My 85 4Runner came with crappy 3" stock length springs. Traded those out for some OME 2" springs. While those are much better, the rear is too tall and still too stiff. I'm contemplating using rear leaf packs from a second gen runner and an extra long shackle to give me a little lift and compensate for the longer eye to eye length. Has anyone tried this, or is it just a really stupid idea?

Note: I know the "proper" way is to get something like Trail Gear springs and move the mount locations. However, I want to keep the thing low on 33's, maybe a true 1" over stock difference.

 

I'm confused, first you said it was lifted 3", then you dropped it to 2" with OME springs, then those are to tall and stiff... Maybe a little clarification? Because OME is about as soft as they come, even the HD springs aren't that bad.

And 2nd gen Runners don't have leaf packs, they're coils in rear.

 

Sorry, I mean 89 - 95 truck rears. The stock length for my rears is 48" versus the stock length for later trucks is 51".

When I bought my Runner there were Ruff Country or some such crap springs on there. Come to think of it, those were actually 3.5" lift, and they didn't move at all. Even after removing a leaf in the rear, they wouldn't budge. Then I went with the softest OME springs available. The fronts are dead on. The rears sit about 2" taller than the fronts and are stiff. I guess I can take out a leaf and see where they sit. It just seems to me that the whole point of true lift springs is to make them longer so they can flex better. What I wondered is if I could take some slightly longer stock springs that we know flex well, add the inch or so lift that I want by lengthening the shackle and using the stock locations. In other words, this is the cheap and seemingly effective method of gaining a little height by means of the shackles and some more flex by means of a few more inches eye to eye. What I don't want is to be forced to use some ridiculous shackles to make it work. So, I was asking if anyone had ever tried anything like this.

 

A ridiculous long shackle seems to me what you might end up going to a spring 3" longer unless you move the front or rear mount.. I pull a leaf from you OME pack first...

 

another random thought on using the longer springs, it will move the centering of the axle back in relation to the center of your wheel well unless you redrill the spring perches..

 

I thought of that, too. The center pin on the 51" springs is 1" further back than on the stock springs. I was looking at how the wheel sits in the well, and I know it is a little bit forward of center, maybe 1.5 - 2". I think there is enough room for it to work.

Honestly, if I could find some springs that were the same width and were maybe an inch longer, I would definitely try it. However, I tend to agree that the easiest solution for the time being would be to remove a leaf. I just can't believe that everyone else has had such good luck with their OME springs. It makes me wonder if I somehow got the wrong set.

 

I doubt it. Though the old man emu springs aren't extremely stiff, they are designed more with overland use in mind. They seem to make their rear springs so that you're at the advertised height with nearly your vehicle's payload limit in the back.

How many leaves are in the rear packs you received? If 4 with 2 overloads, you got the medium duty ones(cs009r), if 5+2, you got the hd's(cs010r).

 

I made sure to get the lightest springs and shocks they had. I think you're right, OME is more expedition than crawler. That works for the front end, but since these springs were designed with pick ups in mind, I never have the anticipated weight in the rear.

My other rig has Trail Gear springs, and those are almost too flexy for the road. The front end bottoms out on dips. There must be a happy medium. Just call me Goldilocks.

 

Haha, mix and match springs from both the TG and OME!

 

Just got back from driving on the highway without rear shocks. That was an experience. Now I know exactly how much flex the springs have! In the end, the best thing to do is link it.

 

i drove without front shocks on my 85 once , you noticed how I said once , it was horrible , I guess I didnt realize at the time how much shocks played a role in everything

 

I have an excuse. I swapped in an IFS axle and had to use a u-bolt flip kit instead of the stock plates that have the shock mounts. I don't have a welder to put on shock tabs.

When I first bought my 85 the suspension was so horrible it just wouldn't flex at all. I drove it around without rear shocks for maybe 6 months. I could tell it was bad sometimes, but most of the time it rode exactly the same. I guess I thought it would be the same with the OME springs. As of today, I have much more respect for OME.

 

I have OME springs in my 4runner, and I am contemplating pulling a leaf as well..

I am also thinking about doing rears up front with the OME pack and getting some 63" chevy springs for more flex.