Vitara Lift Options

[rosie]

Hi guys, As I save more i am looking at different options for lifting my LWB Vitara. My dream is a 2" lift and 30" MTR type tires but im wondering how far i can go.

What suspension components should i look at upgrading first and what would be the biggest tyre i should put on it without gear mods and extreme guard cutting. Also, I saw a bloke with a surf doing a 2" lift with rancho shocks, king springs and tortion bars for $550, Would this be a similar price to mine?

Any advice will be great so i know whatto start looking at.

Thanks, Ben

[monkeyplex]

The vit doesn't have torsion bars, which are usually pretty cheap (they are really only a coil spring uncoiled into a straight shaft), and the surf doesnt have macpherson struts either, but the ranchos, while exellent are expensive.

Im also looking at lifting my vitara, but as far as i have found, you're going to be up for a fair bit more than 550 bucks. Id' say at least a grand more. The OME 2 inch kit is around $1300 (installed) in my area, for four springs two rear shocks and the two front struts. This is more than the patrol and landcruiser kits, im assuming because of the struts, which are probably the most expensive components in aftermarket lift kits.

That bloke got all that gear bloody cheap!

[SiKiD_01]

The vit doesn't have torsion bars, which are usually pretty cheap (they are really only a coil spring uncoiled into a straight shaft), and the surf doesnt have macpherson struts either, but the ranchos, while exellent are expensive.

Im also looking at lifting my vitara, but as far as i have found, you're going to be up for a fair bit more than 550 bucks. Id' say at least a grand more. The OME 2 inch kit is around $1300 (installed) in my area, for four springs two rear shocks and the two front struts. This is more than the patrol and landcruiser kits, im assuming because of the struts, which are probably the most expensive components in aftermarket lift kits.

That bloke got all that gear bloody cheap!

wow. just goes to show how not up to date i am. i wasn't even aware that OME had made 2"/50mm lift kits, because i had only ever heard about the 30mm lift kit.

i know that tough dog do a 2" lift kit, but the spring rates are not properly matched with the shocks they provide. i am also aware of a dobinsons lift kit for vitaras, which is 50mm min. it comes with 4 coils, 2 rear shocks, and 2 front struts which ARE 2" longer than the factory. OME struts are 30mm longer in the stroke, but the dobbinsons are 50mm longer in the stroke. and the struts are only about $370/pair.

just get 2" coil spacers made up, and flip your strut mount. (check bible about flipping strut mount) and get some longer shocks for the back. you should be nearly 2"-3" taller. and you will be able to fit 30" tyres comfortably.

[Goatse.AJ]

Go the coil spacers in the front and search the bible for Sikid's posts on suitable springs from other donor vehicles.

You can lift a Vit 2" for the price of a pair of Tough Dogs or Ranchos, springs from a wrecker (for the rear <$50) and coil spacers for the front(not sure of price, but relatively cheap).

[Momo]

Hey has anyone tried stock GV coils in a vitara?

I have some that I was thinking of putting in my brothers vitara.

[rosie]

So to get that 2-3" I dont need to change the rear springs, just the shocks and front spacers, this is sounding much more viable and what am i roughly looking at to do these mods?

[Eddy]

So to get that 2-3" I dont need to change the rear springs, just the shocks and front spacers, this is sounding much more viable and what am i roughly looking at to do these mods?

need spacers on rear springs also,
OR
Nissan 180SX rear springs. (or similar springs from another type of vehicle)

*NEW* how to flip your strut mounts *NEW*
http://www.zukiworld.com/forum/index.php?topic=13687.0
Lifting with coil spacers
http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/PHP_Modul ... hp?t=85081
using Nissan 180SX coils in rear of vit (rear coil tech)
http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/PHP_Modul ... hp?t=54646
Vitara Body and Suspension lift tech
http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/PHP_Modul ... hp?t=30138
Tyres and Suspension (with coil spacer install write up)
http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/PHP_Modul ... hp?t=46893
Tyres and Suspension (with rear shock and Body Lift info)
http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/PHP_Modul ... hp?t=40398

[cj]

i am also aware of a dobinsons lift kit for vitaras, which is 50mm min. it comes with 4 coils, 2 rear shocks, and 2 front struts which ARE 2" longer than the factory. OME struts are 30mm longer in the stroke, but the dobbinsons are 50mm longer in the stroke. and the struts are only about $370/pair.

Do you know the open and closed lengths on the Dobinsons struts? They won't tell me

[zooki]

Hey has anyone tried stock GV coils in a vitara?

I have some that I was thinking of putting in my brothers vitara.

I have
front work well with a steel bar and dual batteries, no extra weight they are to stiff and top the suspension out

rear I needed a 15mm spacer to level it out

gave about 50mm all round lift and the ride isnt soft but not too stiff

[SiKiD_01]

i am also aware of a dobinsons lift kit for vitaras, which is 50mm min. it comes with 4 coils, 2 rear shocks, and 2 front struts which ARE 2" longer than the factory. OME struts are 30mm longer in the stroke, but the dobbinsons are 50mm longer in the stroke. and the struts are only about $370/pair.

Do you know the open and closed lengths on the Dobinsons struts? They won't tell me

secret

[SiKiD_01]

i dont know.

i will find out for you.

[rosie]

zooki, where about did you manage to put the second battery, ive had a look around trying to find a place and havn't had much luck, what else did you change around

[monkeyplex]

There should be plenty of room opposite the master battery on top of the passenger side wheel arch. Go buy a deep cycle marine battery for the slave (second battery) and pirahna dual battery kit which has an the cradle, isolator and proper wiring. Or you can make your own, but you wil have to manually switch between the master and slave to use and chrage. The pirahna kit is all automatic and well worth the money if you want a dual battery system, you can safley run accesories (like fridges and lights etc.) off the slave without ever running your primary battery flat. And if it does happen to run flat you can crank the engine over with the slave if need be.

[Goatse.AJ]

So to get that 2-3" I dont need to change the rear springs, just the shocks and front spacers, this is sounding much more viable and what am i roughly looking at to do these mods?

I'd go longer springs for the rear. As mentioned above, check out springs from other vehicles. Spacers are OK for LIFT, but for flex/travel, you'll want a longer spring....and they're very easy to swap in and out.

[Momo]

Hey has anyone tried stock GV coils in a vitara?

I have some that I was thinking of putting in my brothers vitara.

I have
front work well with a steel bar and dual batteries, no extra weight they
are to stiff and top the suspension out

rear I needed a 15mm spacer to level it out

gave about 50mm all round lift and the ride isnt soft but not too stiff

Thanks for that,

I just got home from putting the rear springs in, it worked quite nicely
but the top of the GV springs are tighter than the Vit ones and didn't
fit over the rubber boot thingy. A few laps around the block and they
worked their way up a bit, doesn't really matter I think.
They were a bit stiffer but handled quite nicely and lifted it a good 2".

I didn't have time to do the front and was a bit suss about how much
thicker they are so I'm glad I didn't now.

[Goatse.AJ]

When I did the front springs in my Vit (now the Ex's ), I bent my spring compressors, so I took it up the road to the dude that used to do my RWC's in Sydney.....$50 well spent

[zooki]

zooki, where about did you manage to put the second battery, ive had a look around trying to find a place and havn't had much luck, what else did you change around

mines a 96 so the battery is on the pass side already, I moved it to the drivers side (like the early ones) and put a big AGM there (too big really)

some pics here
http://auszookers.oz20.com/v/batteries/