Kia Sportage with 35's and welded diffs

After 2 years, the resto-mod is 90% complete. This is only the second time in 4-lo in over a year and first time on video. It was a quick family trip. Thanks to the wife for taking video.

[@SnertyRoss]

I have an LSD rear diff and a welded front diff. I then fitted duel vacuum switches that I can toggle on/off from inside the cab. I can engage my front hubs individually. The off road and handling capabilities are amazing

[@KiaDave]

it's a 2000 automatic, 2.0L 4-cyl stock, with cone filter and knock-off flowmaster muffler, 2.25" pipes.

[@TH3W1P30UT]

Is it a straight through pipe with just the muffler?

[@arturalmeida8655]

Sportage lindona

[@KiaDave]

this is my one and only vid and my first ever KZbin upload. you can see more pics in the Facebook page micro monsters or at 4x4wire.

[@KiaDave]

yes, original transmission, motor, etc. but I am using the 5.38 trackfinder diff gears. everything else is stock except the lift.

[@josephcarter4113]

Where did u get lift from

[@KiaDave]

@@josephcarter4113 it's a piece-meal combo of different parts and some Home Fab. The front forks are extended about 35mm from a distributor company called Picorp in Korea. I also added old discontinued 35mm Eibach front coilsprings originally manufactured for the 1st gen Sportage. And topped it off with a 3/8" spacer on top of the strut assembly. However, the spacer is too much and I will be removing it. For the rear, I used early-mid 90s Ford Aerostar van rear coil springs, longer bilstein shocks, I built a new upper diff mount and lengthened all the links slightly, also dropping the panhard bar frame mount. These springs are also a bit too tall and will be changed soon, but that's a shame because they have an awesome ride quality and flex like nothing else.

[@KiaDave]

first little trip, they work great so far!

[@gamer78full]

Have you busted cvs with the welded front? It looks niiiice

[@KiaDave]

yes, a couple, but i'm careful

[@jeffreyfoster6417]

How is turning with diff welded up front, I run 3 of these off road and haven't tried welding front was worried about turning and or breaking

[@KiaDave]

Steering is not good. I'm going to be swapping to an open diff until I can find a torsen for cheap.

[@hicklife7775]

How in the world did you get 35's on there??? Would be VERY interested in knowing about your lift

[@KiaDave]

Rear springs are Ford Aerostar, front are discontinued Eibach for the Sportage, plus Trackfinder extended strut forks and a 3/8" spacer. Rear lift is about 6.5" front is about 5.5". I miscalculated how much the rear springs would lift it. I'm planning to change a few things, lower the rear by 1.5", lower the front by about 1/2" and put a 1.5" body lift on. this height is too much for most of the suspension parts.

[@hicklife7775]

Cv axles are ok with that? Haven't had any wearing problems? stock driveshafts? i'm truely amazed you were able to make this happen in a sportage. absolutely epic.

[@TheMidnightcwby]

I have a few of these trucks lifted and it does seem like you're asking a lot of the front driveline and steering components if you go past about 2.5" in the front. You can grind stuff to get 3", but the cv's do get seriously bound up.

[@TheMidnightcwby]

My favorite combination I've found so far is 2.5" suspension (roughly) and a 2" body lift. I have a 3" and I wouldn't really ever want to do that again, lol.

[@TheMidnightcwby]

If you use Jeep TJ springs off of a 4 door, you'll get about 3" in the back which leaves a bit of room for squat with camping gear 😎. And use some good shocks, like Sacs, from a 99 RAV 4 on the rear for the extra travel. UpYourKia makes the lift that includes the new shock bushing you'll need to run them 😉

[@marcoporseo]

You' re running on 35 with original transmission, pinion and gears? Sorry, but i cant' believe it!

[@blase9090]

It's true There are many short versions of this car named KIA RETONA in russia and germany that are lifted with these 5.38 gears and 33" 35" tires

[@KiaDave]

yes, factory everything, minus springs, wheels, tires and diffs

[@KiaDave]

not exactly. instead, the torque tore the middle diff mount off the crossmember. I'm probably going to swap the front diff to a torsen.

[@raymondfranks3347]

So you can’t unlock your front hubs right and you well did your differential how does it steer and drive down the road is it hard turning

[@KiaDave]

Raymond, incorrect, I have manual hubs, so I can unlock them, but also, on the road, the transfer case is in 2 wheel drive, so only the rear wheels get power. off the road, in 4wd, with the hubs locked, it is a pain in the ass to steer.

[@meateaterwhitetail7291]

Front wheel drive???

[@KiaDave]

Haha, no!

[@KiaDave]

4x4

[@chinzo1609]

welded diffs working good?

[@KiaDave]

not the front, i took it out a couple years ago for a Torsen LSD

[@wijojoblang5561]

More video

[@BrosTiTo]

transmission manual, automatic ? engine ? model year ? more photo ^^ ?

[@BrosTiTo]

dude more video and photo :P

[@stu3775]

Stock unwelded diffs would do the same run.

[@KiaDave]

I agree, absolutely. The truck is set up for more than this, BUT, I'm swapping the front welded diff for a POSI next weekend cuz it destroyed the CVs and steering.

[@stu3775]

@@KiaDaveInteresting. I have a 2011, I might do so mods.

[@KiaDave]

@@stu3775 the 2011 model is nothing like the first gen. It's unibody, front wheel drive and has no 4x4 transfer case. I think there may be a 1" lift available, but most everything else will need to be custom made.

[@stu3775]

@@KiaDave I have the 2011 KIA Sportage EX, It is very much 4 wheel drive.

[@Acid0atm3al]

@@stu3775 lol. No it isn't. The 2011 is AWD which is totally different and nowhere near as capable as real 4wd with 4lo. it's also a unibody. Keep yours on the streets.

[@raystanley4329]

I could drive that road in my pick-up! Do something impressive...

[@KiaDave]

So I've reached the negative comments threshold. Basically, this was the VERY FIRST little excursion off-road with this vehicle and I had my wife and kid with me, but also, there wasn't much for obstacles at this location. I have some trips coming up where I plan to really push the little beast, now that I have some spare parts. In the meantime, check out some of my other videos.

[@flexinriffs9926]

This is nuts. I have a stock 2000 and I'm surprised it can even move with those tires on. Maybe mine just sucks but it has no power and always sucked ass in slippery conditions.

[@KiaDave]

it's definitely underpowered, but still gets the job done