Lifts & Smaller SUVs / Crossovers (lack there of)

[OFC Ranger]

Why we don't see size-able lifts for things like Bronco Sports, Jeep Renegades, Subaru's, etc etc

I think the highest I've seen is 2.25" - why are there are not, say, 6" lifts available for these smaller foot print vehicles? Is it a vehicle body limitation without extensive modification?

Clearance is king for off-roading right? I admit I have a curious interest in smaller foot print off road vehicles, but at the end of the day all I see is a road height car with AT tires.

So I imagine a semi-long travel suspension setup for say a Bronco Sport, on say 33's, 6" lift like a Baja go-kart idea, or maybe like a dune buggy? Seems like a very fun idea.

Take everything about full size trucks, or jeeps, or 4runners, etc etc and just miniaturize it?

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[Joeiconic]

Probably not enough demand for companies to invest in the development. Heck, even with a wrangler, more of them see mall duty than off-road. Plus, I imagine those small footprint vehicles would be a bit tipsy lifted 6”.

 

[OFC Ranger]

Probably not enough demand for companies to invest in the development. Heck, even with a wrangler, more of them see mall duty than off-road. Plus, I imagine those small footprint vehicles would be a bit tipsy lifted 6”.

But with that more lift you could push the tires out to compensate. I dunno, just random thoughts of the morning while I tinker in the garage.

 

[Joeiconic]

A Subaru Outback Wilderness already has 9.5” of clearance and the Bronco Sport and Jeep Renegade have just under 9” stock. So adding even a couple of inches would make those vehicles very capable from a clearance perspective and take the typical buyer of those vehicles anywhere they want to go. I get your point, but I figure the buyer that wants a 6” lifted vehicle doesn't buy these small crossovers as the starting point.

 

[Blmpkn]

There are companies that make 12"+ lifts for subarus.


Not exactly practical but.. they're out there.

 

[KJRR]

When you get into lifts of that size, you may be running into limitations on the cv joint angles. You would need a cv that can run at a steeper angle and they can be made but how much and how many are willing to spend the $$$.

 

[D Fresh]

No demand.

Although I'd be down with something like that.

Sound like you should buy a CJ or YJ jack. Jeeps used to fill this roll before they became busses.

 

[OFC Ranger]

No demand.

Although I'd be down with something like that.

Sound like you should buy a CJ or YJ jack. Jeeps used to fill this roll before they became busses.

I think at end of the day I want an off road suv, but not the suv size or suv price.

Honestly if Ford had sold the Everest here I'd be all over that post haste.

Edit: The closest I can think is to convert the Ranger 180 degrees from my setup and install something like a slick sided Leer XR and work with that as a base, but then I lose that unique configuration and versatility of my rack.

 

[Frenchy]

A few things to consider. First a vehicle with a smaller footprint doesnt need the same amount of lift to go places a vehicle with a bigger footprint would need. Also when lifting a vehicle the goal is to try and keep it as practical as possible. Take my 1993 Pathfinder for example. It was designed from the factory to go out and explore on the trail like the Bronco and the K5 Blazer and other vehicles. When it was stock on the worn out suspension and tires(31's) I was able to do a difficult pass in Colorado that a lofted Ranger had a little struggle with ( @CO2Ranger can confirm). With the lift I did install on the Pathfinder only brought it up by roughly 1.5 inches. Doesnt sound like much, but its more than enough for what the vehicle can do.

In realixty for every vehicle out there is comes down to lifting the vehicle as little as possible in order to get the job done.

 

[OFC Ranger]

A few things to consider. First a vehicle with a smaller footprint doesnt need the same amount of lift to go places a vehicle with a bigger footprint would need. Also when lifting a vehicle the goal is to try and keep it as practical as possible. Take my 1993 Pathfinder for example. It was designed from the factory to go out and explore on the trail like the Bronco and the K5 Blazer and other vehicles. When it was stock on the worn out suspension and tires(31's) I was able to do a difficult pass in Colorado that a lofted Ranger had a little struggle with ( @CO2Ranger can confirm). With the lift I did install on the Pathfinder only brought it up by roughly 1.5 inches. Doesnt sound like much, but its more than enough for what the vehicle can do.

