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Hello all.

I've been talking about lifting Maple for ages.

I finally got off my nail and contacted CB Performance about a kit.

After a few helpful emails discussing possible differences and changes in relation to the AWD, Lib Gearbox and EJ22 in the ute I had a lift kit in the mail.

It cost $570 AUD all up including delivery to 6076 Western Australia.

After paying this CBP hit me up stating he had a few washers missing and had moved house so he refunded me some of the money! Pretty impressed at the service. Working as a warehouse manager meant getting the missing parts was a breeze.

It took about 5 work days too arrive and I got some paint on the way to the post office so it all looked like this:



All un-boxed they came out looking like this:



In the emails regarding the lift kit and the conversion we discussed the EJ steering setup and the need to find an 2nd gen outback steering knuckle.

So I did.



Never needed it though! The one supplied in the kit worked perfectly.

I took careful photos of all the bits with writing on them, and used the photos of the group to make sure all the bolts stayed with the blocks they came with.

I then used those benches I built (still yet to finish ) and sprayed up those blocks in primer. I got a bit on the bolts too (deservingly scolded by MTB92 for it) but I hadn't wanted to lose track of who each bolt belonged too.

After two all over coats in primer, then the red came.



Okay... So I got too much paint on there... Those fancy spray bottles spew out a hellova lot more paint at a time than the regular Dulux cans do!
(Incidentally, I prefer the Dulux cans, and the Dy-mark paint doesn't seem as tough as the Dulux, and they cost more than Dulux! Stick with Dulux paints!)

The next day when they were all painted I laid them out on my tonneau cover in order of where they were to go. (notice the black shockies, they came with my red shockies but they sure don't fit the front end of a Brumby?! Or do they somehow magically fit inside the front suspension assembly? Random eh?)

Any knowledge on this brand? Got the set of shockies for $100ish so I figured I couldn't lose...




Last weekend we fitted the kit. After a few issues including a dead starter motor we got into it, and I think total, over the course of two days about 12-16 hours of work went into the car with two blokes on it for most of the Saturday.

I have no more photos yet, but the reason I painted the kit red was to make it look nice for the camera. Once I have her back on the road you'll all get some more.

The kit is fully fitted and aside from needing to tap out a few bolt holes (and a shit load of swearing) in the rear end of the vehicle it all went in pretty well!

Also: Robbie, that 12mm spanner just magically appeared back in its box yesterday. No idea where it went, or how it came back!

Here's the scary bit, I took it for a test drive.


A few issues: First up the gears felt f*cking weird. I played about a bit though and resolved I had access to all 5 forward gears (though second feels like a guess) and reverse. High and Low range were functioning normally. I made no special adjustments to any of the gear control assembly.

Once I'd worked out I could still drive it, I ventured onto the road. Initially there was a tiny squeaking sound. Not sure what it was I pulled up and got under the car - nothing visible. Went over a bump and the noise went away after a while. Kept on, felt good, decided to go onto a faster road and play the gears some.

A FUPFUPFUPFUPFUP noise began and I cringed, also the ringing noise became about as loud as and angle grinder next to your ear...

So... I headed back.

Got back (crawled it at 5kmph home)

And there I pulled into the garage again, dejected.

The front right CV had died in the ass and I pulled that out, I think when it had been installed originally the retaining clip (if that's what it's called) hadn't. So it had moved around a lot in its lifetime and eventually given up early. The mech noted that the CV "Looked short" though it'd stayed in fine before, and the lift I did was even across the drive-train so there shouldn't have been any extension of the CV joint movement span?!

I'm getting a new CV joint sorted (seems to need to be a custom one, 40mm shorter than anything they keep in stock) so I hope it's done before Thursday. Currently the car is still on blocks.

As for the ringing/squeaking noise: The driveshaft is hitting the hotdog on the exhaust. Currently it is now being held out of the way by two re-purposed steel coat-hangers. Until I can get her booked into an exhaust mob, once I have the brake lines extended (on yeah, them too aye?!:rolleyes:) and have the wheels all back on and working!!!!!!

Impatient, going insane without a car, and wishing that CV had decided to play the game.

Hoping those parts come tomorrow! D:

Once she's living, you'll all have some more photos...

It will be all good when it's done I'm sure. You gonna go for some 27" tyres on those 14" alloy rims you have now?
I don't envy the sound of all the problems people seem to have when they fit these lift kits, but the end result always seems good.

Cheers Jake

Looks great in red. I'd like to do that but I dont want the Vic cops getting too interested lol

Bugger bout the CV though...

