Okay, here’s the second part of my project that I mentioned before.
In the last post, I fixed up my Chevy Tracker’s wheels for right around $30.00 and personally I didn’t think they were too shabby at all. Check out here on the right or the previous post.
Matter of fact, it looks good enough to me that I could have driven with it just as it is. But, I’m so keen on the tracker that I already had a look in mind. I didn’t want to spring for new wheels, so I looked around at the various options.
I came across something that I had never heard of before and that”s wheel skins. As the name skins suggests, it goes on a lot like a regular hub cap, but it isn’t one. The difference is that the skins are designed in the exact shape of an OEM wheel, they won’t fit anything else and they look as if they are OEM wheels, unless you get up real close.
I decided to check around to see what was available and that’s where parts interchangeability comes in handy. Since the Chevy Tracker, along with the Geo Tracker, is a variant of the Suzuki Sidekick, Samurai, Vitara family, you often can find parts that’ll fit, even if they aren’t specifically marked for your vehicle. In this case I found wheel skins as marked for the Geo Tracker.
I then set out to see what sort of pricing I could get. I checked one of my favorite sources – EBay. I’ve bought everything up to computers there and always been satisfied – but a word of caution. You really have to know how to read the feedbacks and the listing to make sure you know what you’re getting into.
Something else that changes that changes things is whether you live in the US or Canada.
If you live in Canada and order from the US, shipping tends to add to the costs because you’re looking at customs clearance and, depending on the shipper, customs clearance fees plus taxes. You have to be careful or these can add up – especially if shipping is via UPS.
Any way, I found a couple of suppliers on Ebay, but since I’m in Canada, the price was quoted plus actual shipping – but it was impossible to estimate the customs and clearance costs. Before these, I was looking at just shy of $100.00. That wasn’t so bad, but I wanted to check a bit more.
I wound up on the JC Whitney site and they also had the skins.
The cost was similar to the lowest cost I would have been facing on Ebay, with one big difference.
If you’re in the US, Whitney often has promotions where there’s free shipping.
In Canada, this isn’t the case, but when you order, they quote you a firm price landed at your door – so no surprises. Plus, you have their satisfaction guarantee.
I decided to go with JC Whitney for the guaranteed price, ordered and the skins came in within a few days – no hassles whatsoever.
I was pleasantly surprised at how smooth it went, so much so that I signed up as their affiliate and feel very comfortable in recommending them to anyone checking for parts.
Okay, back to the project. The skins are a snap to put on.
One thing that you do want to watch though is that the weights that the mechanics put on to balance tires should go on the inside of the rim, not the outside.
I changed tires and sure enough, two of the rims had the weights exactly where the wheel skins attached, so I had to bring the Tracker back.
I’m not a great photographer, but here are some shots of the Tracker wheels with the skins installed.
Overall, the cost for the wheel skins landed was $89.00 Canadian. That’s one heck of a lot less than replacing the wheels.
I wanted to try to do something with the tracker’s wheels that looked good, but didn’t cost an arm and a leg. I set myself a challenge of completing the job for under $100 – and the less the better.
This post details the first method that I used. I’ll talk about the second in the next post.
Since I had no idea what to expect or what was available, I decided to look at:
The used parts market
New parts market
Other alternatives if I didn’t find what I was looking for in 1 & 2 above.
Don’t get me wrong about the following. I’m not a cheapskate, but I don’t like being taken and overpaying either. Anyway, I decided to proceed in the above order because I’m not proud and unless it’s a really critical part, I’ll go for used first if it’ll do the job and save me money.
Worse Than Mine: I was in for a bit of a shock when I went to the used market. I tried the yards around my home and then tried the classified ads and online systems like Kijiji and stuff. Replacement wheels were out of the question because most people seemed to think that theirs were gold plated or something. The only ones that would have been in a price range that I would consider were in worse shape than mine, so what would have been the point in that?
Sticker Shock: I didn’t expect to find much on the new wheels market that would fit my budget and I sure wasn’t wrong. The base price that I found was somewhere around $150.00 plus tax and shipping per wheel (for a total of $800.00) and everything went up from there. Clearly, going that route wouldn’t fit within the budget target I had set for myself. I don’t know about you, but I’ve got better things to do with the extra $700.00, especially since I also wanted to change the summer tires.
