Any idea on wheel size?

[anthonyas11]

Hi everyone,

I'm fairly new to this offroading but do work in the motor trade, so I'm not a completetrain wreck.

My new pride and joy is a Suzuki Vitara JLX SE drop top with fat boy arches and wheels. The wheels on the car are currently road tyres so obviously I want to replace them with something a lot better!

Does anyone have any idea what size they are? I cant seem to see them anywhere around the tyre wall on either side....


Kind regards,

Anthony.

[generation-x]

hi anthony

usuall tyre size for fat bois are 255x60x15
if you are going to fit offroad tyres on id sell the current wheel tyre combo and by a set of offroad wheels and tyres

Simon

[anthonyas11]

Yeah I managed to find it on the inside edge...

What kind of width is more ideal? Its likely to be used mostly for greenlaning, but the reason I was thiking of keeping these wider wheels is that next year I'll be looking to enter it for the Riphay Scuffle which is essentially just a bog pit....Thought the wider tyres would help then.

The Vit has done 130k and I'll end up scrapping it after the scuffle I rekon. Not sure which route to go down.

Thanks for the help though!

Anthony.

[generation-x]

hi anthony

if you are atopping with standard susspension and no body lift you are limited to off road tyre size
prob 215/80/15 will be the biggest you will get under the arches as said before (ithink) you will need to fit wheel spacers else it will look pants with the wider arches (assuming you have either the 8 or 10 " arches fitted)

if you want to fit tyres to your fat boi rims the very smallest you cud fit are 31/10.5/15 these will still be a pain to fit on the extra wide rims and will leave the
side wall expossed a bit but i have run such a combo for over 12 months on a previous lwb vit with no issues


hope this helps

simon

[anthonyas11]

Thanks Simon thats excellent.

I've managed to talk myself into turning this into more of a project now so I'm gonna free up some more money.

I'm planning on a lift now but I'm getting different opinions form everyone.

I hope to fit 31x10.50x15 tyres to her, probably leave the extensions on for road use. However how would you choose to lift the car. I understand a body lift with spring spacers is needed to fit the tyres, but I'm also being told a 3" body lift then requires be to increase the steering rack and gear stick length.

I've been looking to do a coil spring extension of 3 inch but then apparently I can't fit larger tyres. So what would you reccomend.

I was maybe thinking a 1.5" spacer lift and then coil springs of 1.5-2".....is this something that you would think may work?


Many thanks,


Anthony.

[generation-x]

hi anthony

for 31" boots to fit nicely under a vit you will need a min of 6" of total lift so body lift and suspession lift is your only option

suspession lift

find a set of lwb gv coil springs both front and rears
a good set will give you 1.5 to 2" of lift on there own
as you mentioned above adding coil spacers will increase this lift to the required 3" these can be brought online
via the bits4vits web shop or might be some on ebay,with his combo spring lift you will also need to extend the front dampners by adding extensions
again can be brought from bits4vits,offroad armoury and such
for the rear shox if you want to spend the money pro-comp will do you a pair as will rough country
but my own preference is the use of mk2 astra shox they are the perfect length and cheap to buy @ around £20 for oil version and £30 for gas

as said above that will give you around 3" of lift so you wud need to fit a 3" body lift to help with getting the 31" tyres under your arches
as you say it is a bit more involved than a 2" lift
some steering shafts dont need to be extended but some do its pot luck im afraid b4v also sell extension pieces for your steering bar
you will have to extend  ur fuel filler pipe buy about 3"
also the n/s front brake line has to be re-located 3" lower than it currently sits as its threw the shell un-like the o/s front but on the o/s there is joint on the inside of the chassis just behind the wheel 2x10mm bolts need to be removed before the lift and a little plate made to re-locate after its lifted

also as mentioned you will have to extend the gear sticks to match the body lift ,its just a matter of cutting both sticks and weldin new sections in,you have to try and follow the original settin of the sticks so a bit of bending will be needed to get them to fit


if anything else just ask

simon

[anthonyas11]

Certainly sounds like you know what your doing!

With the GV coils what sort of age do I need to take them form? The astra shocks is that from the rear of the Astra?

What would you recommend for the body lift? I'm currently watching a 2" body lift. Would that suffice? No one else seems to think a full 6" is necessary and that a body lift of 2" or rmeo would give me clearence. I'm not sure what I think now!. Where exactly do the body lifts sit? I really want to start getting the ball rolling on this lift now!!


Kind regards,

Anthony.

