Firstly, should give a brief run down. This escudo has been owned by my Father for about 10years, and been loads fun around Whangarei. Has been off the road and just a club truck since '07, and sitting in storage for the last year, as my parents got work in Te Anau, so we brought it to Christchurch a few months ago for my partner and I to use. No fun sitting in a shed!! I wish to improve the offroad capabilities. A lot more water involved down here!!
I have spent hours searching this forum on the best and most of all the cheapest way to gain height, and a lot keep referring to the cheap vitara lift posted by spanky.
All the threads here havn't shown before and after photos from the same angle, as they never get posted, so thought I would put my 2 cents in.
I have done the front mount flip, and have not yet sorted any rear shocks until I get the spring setup right. Tyres are 29" simex centipedes. Possibly be larger ones on the books at some stage.
Was able to source c33 rear springs($40), and VL commodore rear springs($40), as noted from most posts.
Original rear springs and the c33 rear springs
Original front springs and the VL rear springs.
The rears were a breeze to fit, and a perfect fit. Noted that the max extension of any replacement shock should be 590mm (center of eye-centre of pin) before the c33 spring comes loose. Def need to get some shocks sorted quick smart as they are practically sitting at full extension with these springs.
Which shocks? or any eye/pin shock thats not longer than 590mm extended?
The front took a little more but got there in the end. Undid the sway bar (which will be removed soon once we are all sorted) Undid the 3 bolts holding the ball joint to the A arm, and with a jack and a little muscle was able to separate them, and swing the whole hub forward to allow the arm to drop down, allowing the spring to fall out.
Fitted the VL springs and put everything back together. Now this is where I have come unstuck.
The VL springs are not a perfect fit at the top, and sit out slightly on one side from the seat.
Just got a WOF so good until September but will it be an issue for certification/next WOF? If so how can I fix it?
Are there any springs that would better suit?
Anyway, with this combo of springs, gained roughly 55mm height all round.
Goes to show there is a great depth of knowledge and experience on here.
Altho the rear certainly looks a lot higher than the front, and is by about 40mm?? not sure why and don't have a heavy bar or bumper on the front, should I even it up and how best would that be done?
Also the front camber is now an issue, which i knew it would be, how can that be fixed? Would a wheel alignment place be able to sort it? Was pulling off to the right beforehand so no doubt we needed one anyway.
So now what you have all been waiting for.
Before
After
Any help on all this will be greatly appreciated.
Daymo
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