Okay, so there had to be a better way than those two options.
After a bit more checking I decided on two options.
The first was … tada – refinish the wheels myself, and the second was … I’ll talk about that in the next post (gotta keep some of the suspense going, n’est pas?.
I figured that I had nothing to lose trying to refinish the tracker wheels myself since, if I blew it, I’d only be back to square one and the other options that I had identified anyway. So, off I went.
Here’s what I started out with:
Before Shot
Tracker Wheel - Rear View
Pretty gungy stuff.
As most of you know, there are a lot of paints out there. There are those that are supposed to give a chrome like finish and others that claim to be “rust inhibitors” or “rust converters” . I was skeptical of the chrome finish paints so I decided to try one of the inhibitors. (If someone has experience with the chrome finish spray paints, I’d be curious to hear about them).
Off I went to my local auto parts store ( In Canada, it’s a company called Canadian Tire) and bought a can of spray paint.
The can claimed that you only had to spray it on, but I was concerned that the rust on the wheel would bleed through and ruin the look, so I decided that I would be best off getting rid of the rust before painting it.
To do that, I used my power drill with a wire brush that I already had.
Caution: If you do this, protect yourself – use eye protection goggles and a mask to avoid inhaling rust and metal shavings.
The step really didn’t take all that long and, I think is worth it in the long run.
Once I finished that, all that remained was to spray the wheels, which I did outside on a sunny day. It is quick drying so it really wasn’t a problem.
Here’s the finished product.
Much Better!
Not too shabby
I don’t know about you, but it turned out much better than I had expected, that’s for sure. (Rats!!!! I can’t get that “I don’t” out from between the photos no matter how hard I try. Sorry about that!)
And the cost? The paint cost me a whole $9.98 canadian. I did spring for new wheel nuts though since the old ones were beyond saving. That set me back roughly $20.00. So overall, the project cost me $29.98 plus tax and about half a days time. Not bad to save so much.
That’s it for now. Stay tuned for option #2 in the next post.
Here we go. Enough procrastinating, now’s the time to get going on the Chevy Tracker. Actually, I haven’t been procrastinating on the project itself, because I have been doing research and some work in the background. I’ve been procrastinating writing about it.
As I said before, I want to spruce up the Tracker for the summer sun.
Lets face it, it’s easy to get a car, SUV or truck looking great if money is no object. You just spend, spend, spend and voila! But, what about if you’re on a limited budget like most of us are? That’s a bit more of a challenge.
So where to start and how to get the most bang for the buck?
I’m not talking here of a complete rebuild. That’s out of my budget and way out of my competence level. I’ve done minor bodywork and even painted a complete car (someone actually offered to buy it when I brought it out of the paint room) in the past, but a full fledged body mechanic, I’m not.
I’m attacking this from the angle that the 2003 Chevy Tracker I bought has a body that looks pretty good, a straight frame and runs well. I’m talking here of improving the look of the vehicle, not rebuilding it.
The possibilities are endless. Bush Guards, striping, light bars, and the list goes on and that’s only for appearance. If you get into performance and off road modifications, it can really get serious – Performance chips (I wonder if they really work?), lift kits, lockers, snorkles. It’s literally endless.
As I’ve said before, improving the look of the wheels is probably one of the moves that has the most immediate impact on the overall appearance of the vehicle, so that’s where I’m going to start.
Here’s a couple of shots again to show what I’m working with.
Dull & Rusty - Fit for a rust bucket
Even the back needs work
That’s enough for this post. You’re all very busy and I don’t want to bore you to death with super long posts.
I’ll get into the nitty gritty in the next post.
Make it a Great Day!
MarcL
PS – I welcome comments, observations or even opposite views so feel free to comment.
Better yet, The TrackerSidekick Community has just launched. If you’ve got a Chevy or
Geo Tracker, or Suzuki Samurai, Sidekick or Vitara that you’re proud of why not head on
over there and:
upload photos or videos
start your own blog about your SUV or project
start a poll
start your own group
I park my Chevy Tracker in a private lot, but where all the homeowners have slots as well. Like many cities, there isn’t a ton of room, but everyone is generally pretty careful.
