[jchomley]

Subject says it all! Name is Jack and live outside Rockhampton and own an early 2005 Grand Vitara V6 that has only 40k on the odometer, I bought it new but have not used it much. Have recently bought a Vista Crossover XL camper to tow with the Zook.
Looking to do some mods to suspension but seem to have struck trouble trying to find a 50mm lift kit for it, most are only 35mm at best, I have fitted the next tyre size up and that has helped a bit.
It seem that Calmini in the U.S. make some nice stuff that might solve my problem? Looking for good quality struts and camber kit with it.
Next is sill protection with rock sliders? Looking for ideas on them as well. Have Bullbar and lights, Rhino roof rack and Engel fridge on board. Not sure what else I could do to it.....maybe a rear electric locker, IF they exist
Ideas from experienced Zookers please

Cheers,

Jack

[ninjamoses]

From your profile pic it looks like you've got one of the last SQ models (05 was the crossover year from the SQ to the JB), so you've got tonnes of options available.

The Calmini 2.5 kit is just okay - the arms and springs are desirable while the shocks are average and the struts are total crap. Unfortunately unless things have changed you can't just buy the arms on their own, its the whole kit or nothing which makes it an expensive exercise just to get the few good bits.

I think OME or Dobinson struts are generally considered the best options for the front. Everyone seems to have their own idea on what works best for the rear shocks depening on what length/lift you are chasing.

Rear locker wise you've got air lockers (ARB or China locker) or Auto Lockers (Lockrite) available. Same options again for the front. I'm not aware of any electric ones. I believe there might be a mysterious LSD floating around somewhere on the internet but its $$$ and I've never heard of anyone running one.

Bang for buck wise I'd be throwing a full set of Dobinsons at it and a front auto locker personally. That'll make it a peach for everyday driving while still allowing you get to get a long way off the beaten track when required.

Obviously if money is no object you could go to town on it - ARB lockers front & rear, larger tyres again and diff gears to suit etc.

[jchomley]

Thanks for the hints and the heads up on the Calmini, It looks like Dobinsons are the only suppliers for a 50mm lift in the front with struts and all. I have 50mm Dobinsons on the rear already, for towing the camper, but I might add 25mm spring spacers to it, when I fit lift in the front. They are here in my home town! I was just interested to see what else is around. Rock sliders will be for sill protection as they look a bit vulnerable and I need to replace my tyres, I put Federal Couragias 235 70 R16 on and they show significant wear at 5000 kilometres, 2500 of that towing the camper when I picked it up new in Melbourne, so I am not happy with them. The locker is not a must have, but would be nice I did fit manual front hubs when I got the SQ Zook new, my reason for buying the model was it was the last one with the separate chassis and manual transfer case.

Cheers,

Jack.

[ZUZUKI]

Welcome - such low kms!.

No 'off the shelf' rock sliders that I am aware of - seriously doubt that you will be able to get yourself in to too many situations where the sills will be that vulnerable without diff locks, mud tyres & trying hard. I've popped the plastic covers off a couple of times (& lost 1, when I didn't know I had) but a few plastic bung clips & away we go again. Anything you do there is going to reduce clearance & get you hung up + add weight to the car, for little real world benefit (in my opinion).
Most companies stick to around 35-40mm of lift, to reduce front end complications - like camber (which the Calmini arms help to address) & CV angles (many run 'diff drop brackets')
Spring spacers are a bit of a dodgy way (but cheaper) as opposed to replacing the springs with ones that give you the desired height.
As you've got a manual, you have a steel front diff = good, 4.3:1 diff gears = not so good, but you can use the diff ratios from an auto, which strangely are deeper than the manual, as 4.875:1 - this will help out if you go for bigger tyres again & tow that camper.
ARB have all sorts of notations regarding Air Locker diff lock fitment, but the lockers for the (late) Vitara bolt in ok.
My 3 suggestions for your next modifications are:
1) Skid plate/s - way more useful than rock sliders - helps the gearbox cross member stay straight/er + helps to keep sand & muck out of the bellhousing - you'll end up with a leaking rear main seal if you spend much time off road. Might have to be custom made - maybe try Out Door Auto in Brissy
2) Piss off that stupid & huge muffler (assume it's still fitted). There are extractors for this motor & while it's hard to quantify any real gains in performance, the V6 sounds like it's going better with them & a slightly bigger pipe, smaller muffler on!
3) Fuel range used to drive me mad, when towing or hard off roading (sand). Brown Davis made a custom tank to give me 88litres instead of the original 66litres & I have just picked up (but not fitted yet) a LRA (Long Range Automotive) auxiliary tank - fits under the D/S/R footwell - which is probably another 45litres(?). This will hopefully give me close to 1000km driven normally on road (I get about 13.5L/100km - set up like you, roofrack, bullbar, bigger tyres etc) & 500km offroad - I have used 23L/100km in heavy sand in the Little Desert country - couldn't go 400km on 88litres, embarrassment.
Have fun with it, great car. Bought ours new in 1999, now it's done 245K, towed a 1100kg camping trailer around Aust. - across Gibb River Rd, up the old tele track (not with the trailer) still gets out for a thrash.
Rgs, Michael

[vet 180]

I think its a good thing it has the 4.3's in it as it gives him gearing options when he runs bigger tires...

Stick a 235/75r16 on there

[ZUZUKI]

Still could use GV 1.6L / Vitara gears to go to 5.125:1, but that's more gearing compensation than you can fit tyres into the wheel arch - unless you spend a lot of time on rocks / really steep country & don't overly care about driving on the highway!.
Rgs, Michael

[jchomley]

Thanks for the good ideas, I think an extra fuel tank may have to be a good extra, right now I have 350km range towing the camper, but it has brackets for 2 jerry cans, giving an extra 40 litres, but that is only another 200km Bash plates are another consideration.......does it ever end

Cheers,

Jack.

[Gwagensteve]

I don't think you'll find it feasible to fit an additional fuel tank. It will be extremely expensive to get someone to make you a legally approved auxiliary tank. My guess is it would have to fit between the chassis and rear driveshaft. Filling a tank in this location and transfer to the main tank will be challenges to overcome and I'd be surprised if you could get more than about 45 litres in there.

I don't believe there is a larger main tank available. On top of that, you'll need to consider GVM and GCM when adding weight.

A skid plate around the front crossmember is useful, but take care in design. We had a club member who had a rock sit between their skid plate and sump which wore a hole in the sump during an outback trip.

[jchomley]

I have been looking for aftermarket accessories to fit, rather than make my own, but thanks for the heads up on rocks getting on the bash plate. Fortunately I can carry 40 litres on the camper

[tanshi]

I can supply rock sliders to suit your model.

[jchomley]

Well, I solved the lift kit solution for the front, decided to go with a Tough Dog 30mm kit with camber bolts. I just need to work out what is next, probably a bash plate and look closer at the rock sliders......

Cheers,

Jack.

[got_bar_work]

How does your car go towing the camper
What sort of range do u get

[jchomley]

I went up one tyre size to get a better towing ratio in 4th gear, which works well but I do run 5th on long down hill runs. Averaging about 5.7lm per litre with as good as 6.2 very occasionally. Camper is pretty big being a Vista Crossover XL.

http://vistarv.com.au/XL/

Cheers,

Jack.