Hope it all turns out okay :/ never heard of any problems with the actual lift kit yet, so once all your other auxiliary type stuff is sorted I'm sure you'll be good to go

I found my dealings with CBP were pretty good too. Didn't buy anything but Rick was pretty helpful

Thinking the red might be a bit lairy for my tastes but it will stand out nice If I had the dosh I'd buy a kit and paint it up, but I don't

CV's have forever caused me problems reason I came here in the first place. Just one of those things I suppose.

It might get an overcoat of black later but for now I'm liking the colour.

Today messed with the joint a bit and it should be fixed tomorrow when I get some more pins and pull it all apart. The AutoOne boys are starting to laugh when they see my face, and the managers giving me discounts... Concerning.

Fitted 1/2 of the extra gearbox mounts required. The other ones bolt access was blocked off by the exhaust, so more work to be done there.

I think lift kits don't always so much create problems, but they sure do show them up if they're pre-existing and hiding!

All I want now is to just get back on the road.

Ah the joys of lifting! You'll soon forget them when you're out there cruising over obstacles!

All the best!

Bennie

Just saw the car outside AutoOne. Looks awesome with that lift

Sounds like it's coming along nicely, pity about the little issues. Quick question on the strut top lift blocks; are the top and bottom plates offset slightly? Or are they perfectly in line and parallel? Looking at making my own lift kit since they are so simple, but if the plates are offset it could put me off a bit. And what are those two angled plates for? The ones next to the rear shocks in your tonneu cover pic.

Looking forward to seeing some pics of this

El_Freddo wrote:Ah the joys of lifting! You'll soon forget them when you're out there cruising over obstacles!

All the best!

Bennie

Cheers! Even just getting up and down curbs and speed humps feels better now. Made the ride softer too. Keen for that extra efficiency on the highway with the bigger wheels!

Only need the exhaust modified (currently strapped out of the way with wire), brakes fixed, brake lines lengthened and a bif of cutting to be done to make the gear selection easier.

jims wrote:Just saw the car outside AutoOne. Looks awesome with that lift

Shoulda said g'day! I went there to thank the fellas for the help they gave me and show a few interested ones. Then I saw that STI sitting next to me and thought it would make some good photos.

Silverbullet wrote:Sounds like it's coming along nicely, pity about the little issues. Quick question on the strut top lift blocks; are the top and bottom plates offset slightly? Or are they perfectly in line and parallel? Looking at making my own lift kit since they are so simple, but if the plates are offset it could put me off a bit. And what are those two angled plates for? The ones next to the rear shocks in your tonneu cover pic.

Looking forward to seeing some pics of this

Uploading on ImageShack right now.

They are offset to ensure the wheels track correctly in a more " |-| " or at worse" /-\ " way rather than a disastrous " \-/ " if you lifted it all in line.

The two angle bits next to the rear shock in the photos are the lifting plates for the rear shockies. I laid all out as per the diagram Jeff from CB Performance sends with the lift kit.

Photos!

LOTS of mucking about trying to get a CV fixed but I think it's done now...

A massive breaker bar I got at AutoOne for $50 and a 36mm socket on it. KinChrome and all.



Some overall shots of the finished effect of the lift, with 14" rims and Pirellis on.

Gotta sort that wiring soon.




Some shots of the bits gone into it all. (Forgot to rotate a few images, just turn your laptop sideways. )

When I go to the exhaust shop I want to get a few more "Overall" photos while she's up on the hoist.

Make sure you get a wheel alignment done!

Cheers

Bennie

This is looking real good now Jay-Jay, the red actually doesn't look dicky at all. Really suits the red struts

Next to that STi it looks so huge haha, dat clearance

I love the red, would like to do it to mine but I want my Foz to be as much of a sleeper as I can.

Lookin' good

60766244 wrote: Keen for that extra efficiency on the highway with the bigger wheels!

Where is tambox ??

Sheezuss is that scale model Brumby tailgate or a never-seen-one-that-long before breaker bar ?

El_Freddo wrote:Make sure you get a wheel alignment done!

Cheers

Bennie

That's on the list too! All the things to chase... Need that pay to come in tomorrow! Had a huge music festival weekend, and money disappears at these events. xD

steptoe wrote:Where is tambox ??

Sheezuss is that scale model Brumby tailgate or a never-seen-one-that-long before breaker bar ?

After driving the weekend away I'm not sure I got any efficiency... It only dropped .2k revs on the highway. More fun driving it so far though!

It's real, I'll take another if I need to prove it! Was a sweet deal though. Now just need more 3/4" sockets.

NachaLuva wrote:I love the red, would like to do it to mine but I want my Foz to be as much of a sleeper as I can.

Lookin' good

Cheers! My foz was too.

T.Farm.Brumby wrote:This is looking real good now Jay-Jay, the red actually doesn't look dicky at all. Really suits the red struts

Next to that STi it looks so huge haha, dat clearance

She looks meaner now to be sure. The ride is a lot quieter and softer!