A couple of weeks back, my neighbor rang my doorbell. When I answered, she informed me that she had dented the Tracker when she opened the back door of her car. She had the dog in the back and he tried to make a run for it. When she lunged to grab him, “bang”.
Okay, so it wasn’t quite as bad as the wreck on the right
At least she was nice enough to mention it and offered to pay for the repairs. I brought it in this week, and just got it back yeaterday.
Super job! I took the opportunity to have a couple of other things done and now it’s looking great.
During this time I’ve been searching for solutions to sprucing up the wheels and can now finalize that project.
Stay tuned as the next posts talk about the choices I made and ……. How to get a great look on a budget!
Spring came charging in here a couple of weeks back and we had record high temperatures. The snow seemed to melt overnight and everyone started thinking about springtime activities. For some, that’s opening up the cottage, outdoor sports of all types and a whole lot more. For my wife, it’s getting the back yard ready for summer sun and cookouts and, for me, it’s sprucing up my beloved Chevy Tracker. Here she is:
My Pride & Joy
It may be a bit hard to see (great photographer, I ain’t:), but she’s in great condition mechanically and body wise. I’ve got to do something about those wheels though. They spoil the look of the Tracker Here’s a closer look:
Yuck! These Things Have Got to Go
There’s no way the car’s going to look half decent until I do something about them so,
The wheels are now Top Priority …….. right after I fix up the back yard for my better half, sigh !
Follow along and see how I make out over the next few posts.
With spring well entrenched, I’ve been thinking about sprucing up my Chevy Tracker.
These things have worn so many badges that it’s difficult to tell what aftermarket parts might work, in other words, just to what extent Suzuki Vitara parts are interchangeable. Both vehicles look pretty much the same, and were, for a time made in GM’s CAMI factory here in Canada.
When I pop the hood, I see parts labeled Suzuki in the tracker’s the motor compartment. So, the logical thing to assume is that the parts can be switched.
Oops, hold on there! When you try to nail down exactly what is and what isn’t interchangeable though, it becomes a whole lot more complicated.
After searching around, I find that most experts are reluctant to take a risk and be very specific. The refrain usually goes something like this: “Well, in theory the parts should be the same, but ………. ” and then come the qualifiers. I can understand them. because no one wants to get blamed for steering us wrong.
You pretty well have to go on a part by part basis and check numbers and the like. Not exactly what makes me comfortable in ordering Vitara parts from across the country on the chance that it’ll fit the tracker.
In any case, it’s nice to know that there is a high probability that the part you need may be interchangeable since it gives you an additional option if you can’t find the tracker part.
One thing that I did notice is that the repair manuals for the years prior to 1999 cover the Geo, Sidekick, Tracker and Vitara.
Well, I guess I’ll learn as I go along. In the meantime, It’s time to get serious about sprucing up the tracker.
“Winter came in with a bang a couple of weeks back, up here in the great white north.
We’ve had a lot of snow and since I live in an area where main thoroughfares are sanded and salted, but smaller residential streets aren’t, we been treated to everything from tons of slush and slop that cars sometimes slide on, to black ice and hard packed snow that acts pretty much like ice as well.
I’ve never had a 4wd, nor have I driven in winter in a rear wheel drive in more years than I care to count. I really just didn’t know what to expect. Got 4 winter tires and figured that I could always add studs if necessary to keep from skating all over.
Boy, I was in for a really pleasant surprise with the Chevy Tracker. By default, I two wheel it and in rear wheel drive that gave me a couple of thrills (read sliding turns and stops) as I made the adjustment from front wheel drive.
When we had our 1st major storm and several inches of snow, I was unable to get out of the parking spot in 2 wheel mode because of the bank of snow that had been built up behind me by a passing plow – I swear the plow drivers get sadistic pleasure out of plugging up driveways and snowing in cars.
Well, I sure as hell wasn’t going to shovel that stuff, so I slapped the thing into 4 wheel drive and …….. Voila! I just plowed out as if it were the middle of summer. I could tell I was gonna love this.
Out on our roads, the Tracker in 4 wheel mode cut back on the sliding stops and seriously straightened out the curves.
