Vehicle Owner

Member ID: chief2001

Location: Austin, TX

Vehicle Info

2001 Suzuki Esteem

Bought: Jan, 2005

Bragging Rights

  • 1/4 Mile0 sec @ -1 mph
  • 0-606.8sec
  • Top Speed133mph
  • HP140
  • Weight2200lbs

Major Upgrades

  • turbo
  • nitrous
  • bore increase
  • port and polish
  • supercharger
  • extrude honed
  • stroke increase
  • engine swap

Ratings

    • Currently 3.4/5 Stars.
    • Currently 3.5/5 Stars.
    • Currently 3.5/5 Stars.
    • Currently 3.3/5 Stars.
    • Currently 3.6/5 Stars.
    • Currently 3.4/5 Stars.

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Parts On eBay

Last updated: Sep 15, 2009

Hits: 15,669

******’s Suzuki Esteem

  • Currently 3.4083333333333 /5 Stars.
42 guestbook comments

P1:EXTERIOR
P2:INTERIOR
P3:CUSTOM MODS
P4:ENGINE MODS
P5:HOW TO
P6:VIDEO
P7:SUSUPENSION MODS
P8:WHEELS
P9:SUZUKI MEET
P10:WORK IN PROGRESS

The following shows how to disingage the automatic light switch.

Step 1: Remove the housing for the handbrake.
chief2001's 2001 Suzuki Esteem chief2001's 2001 Suzuki Esteem

Step 2: Loosen the screw shown in the picture and remove the wire attached to it. (you don't have to remove the wire if you have enough slack)
chief2001's 2001 Suzuki Esteem

Step 3: Move the switch so that it faces the front of the car.
chief2001's 2001 Suzuki Esteem

Step 4: Reconnect the wire that was on the switch
chief2001's 2001 Suzuki Esteem
If you dont mind having the brake light on ingnore the following steps.

Step 5: Remove the screws shown to get access to the instrument cluster.
chief2001's 2001 Suzuki Esteem

Step 6: When you remove the screws and get access to the instrument cluster there will be some set of screws that hold it in place remove those.

Step 7: Pull the instrument cluster out just enough to remove the light bulb that corresponds to the brake light.

Step 8: Put everything together and your done!

You can now drive around with your light just like this!

chief2001's 2001 Suzuki Esteem

 

CLEAR TURN SIGNALS

The main tools you need are as follows. 10MM socket, hammer, blow torch, a filler rod or any wire that wont melt eaisly with the heat from the torch,

chief2001's 2001 Suzuki Esteem

 

First take off the top two screws from the bumper.

chief2001's 2001 Suzuki Esteem

 

Second take off the three bolts for the lights. the top one is easy. the two on the bottom I have reached from the bottom of the car and the one closest to the middle of the car is reached by sqeezing your arm through the top of the bumper.

Third remove the light and to do so you have to play around with it a little but the bumper should flex enough to let you get it out.

chief2001's 2001 Suzuki Esteem

 

Fourth take the wire and heat it up then put it inside the light and melt holes through the orange lense. BE CARFEFUL if you go in too far you will melt the clear lense. That happend to me once real bad and two other times as well on a brand new light that I got. The lights are 240.00 american
so being careful is important. Make the holes close enough were the lense isnt too weak but strong enough to not break. Make the holes in lines.

chief2001's 2001 Suzuki Esteem

 

5th take a screwdriver or something similar and put it in the light. Dont worry about damaging the hole for the light since there is no way to not damage it. just be careful and it wont be too bad. Now take the hammer and hit the screwdriver until the lense pops out of place.

chief2001's 2001 Suzuki Esteem

 

6th here is were the holes come in now you can melt the plactic all the way by melting all the holes together.

chief2001's 2001 Suzuki Esteem

 

7th take out the pieces of lense and your done.

chief2001's 2001 Suzuki Esteem

 

put them back in and your work is done.

Each light will take an average of about 1 to 2 hours

REMOVE AIR BAFFLE
This is what you will be removing

chief2001's 2001 Suzuki Esteem

 

First you must remove the screws from the right side of the car underneath the bumper. You will need a phillips screwdriver for this.

chief2001's 2001 Suzuki Esteem

 

As for showing you where the rest of bolts are at unfortunatly I can't show them since a camera would not fit but you will be using a small ratchet with a 10MM socket to remove these bolts that hold the Baffel to the car. After you remove it Thru the bottom of the bumper thru the gap you made when you removed the baffel there will be a bracket that is still there. For this you will need a 10MM Wrench. You may or may not need some WD-40 to losen them up But this is the easiest to remove piece.
I am not sure about removing the baffel this way since I did not do it this way but when I added my Cold Air intake I opened the wheel well to install my filter. This is the easiest way to remove the bracket.

chief2001's 2001 Suzuki Esteem

 

STRUT REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION

 

chief2001's 2001 Suzuki Esteem

 

for sedan(saloon)

Tools required:
Rubber mallot
Removable strength locktight(blue)
Flat head screwdriver
17mm socket
12mm socket
Rarchet 3/8"
17mm wrench
Pair of jackstands
Jack
Provided jack stand from your car

Step 1

loosen the nuts from the tires and after you lift up the car remove the wheels.

