Offroad-Express

Hey all

I have just finished lifting my Vitara.
As some of you will know through previous posts I wanted to keep my lift modest and under 2 inch.
I ended up using c33/r32/s13/a31 rear springs (all models listed use same springs) and V6 Vitara springs in the front with a small spacer.
I flipped the top mount on the front struts, and went on the hunt for rear shocks.
As others have found, vl commodore shocks are usually to long. I went to a holden wrecker and spent a bit of time going through there shocks with a tape measure and vl shocks had 2 lengths. Most were over 600 long which is 130mm longer than factory shocks, thats over 5 inch's longer, and wouldnt keep the springs captive. The shorter length was near enough to 500mm which is only 30mm longer than factory and dosnt take advantage of the much longer nissan springs.
After reading one of Spankys posts from ages ago I tried BMW shocks. The E30 shocks are 550mm long, perfect for the springs, and give a good ride on road and flex up well, and they are a strait bolt on replacement. Thought this might be of some help to someone out there.

http://www.offroadexpress.co.nz/Forums/ ... 23&t=29282

couple of posts down.

E30 and factory vitara

Good to know Vitz

What spacers did you use for the front springs?

I got them off chairman.
I think they are the black 15mm ones in trademe outta oz. Don't fit perfectly but can be persuaded into place. Chairman could no doubt confirm where they came from

Nice find with the shocks,
They look more heavy duty then the commie shocks.

Would be interesting to see a commie shock in the pic next to the E30 an standard vitara shocks..

Yes the spacer was bought from trademe, though a seller listed in Ozzy