As I thought back to my initial intention to get a sports car (which have all been scared into hiding for the winter), I couldn’t help but think what a genius I was choosing a Tracker-Sidekick convertible.
Not only do I get a super little drop top to tool around in during the nice weather, but as a bonus, I get a rugged snow eater for the winter.
This really is the best of both worlds!”
Since that post, the tail end of winter was much milder than expected – unlike some parts of the US that got hammered, but I did use the 4wd a few times over the winter.
It was very comforting knowing that it was there, ready to go whenever I needed it.
This is a Nov 9,2009 post being transferred from my old blog.
I’m into my third month of owning my Chevy Tracker and it’s turning out to be even more of a blast than I expected.
One reason is that I have a stick shift again. I had to forsake that for an automatic when we bought the family sedan because, my wife did not want to drive a standard.
It’s not the smoothest or fastest transmission I’ve ever tried, but hey, this is a small truck, not a Ferrari.
Aside from that though I bought the Tracker just as the summer turned nice (we had had a cloudy and rainy one until then). We’ve already put a couple of thousand clicks on it and it’s been a real blast tooling along the secondary roads with the top down, admiring the scenery and discovering places we didn’t know existed right here in our own back yard so to speak.
Truckin' on a summer day! Nope, it's not a traffic jam, we're on a ferry crossing the St-Lawrence River.
It rides a bit rougher than the family sedan, but with the comfortable seats, it’s still pleasant. Actually, this is part of the Tracker’s appeal for me.
I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the 2.0 litre engine / 5 speed manual transmission match up. It’s more responsive than I had expected and just fine for keeping up with city or freeway traffic.
Here’s the icing on the cake though. My wife really likes the fact that I don’t go blasting around corners; that she can’t see the underside of 18 wheelers and that we don’t have everyone’s exhaust pipe right in our faces.
The one thing that first worried me was my impression that you needed a PhD in engineering to drop and raise the top on this thing.
The previous owner explained how to do it, but my mind went numb and my eyes glassed over after the 2nd sentence. It actually turned out the way simpler than I expected once you just get down to doing it.
All in all, I’m thrilled with the Tracker and hope to be able to enjoy it for many years. It’s not the Tracker that I’m worried about – these things are reported to be like the Energizer Bunny – it’s me – at my age, you just never know.
There is one thing that worries me bit though.
My son, who’s just qualified for his learner’s permit ( step one in getting his license), has been looking at the thing with a sort of starry-eyed look in his eye. Sort of the “I can see myself with my girlfriend and friends heading out to the beach in this thing” kind of look.
Better start hiding the keys!
And now, here it comes – that “How can I dress this thing up a bit” phase.
Well, with winter coming, I’ll just have to wait until spring to get around to that sort of thing, but that’s okay ‘cause that’ll give me time to think about it.
Some tracker-sidekick purists contacted me after my previous post to say that the 2003 Chevy Tracker (and any of the breed after 1999) – isn’t a “true” off-road 4×4.
I’ve also read online reviews, articles and opinions, that mention that the earlier models were easier to mod and that the rack & pinion steering on the later models was more subject to breakage and more costly to repair.
You know what? I don’t disagree and I’m fine with that.
That’s one of the beauties of the Geo/ Chevy Trackers and Suzuki Sidekicks. They have something for everyone – well, almost!
Looking for a fun car to drop the top and tool around the country roads or bring the gang to the beach? Got that!
Looking for one to have some fun and catch some rays while driving the family around? Got that too!
Looking for something that’ll wade through rivers and mud; drive through forests, up and down dunes; or climb over rocks or up mountains? Got that too!
Looking for something that feels right at home in suburbia? Got that too!
Looking for something that you can race on the street or elsewhere, or burn rubber to vent some macho frustration or show off your ummmmmm, virility? Nope, sorry – that, we ain’t got!
Basically, these little gems are so versatile that you can configure them in just about every flavor you like and that’s the main element that led to their popularity.
Whether you offroad or not, it’s okay to be proud of your wheels and this site is for you.
We’d love to see and hear about your Sidekick, Vitara or Tracker and any stories that you’d like to share.
Feel free to register and post. I’m still looking for a plugin that’ll allow visitors to post photos so please bear with me on that score – and,
!
