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Lifting the Sc400?

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Old 08-29-16, 09:00 AM
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TyStephens
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Default Lifting the Sc400?

**Nobody panic**

Not looking to donk my Sc, but up here in the great white north it would be nice to have some more ground clearance in the winter time. Anyone have an recommendations on a way to get an inch or two lift in the SC with the stock suspension? Springs are two far spaced apart fr rubber coil spring spacers. Only other thing ive found is to make up some strut top hat spacers?


Thanks!
Old 08-29-16, 11:09 AM
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INTIMAZY
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Larger profile tires? Seriously. There's tons of space on a stock suspension.

Just please don't post pictures when you're done.

Just another thought.... These cars already have a ton of ground clearance from the factory. I would think a solid set of winter tires and a limited slip rear diff would take you further than even 2" of lift.
Old 08-29-16, 11:15 AM
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TyStephens
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Originally Posted by INTIMAZY
Larger profile tires? Seriously. There's tons of space on a stock suspension.

Just please don't post pictures when you're done.

Just another thought.... These cars already have a ton of ground clearance from the factory. I would think a solid set of winter tires and a limited slip rear diff would take you further than even 2" of lift.
Well I tried that... and that might actually be the reason I need a little more lift...
Apparently 29" tires will causing fender rubbing?!

And I included a few pictures, one of which is my other Sc400 (blue one) which I think makes up for monstrosity that is the red one








Old 08-29-16, 12:51 PM
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t2d2
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^ That is freakin' awesome! Right up there with the dune buggy SC.
Old 08-29-16, 01:36 PM
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Originally Posted by t2d2
^ That is freakin' awesome! Right up there with the dune buggy SC.
Dune buggy sc?!?! Do you have pictures of this? I just tried to search the post and only found broken links
Old 08-29-16, 01:39 PM
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I don't remember which thread had the pictures intact, but I did save one to my computer.

Old 08-29-16, 03:18 PM
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Blkexcoupe
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A top hat spacer could work, but I have no idea how you would install it. The length of the stock suspension already makes it difficult to take in and out of the car, so the added length of a spacer would make it impossible.

A simple design with 2 templates of the stock top hat with a cylinder welded in the middle would work. Kind of like this:

Old 08-29-16, 03:22 PM
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Originally Posted by Blkexcoupe
A top hat spacer could work, but I have no idea how you would install it. The length of the stock suspension already makes it difficult to take in and out of the car, so the added length of a spacer would make it impossible.

A simple design with 2 templates of the stock top hat with a cylinder welded in the middle would work. Kind of like this:


Ive put in/taken out my suspenssion to swap lowering springs and then coil overs in my other SC, and I could not imagine an extra 1-2 on the top of that Unless you know of a trick, because I could probably make up a set of spacers
Old 08-29-16, 06:37 PM
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Aaah! Godzilla lives, bet Lexus never intended that for the SC. I had opposite extreme Javelins like that. I like! ;-)
Old 08-29-16, 08:29 PM
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Wow.


That's not terrible at all... That actually looks pretty sweet!

Just how much ground clearance are you looking for? You are already higher up than 90% of SUVs on the road with that stance!

Next step might have to be longer A arms. After-market adjustable cut and rewelded might be a decent starting point. It should be fairly simple for the rear and the front upper arms. However, I'm not sure if anyone makes an aftermarket tubular front LCA. It's not gonna be cheap to buy tubular replacements and then modify them, but I don't know any other way to preserve geometry and handling while improving ground clearance the right way.

Extending the struts with a spacer will just ruin geometry.
Old 08-29-16, 08:35 PM
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Originally Posted by INTIMAZY
Wow.


That's not terrible at all... That actually looks pretty sweet!

Just how much ground clearance are you looking for? You are already higher up than 90% of SUVs on the road with that stance!

Next step might have to be longer A arms. After-market adjustable cut and rewelded might be a decent starting point. It should be fairly simple for the rear and the front upper arms. However, I'm not sure if anyone makes an aftermarket tubular front LCA. It's not gonna be cheap to buy tubular replacements and then modify them, but I don't know any other way to preserve geometry and handling while improving ground clearance the right way.

Extending the struts with a spacer will just ruin geometry.
Well the pictures make it look decent, but its got some bad paint/body work on it. Im honestly contemplating cutting out the fenders about an inch all the way around. This would allow it to turn and give room for hitting bumps and such. I wanted to avoid the bumping if possible but this "winter beater" is very much a budget build so cutting the fenders might just be in order. I just thought if there was a better way I would attempt that first
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Old 08-29-16, 09:58 PM
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If it's already rough, I say cut the fenders and add some beefy flares. Full on SC Expedition Van!
Old 08-30-16, 12:58 PM
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ems
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what about a body lift. I had a Tahoe that the body was lifted off of the frame. How about spacers on the subframes to take the entire cradle lower, raising the suspension, then adding spacers and trans bracket. I understand there would be a ****load of bracket fab, but... it could be done. Hell couple of hockey pucks aye. (Thats my great white nord impression, sorry its bad.)
Old 08-30-16, 01:01 PM
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Originally Posted by ems
what about a body lift. I had a Tahoe that the body was lifted off of the frame. How about spacers on the subframes to take the entire cradle lower, raising the suspension, then adding spacers and trans bracket. I understand there would be a ****load of bracket fab, but... it could be done. Hell couple of hockey pucks aye. (Thats my great white nord impression, sorry its bad.)
SC's area a Unibody so sadly there is no way to do that (at least as far as I am aware)
Old 08-30-16, 01:14 PM
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ems
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right, but the sub frames carry the suspension. so just space the shock towers. im just spitting out an Idea.


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