Suzuki Escudo

[jimmyf8]

Hey guys.

Got myself my first Suzuki about a week ago. Thought I would make a post to get some help with it and show any progress .

Going to be a slow build due to being a student.

Looking at getting a 2.5inch lift from winch.co.nz but having to wait 5 weeks due to someone taking the front struts out of the kit. That or use second hand front struts and get the kit $100 cheaper.

If anyone knows anywhere else to buy well priced kits please let me know. Wanting at least 2 inch.

The only other reasonably priced kit I have found is from jimnybits. Costs approx $823.40 for it to be landed but it has front shock relocators instead of replacement front shocks... opinions?
http://www.jimnybits.co.uk/shop/vitara- ... ml?added=1

Also looking at getting 15 x 8 -19 offset steel rims to fit 31s on. Does anyone know if these fit well?

[jimmyf8]

This is how it sits at the moment. The white roof is a big sticker... Thinking it could be there because the roof may be faded so not sure if I want to take it off haha.

I removed the plastic side skirts to find a small amount of paint rubbed off with a little surface rust. Thinking of just getting it sanded and painted black.

[Gnarly Dude]

Tidy purchase, if you decide to go with the jimnybits lift, don't worry about the shock spacers because when you have more money you can always buy longer shocks.

my 2c

[crzyfl]

I would get the winch.co.nz kit.
I bought those front struts. They are the longest ones available.
I have some other bits from that website, and he is good to deal with, and the bits are good. I didn't buy a kit, but got all the pieces individually from different suppliers, definitely reccomend going with a kit. Get a 2 or 3 inch body lift too.

[Chairmen]

I would get the winch.co.nz kit.
I bought those front struts. They are the longest ones available.
I have some other bits from that website, and he is good to deal with, and the bits are good. I didn't buy a kit, but got all the pieces individually from different suppliers, definitely reccomend going with a kit. Get a 2 or 3 inch body lift too.

X2
Ill go with winch.co.nz, good dude great product. front struct's be worth the wait.....

[crzyfl]

I have the front strut spacers as well as the struts. It depends if 2.5 is enoug lift for you.

[jimmyf8]

I decided to wait for the 2.5 inch kit from winch.co.nz.

Looking at getting a 2 inch body lift in the mean time so i can get wheels and tyres on. Will get onto it when im not working next

[crzyfl]

You won't be able to run 31s with just a 2" body lift. I had to cut out the back of the guards with the body lift and suspension lift too. The guards still limit front travel. Look at picko42 s page, he cut out his guards. I am going to do the Hagen widening mod soon, that moves the front wheels forward, and widens the front end.

[jimmyf8]

Got a big delivery today which is always a bit exciting

15x8, -20 offset

[oneinkedgeek]

Got a big delivery today which is always a bit exciting

15x8, -20 offset

Yeah its always good having stuff turn up, Im keen to see those things fitted. I tried on thoes exact same wheels on mine and man i couldnt beleive how much they stuck out past the guards. I ended up going with the mudbits ones which were -15 i think, and even those stick miles out. Youll need to get some flares sorted for WOF.

[jimmyf8]

2 inch body lift is in

Keen to lift the front bumper in line with the body and lift the fuel tank too. Any advice on how to do that would be awesome!

Couple of photos.

[jimmyf8]

31s are on. Plenty of rubbing! Looks tougher tho . Any ideas on how to make it a bit more driveable until I get the suspension lift?

[zukmeista]

Hammer.

[Chairmen]

hahaha hammer

Looking good with them big tire's
Now all you need is some mud all over her

Put your standard tire's back on to you do your lift or a BIG hammer

[jimmyf8]

I'm going to whip that plastic crap off the inner guard tomo but I don't expect that to change much.

Is using the hammer a good idea haha? Still want it to look straight and tidy on the outside. Can I just rip into the inner guard where it rubs with a hammer?

[Chairmen]

Your not getting rubbing in the front wheels are ya?

