Front double wishbone system
Ok I might throw a spanner in the works or create a mind explotion but, I had a look the other day at a old Nissan Bakkie from some guy at work and he had a after market wishbone fitted on top of his already factory wishbone to create a double wishbone.
When I saw that my minid started again going into all kind of directions. I asked around and guys told me that this will not work on the IO. I cant see why it couldnt work as the suspension will still do its function without having to worry if the coil over gets in the way. The other option is to maybe look at some of the new model pick up's double wishbone setup and start thinking out of the box. To my amazement majority of them (Ones without a fixed axle) uses a very small shock (not strut of coil over) to carry all that load at the from. Maybe thats the reason they use that setup is because they do not have a fixed axle???
I may be out of my mind......but be gentle with your comments. LOL 
The bracket that goes onto the wheel, even looks customized.
wishbone vs axle
I suspect it might actually be easier to put a three link + panhard solid axle in front there - that will at least give you more ground clearance.
I've been wondering about that... the wishbone isn't particularly solid and while you can drag the rear diff over obstacles without too much worry, the lowest points of the wishbone are low to the ground and not that strong - I've got a couple of small bends in the flange edges of them already from the relatively little 4wd action I've done. I think from a tree stump in one case.
Not sure I'm ready to take my io to that level of modification, but going to a solid axle has to be high up the list of changes that you'd make to have a more capable and robust offroader.
Filies - what are you wanting to achieve with this modification?
suspension mod
I think Fielies just wanted our feedback... I think that it is feasible, but it will be a lot of complex work with very little advantages (if any). It might be better to get another type of 4wd instead...
If you compare the io with other of his size, I think we are doing very well...other have much bigger problem than the suspension design
The McPherson might not be the best design for this car, but it is not that bad.
Happy io
I can't say that I agree with you
If you compare the io with other of his size, I think we are doing very well...other have much bigger problem than the suspension design
Perhaps you should take a look at the Suzuki line up.
The SE416 series Vitaras are around the same size as the iO, and available in both 3 & 5 door, with a 1.6 litre inline 4 engine, the SV series Vitaras are slightly wider, again available in 3 & 5 door, with a 2.0 engine both an inline 4 and a V6, and the SQ series Vitara & Grand Vitara are slightly larger, again 3 & 5 door, with 1.6 & 2.0 litre inline 4s and a 2.5 litre V6 engine.
All of these are body on frame construction, 5 link live rear axle, and macpherson strut front ends, dual speed transfer & part time 4WD - the macpherson strut implementation on the Suzukis is way superior to that on the iO - the control arm pivots on two bushes (as compared to one on the iO) and there is none of the caster variation that occurs on the iO as the suspension articulates
As off road vehicles go, I sorry but I have to say it, off the show room floor, they are head & shoulders above the iO, and when it comes to modifications, there's quite a bit of stuff available off the shelf, body lifts, suspension lifts, diff lockers, low range gears you name it, you can probably find it - the one thing the iO has that the GV doesn't is the viscous coupling that allows 4WD to be use on an asphalt surface
My other 4WD is a 5 door SQ420 Grand Vitara with a 2.0 engine and OME suspension - I looked at the iO before buying the GV and passed because it was monocoque construction and I wanted body on frame, I now have both, because someone offered me an iO, at a time when I needed another vehicle (one of my Suzukis had been badly damaged in an accident), at a price that was too good to refuse.
I can say that I agree with you
As always Fordem, I agree to disagree but I didn't say that we have the best car..., the suzuky is...lol may be not...lol
This said, no matter what car we drive, it is easy to find better, but for me I am very happy with my io and I am having great fun modifying it and sharing different point of views on how to do it (or not!). The fact that it is not easy to modify it, just make it more interesting, challenging, rewarding and fun...
Anyway, happy io
Syndicate
I won't say that it can't be done.
But rather, is it worth the work involved?
First - a MacPherson strut is a low cost independent susepnsion design that was actually derived from the double wishbone designs - cost is reduced because you eliminate the upper arm and it's bushings/ball joint, and the trade off is the camber changes with suspension travel.
Second - I must confess that I am not particularly enamoured with the front suspension on the iO - it's a particularly cheap (and nasty) implementation of the MacPherson strut design, and subject to both caster & camber changes as the suspension articulates - this design used to be common on British saloon cars in the mid 80's and has a bad reputation for stability (or lack thereof) at any reasonable speed.
To turn this into a double wishbone you would probably need to swap out the lower arm as well as add an upper arm, probably moving the lower arm pivot point(s) so they are parallel to the vehicle center line and modify the knuckle - the fact that this is a standard saloon car design (rather than the full floating front axles seen on most 4WDs) means you might be able to graft something from another vehicle in.
It's going to be a lot of work, and to achieve what - in Australia you'll probably never get it licensed - oh - I forgot you're in South Africa.
I suspect it might actually be easier to put a three link + panhard solid axle in front there - that will at least give you more ground clearance.