[Callum98]

Hello I am new to the forums and have some questions to do with an issue involving the drivers side CV joint on my 2004 Suzuki Grand Vitara.

I have purchased a 2.5inch Calmini suspension lift kit. Mind you the kit is great! although ever since I have installed the kit I have had endless problems with my CV popping out whenever I shift it into 4WD. It was fine before I lifted my Grand Vitara so I was hoping someone could help me fix this major issue. thanks in advance.

[fordem]

Where - which end - of the shaft is popping out? If it's the inner CV, can you hear/feel it "lock" into the side gear when you push it in? You may be missing a snap ring.

[Callum98]

Yes it is the inner CV closest to the diff which is popping out. Ive tried putting it back in numerous times and I do not feel it lock into place... It just sits in the side gear but doesn't actually lock into place. would you know where I could buy a CV snap ring from? Thanks in advance

[fordem]

I don't know where you can get it by itself, but it comes in the boot kit for the CV - I have a couple floating around, but I'm a long ways from Australia, there should be someone closer with them.

[Callum98]

Okay thankyou very much ill have a look around for some CV bot kits and hope i find one

[henno]

The last time I pulled the D/S CV out of my car the snap ring was damaged (read: missing, and floating around as tiny chunks of metal in the diff) so if it's not there then you will always have problems with it wobbling out.

I'm not sure where you can get them from, but there are enough broken CVs around the place these days that there is surely a surplus of those little clips. Someone on here can probably send you one from their pile of smashed inners.

[Callum98]

okay thankyou very much that has helped me out alot. ill look around and try and find a new snap ring

[tanshi]

Any drive shaft / CV joint place will be able to sell you them. I bought 20 recently for 20c enach

[Callum98]

okay sweet do you know the name of website?

[henno]

Not a website. He means literally just visit your local driveshaft joint.

[Callum98]

ohh okay ill go have a look later this afternoon

[DC3PTIKON]

Callum98 wrote:

okay sweet do you know the name of website?

Expensive compared to locally sourced, but in case you want online.

http://www.suzistore.com.au/component/v ... etail.html

[Callum98]

thanks very much ill buy that now. so do you reckon that should fix my little issue completely?

[Gwagensteve]

No. My guess is excessive droop is pulling the axle out of the diff housing.

[Callum98]

What do you mean by that?

[henno]

Callum98 wrote:

What do you mean by that?

I am not sure if I can actually word it any better as it's fairly straightforward.... but the suspension at full droop can have too much travel and can literally slide the CV out of diff as the wheel travels downwards.

There is a hard limit to the amount of droop Vit/GV front ends can handle before CV length becomes an issue. Somewhat thankfully, the CV strength limit is before that point so if you're at a point where suspension droop is pulling the CV out, you are past the point where your CVs would have any sort of reliable life anyway.

[fordem]

Let me the devil's advocate here.

What would you expect to be the end result of too much droop, and bear in mind that this is in the context of the Calmini 2.5" suspension kit, and not some custom 4" lift. I'm not defending Calmini, but if it were a common issue with the Calmini kits, there would be a lot more on the web about it, seeing as they are probably one of the most disrespected producers of Suzuki "bolt-on" mod kits.

Correct me if I'm wrong, there are several circlips (at least four, maybe five) holding the right side CV shaft together - one holding the inner CV into the side gear, one holding the inner CV "inner" to the axle, one holding the inner CV together, possibly one holding the outer CV "inner" to the axle (this is not shown in the parts catalogues), and one more holding the outer CV in the hub. The inner CV is the one that allows "plunge" or the axial movement required as the suspension rises and falls, hence the need for a circlip to hold it together.

Which of these circlips is most likely to slip in the event of excessive droop?

My guess is the one that holds the inner joint together - I'm pretty certain I've seen a picture on this site, of someone's inner CV letting go at that point and ripping the boot apart.

Once that inner CV latches into the sidegear properly, it is very difficult to remove.

