase space ( e.g compartments) im good with a welder so any advice or ideas would be much appreciated, also wondering what else i should do to this suzuki to make it a good 4x4

[Scrawny]

Welcome to AZ!

Have a bit of a read through the Rigs section as to what others have done. There's everything from mild to extreme mods done on these. Also don't worry about it being an auto, they're nice to drive.

Have a bit of a read through these threads (warning-plenty to read!)

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=555

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=11477


If you're handy with some tools why not knock up a drawer system for the rear? If that's not enough room then maybe a small trailer might be another option.

Have a read through this thread

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=9990


Just a few ideas to get you started.

[wombat178]

Mines auto wouldn't swap other for a manual ever i love it

[Samwich]

suzpect90 wrote:

unfortunetly its only a auto but its fine for now

Dont let Atari see that


Have a look through the build section area you will learn alot and quickly haha

+ WELCOME

[atari4x4]

wombat178 wrote:

Mines auto wouldn't swap other for a manual ever i love it

+1, had one of each & would never bother with a manual again off road.

[suzpect90]

thanks for all the helpful info

[dono1]

I've got a 92 manual, wanna swap gearboxes?

[suzpect90]

how many ks done on it do u have the clutch pedals and centre console parts for manual also will i fit straight on

[shep]

The best thing to do is to remove the motor and auto, fuel tank and power steering. Then stick the bits in a lwb Sierra.


Seriously though I would rate a auto well above a manual. And yes I have owned both, I like the auto so much I am sticking one in my Sierra.

[alexxx]

Yay for autos !!!!! Dude stick with it.

Small lift kit, bigger tyres and a roof basket for storage and you have yourself a.mickey mouse little camper.

[suzpect90]

what makes the auto better then a manual box ? are there things that make having a auto better apart from the having to change gears?

[christover1]

Autos help with gearing, they tend to keep engine in its power band more easily.
Can crawl up hills slower, and never stall.

[atari4x4]

no loss of momentum when changing gears in the sand & they're like having a never ending clutch to slip in technical terrain. can also be alot gentler on drivetrain components.

[Gwagensteve]

suzpect90 wrote:

what makes the auto better then a manual box ? are there things that make having a auto better apart from the having to change gears?

And I'll weigh in with the more technical reason.

Because an auto is like hydraulic drive- by using left foot braking, you can separate torque at the wheels from wheel speed. That's really valuable- it means you can crawl over obstacles very slowly but in perfect control. Never roll back when pulling away regardless of how steep the hill is. Stop the car with absolute precision- like anything else with hydro drive, like a Bobcat.

And wot they said

Steve.

[DarkHorse]

Still don't like 'em

[dono1]

I want an auto for my sierra!!!

[suzpect90]

if anyone has a manual (thats perfectly working) and knows how to swap them over ill happily swap

[atari4x4]

^^^ you're crazy in my opinion, just drive the thing... you'll fall in love with the auto eventually.

[offroadjack]

auto's are great in the sand and rocky climbs, good maintenance is key to keep them working well and make them last.
they are not as well build as the manuals but yes, an auto is so much better offroad.
only downside they have is going down steep hills as they don't brake on the engine that well and tend to run away if the brakes are not used.
mine came with a manual and i'm happy with both really...but if i had the choice i'd pick the auto.
unless you tend to do long remote trips, then a manual is my pick. as less can go wrong with a manual. even if you loose your clutch, it's still drivable..when an auto fails....your stuck.

[alexxx]

Auto auto auto.

[Scrawny]

offroadjack wrote:

.....even if you loose your clutch, it's still drivable..when an auto fails....your stuck.

If you break a cable then yes, you'll still have drive. If you shred the clutch plate to nothing, you're just as stuck as a dead auto. Autos usually give plenty of notice before they die tho

[offroadjack]

Scrawn wrote:

offroadjack wrote:

.....even if you loose your clutch, it's still drivable..when an auto fails....your stuck.

If you break a cable then yes, you'll still have drive. If you shred the clutch plate to nothing, you're just as stuck as a dead auto. Autos usually give plenty of notice before they die tho

if you shred your clutch to bit you seriously need some driving lessons + you get plenty of notice when you plate is on the way out.

[jimnynutter]

I'm somewhat keen in swapping to an auto.
What's involved in a swap?

[Gwagensteve]

offroadjack wrote:

auto's are great in the sand and rocky climbs, good maintenance is key to keep them working well and make them last.
they are not as well build as the manuals but yes, an auto is so much better offroad.
only downside they have is going down steep hills as they don't brake on the engine that well and tend to run away if the brakes are not used.
mine came with a manual and i'm happy with both really...but if i had the choice i'd pick the auto.
unless you tend to do long remote trips, then a manual is my pick. as less can go wrong with a manual. even if you loose your clutch, it's still drivable..when an auto fails....your stuck.

This is a nice regurgitation of "what's terrible about autos" but how much experience do you have with vitara autos, and with autos in properly geared cars?

After over 15 years experience with autos off road, I'd like to clarify a few things.

when you say "loose your clutch" I assume you mean "if the clutch can't be disengaged due to a broken cable/failed hydraulics" That's fine - it's easy to work around a clutch that can't be disengaged. However, glaze a clutch, or fill a clutch with mud, and you're not driving anywhere. I speak from experience. You might be a bad driver if you glaze a clutch, but filling a clutch with mud isn't always avoidable.

Are vitara autos "not as well build(sic) as manuals?" The two vitara autos are the trimatic, which were used behind 253 V8's kingswoods, amongst other things, and can be built to handle around 600HP, and the AW-4. This has been used in all sorts of things, but notably the XJ cherokee with 1600KG, and a 180HP 4.0 straight 6. Niether auto is even remotely stressed with in a vitara. They are working well under their torque ceiling, unlike the Jimny auto.

If your car is appropriately geared, it won't run away on steep hills. I decend steep hills in my auto sierra in low 2nd, because low 1st is too slow for descending.

I agree that for distance travel a manual is superior, but in all honesty, the idea that they are the unreliable part of a car is a bit wide of the mark, especially in the case of vitara autos.

The only thing I have against autos is that (most) cant be bump started. Thats makes me a bit nervous about the quality of my starter.

Steve.

[offroadjack]

Your right about the tri-matics. Pre historic but strong. I was talking about the later ones. I personally haven't seen one fail yet and had one myself with 250.000 on the clock but word goes they ain't as good as the tri matics or the manuals. And mud....well yes. That destroys just about any moving part on you 4b . Reason I avoid that goop. Lot of fun but can be very costly.