I scored this little Grand Vitara after it ran the Gambler 500. I have been wanting to build a sidekick/vitara and use some of the crazy ideas that Mike Hagen has been messing around with. First round I put a basic 2" spacer lift and some 33" boggers and cut the firewall to make everything clear. The aluminum diff and housing didnt last long so in the shop it went.
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The start of the rear axle to front axle conversion, all bearings and seals are 99+ Grand Vitara parts. You do need to open up ring gear side of the carrier to allow the cv stub to slide in. I cut oiling groves at the same time to keep the cv stub lubed.
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Now time to address the clearance issues up front. I moved the front axle forward 3" and down 3.5" using a piece of 2x3x.120 tubing and then plated the frame. I had to make new motor mounts, rad mounts, and front body mount to address the 3" drop/lift. The axle just barely clears the oil pan but it all fits!
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Then the rear tires kept getting into the rear door with only 2" of lift, I went and ahead and moved the axle back 3.5" and switched to a 4link. I stretched the stock links with 1.75x.125 DOM. I used 2 two sets of links to make one set. The stock coils were dropped 4" to get the lift I wanted.
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Yeah just 26 spline, I am running one driver side Vitara shaft and one older Sidekick driver side(shorter)on the passenger side. Both are easy to change but I do have the Toyota IFS CV conversion to make fit.
shadow crawlers
Red Skull Member
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- May 26, 2020
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You wouldn't happen to have dxf files for these, would you?
2big bronco
Og irate
The whole idea sucks, you should swap in the toyota cv shafts and just sell it to me.
pennsylvaniaboy
make fullsizes great again
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off to search marketplace for a vitara.....
I have always wanted to try out the IFS for a more a dirt road masher/back up snow wheeler. I have built 4runner and a couple buggies to take snow wheeling or rock crawling.
SHARPMACHINE
Web Wheeler
Someday.....someday I will have a track/kick to wheel and thrash....
Nice build!
Nice build!
It’s got the 2.5l, Auto, stock 1.8(thinking 3.0 soon) old sidekick 5.125 diffs f/r. Rear is welded and I have a lock right for the front after toyota cv’s. I drive it quite a bit and the power isn’t too bad with the 33s. I built my front diff off a picture and talking to my buddy Patrick back east. I have a couple people wanting diffs so I may do a detailed video or write up if anyone is interested.
Bebop
Well-known member
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- May 26, 2020
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That would be amazing if you're ok with sharing
ParadisePWoffrd
Recovering Project Junkie
x2.
Tydes Were 5.125s stock in the GV? For some reason I thought they ran a 4.56 or 4.88. In my searching for another cheap zuk, I have ran across a few GV, but really prefer the 4cyl. Sounds like the v6 doesnt have a ton more power or could be the power to weight of the GV thats throwing it off.
Mine had 4.88s and I went to older sidekick rear thirds. I like the older rear thirds for the front because you can use the mounts for the upper link to tie the diff in. My buddies XL7 had 5.125s but I haven't seen them in GV's but I have never got my hands on GV with v6/5 speed.
YotaAtieToo
Thick skull
I had both an auto and manual 4 cylinder 99 tracker. Manual was 4.62s and auto is 4.88s. I thought I read the v6 got 4.30?
The 2nd gen ring gear is bigger iirc, but I never had them both out of the 3rd.
The 2nd gen ring gear is bigger iirc, but I never had them both out of the 3rd.
FleshEater
Ordinary Average Guy
Are you satisfied with the 3”/3.5” stretch?
I’m considering the same for my Tracker when I SAS it. Max tires would be 33”.
I’m considering the same for my Tracker when I SAS it. Max tires would be 33”.
YotaAtieToo
Thick skull
Not that snow is on anyone's mind right now, but I saw that system 3 released a 35x13x15 and a 35x11x15 ss360, I think they would be great on this rig for snow.
The 13 wide are only 36 lbs each
Let me know if they work well, so I can buy them for my zuk
The 13 wide are only 36 lbs each
Let me know if they work well, so I can buy them for my zuk
PNWChevyJoe
Member
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- Dec 10, 2021
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those tires suck in the snow. carnivore is best utv snow tire by a long shotNot that snow is on anyone's mind right now, but I saw that system 3 released a 35x13x15 and a 35x11x15 ss360, I think they would be great on this rig for snow.
The 13 wide are only 36 lbs each
Let me know if they work well, so I can buy them for my zuk
Mr Stubs
Taste my rainbow, bitches
What in tarnation is going on here?
YotaAtieToo
Thick skull
Funny because you said the same exact thing about the xcr350s
Have you actually seen the 35x13 ss360s in snow?
PNWChevyJoe
Member
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At the time I told you that, those were the best available. There's better now.Funny because you said the same exact thing about the xcr350s
Have you actually seen the 35x13 ss360s in snow?
35" was released late spring, after this years snow season. I've seen the 32s and 33's, both HP models on 10" wide wheels and they didn't do well. Both were on light 2 seat machines. I think they'd do fine on hard snow you didn't wanted to break but spring snow and powder they weren't impressive. 32" carnivore was ahead of them actually