ok so i just got a 84 pickup xtra cab. i did alot of searching before i bought anything, and i found this. i traded the guy a gmc jimmy that i paid $2000 for so i think i came out pretty good (he had it on craigslist for $3500. the paints in great shape and it has a small lift with 33s. pretty much why im posting is because i just wanted some feed back on what i have, plus i have a llooooottttttttt of questions that i haven't really found the answers to. (I HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO UPLOAD PIC!!!!)

first question. i have a add-a-leaf lift with trail master shocks (so im guessing on the lift being trail master also). and im wanting to know if i bought another bolt on lift kit would i get more flex and a better ride? if so, what brand and size? if not i might do some shackles or something cause the front tires r rubbin on the back side of the inner fender

second. lockers and gears. (i dont really know what it has but i think its all stock with the gears.) im thinkin aussie front and read but I've heard i should re gear the front before locking it.
sorry for the book guys i just have ideas running through my head all the time so i figured i would get some ideas from y'all

 

welcome to the darkside


to answer your questions properly, we need to know what size tires your running. As well, stock rims / aftermarket rims? If aftermarket, what is the size and offset? Have there been wheel spacers installed on the truck? What is your main purpose for the truck? will it be mainly daily driver duty or will it be seeing alot of off road time?

 

welcome.

I am looking at lockers and gears too. I am looking at getting a 90-95 4runner with a auto trans and taking the gears out of that, they have 4.88 gears I was told. witch means i can run 33's.

 

i drive it daily (about 30-40 miles a day, mostly around town) and wheel most weekends. it has 33s on 15x10 inch wheels, not sure of the back spacing. im really interested in gettin a "better" lift, cause its on the stock springs with add-a-leaf, witch i think makes it ride rough and it doesnt flex very much at all. but i wasnt sure if any other bolt on lift kits would help with that.

 

Hey man! xtra cabs are nice! welcome!
i had the same questions about suspention just a month ago.
if you have the chance and $$ to do it right. here's what i found :

OME " old man emu ":
are the best bolt on ( aprox 2" lift )
you dont have to cut and weld and worry about missing something.
great springs and great drive quality!
this is a DD setup with great offroading capabilities, complete kit ( front and rear )
probably its going to run around 900- 1k$.
that means shocks, leafs, bushings, shackles, u bolts, steering damper....the whole enchilada!

sounds $$ scary but you will have a new suspention with 2" lift from a great
feedback company. check this link for prices and part #'s

www.4by4connection.com/4runpicallle.html
http://oldmanemu.com/

Trail gear : 3", 4" , 5" lifts kits.
these kits will require cutting and welding but you will have a rock crawler setup.
complete rear kits run for $599 and front classic kits from $999
kits comes with bilstein shocks, leafs, ubolts, greasabke shackles, brake lines, hangers etc..

remember these setups will require some cut and welding, nothing to be scare off,
but you will get higher lifts and a softer ride.
check www.trail-gear.com/suspension.html

theres some dealers on this forum who they can get you a free shipping,
and depending where you are located even tax free !

Marlin Crawler : an old well based company wich carry great stuff.
complete rear kits comes with shocks, shackles, springs, ubolts etc..rear kits runs for $599
and complete front kits runs for $1449
marlincrawler.com

then you will have companies that been around :
sky manufacturing
good company who had been around.

northwestoffroad ,
wish i could get you more info about NWOR , thats a bolt on spring with higher lift ,
no prices on their site , not so grear costumer service and how my friend complains about how
hard is their setup in his truck...no pun inteded.

www.alcanspring.com
alcan's springs have great great reputation but pricey...
but great reputation!

my "newbie " conclusion : ( NO PUN intended )

i wanted to go OME, BUT i really like the 4" lift minimun and because i didn't found a fact about
spring and shackle combination that i could verify that i can reach a 4" min, I stopped my quest for it.

even thou marlin crawler and trail gear carry almost the same suspention parts,
there's a cat fight between them , who came with the product first and some drama stuff.

