How big can you go without lift kit??

[LITTLELAURIE]

I am, unfortunately, thinking about taking off my 3",Calmini susp.lift that I had installed last September, due to both cv boots ripping. It's just not worth it, (to me), to spend $700's every 3 months, or, so, to have the dealership repair my boots!! Unless there is a super solution for this issue, the lift is coming off! Does anybody know ,for sure, what the absolute tallest and widest tire size that will fit on a VX, without a lift?? Any advice will be greatly appreciated!!

[SPAZZ]

Laurie, check your pm's...call me. Your lift is not that big to have torn cv boots. My problem with torn boots always happened after I had new tires mounted on my rims. I have the reverse rims where the weights go inside the rims and not on the outside. When they put them on the rims have to be EXTREMELY clean and they have to use the proper time allowed to let the cleaning solvent evaporate and when they stick the strips of weights on they have to wait till the glue sits.

well, this last place that put on my 305 70 17" Goodyear Wrangler MTR's did a half ***** job and rushed it, because the day I got them back a weight slung and tore the cv boot on drivers side, then two weeks later the passenger side did the same thing.

I know it is a REALLY MESSY job replacing cv boots and a pain in the ***** if you know what you are doiing much less if you don't and have to pay someone and very costly if you have to pay to fix.

Keep the lift...look online and find a place that sells Kevlar cv boot covers. They velcro around your boots and protect them from slinging.

Your lift should not be causing frequently torn boots. My VX measures from the ground, center of the hub, to the top of the cladding arch is 40 inches. I do some pretty hard offroading(check my galleries for those that want an example) and I know you have seen my pics, and I have never torn a cv boot while offroad...it ALWAYS HAPPENED ON SMOOTH PAVED ROADS and from a thrown wheel weight or road debrees.

AND NEVER BUY CV BOOTS FROM ANY AUTO PARTS STORE!!!!!! The ones you get from the auto parts store are made from such flimsy rubber you might as well just throw money in the trash. www.independent4x.com has very good cv's boots and are well worth the $. Those in addition to the kevlar covers should tied you over.

Sorry we didn't live closer cause you and my wife could supervise me fixing yoru cv boots for you.

[dkmiller68]

Sorry we didn't live closer cause you and my wife could supervise me fixing your cv boots for you.



I hear ya on that!

[kpaske]

Laurie -

Absolutely DO NOT spend $700 to fix your torn CV boots! I just replaced mine last weekend. Even an amateur mechanic like myself can do it in about two hours, and I really didn't think it was that difficult. I'm planning on writing a howto shortly (and there's already another one out there on one of the other sites - do a search here - somebody just posted the link last week). I personally bought one of those cheap auto parts store cv boot kits that Spazz was talking about. It seems to work fine (I don't do much off roading), but time will tell whether it holds up. The one I bought cost me about $13 and appears to be about the same quality as stock, and my stock ones held up for about 40k miles since I lifted it back in 2002.

If you don't do your own work, or can't find anyone to help you, let me know. I'm just a couple hours up the road from you, near Fort Lewis - I'm sure we could work something out.

BTW, I'm not sure how your lift was done, but if you don't have your ball joints flipped, you should probably do that when you fix your cv boots. You also might want to consider buying ball joint spacers from Darlington Offroad to further lesson the stress on your CV's.

[SGT.BATGUANO]

I think yal has the largest (285-60-15 ?) I've seen without a lift. It looks like a tight fit, but I haven't heard any complaints of tire rubbing from her.

[Ldub]

LL,
I put 265/70 R 16's on stock rims (no lift) & have had no problems. Looks like about 1/4 in. clearance to cladding when I turn.Could probably go to at least 275/70's with a little trimming.Good luck, whichever way you decide to go.
Ldub

[Jolly Roger VX'er]

I went with Bridgestone A/T Revo's (265/70/16) mounted on Chrome +12mm offset American Racing "Breaker" Wheels.

I cut the small triangular piece of plastic off the front cladding directly in front of the front tires as others have done when installing 18" Nittos on factory wheels. It isn't noticable at all and took only a few minutes with a carbide cutter.

I've gotten alot of complements from people/coworkers about how husky it looks now with the +12mm offset wheels.

If interested please view my gallery.
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/4729/sort/1/cat/500/page/1

[LITTLELAURIE]

I just wanted to thank all of you for the advice!!! The folks on this website are some of the nicest people around for sure!!!!! Thank You VX'ers!!

Laurie :)

[Green Dragon]

Keep the lift...look online and find a place that sells Kevlar cv boot covers. They velcro around your boots and protect them from slinging.

.

http://yocparts.com/showProduct.cgi

Server is slow- Search engine sucks- It's on page 2 of ATV Guards

[Maugan_VX]

I'd also consider talking to Joe Darlington about some diff drop brackets that will drastically relieve the angle at which your CV's are at with a 3" tbar crank.

http://www.darlington-offroad.com/

(Trooper brackets will fit just fine)

[Triathlete]

"BTW, I'm not sure how your lift was done, but if you don't have your ball joints flipped, you should probably do that when you fix your cv boots. You also might want to consider buying ball joint spacers from Darlington Offroad to further lesson the stress on your CV's."

...Flipping the ball joints does nothing to relieve CV angles. All it does is allow for easier alignments. :flower:

[kpaske]

I think SPAZZ might be on to something here... both times I replaced my tires I noticed a torn, driver's side inner CV boot almost immediately thereafter. I'm not sure if I buy the "slung weight" theory, but I'm noticing an interesting correlation!