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Geo Metro Lift Kit?
Topic Started: Dec 4 2014, 02:25 PM (6,159 Views)
nerys
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Grr

SO any suggestions on how to "lift" a metro 3 or 4 inches?

my Mouse is my backup for my leaf I want to make it more comfortable to drive.

I am going to dome the roof for my head. Put a Nissan Leaf Drivers seat in it once I find one I can afford

and lift it so its easier to get in and out of it.

SO how would I go about putting a lift on the mouse?
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vr4


95+ springs
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perfesser
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Elite Member - Former Metro owner

3 to 4 inches? You're talking about a major redesign of the stock suspension, using bespoke parts that I don't think exist. Compared to this part of your project, putting a Gurney bump in the roof is child's play!

But to actually address your question:

You want to lower the wheels 4" in relation to the body and their present location. Let's start in the rear. The body, trailing arm and spring form a triangle with corners in front, above and below. You propose to pull the bottom corner down 4" while keeping the point of it (your wheel hub) on the same vertical line. You cannot easily alter the upper front side of the triangle (connecting the trailing arm front bushing with the upper spring perch. To accomplish this you must increase the length of the trailing arm and the spring. These establish the wheel's location in space. The shock and toe control rod must be lengthened to fit the new geometry. You'll probably need a new brake hose on that corner too. Duplicate a mirror image of this for the other side.

That's the easy part.

In the front, the same principle applies, but you also will need to increase the length of the drive axle on each side. The control arm must be lengthened so its outboard end is in the same lateral and longitudinal location, just 4" below where it once was. Longer control arm, longer strut (and axle, and tie rod, and brake hose). Being so much further down, your steering axis inclination will be way off, causing handling problems. You will need to define new caster and camber specs, too, because the stock steering knuckle will be at a different angle to the body. Or you could just make a set of new steering knuckles, too.

All it takes to do it right is $$$$. Open your wallet and close your eyes!! With its tiny wheelbase, the kustom kar shop that turns out all the lowriders with adjustable suspensions won't be able to do it. They might do great work on a '64 Impala, but you could stick the Metro in that car's trunk! They won't have a clue about your little Mouse.

Sounds like a heck of a project! Please be sure to keep us supplied with pictures!! And we want a thread on your roof mod, too!!
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Coche Blanco
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95+ springs made mine easier to get in and out of.
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nathan298
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Geo Resurrector

:gp '95+ springs like others have said.

Also, Johnny Mullet put some spacers between his struts and the body on the Ecomudder. Might want to check that build thread out. Probably wouldn't be practical or safe for highway use though. :dunno
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Johnny Mullet
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Fear the Mullet

95+ springs is all you need. Raise the front too high and the axle is at a bad angle.
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evmetro


Bag it! Add a remote control...
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Cobb
BANNED

I was going to say spacers too, then you got to redo the alignment or at least the toe.
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nerys
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Grr

Hmmm I was actually thinking for the front just weld new motor mounts 3-4 inches lower (extensions) IE shift the ENTIRE engine/trans/suspension "lot" down 4 inches retaining stock geometry and parts.

YEAH new arm and rod for the rear would be a tough one....

sorry for the late reply. working an insane number of hours lately. pretty much can only get online monday nights sometimes tuesdays if I get some time off :-)
Edited by nerys, Dec 9 2014, 01:29 AM.
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Coche Blanco
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Well then why don't you do that and get back to us?
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perfesser
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nerys
Dec 9 2014, 01:29 AM
Hmmm I was actually thinking for the front just weld new motor mounts 3-4 inches lower (extensions) IE shift the ENTIRE engine/trans/suspension "lot" down 4 inches retaining stock geometry and parts.

YEAH new arm and rod for the rear would be a tough one....

sorry for the late reply. working an insane number of hours lately. pretty much can only get online monday nights sometimes tuesdays if I get some time off :-)
Your tie rod geometry will be affected significantly. The rack is attached to the body, not the "lot". Move the rack and you'll have to fab a new steering column. I've been inside a Metro column, and there's no way to stretch it 3-4".
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Coche Blanco
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perfesser
Dec 9 2014, 03:29 PM
nerys
Dec 9 2014, 01:29 AM
Hmmm I was actually thinking for the front just weld new motor mounts 3-4 inches lower (extensions) IE shift the ENTIRE engine/trans/suspension "lot" down 4 inches retaining stock geometry and parts.

YEAH new arm and rod for the rear would be a tough one....

sorry for the late reply. working an insane number of hours lately. pretty much can only get online monday nights sometimes tuesdays if I get some time off :-)
Your tie rod geometry will be affected significantly. The rack is attached to the body, not the "lot". Move the rack and you'll have to fab a new steering column. I've been inside a Metro column, and there's no way to stretch it 3-4".
Out of all the things I'd want to stretch 3-4", my steering column is not one of them.
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nerys
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Grr

ohhh did not think of the column. rack would be same as motor mounts. bolts on "drops" to lower all mount points so the geometry does not change.

the column is another issue. I had not thought of that.
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perfesser
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Elite Member - Former Metro owner

There is a dog-leg section at the bottom of the column for collision protection, and lengthening it wouldn't be too technically difficult, but I think that would make the angles of the U-joints so steep that they would bind when you turned the steering wheel.
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nerys
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Grr

dammit. I was hoping for a simple solution. I figure since we had some 4wd versions of the car (justy???) that maybe their were some lift kits available that might be convertible to the metro.

the column is a real dinger. lower engine trans and suspension would not be that difficult for my skill and resource access but the column and the control arm for the rear would be tough ones.
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