Choose what you think is going to be the most appropiate decision for you.
dont get strangled by "fan" posts...ask ppl who are using their kits and tried both...
look for real feedback from both usuers, not " sticker " opinions ,
forget about OG " pop's " and backstabbing drama ..

i read good and bad things from each side...
but not a single pic / thread about a broken spring or malfunction from the suspention kit.
mostly costumers / owners who installed their stuff the wrong way :
anyways both companies will back up their product too.

for my rear suspention I choose TG, because it was the most complete setup and many people
carry them without any complain. Also some dealers have a free shipping option.

MC its a great kit that shares almost the same parts ( except springs )
with untouchable reputation. But i couldn't find any dealer who had free shipping.

remember both rear kits sells for the same $ , so i did not been cheap..!
but the TG saved me almost $160 (s/h - tax) thats almost 25% of the kit price.

depending of the quality of the kit, i'll be ordering the front kit too.
(ask me in a couple of months how it went.)


I know its a long post, but i hope i saved you some weeks of reading and
sleepless nights looking for info. the "search " option is your friend ..

PS try to stay away from block lift kits and "average joe" kits .
kits over 3" high on stock spring location will be hard for a DD. huuuy nooo!
( ask me about my " 7 inch " superlift kit lol )

 

thanks xyzalvarez that helps alot. so u do not like your 7" kit? also i have a new question. my truck has been making a new noise the past day or so. its like a popping/grinding noise, or rattle, coming from the rear end. it only does it when i let off the gas and all the time when the clutch is pushed in (as long as its moving). it sounds like a u-joint or something on the driveshaft. idk what do yall think?

 

and what it sounds like is that i wont really get any more flex or a better ride with out spending $900+. if thats right i may just hammer on the finders some more so the front tires dont scrub and deal with it until i can get the $$ to do the marlin or trail gear lift. but im more worried about the noise i have coming from the rear end now

 

Hey littleblue .... most of the V6 autos wih 31's have 4.56 I imagine you will want to look for a 4 cly auto but be sure it has 4.88 as far as i know that is a rare ratio to find stock i think it has to be a 4cly auto with 31" tire option

 

hey man..
i like my 7" to certain point... (btw i dont think its a full 7" most likely 4" , but the part # of the spring belows to a 7" kit ) but i got this truck for a daily, so after 8 driving hours....mmm it hurts my back a little... most bolt on springs ( far as i found ) the higher the lift the harder the drive...
looks like the higher the spring , stiffer the arch of it..so less flex.

about gearing and tires... this is a current thread about it.
looks like you have 33's tires on it...so this could apply both of us. https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f115.../#post51227068

 

thanks man, i think im gonna go 488s and for my new noise, my u-joint was coming apart. new one is in and it seems better then before

 

xyzalvarez, I was just on the 4by4connection web site. The total price was $1274.00 before shipping. That was for the entire lift front and rear. The site lists OME 2" lift front, but just the eye to eye distance on the rear. I am finding this with a bunch of site. Does the rear lift on the OME come from the shackle? If so why dont these sites list the rear shackles? 2" inch lift is what I am looking for. And I like the OME so far.

Also is it going to hurt anything for me to do the rear, and the drive it like that until I save for the front?

 

tmcorbin where u at in NC? i live in greensboro

 

This place has the OME lift for much cheaper. It looks to include everything you need. Front and rear leafs and shocks, steering stabilizer and bushings. The OME lifts use the stock shackles.

The lift for our trucks is at the very bottom of the page.

http://www.rocky-road.com/4runner.html

 

Havelock, my son and I get through Greensboro once in awhile on way to the mountains in the western part of the state.

 

Yeah rocky-road is most likely were I am going to order mine from. I am going to have to order the rear first, and then save the money for the front.

 

nice. wish i lived on the coast. anyways if ur every around this area we should hit up uwharrie

 

k got a pic of the truck, not a very good pic and it just happens to be of the "bad side". jus a small dent in the bed. (by the way looks to be off a 90s model) what do yall think?
[IMG]<a href="http://s921.photobucket.com/albums/ad57/jstone84/?action=view&current=IMG00011-20090826-1554.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad57/jstone84/IMG00011-20090826-1554.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>[/IMG]

 

well guess not if i can figure out how to work this thing ill post some pic lol

 

 

hey what do you know im not completely stupid lol