91Toyota4x4

Ok, I'm running BJ spacers and a 1" diff drop on my truck. I need to get new shocks and I'm going to get low profile bumpstops.

My shock question is this. I see alot of people are running stock sammy front shocks with the BJ spacers. Now that I am going to have low profile bumpstops, which most with BJ spacers don't. Are the sammy shocks long enough for the extra droop I will have? I assume they will be fine on compression since alot run low profile compression stops. I just want to make sure they are long enough.

Bumpstop question is this... where to get sheap ones and what kind

Marc P

I am running Procomp ES3000's up front. They are for a 4 inch Toyota lift--I get plenty of droop, and they are cheap. I would not recommend low-pro bumpstops with BJ spacers.

91Toyota4x4

Most don't run low-pro bumpstops with the BJ spacers because of the CV angle at full droop. BUT I have installed a 1" diff drop along with my spacers, so I think I can get away with the low profiles.

Do the 4 inch lift shocks limit compression travel though?

Your truck looks very nice Marc! A similar setup to mine. Except mine doesn't have all of those goodies.

Matt16

I'm reviving this thread, because its halfway to answering my question. That is, with a 1" diff drop, can I run low profile extension bumpstops with BJ spacers?

If so, would I need to add shock hoops?

89pickupsr5

me too along with a couple other questions, i have an 89 p/u ifs stock for now

91toyota4x4 are you talking about a SA of IFS?

is a diff drop only for the IFS after the p/u years?

what about how TC recomends using t100 cv's for thier kit,

would that compensate for having bj spacers and low pro bump stops?

nice work matt16 and if noone answers i'm makin' a new thread.

AxleIke

You may be okay with a diff drop, and the low pro bumpstops. There was a thread on here recently showing how much the diff was actually dropped when a diff drop is installed. Its not a ton. If you have manual hubs, its possible, but with drive flanges, hard to say. I personally wouldn't do it, but you can give it a shot. Worst case, you ruin a CV, replace it, and put on the regular bumpstops again.

Keep in mind that this post is originally several years old. The OP likely now has a solid axle, based on his avitar.

The diff drops are indeed only for the IFS, but I have no idea what you mean by "p/u years".

TC does require T100 axles for their kit, so if you are getting their kit, you will need those. However, those axles are several inches longer and would in no way fit your truck currently. The TC kit is a long travel set up, and replaces your lower a-arms with longer ones, hence the need for longer axles. They will not help you with the BJ spacer problem.

89pickupsr5

thanks pal, after i posted that i realized they wouldn't fit, just brainstormin'

oh, and p/u means pickup i heard that from marlin crawler on the receipt they called my truck an 89 toy p/u

Thanks, Drew

elripster

Just to clarify, you can use low pro compression (lower) bumpstops with spacers.

If you want to use the low pro extension (upper) stops you will need a diff drop as the CV's are the limiting factor.

As to whether you need to get manual hubs really depends on how much lift you decide to adjust in as opposed to the max droop since the CV's will only operate at max droop momentarily as you negotiate a trail.

Frank

hodgepodge79

I've been running 3/8" thick low-profile bumpstops (upper and lower) for about 2 years now with 1" bj spacers. I'm also using Gabriel Pro Guard p.n. 61549 shocks for a samarai (Compressed Length:9.625" Extended length:15.375" Travel Length:5.750" $21.99@autozone)
I haven't had any problems.

elripster

You can do that with the 1" spacer. To do that with the 1.5" spacers is starting to push it.

Frank

Matt16

How much extra travel, does the low profile bumpstop give? It is not the width of the bumpstop as the bumpstop is located half way down the A arm. Is it about 3/4" more travel in each direction assuming you have upper and lower low profiles? Am i right to assume that if you drop the 1" and the A arm extends only 3/4" lower, you are actually better off than stock bumpstops and no diff drop, as the CV's would be at a less steep angle?

elripster

You might be right. I don't believe a 1" diff drop actually drops the CV's 1 full inch though. I could be wrong so don't quote me.

At the angle the UCA is making on contact you are probably getting about 1.5X the amount you removed from the bumpstop taking into account how much the stock bumpstop compresses. I should measure that, it's been a long time since I calc'd that increase in travel.

Either way it sounds like you have a good combination and if you aren't having issues then that's a good thing.

Frank

Matt16

I haven't added the low pro bumpstops, the diff drop of the BJ spacers, but it's all on the mod wish list.

