Outer Limits 4x4 Board

My Son wants to put a body lift in his 1990 SWB Vitara...
i have fitted body lifts to my landrovers using alloy blocks & longer bolts...
Is the Vitara easy?, i have looked at some body lift kits on the net
to suit a Vitara, there are different types...
Seaching on the forum ....they mention studs fitted to the body
We would like to lift 40mm.. can we do this or do we have to fit 50mm
Do we have to buy a specialized kit or can we make our own
Any tips & advice appreciated
thanks smally

Its not worth making your own kit/blocks, a member of this forum makes them and sells them (from memory pass engineers cert aswell) his name is jst cruszin.

If poly blocks are legal in your state, just buy the Just Cruzin kit.

In fact, even if poly blocks aren't legal, it's probably cost effective enough to buy the kit just for the socket bolts used to work with the studs- they are very nicely made- and have some alloy blocks made.

I'd go straight to 50mm.

I've bl'ed about 5 vitaras. It's not a hard job.

Steve.

I have a 50mm body lift on my 1990 SWB Vitara. It was a commercial kit through ARB. Below are a few little bits and pieces that I needed fiddle with to get it all working:

As you'd know the gear sticks drop down and need a bend and extend , or like I do, simply remove the boot off the main gear stick (there's another smaller one underneath anyway) and cut around the top of the transfer knob, otherwise the boots keep popping the stick out of gear.

Had to extend the bracket for the powersteering fluid reservoir, because the lines got a bit tight.

Have to raise the front bumper bar assembly, just make up some brackets and drill some new holes. But this isn't essential just looks better. Left the rear one down as it looks fine and gives room for up to 31 inch spare tyre.

Also had the brake lines extended just a tad. They were a bit tight for my liking.

Might sound like a bit of effort but really its just a few very easy adjustments. Definitely worth it in the end when you want to run 31 inch tyres.

monkeyplex wrote:I have a 50mm body lift on my 1990 SWB Vitara. It was a commercial kit through ARB. Below are a few little bits and pieces that I needed fiddle with to get it all working:

As you'd know the gear sticks drop down and need a bend and extend , or like I do, simply remove the boot off the main gear stick (there's another smaller one underneath anyway) and cut around the top of the transfer knob, otherwise the boots keep popping the stick out of gear.

Had to extend the bracket for the powersteering fluid reservoir, because the lines got a bit tight.

Have to raise the front bumper bar assembly, just make up some brackets and drill some new holes. But this isn't essential just looks better. Left the rear one down as it looks fine and gives room for up to 31 inch spare tyre.

Also had the brake lines extended just a tad. They were a bit tight for my liking.

Might sound like a bit of effort but really its just a few very easy adjustments. Definitely worth it in the end when you want to run 31 inch tyres.

Thanks for the replies....i will source a kit shortly.....

You comments about the work invoved in fitting a BL are spot on, howver, this isn't accurate:

I have a 50mm body lift on my 1990 SWB Vitara. It was a commercial kit through ARB.

You can search the world high and low, you will never, ever ever find an "ARB" sourced body lift.

You bought someones body lift from an ARB branded store, almost certainly not an ARB owned store. (It's a fine distinction, but one can sell whatever it likes so long as it doesn't compete with ARB product, one can only sell ARB product.)

I'm not having a go, but if you rang ARB kilsyth and asked for a BL for a vitara they'd be unable to help you. ARB don't sell body lifts.

Steve.

Yeah, too right should have mentioned that, it was through an ARB service centre where I get my vehicle serviced, not sure where they sourced it from, but yeah not actually made by ARB. My bad. They did the basic BL install, while i was also having engine work done. I just had to tidy up the little bits and pieces. But in hindsight would probably saved myself some money and put the blocks in myself.

I lifted my Vit 50mm with the just cruizin kit ... Think he calls it the "up yours" kit now?

Did not need to bend any levers, but did need to fit spacers in the steering column rag joint. 3mm was all it needed for the joint to be relieved of it's stress and the bolt replaced easy..

Eddy wrote:I lifted my Vit 50mm with the just cruizin kit ... Think he calls it the "up yours" kit now?

Did not need to bend any levers, but did need to fit spacers in the steering column rag joint. 3mm was all it needed for the joint to be relieved of it's stress and the bolt replaced easy..

Eddy what did you use for a spacer
any photo's
cheers smally