[generation-x]

hi anthony

gv springs you need lwb versions from about v reg sort of shape
newer shape geeeeveeee's are totally different springs

3" body lifts can be brought from la supertrux or specialist leisure both shud stock the calmini 3" body and shud come with most the part needed to fit it
As for were the body lift pucks sit if u look under the drivers door under the front line you will see an out rigger with a black rubber washer between that and the body you have 4 of those 2 x font of doors and 2x just infront of the rear wheels
there is also 2 mounts under the rear bumper and 2 under the headlights so 8 mounts in total
hope this helps

simon

[winchman]

I have 215 75 15 on mine when it was standard, now its got a 1.5" spring lift and its fab, its easy to get caught up modding it but you do have to consider the gains for cash spent.
I have had some seriously modded stuff in the past but we have had the most use out of our £300 Vit with muds on

[anthonyas11]

Hello Simon,

I've sourced the rear shocks, the front extensions on bits4vits look good quality as well as his 3" body lift kit, but am really struggling to find any coils. Where would you reccomend. I've scanned Ebay, currently trying to contact a couple of scrap yards. None of them seem to recall a LWB version. Is there a model name or anything that differentiates them form the SWB.

I definitely think this is the best way for me to go due to budget.

[generation-x]

hi anthony

lwb gv you just need to ask for coils off a 5 door gv around v reg as i said above
dave @ b4v will be able to sort you out in no time he is a good lad
were abouts are you in the uk? might no to local breaker for you

simon

[anthonyas11]

Thanks Simon I'll keep an eye out.

I'm in North Devon. There are a couple of breakers yards near me but at the moment they don't have anything. Going to take a proper look around next Thursday see what we can do.

I do appreciate all this help and I'll keep you posted!

Roughly what inchage will this give me in lift and what size shock spacers do I need to buy?


Regards,

Anthony.

[generation-x]

hi anthony
its not a problem m8y we all had to start somewhere all i hope is my experiance helps others with zooks 

see if you can find vitara.man on ebay
he breaks gv's for a living (while you try ill find out his number off another forum for you)

if you go the gv spring route with b4v coil spacers you will need his dampner extensions
and as said mk2 astra shox on the rear this combo will give you around 3" of lift
if budget lets you id prob buy some b4v front axle drop brackets as it is pushing the limits of the front axle

any more help just ask buddy

simon

[anthonyas11]

Jeeeeeees......

Yeah I've contacted b4v for now. I've been away for a couple of days so I reckon he has replied (on my work account by now)

I think this is what im gonna do! Thanks for all the help and advice so far!!


Regards.

Anthony.

[generation-x]

hi anthony
really sorry only checked my emails last night dont check them often lol
yes i spoke to b4v today and he said you had emailed him he was gonna send you a proper reply asap regarding wot you asked

hope it goes ok and let us no if you get into any probs

Simon

[anthonyas11]

Yeah he is a very good chap.

Probably been able to sort me with springs. I've sourced the Astra shocks myself. He's out of body lifts though!

[generation-x]

Yeah he is a very good chap.

Probably been able to sort me with springs. I've sourced the Astra shocks myself. He's out of body lifts though!

funny you shud say that anthony i no he does have a full set of gv springs but they are band new not 2nd hand

Simon

[anthonyas11]

Yeah he said he had them on his truck for a couple of trips. I can't seem to find any breaking ones. There is one being broken near me but the guy can't be bothered to call back.

I purchased the Astra shocks today (£22 delivered). Looking to get the springs in the new year (once cash starts to flow slightly) I'm going to get some good tyres for the 10.5 rims I've got on there at the moment.

I'm slightly concerned about the stress on the CV boots, don't really see the point in lowering the axle again (defeating the object slightly?) I wondered if its the kind of thing fitting a larger CV cover and a good jubilee clip would sort out? How often does this 3" lift give a problem?


Thanks again.

[generation-x]

anthony
ive contaxted dave @ b4v he is trying to find a number for the guy we no who breaks gv's up manchester way
so ill let you when i do about that

some vits not all have some cv issues when you lift the suspension up its a matter of trial and error same with the font camber some need
correction bolts some dont,till you have lifted it you wont no

on the cv matter
its more the angle of the dangle than them being overley weak,can just casuse stress inside the cv its self
best option if you dont have them already is to fit free wheeling hubs the manual sort so the front drive shafts will only spin when ur offroad and they
are in the lock position
otherwise they turn all the time and cause wear and tear on the cv's and boots

there is a conversion if you are really worried where mitzi cv's are grafted(welded) inplace of the standard suzuki units

hope this helps you some more
Simon

[anthonyas11]

Yeah I've put my name to the ones he's taken off of his. Seems the best route, paying a little more than normal but hey its good kit.

I'll see what happens with the CVs. It's the kind of thing I can bodge through work which is good!

Thanks for all this effort. Once I've paid Dave for the springs and body kit I'll but some tyres and get on with it! I'll keep you posted with before and after pics where and when I can!!



Regards,

Anthony.

[horsethief]

Did I read on a much early post on here with my last vit,that Rover 600 springs could be used on the rear and Merc w123 springs on the front?Along with the astra shocks.I'm probley going down the same route with my new Vitara jlx sport.