going from sierra to vitara ?

[zookster666]

Due to a change in circumstances i need to upgrade to a larger 4x4 now i currently own a 90 lwb sierra with quite a lot of mods and love to use it to its full potential.
mods are
2'' lift with ruf
31'' tyres
front and rear lockers (lockrights)
transfer gears

for the vitara id be looking at a
3'' calmini kit
30-31 inch tyres
transfer gears
and a rear locker
2'' body lift

now comparing the 2 is hard but can i expect to take the vitara the same places as the sierra reliably ?
how stable is a vitara compared to a sierra?
what other mods would people do to a vitara to do harder off road driving?
i have many other questions but thats it for now.

cheers

[Gwagensteve]

The vitara will be substantially more stable.

You'll want to add a steel front diff with a locker to the vitara build, and some sliders. Due to the added width of the body, lower height of the sill, (and a longer sill) of the vitara, the sills will cop a hard time.

I'd be looking for an EFI auto. (even if that means a LWB)

I'm sure you've researched the Calmini kit - whilst the front arms and diff drop brackets are excellent, the balance of the kit is only moderately useful and the struts are terrible.

Steve.

[zookster666]

The vitara will be substantially more stable.

You'll want to add a steel front diff with a locker to the vitara build, and some sliders. Due to the added width of the body, lower height of the sill, (and a longer sill) of the vitara, the sills will cop a hard time.

I'd be looking for an EFI auto. (even if that means a LWB)

I'm sure you've researched the Calmini kit - whilst the front arms and diff drop brackets are excellent, the balance of the kit is only moderately useful and the struts are terrible.

Steve.

Cheers Steve
lwb, efi and auto were already at the top of the list with bar work.
with a steel front diff and locker will the cvs handle it ok?
What are the reduction gears for them
like also ? Do they reduce high range like the Sierra or are diff gears needed to fix this

[sierrajim]

From memory the Vitara gears only do low range.

The Vitara will be a whole lot more comfortable. Vitara's have more driver space than a Hilux.

Reliability, Vitara CV's although not the strongest are easy to find and easy to replace.

2" body and 3" Calmini, I don't believe you need this much lift for 30-31's even on a LWB with the rear doors gatting in the way of reoving large amounts of panel.

[Timbo_]

Long wheel base models of the vitara are one of the most stable vehicles i have ever driven. As for comfort wise u will be in heaven compared to the sierra leaf springs. The calmini system is great, though the shocks are horrible. Im currently running a SWB with 3 inch spring, 3inch body and 31 with no gearing what so ever. I still do fine. Swap to a steal front diff the next chance you get as i have broken 2 front housing and a 3rd member housing. i Have an anvil housing on the way. The front CVs are fine if u dont have a lead right foot and dont have to much front drop from your struts, the CVs simply bind and smash.

i can confirm what was said previously, gears only do high range.

[matty_wall]

Long wheel base models of the vitara are one of the most stable vehicles i have ever driven. As for comfort wise u will be in heaven compared to the sierra leaf springs. The calmini system is great, though the shocks are horrible. Im currently running a SWB with 3 inch spring, 3inch body and 31 with no gearing what so ever. I still do fine. Swap to a steal front diff the next chance you get as i have broken 2 front housing and a 3rd member housing. i Have an anvil housing on the way. The front CVs are fine if u dont have a lead right foot and dont have to much front drop from your struts, the CVs simply bind and smash.

i can confirm what was said previously, gears only do high range.

Don't you mean low range?

Theres also 'the undertaker' which will sort out your high and low range in one go.

[Gwagensteve]

with a steel front diff and locker will the cvs handle it ok?
What are the reduction gears for them
like also ? Do they reduce high range like the Sierra or are diff gears needed to fix this

The key issue with the CV's is the driver's side. With long struts/spacers it has a habit of pulling out of the diff and then causing hassles. The best fix for this is to convert to a tripod mount as used on the passenger side, then the inner axle can be bearing supported. This does involve a spline being cut and some machining though - but it is an excellent modification. It also then means the driver and passenger CV's are the same, so only one needs to be carried.

CV strength itself seems fine from what I've seen. The problems are overextension and the driver's side pulling out - not strength.