In realixty for every vehicle out there is comes down to lifting the vehicle as little as possible in order to get the job done.

Fair enough.

 

[CO2Ranger]

A few things to consider. First a vehicle with a smaller footprint doesnt need the same amount of lift to go places a vehicle with a bigger footprint would need. Also when lifting a vehicle the goal is to try and keep it as practical as possible. Take my 1993 Pathfinder for example. It was designed from the factory to go out and explore on the trail like the Bronco and the K5 Blazer and other vehicles. When it was stock on the worn out suspension and tires(31's) I was able to do a difficult pass in Colorado that a lofted Ranger had a little struggle with ( @CO2Ranger can confirm). With the lift I did install on the Pathfinder only brought it up by roughly 1.5 inches. Doesnt sound like much, but its more than enough for what the vehicle can do.

In realixty for every vehicle out there is comes down to lifting the vehicle as little as possible in order to get the job done.

I feel like my "struggle" was more the desire not to damage a nearly new vehicle. ?

The Pathfinder did do just fine though!

That being said, before we got the truck we were doing pretty crazy stuff in a stock Subaru Forester with the family. It wasn't always pretty (2 wheel tippies anyone?) but we never got stuck and we respected the limitations.

A Subaru with a 2ish inch suspension lift and another 2in body lift can do large enought tires to be pretty beefy. Now that you can get a decently powered engine in an Outback (Forester XT no longer exist ?) you could put together a decent rig. You just have to understand that the components that make up the Subaru aren't robust enough to go rock crawling in most cases, especially with larger tires putting strain on all the CVs, suspension, and what is almost certainly a CVT trans.

 

[D Fresh]

I feel like my "struggle" was more the desire not to damage a nearly new vehicle. ?

The Pathfinder did do just fine though!

Big difference between wheeling a $30k-$40k rig versus a 30 year old P.O.S.

My balls are about 5 times bigger wheeling my YJ vs my Ranger.

 

[Blmpkn]

My old outback was lifted 1" and had 29.5" tires on it. Definitely took the thing places people didn't think a car could go.

The biggest problems are gear ratios. I drew some smoke off my clutch a couple times while trying to slowly make my way through some obstacles because the final drive wasn't low enough. Needed to resort to a clutch dump & hold on type situation more frequently than was ideal.

Also cracked my windshield a few times... thanks unibody flex.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Why we don't see size-able lifts for things like Bronco Sports, Jeep Renegades, Subaru's, etc etc

I think the highest I've seen is 2.25" - why are there are not, say, 6" lifts available for these smaller foot print vehicles? Is it a vehicle body limitation without extensive modification?

Clearance is king for off-roading right? I admit I have a curious interest in smaller foot print off road vehicles, but at the end of the day all I see is a road height car with AT tires.

So I imagine a semi-long travel suspension setup for say a Bronco Sport, on say 33's, 6" lift like a Baja go-kart idea, or maybe like a dune buggy? Seems like a very fun idea.

Take everything about full size trucks, or jeeps, or 4runners, etc etc and just miniaturize it?

Hi Jack,

One of the biggest customer complaint with SUVs was step in height. Marketing pushing for reduced step in height and thus God created the CUV and said it was good. Off Road performance (Sort of) and easy for grandma to step in to the vehicle. You are a minority of folks that like the lifted SUV stance.... So you are looking at aftermarket to design and sell high lift kits, but there is no money in this as there simply not enough demand.

Time to get out the welder and cutting torch and start creating...

Good Luck!

best,
Phil

 

[mtbikernate]

small footprint SUVs? Sounds to me like you're looking for one of these to play around with.

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