Our Suzuki Equator project is moving along. So far we have driven the slick truck more than 5,000 miles and have really gotten to like it in factory form. But since something in our genes forces us to modify trucks and push them to their limits, our super Equator is quickly transforming into a formidable off-road machine.
We don't have many complaints about the Equator. We really appreciate its performance, but it lacks the ground clearance required to take us places we'd like to push the truck. We aren't looking to turn the Equator into the next supersized monster truck, just a tough and dependable rig that's comfortable to drive to and from the trail despite the bone-jarring effects of rock-strewn and washboard trails.
Since the '09 is hot off the presses, there wasn't one proprietary suspension system available for the truck. So we teamed up with a few of the top suspension manufacturers and gathered a mishmash of quality components. What we wound up with is a hot midsized truck with a substantial increase in ground clearance and a well-mannered, high-performance suspension system.
 Since there wasn't a suspension...  Since there wasn't a suspension kit available for the Equator, we did the next best thing: created one. We used Icon Vehicle Dynamics coilover shocks up front and remote-reservoir shocks in the rear, a Total Chaos upper A-arm system, and a rear mini leaf pack from Deaver Spring. For a blend of three companies' suspension components, the off-road performance and on-road handling of the Equator is exceptional. |  Tim Duncan and DMZ Fab in...  Tim Duncan and DMZ Fab in Norco, California, helped us out with the suspension install. Duncan has been building desert race trucks for a number of years and knows his way around a suspension, since he is an ASE-certified master mechanic. He was able to knock out the entire suspension installation for us in a couple hours. |  The combination of Total Chaos...  The combination of Total Chaos A-arms and Icon coilovers turned out to be really trick. The coilovers provide a 0- to 3-inch adjustable ride height and are valved specifically for the Nissan Frontier, which is basically the same truck. The A-arms are definitely stronger than the factory A-arms and incorporate a 1-inch Teflon-lined uniball for maximum travel and dependability... |
 ...Total Chaos also added...  ...Total Chaos also added the proper caster and suspension geometry into the A-arm system's design, which increases on- and off-road handling and performance and helps retain factory alignment. |  Using the Deaver mini leaf...  Using the Deaver mini leaf pack in the rear saved us from having to fabricate spring mounts for a longer leaf pack. The mini pack's installation required removing the lower overload leaf, then the pack was simply bolted in. We're still able to haul truck parts and ATVs around without major compression of the rear suspension. The Icon shocks in the rear are prototypes, and we can't say when an Equator-specific shock will be available. The mini packs, combined with the Icon shocks, softened the suspension some, but provided a better-than-factory performance and ride. |  We achieved what we were looking...  We achieved what we were looking for with the combination of these suspension components: increased ride height and better off-highway performance. This allowed us to install 33-inch-tall tires. We did have to trim the front fenders slightly and remove the mudflaps, but the truck looks aggressively cool and now performs exceptionally better both on and off the highway. |