[Built4thrashing]

hey Callum98. What area you from?

I'm quite familiar with the problem you are having but even tho it is a simple issue its a major pain in the ass job to replace. You will need to completely remove the outer wheel hub from the lower ball joint and strut to get the CV out so you can replace the circlip on the end of the axle spline. Not much fun unless you've done it before..

[Callum98]

hey built

i am from the NT.

thanks for all this advice everyone. so my other question is once i get this new circlip installed what could i do to stop the front from drooping to much so if i flex at max point the CV wont pop out... im thinking if taking the 1inch strut spacer out and maybe putting the old control arms back on. would that lower the amount of droop?

[henno]

The Calmini control arms are the best bit of the whole kit

[Callum98]

Also what do you guys think of the Calmini kit.. because im only 16 and spent all my hard earned money on this kit which cost me $2500 and it has given me nothing but problems since day one.. i would just really like to know if i made a mistake buying this kit? or is it one of the best for my car?

[fordem]

I can't help it, I actually laughed out loud when I read that ^^^ question.

Earlier, when I posted that Calmini was one of the most disrespected producers of bolt on parts, I was being polite, or perhaps politically correct, I suggest you use Google, and you will very rapidly find out how people feel about Calmini and their products, what you're doing now, is what you should have done before purchasing - I say better late than never, at least you're going to have an idea of what to expect, and how to deal with the issues as they arise.

Don't feel bad, we all learn from our mistakes, I made the same one you did (buying without prior research) - I have personal experience with them, which many of the folks disrespecting them may not, but, in my case, it was a different vehicle, and it didn't cost me as much to learn as it will cost you.

[got_bar_work]

Time for a stubby cv mod. U can gain a few mm u need to stop it pulling out.
Ps put the car in stands and trolly jack under hub and just undo the arm bolts at the chassis end and u can pull the entire wheel/ strut etc to change the circlip with out even taking the tire off

[Callum98]

so basically my kit is shit? hahahaha

[Callum98]

what do you guys think about this kit? should I just return my Calmini kit and maybe get this one?
http://www.jimnybits.co.uk/shop/grand-v ... d_169.html

[ninjamoses]

Regarding the calmini kit....

The struts are shit quality.
Shocks are much better than the struts, but still not fantastic.
The plate style diff drop brackets have been known to pretzel themselves in a bind.

That said, the rest of the kit is great. If you wanted to be pro-active get some OME or other decent quality struts and run them instead (ditch the calmini struts/strut spacers). That setup will give you many years of happy offroading.

Failing that just run the calmini struts, just budget for some new ones for in 4 - 5 months time when they die (notice I said when, not if )

[Gwagensteve]

Callum98 wrote:

what do you guys think about this kit? should I just return my Calmini kit and maybe get this one?
http://www.jimnybits.co.uk/shop/grand-v ... d_169.html

No. Those strut spacers are inferior to the Calmini ones, and that kit doesn't include front arms.

Just put OME struts in your car when the calamity struts fail, remove the strut spacers when the OME struts go in, and fit some quality shocks in the rear when you get around to it/have budget.

There isn't really a better solution to the Calmini kit.

Steve.

[Callum98]

so dont go for that other kit?

and do you guys know where i can find some OME struts and shocks?

[Gwagensteve]

your nearest ARB agent/store.

You may find the OME rear shocks too short for your lift height - ARB don't offer that much lift.

The struts are fine.

Steve.

[Built4thrashing]

The Stubby shaft mod WILL NOT WORK IN A GV. Diff bracket gets in the way.

I run Dobinson 40mm extended struts in my GV and I have just on 80mm suspension of lift using stock arms. It works.... doesn't flex as much as I would like (I still run the sway bar) but a front locker fixes that.


Have you installed diff drop brackets or adiff support bush? that will bring your CV angle back down and reduce the chance of the CV stub pulling out of the diff.

Ditch the struts and spacers, fit Diff drops and support bush and reinstall your sway bar and youll love it lots more.