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Grand Vitara XL7

Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 07, 2003 at 00:00

muppo

has anyone fitted a 50mm lift to one or fitted ranchos to one ?The rear suspension is terrible especially at speed on twisty roads.
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ThreadID: 2825 Replies: 6
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AnswerID: 10787   Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 07, 2003 at 22:16

AK replied:

Muppo I have not lifted an XL7 but I have had my V6 Grand Vitara lifted by 40mm using king springs and it made a heck of an improvement both on the road and off. Assuming the XL7 has the same set up as the Grand Vitara it would no doubt benefit from a new set of springs and shocks.
Cheers
Reply 1 of 6
FollowupID: 5778   Submitted: Wednesday, Jan 08, 2003 at 07:44

Muppo posted:

what sort of shocks did you fit? How much did the whole setup cost and where did you get it done as alot of places I talk to they dont think your interested because its not a toyota or nissan that you want to modify. Is 40 or 50mm too much of a lift for the geometry of the front drive shafts, have you had any problems. I ask this because I had a lifted Jackaroo and it eat out the front end and caused a rear main seal leak too.
FollowUp 1 of 1
AnswerID: 10848   Submitted: Wednesday, Jan 08, 2003 at 18:24

AK replied:

I got the work done at "The One Stop Suzuki Shop" on the Gold Coast, if my memory is correct it cost about $650. All the 4x4 shops suggested replacing 4 springs and 4 shocks at a cost of around $1100. Every Suzuki specialist,dealer and the guy's on the Suzuki forum recommended only replacing the rear shocks as well as the front and rear coils so thats the way I went. I used King springs front and rear and Teleflo shocks on the rear. All up I got about 40mm lift and this has made a heck of a difference. One thing to watch out for if you get somebody not familiar with Suzuki 4x4 's to do the work is the right hand seal on the front diff is very easy to damage when they put the RHS front wheel assembly back together. ( Found out the hard way) But the guys from One Stop Suzuki Shop were very good about it.
Hope this helps.
Reply 2 of 6
FollowupID: 5877   Submitted: Thursday, Jan 09, 2003 at 08:53

Muppo posted:

AK thanks for the info mate much appreciated, those Teleflo shocks are they the oil filled 4way adjustable ones?
FollowUp 1 of 2
FollowupID: 7415   Submitted: Saturday, Feb 08, 2003 at 09:39

Suzuki Viagra posted:

I agree - the front struts are ok - the biggest limitation is the rear suspension. While I've swapped both front and back shocks (IronMan front and crappy old 2nd hand Gabriel Red Ryder at the back - soon to be changed) it was only due to the fact that they had no damping left at all after 200,000k's.

You also want longer than standard Suzuki travel if you're changing shocks - particularly on the back. Standard Vitara's have virtually no dropout capability (like about 2 inches maximum). I now have ridiculous travel at the back - the handbrake cable gets pulled tight before my shock reaches full extension.

An inch or two of body lift and/or 2 inches of suspension lift will transform your car - but getting rid of the standard tyres will be the best change you could make....

I went the body lift also to fit 30 inch tyres - too much work to fit 31's - the arches aren't big enough front to back - up and down is not a problem though.
FollowUp 2 of 2
AnswerID: 10933   Submitted: Thursday, Jan 09, 2003 at 18:51

Wil replied:

Muppo
If you are going to venture off road a bit more, may pay to invest in a bash plate below the front. The stablizer ball joints are really vunerable especially into slushy/sandy water or snow. I learnt it the hard way....finally traded up to a older 80 series. (Solid axle up the front is the best)
Reply 3 of 6
AnswerID: 10934   Submitted: Thursday, Jan 09, 2003 at 18:51

Wil replied:

Muppo
If you are going to venture off road a bit more, may pay to invest in a bash plate below the front. The stablizer ball joints are really vunerable especially into slushy/sandy water or snow. I learnt it the hard way....finally traded up to a older 80 series. (Solid axle up the front is the best)
Reply 4 of 6
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AnswerID: 10985   Submitted: Friday, Jan 10, 2003 at 10:21

AK replied:

Muppo the Teleflow shocks were gas filled, can't remember if they were adjustable(I haven't touched them since).
AK
Reply 5 of 6
FollowupID: 6614   Submitted: Wednesday, Jan 22, 2003 at 13:27

Muppo posted:

AK ive done some more investigating and found out more about those king springs. I would like to know if the ride is harsher(marketly) or a little firmer than stock.
FollowUp 1 of 1
AnswerID: 12834   Submitted: Monday, Feb 10, 2003 at 20:13

AK replied:

Muppo
The king springs ride much betterprobably a little firmer, We only had the original springs on for such a small time I can't really remember what they were like.
Hope this helps
AK
Reply 6 of 6