Step 2

Lift up front and place stands on the tow hooks then lower the car on the stands and remove jack and move to the rear.

Step 3

Lift up rear by placing jack under the flat spot just right of the center of the suspension support. (jack will remain here until finished)
!CAUTION! It is dangerous to use just a jack for supporting a car if possible use another set of jack stands on rear if none are available use caution when working around the rear of the

car.

Step 4

Open the hood to gain access to the three nuts that are on each strut top

chief2001's 2001 Suzuki Esteem

 

Step 5

Fold down the back seat and then remove the plastic pins the hold the covers in place. (note pins may break)
Remove the plastic plates that cover the rear struts.

chief2001's 2001 Suzuki Esteem

 

(The next three steps can be done sequentially around the entire car or done in order at each strut.)

Step 6

unscrew the three nuts from each strut

Step 7

With a flat head screwdriver remove the retainer that holds the brakeline in place by removing it as shown. move the brake line out of the slot in the strut so that when
you remove it it will not get in the way.

chief2001's 2001 Suzuki Esteem

 

Step 8

Remove the two 17mm bolts from the bottom of the strut.
You can now remove the entire strut assembly

chief2001's 2001 Suzuki Esteem

 

Step 9

For installing the springs I looked towards a shop for the service. Cost for this service should be around $100. Intstallation time at the shop should be no more than 2 hours

(The next five steps can be done sequentially around the entire car or done in order at each strut.)

Step 10

Take the jack from your car and place it under the (Disk/Drum) and slightly lift up the (Disk/Drum). This will allow you to install the struts with less effort.

chief2001's 2001 Suzuki Esteem

 

Step 11

Place the bottom of the strut back into place and insert the two 17mm bolts back into place with the threaded end facing the rear. (see step 12 for pic)

Step 12

Next add some Removable strength locktight (Blue) to the threads. Tighten down the nuts to 90 N-m (9.0 kg-m, 65.0 lb-ft)

chief2001's 2001 Suzuki Esteem

 

Step 13

Now raise the (Disk/Drum) up with the strut and place into the holes for the bolts, with the use of the jack. If the strut does not line up use the socket and ratchet to turn the strut into

posistion until it lines up.

Step 14
With the strut now in position, you can now proceed to tighten the nuts on top of the strut down. Tighten down the nuts so that they're nice and snug.

Step 15

Take the front brake lines and put them back into place. Now place the clip back that hold the brake line. (the use of a hammer will be needed to do this, Tap the clip into posistion)

The rear brake lines are a bit more difficult (car equiped with drums) The line needed to be moved is not a hose so it it not as flexible. You'll need to hold it in place yourself.

chief2001's 2001 Suzuki Esteem

 

Once in place install the clip back into place the same way as the one for the front.

YOU'RE DONE!

Put your wheels back on, lower the car and your set.

P1:EXTERIOR
P2:INTERIOR
P3:CUSTOM MODS
P4:ENGINE MODS
P5:HOW TO
P6:VIDEO
P7:SUSUPENSION MODS
P8:WHEELS
P9:SUZUKI MEET
P10:WORK IN PROGRESS

Guestbook

Displaying entries 1-5 of 42

MikeyPandaBear  

Posted by: MikeyPandaBear

09/22/2009 06:55PM

Thanks for the tips man.. i appreciate them...

devilsword666  

Posted by: devilsword666

06/17/2009 10:39PM

i have been talking to you for some time on aeriostyle and haven't checked your page out before. 5*s and great write ups. look mine over leave me some comments and keep me updated on what you find in japan. Devilsword AKA Chris

MeldaschSentra  

Posted by: MeldaschSentra

05/03/2009 05:06PM

NICE RIDE 5*.DO YOU KNOW WHERE I CAN GET PARTS FOR MY 1998 ESTEEM.

autoxpert  

Posted by: autoxpert

03/23/2009 10:36PM

5 stars mate.love the attention to detail

JBTY_Baleno  

Posted by: JBTY_Baleno

03/08/2009 09:27AM

hey nice esteem ive seen your vids on youtube what you said about the speed is true i have a 1.8 wagon version and ive personally taken it to 100 + comfortably and it is an automatic i like your diy stuff too it is very helpful but it is easier and faster to heat up the glue on the headlights and take them apart anyway 5 stars

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Vehicle Owner

Member ID: chief2001

Location: Austin, TX