[dank]

So i've got a customer who has one of the Newer GVs with IFS and IRS and he wants to go bigger in the lift dept than his current 2 inch kit.

I've had a crawl around underneath the thing and diff drop kits custom made for the front and rear seem feasible and coil spacers also seem feasible.

Custom springs are also an option and longer rear shocks aren't a problem, strut spacers can also be done I guess. it's a bit of a messy solution, but doable. It has bugger all clearance underneath even with the lift. Also tailshafts might be an issue as well.

Also have issues with warranty and engineering etc.

it's a fair bit of work, what do you guys think. The customer may even be a member on here I'm not sure he may chime in.

[tanshi]

i think thats going to turn into uglyness.

why would you want to lift one that far??

[dank]

yeah thats what i'm thinking.....

Customer is smashing up the underbody alot. We just fitted some pretty hardcore sliders to it and he has underbody protection which is getting a workout as well. Seems like the too hard basket. Although my crazy brain is thinking it would be wicked with some lift and radflo struts and shocks in the back, prerunner style

But in all seriousness legalities will be a headache to do it properly.

[tanshi]

i guess if they have the money to spend. and the time to throw at it, it would be cool.

[Gwagensteve]

And $$$.

Add in cv's, custom arms to retain alignment etc and I think it's a massive overcapitalisation. If the off the shelf kits can't cut it, the customer might have the wrong car for the job. Ultimately a car you could gear/lock isn't going to cop 1/2 the damage of trying to go places in something that isn't, as you well know.

[dank]

Yep thats it. He rang before and we discussed the options as well as first port of call being to talk to an engineer and then going to suzuki as he wanted to retain his warranty which had two years left on it. i think these two hurdles would basically put an end to the dreams. Theres no harm in dreaming, we all do it, but sometimes sense has to come knocking on the door

We also discussed that maybe spending similar money, anywhere between 3-10k and he could get himself an earlier model vitara or another vehicle which would handle the sort of driving he really wants to do deep down.

[Built4thrashing]

There is a guy out in the interweb that did a K frame spacer kit. He spaced all the suspension and drivetrain down from the body giving it a virtual lift of sorts. Was alot of work as not every spacer was a simple straight block.

Not really practicle as it drops everything. only plus is room for bigger tyres in the guards and that gives more clearance.


If he's bashing the underneath that much i'd say he's driving the wrong vehicle for where he wants to drive.
What size tyres is he running as i know 32in tyres will fit with little or no rubbing and 33 can be fitted with a little work.

[Gwagensteve]

And on top of all that, let's assume you could crank another inch of lift into the car through some combination of stuff, is the loss of (another) 1" of droop for 1" of height really going to make enough difference?

Of course all of this is going to kill warranty so it's all a bit of a pointless exercise, but I reckon IFS/IRS cars with no doop running high and hard are probably less capable than stock.

Steve.

[kenn]

If its got ESC bigger tyres are a no go with out reprogramming the computer and then getting that approved.

[Built4thrashing]

^^^^^^

exactly what i was thinking. With the Wifes 08GV we started to jack it up but decided to only do a 40mm lift and 225/75/16 tyres. Still drives and handels like it should and fuel economy is very good. I think the only solution would be some sort of portal hub setup like Joeblow is making for the early GVs.

dank wrote:

We also discussed that maybe spending similar money, anywhere between 3-10k and he could get himself an earlier model vitara or another vehicle which would handle the sort of driving he really wants to do deep down.

For a quick guide.... mine has cost about $2k to lift to where it sits now (not including tyres, Snorkel, bar or winch.)
All up ive spent about $5k on the GV but not everything ive spent money on has worked out the way i wanted....

He's more than welcome to come have a look if he wants.

[Built4thrashing]

kenn wrote:

If its got ESC bigger tyres are a no go with out reprogramming the computer and then getting that approved.

I rang and even Emailed Suzuki Australia about this and they couldnt confirm it would create an issue. The response was that increased whel and tyres may have some effect on the ESP but suspension Changes would effect it more. Raising the COG with suspension would generate more body roll than larger tyres... As for reprograming the ESP..... No love. ESP is aparently all part of the engine management computerand should not be tampered with.....

I have no proof that this is the case. Im just relaying what i was told by the suzuki tech.

[kenn]

Thought that might be the case. From what I've been told, which seems to have some merit, larger tyres increase the rolling diameter ,as we all know, and this intern gives the ESP inaccurate data and it cant compensate. As I said this is what I was told not hard fact so it could be wrong of course.

[Built4thrashing]

It will compensate for it but it thinks its not going as fast so it compensates slower.

[Built4thrashing]

Wifes car works perfectly with the 225/75/16. Wouldnt even know they were different to stock size.

[steve125]

Easy to do, just add some spacers (Rocky Road, ODA, etc) to the existing lifted struts on the front; on the rear, spacers for the springs and longer shocks.

The question is WHY? As mentioned, warranty, legality and reliability would be out the window.

What tracks is he trying to drive? NGVs are pretty good offroad with a 2" lift, 30" tyres and some bash plates underneath. Mine's done several High Country trips on the main tourist tracks (some were even double black diamond!) , but they would all be rated easy on the offroading scale. Really, if he wants to drive hard stuff, buy a Sierra, and keep the GV for touring.

And just to throw another spanner in the works, here's a Greek NGV that's had spacers put in between the body and the subframe.

http://vitaraclub.gr/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=6038

[atari4x4]

same concept as the subframe drops on the subaru's

[christover1]

Vote 2 for portals,
leave everything else alone.

[christover1]

A few Mokees did sub frame drops for bigger tyres, worked out ok