I'm diggin' this.
Be nice to be able to tweak things back in easy after doing things like installing a winch and heavier bumper for said winch.

Hey guys, a few months ago Sid and I got together and started discussing different projects for the first generation Kia Sportage. He was really set on making a coil over set up.
This setup is a product of many long hours of design, fabrication, and testing.
Sid is a journeyman welder, and attended a trade school that specialized in Baja Trophy Truck building. While in school, he was able to work on the Kia Trophy Truck.
Sid designs and fabricates roll cages for race cars and trucks, custom parts for race cars, and custom boat towers, hard top covers, and railings.
He has also designed and built a front differential drop kit for the Sportage.
The next fabrication will be an adjustable panhard bar.
Rocksliders, front and rear bumpers, and a roof rack are planned in the future.
Pricing for the front coilover kit will be $800.00 plus shipping, and $100.00 for the front diff drop kit. As products are developed, I will announce their availability.

Everet


<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/patriot.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/patriot.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

Please keep me posted very interested in front coil over kit! good to see you making things happen!! let me know

cheers
chris

the new treadwright tires i just put on give the kia great traction and look cool. i am thinking about pulling the sway bar to get better articulation out of the front what do you guys think? bad on road performance

here is a good pic of the front end.

Pulling the swaybar will give it more body roll.
When I lifted mine I didn't modify the mounts at the time so I didn't put it back on right away. Been months and it's still not on there. I just got used to it. Whipped it around on the street a few times, dodged a deer here and there. And though the lean can feel scary at first, honestly I don't feel like it's gonna kill me.

But everyone has a different on road feel they like. And like I said it LEANS in corners. So I just drive it accordingly, it's a lifted rolly polly 4x4, not a sportscar. Learned to drive in a lifted CJ with no swaybars. The Sport still handles better than that. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

If I ever get around to coming up with a quick disconnect setup though. I'll probably put it back on.

As for the ball joint on the end of the shock fork bolt. A piece of wire wrapped around it and up around the fork keeps it pointing up and the threads from getting boogered up. Making sure to keep the wire out of the way of anything of course.

how dose it improve the articulation? i am gonna pull it off and give it a try. the quick disconnect idea is great we had one on a dodge and it was nice to have a good ride on street and pull two clips and be ready to go off road. well add one more part to the list of things to come. thanks for the input much appreciated.

Seems to help.
The biggest hurt for flex up front seems to be the upper suspension arms. The outer ball joint can only pivot so far.
Of course to go further then the diff should be dropped as well. But that ball joint is like a front suspension drop limiter...

I think there is a lot of potential in the front of the Sportage with a few thought out custom bits that work together. The coil overs, a diff drop, and upper arms with more range could really make it shine.

Of course the easy way for me to get overall flex is going to be in the back. Rework the front fuel tank cross-member to clear the driveline, retain the springs better, relocate the shocks into a /\. Limiting straps and bumpstops applied as needed. I can add a cross-member to relocate the rear shocks and do all the other stuff out back..... But going further up front is best left to those with more skills/resources than I (as in I'm not tackling making custom upper arms). <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

hey mate

from my experience the sporty handles so well without i would strip sway bar asap!! as above mentioned a little roll but easily get used to it cars looking mint !! good stuff!

chris

the new upper arm i made works good but after you drop the diff the slip joint in the cv bottoms out when the arm goes to full drop, so now i am in the process of modifying the cv. its fun when you extend the travel of one component and another starts to bind. the current kit has stock wheel travel with a much better shock unlimited spring rate capability even dual rate and ride height adjustment. the next kit will have a new upper arm longer shock that will produce more wheel travel and a custom cv. let me know what you guys think any ideas / input thanks