Reduction gears work very well, especially with the 4 speed auto - (engine braking is so good steep descents are normally run in 2nd low), but as has been pointed out, the only lower high range.... and that's the #1 vitara problem. Gearing a large tyre on road is a challenge. 31's are just OK with stock diff gears, but you will notice the car not wanting to hold 4th on the highway. It's OK, but marginal.

There is no easy diff gear fix - 5.12 (the most common vitara ratio) is already the shortest gear you can readily get and is what all EFI vitaras run.

As for the undertaker, but at 1.5:1 it's really a bit aggressive for 31" tyres, not to mention you'd have to regear down to a 4.3 to make it workable, and it's expensive.


Steve.

[Timbo_]

Long wheel base models of the vitara are one of the most stable vehicles i have ever driven. As for comfort wise u will be in heaven compared to the sierra leaf springs. The calmini system is great, though the shocks are horrible. Im currently running a SWB with 3 inch spring, 3inch body and 31 with no gearing what so ever. I still do fine. Swap to a steal front diff the next chance you get as i have broken 2 front housing and a 3rd member housing. i Have an anvil housing on the way. The front CVs are fine if u dont have a lead right foot and dont have to much front drop from your struts, the CVs simply bind and smash.

i can confirm what was said previously, gears only do high range.

Don't you mean low range?

Theres also 'the undertaker' which will sort out your high and low range in one go.

Yep, apologese for the typo.

Again it also dependent on what your driving on or in. I personally only do mud work. As Darwin has no close challenging hills.

[zookster666]

Ok these are the things that i have been thinking about and it all sounds pretty good it will be a slow build up when cash allows.
Im not to heavy on the loud pedal unless it is completely necessary,
i tend to do a bit of rock driving and hills i try to avoid mud as much as possible i hate the stuff does anyone have any more info on the cv modification? it sounds like a worthwhile thing to do.

what shocks are best to se with the calmini kit?

thanks for the replys so far fellas appreciate it. I havent had an ifs 4wd before so i was a bit worried about getting one but now im not so worried and have done quite a bit of searching and they dont seem that bad.

cheers

[DSzuke]

now comparing the 2 is hard but can i expect to take the vitara the same places as the sierra reliably ?
how stable is a vitara compared to a sierra?

I went from a SWB Sierra to a LWB auto Vit set up nearly exactly how you described.

I can honestly say I take the Vit everywhere I went in the Sierra and I feel much more confident of getting out!

Have fun learning how to drive again and like others say... throw a locker in when you upgrade the front diff.

[atari4x4]

an auto LWB v6 version of mine would be ideal.

[zookster666]

I have a 2ltr v6 manual lwb bit but it's too good to 4x4 and I can't seemyself finding one in the price range I want to spend to drive in the bush but if I do find one I'll snap it up

After all the comments I will definitely get a vit to replace the Sierra and the fun will begin again lol

[danssurf82]

my vitara has been to many places reliably, over xmas went to tazzi (single car) and did fine, never had to get it towed, always made it home... alot more room than a sierra and alot more stable...

mine has 2" lift, struts have been dropped 2", rear air locker(leaker) reduction gears, 31's. bar work... and a bit of guard 'trimming' to fit the 31's so i didnt have to do a body lift.

main prob is rear axels- i have snapped quite a few- more than 10..

front cv's- 1 snapped. and alloy housing 1 broken, landed in a rock pretty hard.
busted petrol tank open a few weeks ago on suzuki steps- the tanks do take a beating as well as the sills-mine are flat now:)

gearing only does low range but is well worth it.

drives good on the road still even pulling my boat on the freeway it does 120 no probs.

[Buddies72]

I'm in the process of looking around for a 'new' Vit also, Looking to do pretty much the same mods as what you've mentioned.

During my link-following & sorting out exactly what my needs are, i found this link which has a pretty good description on how to do the 'single spare axle' modification.

http://www.zukiworld.com/month_120102/f ... endmod.htm

Having never done this mod myself (although i intend on doing it once the vit is at home) i can't say how well it works or doesn't but the instructions seem fairly extensive.

Buddies.

[sickzuk1]

Well ur main problem is that your going from a Sierra to a Vitara....