3/8" bumpstops compared to the one inch (compressed) high factory bumpstops means that you should get 5/8" x 1.5 = ~1" more wheel travel in for each bumpstop. Supposing you were to find a true one inch diff drop, then it should work perfectly.

Dropping the diff of course increases the upwards angle upon full compression. Because the wheel is loaded (thus compressed), does this increase the change of CV breakage of the compressed side? Anyone ever broken a CV on the compressed wheel (front locked guys excluded)?

Matt16

I've abandoned the idea of the diff drop, low pro bumpstops with BJ spacers together for the following reasons. It does not seem possible to drop the diff one inch at the point where the output shafts attach to the diff. Thus low profile extension bumpstops are out. Low profile compression stops are out at least until I were to get an IFS truss as I don't want the frame to spread and there's a reason Toyota used at least an inch of rubber there. The total cost to gain ~3" travel in the front is

BJ spacers, shipped.......$150
Alignment....................$100
Diff drop.....................$ 40 shipped, if I could find one for a 1986-1995 IFS
Low profile bumpstops...$ 30
Front shocks................$100

TOTAL: $420...that's $140/inch. There are similar surgeries that cost less.

Also, it has to be taken into consideration that one's chances of breaking a CV go up and driveline vibrations due to the steeper driveshaft angle and you expose yourself to more damage to the front diff. For a similar price, you could buy yourself a winch or a lunchbox locker. Right now, I will add low profile extension bumpstops and call it a day until after I lock the rear of my truck.

It has to be said though, if I had the money and I was due for an alignment and shocks anyways, I'd get BJ spacers alone as I would be able to convince myself that the mod only cost $150. But my truck tracks straight and the shocks are new (didn't know about BJ spacers until after the shocks were added).

elripster

You can add the low pro compression stops without fear of spreading the rear mounts. You have to be jumping high and often to do that. They can spread but with trail wheeling and normal fire road antics they are fine.

Have you checked out the alignment instructions on our website? I just realigned my truck after dealer did it "right" (relay rod recall) and once again I did a better job by hand than they did with the rack.

4crawler makes diff drops for our trucks.

Nice truck! Mine is the same color.

Frank

Matt16

Dark red 4Runners look great eh. Is aligning a 4Runner hard to do, I've done lots of engine work and replaced shocks, coils etc.

That's good to know low profile bumpstops won't damage the frame. The shop I talked to said it might, but I didn't tell him I had a 4Runner. I've never noticed bottoming out, but that didn't mean it hasn't happened. Is bottoming out likely to happen with "fire road antics" which is where my truck will see most abuse.

I really like the idea of getting more front flex, and I'd love to get BJ spacers as people seem pretty happy with them. The alignment was the $100 kicker for me so maybe I'll start saving then.

elripster

I think aligning a 4runner is rather easy. For example, when your camber is "in spec", it can look very crooked to your naked eye. If you put the square on the ground and up against the wheel, you can get the camber dead on. It is an iterative process meaning the first time you get it close. Then you adjust a bit more and get it closer. You always to the camber first then the toe. Once it's close it's very easy to "touch up" the alignment if it ever goes out again. There are instructions on our site, www.sdori.com.

You can get the rear a-arm mounts to spread with stock bumpstops, they will compress way down when the suspension is hit hard.

You certainly can keep the stock stops, they do cushion impact better. There are times when I used to wish I had them on my truck and others when I'm happier with the low pros. Now that I have shocks with bumpstops integrated (Doetsch 8000's) I don't miss the stock ones much at all.

Frank

Matt16

At least I'm sure I'll have no trouble aligning the rear wheels.

bry-an

hey matt... I was in a similar situation as you.. couldnt really justify the alignment but wanted more lift. I pieced together a rear lift, and once I had the back up 3 inches it looked retarded so I went with the spacers cause they are cheap and good.... got really good prices from strap22 on this forum... shipped fast. frank helped me with lots of questions about alignment (which by the way I havent done yet and it tracks perfect).

but I have to say a rear locker can get you farther than some lift... do em both . it was totally worth it and is really easy to do.

elripster

I hope the alignment instructions work out for you guys. It's a little tricky at first but very liberating when you realize you no long have to face the fee every time you change something or wheel just a tad too hard. Given what engine repair can be, it's actually very easy. Two hours and trust me, you steering wheel will be dead straight like when it was new.

Frank