Pulling that plastic out from the front wouldn't be a good idea,
I know on my truck behind the driver side wheel arch plastic cover's is my engine air intake, the plastic help's keep all the dust an crap the wheel flick's up from being sucked in an potentially harming your engine.

Your air intake should be on the passenger side if it's a 1600.

Bump stop spacer's would be your best beet until you do your lift.

It would help if you could explain exactly where tire's are rubbing and where there rubbing.....

[churchill]

If the front wheels are rubbing space the bump stops a few millimeters. The leverage is about 2:1 (if my menory is correct)so a 3mm spacer limits the wheel up travel by 6mm. I leave the inner guards in to stop all the crap flying everywhere in side my body.

[jimmyf8]

So far its the front wheels rubbing when i go to turn. The back of each front wheel rubs on the inside of the guard. As you can see there isn't a lot of room.

The rubbing occurs at the bottom of the inner guard. In the top picture you can see the mark where it rubbed at the bottom on the plastic.

[jimmyf8]

Heres a pic of what I got done to the sills after removing those plastic crap collectors

[churchill]

Ah I see, common problem with larger off set wheels.

[jimmyf8]

At the moment im thinking of getting a cheap set of front guards which i can cut up until i get the suspension lift.

If anyone has a set of the guards in the area i could be keen

[zukmeista]

Just trim the bottom a bit and fold over the edge to give something to reattach the plastic to, less work than pulling the guard off.

[jimmyf8]

I will try a hammer before trimming. What would you use to trim it with? Haven't done anything like this before

[butcherboy]

the body lift wont fix the problem, it will on the road but as soon as you start flexing it up your going to get all sorts of rubbing going on, i used a zero offset and they just fit inside the guard with 31 on. factory ones have a positive offset so when you go aggresive on the negative they poke right out looks cool but creates problems

[zukmeista]

I will try a hammer before trimming. What would you use to trim it with? Haven't done anything like this before

A pair of tin snips will do.

[Pico42]

I will try a hammer before trimming. What would you use to trim it with? Haven't done anything like this before

I used a angle grinder with cutoff disc. Could also use a nibbler, but the sharp nibbled bits of steel go everywhere and you pick them out of the soles of your boots for ages afterwards.

That particular section of guard is very easy to cut back - there is a seam inside the guard, hammer that flat and then use the flattened seam as a guide of where to bend the outside guard. Cut off the excess steel and make it look pretty. Simple.

Or do the Hagen Widening Mod...

[jimmyf8]

Lift kit has finally arrived! Now to figure out how to get it in haha any tips would be appreciated

What other tools will I need aside from your everyday tools?

[spanky]

alot less trouble if you use 7inch wheels with a better offset,dont need 8's for 31's,big rims with big offset are great for looks around town and shagging wheel bearings,also good for popping beads off when you hit side's of ruts,i ran 30's on 5.5inch jimny rim's and 31's on std vitara rims,didnt look as cool but worked for off roading with the pressure dropped.

[crzyfl]

the body lift wont fix the problem, it will on the road but as soon as you start flexing it up your going to get all sorts of rubbing going on, i used a zero offset and they just fit inside the guard with 31 on. factory ones have a positive offset so when you go aggresive on the negative they poke right out looks cool but creates problems

X2
I went through the same experience a year ago. I removed the plastic on the inside of the guards, but instead of just hammering the seam back cut out lots of material from the inside. I still had rubbing with 31 Muds, but was using v6 springs and spring spacers. I don't have rubbing now, but not cutting the outside of the guards is costing me at least two inches of upward travel. I intend to cut the guards when I get a chance. Would do the Hagen mod, but I am getting some control arms from turkey next week, and want to see how they sit before I do this.

How is your camber with that kit? The shocks have camber adjustment built into them. Be interested in hearing whether you need camber bolts at all.

I need them, but only because I have strut spacers as well as the fts struts.

Also interested in what effect the gearbox drop has.