5 door escudo springs into a 3 door escudo

[Big-AL]

i have been looking thru the old cheap vitara lift threads, but cant really find what i am looking for. what are 5 door springs like in a 3 door? ... 2inch lift? ...comfort on road? (daily driver) ...fit straight in? ... i hear the front springs can be a bit tricky, what is the trick? anyone with any answers? thanks

Stock standard 93 escudo 1.6 16v auto. just want to do shiney trips, daily driver - want to maintain on road comfort (girl friends drives too), just enough lift to fit 30 - 9.5 tyres.

on a side note the 16 valve engines are SO much better than 8V!

[Heath]

did that on my old vitara. Straight swap and gained about 1.5 inches height. Easy mod just a bit fiddly the first time.

[meatc]

r32 skyline, a31 cefiro, c33 laurel all have the same rear springs and will give you about 2+ inches of lift. Fit straight in but really need longer shocks to use to full effect.

I have not done this but found the info when looking for a lift in my toy that started on SWB rears but was to low.

Search on here, some one had a lift thread for theSWB and it also covered off the shocks and I think there has been some discussion on what fits the front too.

[Big-AL]

Search on here, some one had a lift thread for theSWB and it also covered off the shocks and I think there has been some discussion on what fits the front too.

yeah i read right thru the thread but no one really talked about how the springs felt as a daily driver.

did that on my old vitara. Straight swap and gained about 1.5 inches height. Easy mod just a bit fiddly the first time.

do you think it would be enough to fit 30 - 9.5 tyres? and ... could i tempt you to give me a hand to do it, even just the fronts? would be happy to supply liquid of your choice

and... does anyone know if 8 valve extractors fit straight onto 16 valve engine?

[Heath]

did that on my old vitara. Straight swap and gained about 1.5 inches height. Easy mod just a bit fiddly the first time.

do you think it would be enough to fit 30 - 9.5 tyres? and ... could i tempt you to give me a hand to do it, even just the fronts? would be happy to supply liquid of your choice Sorry I am in Auckland, other wise I would be happy to assist. It really isnt too hard just some mucking around. If you have a some mechanical ability then you should be fine. Might be someone down your way (where is HBC?- Hawkes bay?), have you got a haynes manual? Grab one and read up on the front end and it should be okay. As for the tyres I think they will rub anyway without some front guard massaging. I think the 235/75/15 is the biggest that will fit without problems. Anyone confirm this?

and... does anyone know if 8 valve extractors fit straight onto 16 valve engine?

Pretty certain the 16v head has a different port shapes than the 8v so they wont fit - sorry. Someone here will confirm or deny my suspicions(sp?) though.

Hope that helps

[Big-AL]

Sorry I am in Auckland, other wise I would be happy to assist. It really isnt too hard just some mucking around. If you have a some mechanical ability then you should be fine. Might be someone down your way (where is HBC?- Hawkes bay?), have you got a haynes manual? Grab one and read up on the front end and it should be okay. As for the tyres I think they will rub anyway without some front guard massaging. I think the 235/75/15 is the biggest that will fit without problems. Anyone confirm this? [/color]

HBC is in Auckland - Hibiscus Coast - 20 mins north of bridge. i live in Albany now. If you could spare some time...? i can bring it to you. no pressure tho

[Heath]

Ha Ha

HBC - Hibiscus coast, now I'm with ya.

Yeah I can help out. Don't have much space here so better I come there unless you dont have tools, in which case we'll just have to manage on my driveway (where I did mine anyway).

When do you figure on doing this?

[Big-AL]

yeah i have tools, nothing flash, but all the basics. So whenever you want to help? ill make time any day you are free?

[Heath]

I'll check with the missus and we can go for this weekend (sunday maybe) if you like. If you come here it will be easier I guess. I've got the tools so no worries there. Have you got the LWB springs?

Will get back to confirming day/time etc.

Heath

[Heath]

Sunday is good for me, should only take a few hours. What time suits? Hope the weather will hold. Coming here will suit me best.

3/172 Chivalry Rd Glenfield. 09 4413074 or 021 841307.

Heath

[Heath]

10 am Sunday at my place. Bring the bits and we'll do both ends of the zuk. Front takes longest and tre back is a breeze (famous last words).

Just do me a favour and spray the shock mounting nuts and bolts with some penetrant now and over the next couple of days. Behind the brake disks where the struts mount needs spraying and the top of the shocks at the rear. This makes everything easier.

Do you have manual hubs or autos? Shouldnt be a problem but if we have to remove the circlips to release the drive axle (stub shaft or what ever it is called), better to be prepared for the worst (and I can have alook at the schematics again to familiarise myself with how it looks).

[Big-AL]

Yeah i will spary the mounts etc, its got auto hubs. thanks for your help. what do you drink?

Its never been used offroad, so hopefully things are not too seized (but i know that something always goes wrong )

[suzookyman]

Heath, i did mine with spring compressers-it was a breeze and didnt need to pull the axle
Al

[Pico42]

We have done the spring swaps (c33 laurel & commodore springs) with a front strut flip for travel at the front and some new OME shocks for the rear.

