sidekick lift question

[DameApril]

I have a 1989 Sidekick (stock). Bought her for 100.00,backed her off the trailer,put a battery in and she fired right up.......ran pretty good even for having a burnt valve.The head is in the shop being rebuilt,right now,having complete head redone.
I am told this is a unibody truck.I can't afford a suspension lift,just yet,so I was thinking about coil spring spacers.Any ideas,guys???? :roll:
Thanx-a-Bunch
April

[MLC]

it is not a unibody sooo u can do a body lift real cheap ....u can put in spring spacers i wouldn't go more than 1 1/2 just my .02 :beer:

[Depot]

MLC is right. coil spacers will give u some lift.. body lift u can go much more.

With coil spacers, ur gonna max out ur struts and ur CV's in a hurry. Take some measurements and try flexing the front end when its in the air to see how far u can push those coils. u will need an alignment afterwards 4 sure.

gl

D

[DameApril]

Hmmmmmm,well.......see how much y'all can teach me? I called about a body lift and the dealer said the 89 kick was a unibody and could not put a body lift under it........said we could do a suspension lift......but that is just too expensive for a toy (for me).He also said he didn't even sell spacers because they are (in his opinion) dangerous.
I don't want to go over 2 inches with it,anyway.Don't want to have to fool with extensions for this and for that.I am a 48 yr old female and this is a toy not a passion.
My oldest daughter has a 2004 **** Rubicon she wheels in and my son-in-law got a 1985 **** Grand Wagoneer.My hubby has taken the 2.8 out of his Ford Ranger and dropped in a 302.His Ranger has a 3 inch lift kit under it.So I am just looking to lift the kick a bit and add to a little as we go.
Anyone got a steering column w/key to fit the 89 kick,that doesn't mind shipping to the USA?
April

[Depot]

The dealer is wrong.... period. U can lift a kick - body - as high as u want. U can buy kits or do it urself. I prefer welding blocks to the body and frame vs the kits and replacing the bolts completely but thats just me.

Things to keep in mind for body lifts....

•fuel tank filler neck (and vent)- needs to be extended
•brake lines where they jump from body to frame in engine compartment - need to be extended, as well as the rear axel line.
•steering column - needs extending too
•shifter sticks - u guessed it.. need extending and reshaping.
•air box - this takes some finessing, box went up, engine didnt. need to make it work
•wires - most will stretch but some loosening is required. A few ground wires in the engine compartment will need to be moved - i.e. distributor ground wire.

All these mods will depend on how high u want to go. A 2" body lift and u wont have to do most of em.. goto 3 or 4 and u gotta do most if not all of the mods I listed. Depending on how tall u r and how far ur arms can reach (shifters).

IMHO, if all u want is 2", go body lift. dealers are idiots.

Where u located anyways? There are a few of us on here that have lifted kicks so we can answer all u q's and even pitch in if u need.

gl

D

[DameApril]

:beer: How sweet of you to offer to help me!!! I think y'all are in Canada...I am in Kentucky (USA).Help........gonna need lotz!!!!! Hubby and I are raw rookies at this. We have not ever had a Suzuki before.Hubby isn't sure how to do the lift (he will be doing it).He is a very good mechanic,but this is a whole nuther thing!
Any help y'all are willing to give will be much appreciated :D I am about to get aggrivated,already :bang: The things I need are hard to find :huh: or to get shipped out of Canada.I do thank you so very much ;)
April

[MuddMachine]

April anything you need should be available to you locally. Once hubby gets into the zooks he'll love them, so easy to work on! Enjoy!

[Fullload]

Good to see april that your the smartest in the family with a sidekick. Tell the rest of that family to scrap the heeps and at least the ford!!!!!
Depot and MLC both have kik expierence and the easiest way to avoid lifting problems with a kik are sawzalls and solid axles. :D
On a serious note you did say it was a toy and not a passion. Not for long, cause once you get into it you can't get out.
My dad is 52 and we just bulit him his first suzuki, and he loves nothing more than 8000 rpms on the skinny pedal. :roll:

[Twinkie]

:beer: How sweet of you to offer to help me!!! I think y'all are in Canada...I am in Kentucky (USA).Help........gonna need lotz!!!!! Hubby and I are raw rookies at this. We have not ever had a Suzuki before.Hubby isn't sure how to do the lift (he will be doing it).He is a very good mechanic,but this is a whole nuther thing!
Any help y'all are willing to give will be much appreciated :D I am about to get aggrivated,already :bang: The things I need are hard to find :huh: or to get shipped out of Canada.I do thank you so very much ;)
April
If it's just a body lift you're looking for, and fabrication skills are not your thing, then look to Calmini for their 2 or 3 inch body lift. It has everything you need, including bumper relocation brackets and shifter extenders (unlike other less expensice kits) and fits perfect. They may not have any in stock, and only run production once every few weeks (I waited 6 weeks for mine) but it will get there in the end. As Depot says, good things come to those who wait.
It may sound expensive, but if time is money, then sourcing all the square tubing (if you copy someone's lift) and bolts, fab'ing brackets and such, then it's just easier to use the kit. My kit was under $300 (Canadian) delivered in my hands, I think it sells for $189 US plus shipping straight from Calmini.

[MLC]

some 2x3 ...1/8th tubing a welder and about an after noon should do it :D :D

[Twinkie]

some 2x3 ...1/8th tubing a welder and about an after noon should do it :D :D
Unless you've never seen a 'Kick before. Has anyone mentioned to the poor guy doing the lift that a kick uses body studs instead of bolts? That's usually what gits'em 1st...

[MLC]

thats why i use the 2x3 ....u can put the stud through the tube and the swing a wrench in the tube to tighten the nut ....this will attach the tube to the body then let the body down on the frame then weld or bolt the tbe to the frame

[Twinkie]

thats why i use the 2x3 ....u can put the stud through the tube and the swing a wrench in the tube to tighten the nut ....this will attach the tube to the body then let the body down on the frame then weld or bolt the tbe to the frame
Fabers fab, and people like me buy, it's all good.

[MLC]

u'r right... it is all good .....just as long we are having fun and doing some wheeling :beer: