With an hour to kill before the Mrs and I headed out, this morning was DashCam fitting time.
Anyone whos ever gone through the PITA that is contentious insurance claim, these things are worth their weight in gold… maybe even diamonds.. simple to fit, saves a lot of BS.

fitting is straightforward..

I mounted mines up behind the rear view mirror, means it gets a good view of the road and is hidden from the drivers view.
the power cable tucks up nicely under the headlining, I used a trim tool to push her underneath.
pull The door seal outwards and you can see a route to put the cable down the edge you’ve just exposed.

the fuse box is in the passenger footwell (LHS). The two pieces of trim gently pull away. This exposes the fuse box.

for anyone who doesn’t have an owners manual, here you go.

you have a choice of where to plug the dashcam into.
I went for fuse 29. This switches on and off with ignition which is exactly what I wanted.

you need a piggyback fuse holder like this.

simply remove the factory fuse, they’re a pain to get out.. and plug your piggyback holder in its place.

J

There’s a handy earthing bolt right where you need it!!
your dash cam also doesn’t work on 12V.. it’s 5V, a bit like USBs.. you need a little power transformer to wire in line..
both can be seen here..

once installed power her up and make sure it switches on and off with the ignition…

best to do this on a warm day.. the fuse box is fiddly and awkward to get into.. cold hands make this tougher than it should be!!

 

With an hour to kill before the Mrs and I headed out, this morning was DashCam fitting time.
Anyone whos ever gone through the PITA that is contentious insurance claim, these things are worth their weight in gold… maybe even diamonds.. simple to fit, saves a lot of BS.

fitting is straightforward..

I mounted mines up behind the rear view mirror, means it gets a good view of the road and is hidden from the drivers view.
the power cable tucks up nicely under the headlining, I used a trim tool to push her underneath.
pull The door seal outwards and you can see a route to put the cable down the edge you’ve just exposed.

the fuse box is in the passenger footwell (LHS). The two pieces of trim gently pull away. This exposes the fuse box.

for anyone who doesn’t have an owners manual, here you go.
View attachment 108242
View attachment 108243

you have a choice of where to plug the dashcam into.
I went for fuse 29. This switches on and off with ignition which is exactly what I wanted.

you need a piggyback fuse holder like this.

View attachment 108244

simply remove the factory fuse, they’re a pain to get out.. and plug your piggyback holder in its place.

View attachment 108245 J

There’s a handy earthing bolt right where you need it!!
your dash cam also doesn’t work on 12V.. it’s 5V, a bit like USBs.. you need a little power transformer to wire in line..
both can be seen here..

View attachment 108246
once installed power her up and make sure it switches on and off with the ignition…

View attachment 108247
View attachment 108248

best to do this on a warm day.. the fuse box is fiddly and awkward to get into.. cold hands make this tougher than it should be!!
[/QUOTE

Good dashcam fitting guide. I fitted my dashcam in the same way.

 

Absolutely Pee'ing it down outside but the postie did bring some minor upgrades...

First up, a bootmat... all the times that I'll have filthy mountain bike clothing & helmets or soaking snowboard or fishing gear, least i know the carpet wont be getting stained or soaked..

also had the mudflaps delivered, fronts are a 5min job...
you prise open the 3(of) retaining clips from each flap like this....

Then simply push in and screw up the new 'longer' clips that come with the new flaps..
I forgot to take a picture when these were off the car and when it stops raining, I'll get a better snap.. fitted a treat and a perfect fit.

the rears take a bit more work as it’s a wheels off job.
you need to hold the mud flap against the arch and mark where your pilot holes go. (A sharpie does the trick).
I used a 2mm drill bit.
once drilled you simply screw in the self tappers.

at £28 for the fronts and rears. They’ve worked out pretty well

 

@martin1977 - would you mind posting the link to your mudflaps; struggling to find some that come with the longer expanding push rivets! Cheers

 

I also managed to change out the following filament bulbs to LEDs.

• reverse lights
• fog lights
• Main Beams

rears we’re up first… pretty easy when you pull off the trim panel from the inside.
beneath the lights is filthy, so give it a clean while you’re there… the pics above show one light fitted at a time.

full beams were the easiest change, the fog lights need a good long reach.

Nearside fog bulb changed…

both fog bulbs changed

dipped, fog and main beam on LED.

standard LED dipped lights below..

add in the fogs….

 

Number plate lights replaced… simply twist off the cover and replace….

followed by an updated NAV microSD from LeBay….

 

That’s the winter rubber fitted in 225x55x17 flavouring… the white stuff shouldn’t be an issue when it arrives

also the roof rack and bike holders now in place.. they work well but generate an annoying ‘whistle’ above 60mph 🙄

 

Also managed to pick these up for a pleasing price…

Some Rota Recce’s in 17x8

Some TPMS sensors, some spigot rings for the centres (73mm to 60.1mm), new rubber and they should be good to go.

 

I don't think you'll need spigot rings, but if you do, you'll also need new lug bolts - check the seat on the rims, is it tapered or flat? If it's tapered the rim is lug centric and does not need spigot rings, if it's flat, the rim is hub centric and you'll need the rings and the shanked lug bolts to match.

Beats me as to why Suzuki switched from lug nuts on the previous generations of Vitaras & Grand Vitaras to lug bolts on this one.

 

Good catch that thanks. I’ll get one of the wheels out of the box tomorrow and have a quick look.

just so I’m not misunderstanding… the spigot ring is for reducing the wheels CB (centre bore) down … where as the bolt seat, is the fitting between the bolt and the wheel face (flat or tapered)… ???

 

I’d picked up on a very minor fault , which has led to my first repair today… a broken track on the rear screen demister!!

zoom in real close and you can see the damaged area… could have been caused by something rubbing against it?? Who knows…

a £5 on eBay had conductive paint delivered… I haven’t used it for years and years but it’s an old school technology!!

mask up the area as carefully as you can, be very careful you don’t peel more track away as masking tape is bloody sticky and put a small amount on

Once the tape is removed, let her dry….

I forgot to take my phone out when I tested this with a pan of hot water.. she's working again though!

 

Evening Martin

following your thread with interest

I purchased a 2015 sz5 a week or so ago and am sort of on the same path as you with little mods and upgrades

currently thinking about a set of Eibach 30mm lift springs but a little unsure of the long term effects on things like driveshafts etc

anyway, can I ask a really cheeky favour …… been trying to update infotainment firmware but as yet with no success for one reason or another …. Anyway, back to the favour, if I pay for the memory stick and the postage could you send me a copy of your updated files so I can try to update ?…

was going to pm you but can’t seem to find a way to do that !,

cheers

chris in Wigan

 

Evening Martin

following your thread with interest

I purchased a 2015 sz5 a week or so ago and am sort of on the same path as you with little mods and upgrades

currently thinking about a set of Eibach 30mm lift springs but a little unsure of the long term effects on things like driveshafts etc

anyway, can I ask a really cheeky favour …… been trying to update infotainment firmware but as yet with no success for one reason or another …. Anyway, back to the favour, if I pay for the memory stick and the postage could you send me a copy of your updated files so I can try to update ?…

was going to pm you but can’t seem to find a way to do that !,

cheers

chris in Wigan

Hey Chris, thanks for the post above.... The +30mm Eibach springs sound like a really good idea... The issue on premature driveshaft / CV wear you'd need someone with experience running the kit long term to give some better advice than I could. My thoughts on it would be purely anecdotal!!

sure thing about the update file. I'll DM you now.

 

Personally I would be hesitant to lift a fourth generation Vitara - the front suspension is very similar to that of the third gens in that the lower control arm uses a vertically oriented rubber bushing. This design is very common in front wheel drive sedans & cross overs (I first came across it in a late 90's Toyota Corolla and have seen it on many other models) and attempting to lift the vehicle or to maximize suspension travel usually results in premature failure of the bush.

I haven't had my fourth gen long enough (and have no intention of lifting it) to know what the life expectancy of the bush is, but I've already replaced the control arms on my third gen a few times, and that isn't lifted either.

 

I have spoken to a chap who has fitted the eibach springs and he informed me that he has had them fitted fo r approx 2 years with no issues as yet. He said he spoke to eibach prior to purchase and although the did suggest he should change the shocks, the said there would be no issue using the standard shock as with only a 30mm lift they would still be in their operating range ?

I was initially concerned as many years ago I fitted a suspension lift to a series one freelander and although I had no issues it did alter the angle of the drive shaft quite a bit and from memory I think I had to fit camber adjustment pins

I think someone on here has them fitted …. I will try to find the post and ask if there have been any issues

Chris

 

Dealer here lifted their demo one 30 mm, lower control arm bushes are shot after 30,000 kns. They haven't mentioned anything about cv shafts yet, but I bet they will wear faster as welll

 

Sounds like the springs may not be a good idea ……

Has anyone any experience for fitting strut spacers as a way of getting a body lift ?

Again I fitted some of these to an early freelander and only issue was I had to fit longer front brake lines. Doesn’t get you any suspension advantage but does give some body ground clearance

Chris

 

There's are a monocoque design, not a body on chassis vehicle.
The strut spacers only pack the strut away from the body at the top of the suspension tower, the bottom is still connected to the lower control arm outboard end via the wherl hub, the inboard end bush is still bolted to the body and will be moved to its new location once the strut spacers are fitted.

Same deal as fitting a longer spring/strut combination, bottom bush location does not change.

 

I've been running the Eibach +30mm springs on my Vitara S for 3 years / 18000 miles, no deterioration of the control arm bushes as yet. Rear drive shafts now run closer to horizontal than they do as standard and the front shafts are only slightly off horizontal. Nothing has failed or fallen off yet.
Running factory dampers too.

 

I was hesitant,
but then I mounted the "Mad HV-391081" springs
+ 40mm after 2 months settling
10,000 km and no problem for now, (fingers crossed)

pro:
height from the ground, comfort on dirt roads
cons:
sportsmanship is lost on paved road,
directionality is lost with tires that are too soft (pictured)

.

 

cons:
sportsmanship is lost on paved road,
directionality is lost with tires that are too soft (pictured)

This is one time a picture isn't worth a thousand words - what tires are you running?

In my experience, with a properly matched spring/shock combination, the loss of "sportsmanship & directionality" is directly related to tire choice rather than the increase in ride height - admittedly this experience was not with a Vitara LY.

I should mention that I will not buy lift springs from a manufacturer that does not offer shocks/struts to go with them - I also need to know how the lift is obtained, if it's a higher spring rate or a longer spring, higher spring rates needs shocks/struts with different damping to properly control them. It's very easy for a spring manufacturer to say, it's only a 30mm lift, you'll be fine with stock shocks/struts, experience has taught me otherwise.

 

I was going to sort these wheels in the spring however an opportunity came up in my favourite flavour of rubber..
Michelin Latitude Cross’s in 225/55/17.

For the price I paid, a minimum of 8mm on all tyres it was an amazing purchase…
I also bought the spigot rings to reduce the wheel’s centre bore down from 73 to 60.1mm… makes aligning and centering the wheels easy and safe…
Also some new TPMS valves to prevent bothersome error codes and a disco dash.

My first thought was that the wheels look great….
My second thought is that they’ll be a real PITA to keep clean… so before any road grime / brake dust / salt gets near them, I’m giving them a treatment with Gtechniq C5 Wheel armour… I’ve used this stuff before and it really is a SUPERB product. Takes a while to put on and apply but defo worth the effort.

Apply some to the applicator pad, wipe over the rim , a minute later buff off…… you then leave them to harden up for a day.
Here’s half a wheel completed..

The TPMS’s are apparently pre-coded to Suzuki wheels. I’d been given some reassuring advice previously from @imack who was a great source of first hand info. I’ll feedback later on how the TPMS reacts when used in anger in the spring.
all should be getting put together tomorrow!


Disclaimer - ‘favourite flavour of rubber’ & ’harden up’ are phrases that would normally get you banned or thrown in front of the nearest ‘OP’ in lesser forums….. To keep all the snowflakes (and other forms of frozen liquids happy):

People of a sensitive disposition (Pronoun or otherwise) should stop reading. All events in this thread are fictional. Any resemblance or similarity to people alive or dead is purely coincidental, but probably isn’t.

 

😂😂😂. Love those wheels Martin. Be good to see them on the car. Was going to get some modular steels for winter in 16 inch flavour with some bigger sidewall rubber, but seeing as the car came with a new set of Michelin cross climates, might as well run those through this winter

 

Thats exactly the right thing to do.
I use my standard wheels with full winter tyres during the cold months, the new ROTA wheels above are for summer!

 

When I bought my car it came with a FSH….which it needs to have IMO.
5x services at a Suzuki main dealer, 2x services at independent garages.. Now, You’d naturally think that a ‘SUZUKI’ history would be the preferable option…..don’t be fooled.

