[lee88]

Hey all got a couple of problems after fitting new shockies and new steering links to the front of my 95 vit hope u can all help me with.

The shocky problem:
For some reason my shockies dont always want to compress.
it seems like they get stuck and wont go past a certain point.
The silver rod looks like sometimes it might possibly be going crooked into the yellow part of the shocky.
If i jack it up and extend the shockies out then lower it down again they work fine for a bit then they will just lock up again.
The shockies are exactly the same and have the same part number as the old OME i was running. (My old shocks had the holes drilled out to fix camber but i bought camber bolts for these new ones - note that i didnt have the bolts in when they started locking up)
also if i grab onto the shocks and pull them back and forth there is a bit of sideways movement for some reason. could it be something to do with my strut mounts? pretty sure the rubber mounts are broken from when i put in my new shockies.
Pics hosted on imageshack:
Pic 1
Pic 2
pic 3
Pic 4

For my Steering Link problem:
I just replaced my Outer tie rods, inner tie rods and the drag link in the middle as my drag link bushes were shot.
now for some reason the innter tie rod seems to scrape on my diff as i trned it just passed half way.
i have no idea why im pretty sure i didnt install them wrong and the parts looked pretty identical in size..
pics on imagshack again..:

pic 1
Pic 2
Pic 3
Pic 4


Thanks guys hope u can all help me try find some answers =)

[Jester]

that pic2 of your shockies, yeah that really doesnt look straight with the body of the shock, on your drag link issue i havent played enough with my vits steering to see the problem from those photos

[nissvit]

did you say that the rubber top mounts are stuffed?? that cant help your struts.

How long have you have the struts in the car? I have seen OME's with a little bit of play after 5 plus years of being in a car, but never one with movement like that.

[want33s]

Tie rod end hitting on diff suggests to me that maybe you have the tie rod fitted backwards and that the ends should stick out the front not the back.

[skyman]

I agree, I also think something is major wrong with that one shock that is not straight. Maybe the stuffed upper rubber caused the shock problem.

[royce]

The tie rods are the right way around, I thought the same and went at looked at mine

is the drag link the right way around? so the tie rod ends are going into teh taper the right way?

the strut, I dunno, the bad run ive had with OME it wouldnt suprise me if they come from teh factory buggered now

[lee88]

Thanks for the suggestions
pretty sure the drag link and tie rods are on right, cos they could only be put into the drag link one way cos of the tapered hole
and i went and bought new strut mounts today i think i'm gonna put them in and do the strut mount flip with the new ones
hope this might help a bit and wont cause any other dramas

Cheers guys

[lee88]

I still have no luck with my steering link clearing my diff
Just cannot work out why its touching now.
Can anyone please take some pictures of how much clearance you have away from your diff when its at the closest point? since my diff will move while im drivign.. i dont want to put a hole in my alloy diff T.T
Hope i can get it driveable by the long weekend

Thanks

[atari4x4]

This is the RHS taken from the front








hope it helps?

[skyman]

The only things I can think of are below

I=Could your drag link be too long, putting the tie rod end in the wrong spot. So now it is in a spot that the diff pokes out, and before it was not.

Or, one or both of the rod got twisted 180 degrees putting the tie rod end on the wrong side.

Is it possible the bar that the tie rod end is going into has bent moving it closer to the diff?

Is it possible that two of the rods are adjusted wrong,and the combination of both being off moves it far enough to one side to put it right where the hump in the diff is?
There has got to be an explanation.
Wrong parts, bent parts, or parts installed at the wrong orientation.

I am sure someone here on AZ has a VIT that they fixed the steering on, can you guys see anything obvious?

[atari4x4]

arrrrrgh.... just seen the 2nd lot of pics, now that show's the problem.


is it a SV620 Vitara & you've got tie rods/drag link for a SE416 1.6 Vitara or the other way around?

what's the wheel alignment look like?

[skyman]

So thwey are different between the two?. that might be an issue, hey?

[lee88]

my vit is an se416 EFI SWB
might be an issue - since i did buy them off ebay.. ($190 compared to $530 from suzuki!)
Tie Rod Ends
&
Drag Link

The thing is they look almost exactly the same as what i replaced. All the lengths are the same as far as i could tell. my old drag link does have a little bend on the ends but not all that much.
Do u guys think it would be safe to bend my new drag link a bit to get some clearance?

Also an update on my shockies - i got ARB to replace my old ones with some new ones.. and i bought new strut mounts. (didnt do the flip i thought i wont push my luck atm)
Seems ok so far but havent taken it out anywhere yet though cos of my steering
with my camber bolts my wheels seem a fair bit straighter then before aswell
wheel alignment looks fine its getting aligned tomoro (if i can drive it in)

[skyman]

Quote:

my old drag link does have a little bend on the ends but not all that much.

