solid axle swap
you gotta be kidding me.
All that build up and i was horribly wrong. Story of my life
*applies mud to face*
So...the SAS, i am guessing that replacing the entire IFS and replacing it with a solid axel would not be a small undertaking. Anyone here done this? Insanely expensive? Benefits?
Some of us contemplate an SAS and I have heard someone who knows someone who has done it but I have never seen any proof that a solid axle VX exists! I have seen Troopers and Rodeos and Amigos with a solid axle swap though and they perform rather well offroad. I can't make up my mind if I should do it or not, but Triathlete is all about doing it, SPAZZ has started collecting parts for it, Alaska VX might be underway with his, Dstruction might already have done it...
Back to your original question. Ascinder posted some info on these adjustable coil mounts sometime ago and I think he installed them on his VX with good results. These would allow you to keep your stock coils and give you the ability to fine tune your lift height in the rear - then you just crank on the t-bars until the VX sits the way you want! So you have the option of lifting your VX 1" then 2" and then back again, all by turning a wrench or two!
There are things you should do to your VX when you are adding bigger tires though. Like Ldub mentioned, get braided brakelines - but I suggest also getting HD tie rods bcuz the stock ones are WEAK! And if your VX doesn't already have them, get the f/r greasable poly swaybar bushings. Otherwise, yes, it is just as simple as cranking the t-bars to lift the front and adding either a poly coil spacer, or the adjustable coil mount, or new coil springs, or all of it, to lift the rear. The rest is just stuff to go along with your now lifted VX - bigger tires, brake lines, tie rods, bj flip, poly bushings - then the optional stuff... deeper gears, lockers, locking hubs, front axle diff drop brackets, stronger control arms, extended panhard bar, shocks, bump stops - then the toys... winch, rocker guards, bumpers, diff guards, skid plates, roll cage, solid axle, lower x-case gears, welder, on-board air, etc............ and we're broke
Keep us posted on what you decide!!
Sent from my "two hands on a keyboard"
There is no completed SAS that I know of. Spazz started colecting parts. Spazz was planning on using leaf springs. D Struction sold his VX to someone on this board (sorry, can't remember your name) in Alaska and it does not have an SAS...only a suspention/body lift.
WHEN I do mine it will be a linked suspension. Cost will depend on how much of the work you can do. I plan on doing all the prep work on mine but since I don't weld I will leave that up to the pro's (especially since my life could depend on it).
Billy Oliver
15xIronman
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I have OME 919's on mine. about 2 1/2 - 3" of lift (dont remember exactly). the extra stiffness gives it the same riding charactersitics as stock, only taller.
I know of two shops that are up to an SAS project. I would probably go with Stric9 (darkengineering) if and when I could afford it.
1999 Lotus VX Ironman Edition
It's fun to rebadge...
If your shocks are worn out this would be a good, although expensive, lift option: http://www.independent4x.com/item.ht...3&PRID=1554300
Add the HD tie rods and you would have a great setup. I would still consider adding a longer panhard bar or a new bracket for the stock one, as well as a front diff drop, when adding this much lift.
One of these days I'm going to swap over to a linked solid front with coil overs front and rear. But that will be once I get my RAM Powerwagon. I'm still recovering from all the work we did to my VX. Everything is still running fine and I'll have some new pics soon. I've been way to busy with work and starting an industrial salvage company.
As far as an uber lift I don't know what to tell you. It all depends on the kind of stuff your going to be doing. Like, is it going to be a daily driver or purely a trail truck? Do you like having good mpg? What size tyres do you want to run? How hard do you hit off road? So on and so forth. Once you figure all that out you then you can figure out how to make the uber lift for you.
Custom Independent4x 4.5" suspension lift, Custom Independent4x 3" body lift, 36x13.50R16 Irok radials, 16x8 American Racing Mojave teflons, Warn locking front hubs, Independent4x extended braided brake lines, Independent4x heavy duty tie rods, Calmini extended bump stops, Calmini extended brake line brackets, Rancho RS9000X shocks,1.5" wheel spacers, And trimmed cladding