I got in touch with the dealership in question and politely asked could they confirm what items had been replaced at the stamped services as no other paperwork was given other than the dealership stamps, it would be handy to know when the plugs were last changed.. had the coolant been replaced etc etc..

The flat answer was NO. due to GDPR rules… utterly ridiculous as I’d asked about my cars details, not the previous owners details…long story short.. they wouldn’t tell me anything, just that if I brought the car in, they’d service it for me for a suitably large price.
Extremely disappointing.

In stark contrast, the two independent garages couldn’t have been more helpful in providing all info requested.. go figure…??!

As it had been at least 3x years since the plugs had been changed and come to think of it.. no guarantee that they’d EVER actually been changed (thanks Suzuki). I set about sorting that issue out.
Now.. you CAN buy the plugs from Suzuki and get a nice dealer invoice for the pleasure… the cost of this is £146 for parts only.

Or

You can buy these yourself from Opie Oils / eBay etc for £56.. these are identical items…
Here’s a quick pic to show the Handbook spark plug spec guide, as well as the two different prices… up to you who you decide to buy from. The NGK number for the 1.4 Boosterjet is: ILZKR7D8

First things first, the main engine cover simply pulls up and away.. no bolts, just push fit retainers...
Next - undo the air cleaner and remove.. you have 2(of) 10mm bolts in (orange) that need undone, an 8mm jubilee clip (green) and an often overlooked breather tube (pink) that pulls off.

The coil packs are held in with 1(of) 10mm bolt. Remove and withdraw each of these…

The plugs are then removed via a 16mm spark plug socket…

Here we are with Old Vs New

The new plugs are installed and tightened to 25nM (18.4lb-ft)… Simply replace the coil packs and air cleaner and tighten up.

4(of) old plugs removed…..all look used of course, but nevertheless they're in pretty good condition and a good indicator of overall engine health. No signs of running lean (looks like a white powder on the electrodes).. or oil fouling.

Finally marvel at your work and re-count the cash that you’ve saved by not using the main dealers. 30mins had all work completed.

 

Another frustrating issues I’d been having was while using CARPLAY via the USB port.. no matter which cable I used.. from genuine apple to ungenuine banana… I’d get intermittent connection and drop outs meaning that I’d need to disconnect and reconnect my phone, sometimes 3x in the same song!

on the ’Viva Vitara’ forum, one of the chaps had bought a wireless Interface box.. basically you can use CarPlay with the phone still in your pocket rather than always docked Via cable.. he claimed this worked without issue.
£52 later and this arrived.

straightforward enough…
Forget the Bluetooth to the car… connect the Bluetooth to the device…

it works an absolute treat.

driven around all day, lots of little journeys without a single interruption. 👍🏽

 

Hi there!
Does it work with Android Auto?

 

Didn't know this was available... a new purchase will have to be made!

 

I was sceptical but honestly, it’s been very very good… no more connecting / disconnecting when you get in and out of the car. Seems like good value . 👍🏽

 

Might have to get me one of those. !!!

 

I've never used Carplay, but I suspect it's Apple's equivalent to Android Auto - I have a preference to do the route manipulation (searches, etc.) on my phone before moving off and Google Maps & Android Auto does not permit this, I can bypass that restriction by disconnecting the cable and reconnecting it - I've also had one instance in a rental car which had wireless Android Auto, where the in dash navscreen failed, preventing me from setting a new destination because I couldn't disconnect the phone.

 

A couple of updates....

First up is a safety purchase.... not very glamorous I'm afraid... a space saver safety wheel!!! This magnificent 16" item came from a Mazda 3 and cost the grand sum of £25... It was another £5 to get a small plastic spigot ring to make the centre bore suit the Vitara's smaller size (67mm to 61mm).. A trial fit confirms all is A-Okay.

Otherwise, this will be worth its weight in gold if ever needed.

 

The next update, the summer wheels are fully assembled!

A trial fit confirms that all fit perfectly, there are no clearance issues and should be fine for installing in the spring.. I've included a couple of photos to illustrate the original vs new items.

Original wheels are 6.5" x 17" with 225 55 17 Nokian full winter tyres
New wheels are 8" x 17" with 225 55 18 Michelin Cross Latiutude's

Here are the original items:

Original Vs New

New Wheels fitted

 

Those wheels look great Martin. Obviously an illusion, but the new wheels look smaller in diameter….. to me anyway !

Looking good !!!!!