There is your problem, you don't need much room. I bet that little bend is the issue.

[lee88]

haha thanks. the ebay guy said it is the correct one for my car.
any ideas how i can reinforce the front of my diff for the weekend?
or.... longshot if anyone has a steel housing/and/or carrier from a GV i can pick up in the morning!? (at the right price of course)

Cheers for the help
Thanks!

[royce]

bugger forgot to look at mine in teh light

[lee88]

Update:
I got replacement front shocks from ARB(what an effort) and fitted them before the long weekend..
Went up to lancelin in the dunes etc. it was fine for 2 days.. then Just driving in the dunes on some level sand(bumpy sand tho) my shocks started making grinding noises again and are broken just like the last pair.
If i jack my front end up and extend the shocks all the way they work again but still with the grinding noises until i drive it again then they seize up.
i dont want to put another set of new shockies in as im scared they will just break again. I put in new shock mounts and am running camber bolts and this still didnt fix the problem since the first time they broke either..
i dont understand why, since the last pair was on the car for a few years and were fine even with my body lift.
not sure where to start does anyone have any more ideas?
(i cant find any info or similar problems on the net either)

Cheers

[skyman]

If the shocks are physically over extended, or if they get squished to much, that would cause it.

What happens first?
Does the shock bottom out, or the bumpstops hit?
Does the shock over extend, or does the a-arm/CV stop travel?

If the shock isn't topping or bottoming out, then maybe sand is getting through the seals? Both sets being rooted the same way makes me think they are getting bottomed out.

[lee88]

I took it in to Pedders today they did an inspection for me(for free )
they said that my car is too high that its lifted too much, and he thinks the shocks are getting extended too much. he reckons nothing is bent its all good and that the shocks might not be long enough..
I havent been able to ramp up to compress my front yet so im not sure about the bumpstops hitting but i jacked up the front and let the wheel hang.. it does seem like the shocks are at there limits.
he also said that its too high for my CVS and they are on too much of an angle..
(im still running standard alloy diff and no diff drop).
if i invest in another set of these OME's or make ARB replace them again will i need to do something like a strut mount flip? is there a way i can limit the down travel so the shocks dont over extend?

Thanks for all the help

[atari4x4]

what sort of spring/lift kit are you running?

[lee88]

its all Old man emu(2 inch lift) and i put in the 2inch body lift myself

[atari4x4]

take it back to ARB & let them sort it out, how old is the lift kit?

[royce]

there is no way that off the shelf ome springs and struts are too high

can you post some perspective shots of the car and suspension heights?

[MacDaddy]

lee88 wrote:

its all Old man emu(2 inch lift) and i put in the 2inch body lift myself

Well theres your problem, its OME...
it appears OME are still a bit iffy reliabilty wise, and are still having faulty issues... if it is a OME suspension kit, it should all work together well, but if the shocks are stuffed " again ", take them back, tell them its not good enough, and demand some satisfaction !

[atari4x4]

seriously macbear, the way you carry on about OME & ARB i can't wait until that ironman shit you're running fails, think about the volume of OME gear out there compared to ironman... of course there are going to me more issues.

i think there is more to this story.

[MacDaddy]

royce wrote:

there is no way that off the shelf ome springs and struts are too high

can you post some perspective shots of the car and suspension heights?

Exactly my thoughts, should have no height issues, if it came as a kit, it should friggin work well together !
Take them back, again, and tell em, Not Happy Jan !

[atari4x4]

is that a spring spacer in this pic, it's wet outside & i have no shoes on so i'm not going outside to check.

[MacDaddy]

atari4x4 wrote:

seriously macbear, the way you carry on about OME & ARB i can't wait until that ironman shit you're running fails, think about the volume of OME gear out there compared to ironman... of course there are going to me more issues.

i think there is more to this story.

Take a Chill Pill Atari !

[atari4x4]

have you used any OME products, or are you just reading the internets.... if you search for ironman issues you'll find plenty.

[atari4x4]

2 seconds on the google found this macdaddy.

02-SR5 wrote:

I just went down this path with a complete suspension kit for my brand new Challenger. I have allways fitted OME to my truck as I have never had a problem. With the new Challenger, I thought I would fit Ironman due to a complete suspension kit fitted under 1k. Thought it couldnt be that bad, all the glossy pictures in all the magazines. Owners of Ironman suspension saying how great it was.
Short version of this story, sold near brand new suspension kit for $450. Had ARB fit their OME sports suspension kit for 1700.

Rob

http://www.4wdaction.com.au/forum/viewt ... suspension