We decided it was necessary to fit camber correction bolts to the front and a 2" spacer on the rear diff yoke.

The on-road handling characteristics are very good. Have found that the ride is better - not a jarring as it was in the rear (the back doesn't skip going across the Kawarau Bridge anymore). But this disappears with a decent load in the back - it doesn't seem to handle the same weight (or it could be that there was more weight in the river gravel I was carting in the woolpack in the back...)

Off road, there has been a distinct improvement in the way the suspension soaks up bumps, clearance (obviously) and how much water is required before we start moving sideways on river crossings.

Have only had it about three months and wish we had done this much earlier.

Bring on the body lift and the 30" tyres.

[Heath]

Haven't got compressors (always wanted some though, just never got them) so have to go old school (tie down maybe) or just a little more work. I dont think we will have to do anything major just if I/we have to better to be prepared. LWB springs arent too bad as they arent to much bigger and fit with a bit of sweat. Any longer though and its compressor time (or more work).

Actually I might just grab a cheap set if they arent too badly priced from superchump or ripco. Any ideas on price?

[Andrew1706]

Actually I might just grab a cheap set if they arent too badly priced from superchump or ripco. Any ideas on price?

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motor ... 258728.htm

Price plus shipping is not too bad considering just how handy they turn out to be.

[suzookyman]

I run commy springs up front and had to use the spring compressers,that t/me price is sharp! the 5 door ones will be a
bit fiddly but you should be able to do it with out them
Al

[Pico42]

I decided compressors would be a waste of time as there would not be enough space between the coils for the arms - of course, I might have had lousy compressors (and I can't remember who I loaned them to about 10 years ago...)

So I used tie down strops (rated, of course )

One thing I do remember is that I used a couple of screwdrivers to keep the top of the front springs seated properly while Deborah wound up the jack to close down the suspension - they are compressed more on the inside, which pushes them out, until the suspension is pretty much closed up. Just a tidbit.

[gimmemud]

Al has spring compressors... At least he used to

[Heath]

Grabbed some from Ripco today. Been going to get them for ages and this just gave me the push I needed. If they wont work on the zuk (not enough room) then they will be fine for my Prado.

[Big-AL]

i have spring compressors

[suzookyman]

there IS enough room
AL

[Heath]

to be honest I dont know (and have a suspicion they wont fit), but better to have and fail then wonder forever more. Besides it doesnt take much more to make the room to do it without.

Up on stands or blocks, wheel off, Brake caliper off and hanging (by a wire of course), then off with strut lower bolts and then lower the 'flipper' with a jack. When down as far as it will go take out old one and slip in new one, jack back up and reverse order to finish. May need to turn wheel to get more clearance, but we'll figure it out. I have a vague recollection that one side was worse than the other but cant remember which.

Two sets of compressors, my air ratchet and it'll be even simpler.

Easy job anyway... (where have you heard that before???)

[Big-AL]

sounds good to me What can i bring you to drink?

[Pico42]

Up on stands or blocks, wheel off, Brake caliper off and hanging (by a wire of course), then off with strut lower bolts and then lower the 'flipper' with a jack.

Hmmm, might try it that way next time. I didn't undo the strut bolts, took the lower ball joint ones out instead and pulled that whole unit out instead...

Suppose there is more than one way to skin a cat.

[Heath]

How about a couple of1.5ltr bottles of sprite zero.

Yeah I know its not brown in colour, but I have to cut back so I can maintain this fantastic physique in it's current form.

Not worried about any payment, just happy to help out a fellow zuk nut and get my hands dirty again.

And yes Pico42 that way will work too I guess.

[meece4x4]

to be honest I dont know (and have a suspicion they wont fit), but better to have and fail then wonder forever more. Besides it doesnt take much more to make the room to do it without.

Up on stands or blocks, wheel off, Brake caliper off and hanging (by a wire of course), then off with strut lower bolts and then lower the 'flipper' with a jack. When down as far as it will go take out old one and slip in new one, jack back up and reverse order to finish. May need to turn wheel to get more clearance, but we'll figure it out. I have a vague recollection that one side was worse than the other but cant remember which.

Two sets of compressors, my air ratchet and it'll be even simpler.

Easy job anyway... (where have you heard that before???)

*smile*

[Big-AL]

Heath is a legend! drive in, drive out, all four springs = 1 hour! thanks heaps mate.

before:





After:

[amboguy]

how much of a lift did you manage to get?

[Big-AL]

we never measured we both looked at each other about half way thru the lift and realised we should have measured the before and after.

its kind of hard to tell how much lift was gained, because its not the resting height that makes a difference, its the compressed height. i bet none of that made sense, and maybe someone intelligent can say it better (or tell me i am wrong )


but after all of that... just a little less lift than an OME 2 inch lift, so maybe 1.5 inches