Offroad-Express

Hey Guys,

My first post here so a bit of background - I’m currently in the market for a truck, and have decided with the current shafting diesel owners get that I’d get myself a Suzuki.
My mate has a Samurai lifted on 29” tyres I believe, and it hasn’t failed to get us into the places we go. I don’t need a 4x4 monster (though once the bug has bitten I’m sure I’ll be spending all my money on the bloody thing), for starters I just need a truck to get me into hunting and fishing spots better than the Legacy.

So I’m planning on getting an early 90’s Escudo, 2 door, 1.6l EFI 12 valve. I have been looking on Trademe the last few months and think that getting a standard truck and doing it up over time will suit me better financially than a truck which has already had the work done (as per the auction I was watching last night!!).

I’ve spent a few days trying to get my head around costs and how to achieve what I need, but here’s what I want to do once I get my truck –

Firstly:
Extractors (if it doesn’t already have them)
A lift to fit 30” tyres – possibly just a 2” body & shackle lift but I will need some advice on this and how it’s done.

Secondly:
Lock-right in the rear diff (do you need to certify again after this?)
Snorkel

By this stage I’m sure you guys will have convinced me of all the other things I should do

Fitting the extractors is straight forward enough for me – so any info or suggestions on how to achieve the body lift and extending the shackles would be much appreciated, in the mean time I’ll keep looking for a truck and some info on what I will need to do.
Once I get started I’ll document the whole process and post it here.

Cheers guys!

firstly u cant shackle lift escudos as they have coils springs front and rear

and secondly bodylifts are a piece of piss just make sure you use high tensile bolts


oh and welcome to ore

The search function is your friend - plenty of info on lifting 'Zuks on here

Cheers guys, yip I'll keep digging through found a few good threads so far.

So you reckon for starters a 2" lift will get me onto some 30's all good? I know this will need to be certified, I assume the diff locker will too but not sure on the snorkel.

If that's the case I'll do the lot at once as this is going to be my every day car, might have to ride a bike for a week

Hi dtchch, I've seen you around the fishnhunt forum quite a bit.

Firstly you won't go wrong with a Suzuki, I've had mine for about 2 years now, 196ks and has never let me down or cost me anything apart from basic servicing.

I would recommend you just do a 2" suspension lift to start off with, get some 30" tyres on 15x7 rims and you will be amazed how easily you get in and out of hunting spots. Body lifting is not difficult, just takes time and patience, but if you can get the articulation you want without your tyres rubbing without a body lift then don't bother with it.

You also want to do the "top hat flip" for the front struts and get longer shocks for the rear. When you do the suspension lift you will also need a spacer for the rear A-arm (made mine myself) and some camber correcting bolts for the front suspension.

No, you don't need to re-certify for a diff locker.

Are you looking at auto or manual transmission?

Cheers
HeinB

Cheers mate, thought there may be a couple of FnH people here

I'm definitely going for a manual. Seen a few for around the 3.5k mark standard with fairly low K's which is fine. Once I sell my subie I'll have some coin to throw at the truck.

Is a kit like this what you are talking about for body lift - http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/car-par ... 016941.htm

Do I need to modify the suspension as well if I were to fit that kit?
Sorry I know all these questions have been asked before, I am looking through old threads but I'm a complete noob to 4wd's and working on them!

I'll keep looking through and slowly gain an understanding.

Yeah, I bought that body lift kit, but found the diameter of the spacers to be too narrow. I turned up some 70mm diameter spacers on the lathe at work and I think it works/looks much better. A suspension lift is better than body lift in my opinion as it also lifts the chassis rails which a body lift doesn't do.

If you take a standard vitara, the biggest limiting factors are 1. The tyres and 2. The articulation. So you want to firstly upgrade the tyres which needs some kind of lift to avoid rubbing and secondly you need to improve the articulation, this involves fitting longer struts/shocks, but you can get away with longer shocks in the rear (cheapish) and flipping the top mounts for the front struts. You cannot go too crazy with the front end because they are IFS, but you can get pretty amazing articulation out of the rear easily.

Cheers
H

Minta cheers fellas. Sort of getting my head around it now.

So I know I can put commie & laurel springs on the truck - do I need to buy new shocks for the rear or can I swipe some off another model vehicle too?

When the time comes I may be best to offer someone off here some dosh if they come and give me a hand sourcing what I need and installing it. There seems to be a few extra bit which need to be modified along with the suspension itself.

i put laurel rear springs and commodore ir shocks on the rear (easy to do).

v6 escudo front springs and ome front shocks.

i trimmed the guards a bit and ran 31's no problem.

do a search for 'weemsy's escudo build' cuz i forgot loads of stuff that we did.

personally i would go auto especially if you are fitting bigger tyres, makes a difference.

you wont regret the suzuki, just get a stock of front diffs if you drive like me.............

cheers
weemsy

here's a pic of the flex I was getting out of my Escudo with the commy shocks and nissan laural springs
http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac33 ... 1322202372
those are 31/11.5 tyres on there ( they look so small )
Al

What part of the country do ya live in?
I make Bumpers, Winch Bumpers, Rocksliders,Skid plates etc.and custom work thats if ya can get to me.I only make these for Escudos/Vitaras.
Cheers Woody.

Going to look at an Escudo tonight, hopefully it works out.

Just wondering where do you get your Old Man Emu front shocks from? How much for the pair?

I think I'll do the commie shocks and laurel springs in the back, v6 springs in the front as per Weemsy's build.
Then I'll get the required spacers etc from bits4vits.

the OME shocks were 2nd hand ones off trademe.

my mate just did the top shock mount mod and it was fine though

Bought a Zook may the barrage of questions commence

Cool man What did you get ?

A 91 escudo. 3 door 1.6l 16v efi manual. Already has mud tyres and skid plate otherwise is standard.

First job this weekend will be replacing fluids and oils and make sure it's up to standard.
First on the mods list is to fit extractors and remove the cat converter.
From there I'll start gathering parts for a 2" lift, snorkel, diff locker and tyres/rims.

Pick her up tonight, stoked!

Weemsy, with the v6 LWB escudo springs for the front - are they the front or rear springs out of that model?

Cheers

Supposedly if you get the complete spring set from a LWB V6 it will lift a SWB 4cyl 30mm-40mm.

Cool thanks I may have tracked one down, the 2.0l v6 model is TD11W right?

How much should I expect to pay for a set of extractors? It's the first thing I want to do before I do too much travelling in it (though it's been fine till now)

Am I better off waiting or going ahead and buying these for $350 http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/car-par ... 920618.htm

dtchch wrote:Cool thanks I may have tracked one down, the 2.0l v6 model is TD11W right?

Yeah that sounds right.

Kernels, what model is yours?

Found some mud today, awesome fun

Yep, pretty sure mine is the TD11W

If you are in Chch (I think you are?) call Autobend 0800288623 they make them - cheap & very nicely done
Springs I would just put new 2" ones in myself - cheap enough nowdays, just make sure your rear shocks are long enough & dont bottom out

Cheers mate what springs do you suggest? After taking it out today I think a wee bit of a lift and she'll be a weapon

Ive fitted about 5 sets of Dobinsons to these models over the last few years (Autolign in Chch) , have recently changed to Ironman stuff (near Shell Carmen Rd) but unsure if they have zook ones in stock - did a Grand Cherokee last week & it sits beaut
Cheap enough too

Howsit. I have a 413 with a 2inch lift. It can fit 32s but I prefer my 31s. Can still get mean flex without any rubbing. Cheers