Project Drift King - 2009 Suzuki Equator - Suspension

Apair of roller skates without the wheels is just an ugly pair of shoes and similarly, we couldn’t exactly call our ’09 Suzuki Equator "Project Drift King" if it didn’t have a stellar suspension that could withstand the beatings we had planned. Thankfully, a creative plan was devised to turn the not-so-easy-to-lower Equator/Frontier platform into a real beast of a midsized pickup. Back when phantom dualies were all the rage in the early’90s, coilovers were booming because of the Pro Street roots many of those custom trucks shared. Coilovers are a great upgrade to most suspensions because they allow proper fine-tuning and can be easily adjusted to meet different driving/track conditions. For Drift King, we called up QA1 and ordered a set of their trick double-adjustable shocks along with the proper length and rate coil springs. This combo would allow us to manipulate the Equator’s ride height and handling characteristics for picture-perfect drifts.

Coilovers by themselves will only lift or lower a truck a small amount and in order to get the Suzuki down to the desired ride height, we contacted Max Fish of Bio Kustoms, in lovely Winchester, California. Max gladly accepted our challenge to modify our factory spindles and transform them into three-inch drop spindles. With the front figured out, we turned our focus on the rear suspension. We had big plans for the Suzuki’s 4.0L V-6 and were hoping to make more than 300 hp to the rear tires, so whatever suspension setup we went with needed to handle serious abuse. The primary downside to rear coilover conversions on trucks is the fabrication involved, but after talking with our buddies at Street Shock, in Redondo Beach, California, they talked us into allowing them to ditch our factory leaf springs and shocks and let them fabricate a wishbone three-link. This new rear setup would center the driveshaft, plant the axle, take the horsepower abuse, and be ideal for the new QA1 coilover kit. To help our Equator perform more admirably and to make it look the part, we ordered a set of 20-inch MB Motoring Gunner 6 wheels from Discount Tire Direct. Wanting to get the most out of our new performance suspension, we wrapped the new MB Wheels in Continental CrossContact UHP high-performance light-truck tires sized 255/45R20. Bigger wheels meant better brakes, so a quick and easy Stillen Sport Rotor upgrade would handle that concern. The new wheel and tire combo really set the truck off and made us eager to get out and beat on our latest project. Read along and see how Drift King went from completely stock to ready to tear up our test course in just one day.

From the Editor:
It should be noted that the owner of Street Shock decided to retire and Project Drift King was one of the shop’s last projects. We say "Thank You" for all of their hard work every time we pull the e-brake and smoke the tires in a sideways fury.

1. This is what we rolled into Street Shock’s driveway in - 100 percent stock ’09 Suzuki Equator (before we painted it like was at THROWDOWN).
1. This is what we rolled into Street Shock’s driveway in - 100 percent stock ’09 Suzuki E
2. Shaughn Reid, owner of Street Shock in Redondo Beach, California, began the Equator’s suspension overhaul by first removing the front calipers, brake rotors, and pulling free the spindles.
2. Shaughn Reid, owner of Street Shock in Redondo Beach, California, began the Equator’s s
3. With the lower strut bolt removed and the three upper nuts busted loose, Shaughn removed the factory strut/spring assembly.
3. With the lower strut bolt removed and the three upper nuts busted loose, Shaughn remove

4. This is what will be replacing the factory struts - double adjustable shocks from QA1 and 12-inch-long coil springs with a 600-pound/inch rating. We found the appropriate size shock by determining the GVW, found on the sticker on the driver door.
4. This is what will be replacing the factory struts - double adjustable shocks from QA1 a
5. After assembling the QA1 coilover setup, Shaughn installed the unit into the factory location. Notice the blue plate between the spring perch and the top of the coilover. That piece is from a Fabtech coilover conversion kit and is part number FT30107. Some drilling was required to get the boltholes to line up just right, but it worked very well.
5. After assembling the QA1 coilover setup, Shaughn installed the unit into the factory lo
6. The new QA1 coilover assembly was then secured to the lower control arm without any modification. QA1’s double-adjustable shocks allow tweaking of the compression and rebound and with the included wrench, the coilover collar can be adjusted for the perfect ride height.
6. The new QA1 coilover assembly was then secured to the lower control arm without any mod

7. Shaughn then installed the hub bearing into the Bio Kustoms-modified spindles. Before arriving at Street Shock, we had Max Fish of Bio Kustoms modify the factory spindles creating a 3-inch drop spindle.
7. Shaughn then installed the hub bearing into the Bio Kustoms-modified spindles. Before a
8. Knowing we were adding bigger wheels and planning on big horsepower from our Equator, we had Shaughn install new Sport Rotors from Stillen.
8. Knowing we were adding bigger wheels and planning on big horsepower from our Equator, w
9. Moving to the rear, shop manager Ryan Murphy stepped in and measured the overall wheelbase (to ensure the axle positioning), pulled the Suzuki’s bed off, and then got busy removing the factory wheels and tires.
9. Moving to the rear, shop manager Ryan Murphy stepped in and measured the overall wheelb

10. Using an air impact, Ryan removed the U-bolts and shocks.
11. Next up, brute strength aided the removal of the leaf springs.
12. To prep the axle tubes for the new suspension components, all of the tabs were cut off with a cut-off wheel.
12. To prep the axle tubes for the new suspension components, all of the tabs were cut off

13. and 14. Precise measurements were taken and the axle was set for ride height, wheelbase, pinion angle, shock placement, and length of link bars.
13. and 14. Precise measurements were taken and the axle was set for ride height, wheelbas
13. and 14. Precise measurements were taken and the axle was set for ride height, wheelbase, pinion angle, shock placement, and length of link bars.
13. and 14. Precise measurements were taken and the axle was set for ride height, wheelbas
15. Another step for axle prep was to grind the axle tubes down to bare metal for welding.