[christover1]

G'day all.
As my Vit has 20 mm spring spacers, the shock travel on rear has 20mm less droop. It has 20mm extension to bump stops.
My shocks are OME, and in as new condition, so prefer not to change shox.
My thought are, put a 20mm spacer in, as in pic, and use an internally threaded bolt, at right length to allow re-use of OME bushes.
(at present have the two OME bushes under shock mount, and a small rubber washer above, but it clunks a tad)

Is this a good idea, or a stoopid one?
Thanks all.

[benji]

i cant see a problem, got to be better than what you got now

[christover1]

benji wrote:

, got to be better than what you got now

Can't argue with that

May drop shock mount and see just how much extra I can get from spring.

Trying to keep it all close to stock, for reliability as well as function.

[Built4thrashing]

there are shock mount brackets for the bottom of the Vits and GV that lift and turn the bottom mounting spot. The shock looses about 50mm in compression but if you have lifted coils and spacers i cant see it being a problem.









B4T

[christover1]

I likes them. I was considering looking at the bottom too.

[christover1]

Could make me own, but trying to find a USA supplier, as our dollar works better there, at the moment.

[steak_knife]

make em, a bit of crush tube & some cut up rhs, a drill, grinder & elec hot glue gun..

[Built4thrashing]

Yeh be easy as to make ya own. When you do i want a set.


B4T

[christover1]

I could do the cuttings, can't trust me welding skills,
but could get that done where they welded me stubby up.
If I need more than 20mm this may be a better option

[steak_knife]

It solves 2 problem's, as the bottom of the rear's always seam to hit the bracket's on the diff's.....

You welding can't be worse than I've seen sold by some company that I shall not name for fear of slenderizing said company..

[christover1]

$72 AUD delivered for a pair, including 2 new bolts.
Will be considered, but after measurings, to see if I really need that much

[steak_knife]

steak_knife wrote:

It solves 2 problem's, as the bottom of the rear's always seam to hit the bracket's on the diff's.....

You welding can't be worse than I've seen sold by some company that I shall not name for fear of slenderizing said company..

bracket's sold by said.....

[Built4thrashing]

Are you running longer springs as they may not compress as much as a stock coil. If thats the case you might get away with it with the 20mm spacer.


B4T

[christover1]

steak_knife wrote:

It solves 2 problem's, as the bottom of the rear's always seam to hit the bracket's on the diff's.....

You welding can't be worse than I've seen sold by some company that I shall not name for fear of slenderizing said company..

That could explain the clunk, also. But almost no top rubber would, too.
There are "companies" out there that I quietly say nothing about.

[christover1]

Built4thrashing wrote:

Are you running longer springs as they may not compress as much as a stock coil. If thats the case you might get away with it with the 20mm spacer.


B4T

Its OME all round, stock OME for a Vit.
Plus 20mm coil spacer rear, 10mm front
I like its performance,
so be happy with the travel back at what OME designed.

[Built4thrashing]

Have you lifted you panhard rod on the back diff? these sometimes bind up and pull diff sideways. only a prob with lifts over 50mm i have read.

[christover1]

Built4thrashing wrote:

Have you lifted you panhard rod on the back diff? these sometimes bind up and pull diff sideways. only a prob with lifts over 50mm i have read.

I haven't done anything to it,
can't say wether it was done by previous owner or not.
OME is only 40mm, but coil spacers ad 20mm

[atari4x4]

Built4thrashing wrote:

Have you lifted you panhard rod on the back diff? these sometimes bind up and pull diff sideways. only a prob with lifts over 50mm i have read.

No Panhard rods on the normal Vitara, just 2 lower links & A frame upper.

[christover1]

atari4x4 wrote:

Built4thrashing wrote:

Have you lifted you panhard rod on the back diff? these sometimes bind up and pull diff sideways. only a prob with lifts over 50mm i have read.

No Panhard rods on the normal Vitara, just 2 lower links & A frame upper.

just went and looked, to remind myself,
if A arm became an issue,
would be easy to space it, but don't think it wiil

[Built4thrashing]

Ok i thought they were similat to the GV setup.

[christover1]

Stock OME travel is well engineered and quite ok,
not building it for huge travel.
Just want to make sure I get back what is lost with the coil spacers

[royce]

my shocks are easy 100mm longer than the OME's I took off and I have no arm dramas

[christover1]

royce wrote:

my shocks are easy 100mm longer than the OME's I took off and I have no arm dramas

good to know.
Do they bottom out on compression?
Or do bumpstops stop it?

[royce]

I have bumpstops to stop the tyres hitting the wheelarch lip, but they arent needed for the shocks

[christover1]

royce wrote:

I have bumpstops to stop the tyres hitting the wheelarch lip, but they arent needed for the shocks

excellent, I may just wait till I can afford longer shox.

[christover1]

Well we measured it up today, I do have 40mm or 1.5" travel spare, with springs still firmly in place.
So the shock reposition at the lower end is an option.
Bumpstops are roughly 30mm extended, so they may suffice, too.
If I stick to my original plan, 40mm would be harder to achieve safely.

Can understand swivelling lower mount, but it don't look to be a huge gain.
clearance from axle tube and shoick bracket is very tight, so that could be a good thing.

[christover1]

By the time I get some more welding rods, a bit of metal, and some decent paint, to make my top mount idea, or to make a similar bottom mount to B4V, I'm nearly half way to the same dollars as buying them made.
So I have ordered the bottom mount mod from Bits 4 Vits.
Also being electrplated is better than paint, prettier, too
Not sure if there's a gain with the lower shock mounted 90* or not.
Now lets just hope they don't get lost in the snowstorms in Pommyland
( I can call it that, now I'm an Aussie ) )

[ninjamoses]

I'm running the Bits4Vits bottom shock spacers on mine. Mine were the earlier CNC'd prototype ones which took a little bit of massaging to fit, but I've been pretty damn happy with them. Gave me that extra bit of flex I was chasing.

Dave is a top bloke and has bloody good customer service.

[christover1]

ninjamoses wrote:

I'm running the Bits4Vits bottom shock spacers on mine. Mine were the earlier CNC'd prototype ones which took a little bit of massaging to fit, but I've been pretty damn happy with them. Gave me that extra bit of flex I was chasing.

Dave is a top bloke and has bloody good customer service.

thanks, thats good to know.
Wish dollar was as good in UK as it is in USA,
but not too bad.
$68 AUD delivered, plus any visa fees that may happen.