BigBluePile

iTrader: (3)

Oh, I'm sure I could wrangle up something, there's plenty of rabbits and racoons and stuff runnin' around up here!! Besides, algranger's up here with a shotgun somewhere so we could probably score some possum too!! LOL!!!

lofreqjeff

I recently did the ZUK spring mod and I love it! I did the exact same thing you are doing - 1.5" BJ spacers to backed off the torsion bars. I got a used pair of 2" Downey leafs, but they ended up being the same height as the stock ones. I happened to be at ZUK's place getting a locker installed and he sold me on the idea to get the weight off the overload springs. I don't remember which springs I got, but I can find out when I get home.

When we were done, it ended up lifting the rear a little more than 2" and took the weight off the overload springs as well as giving the best ride I've ever had in a 20 year old truck. Now I can load it up with all the camping gear and firewood I can. It doesn't sag at all and still rides super smooth on the highway even fully loaded.

I'm still at the office, but I'll post some pics tonite if you're interested.

lofreqjeff

For those who care - Pics:

BMC

I also have the 3" downey springs in the rear and 1.5" 4 crawler bj spacers in the front. It rides real nice with this set up and the flex is decent.

Diesel_Freak

I'd sugest the Old Man Emu Springs over the Downey bits...lots of issues with un-even setteling out there with Downey's stuff. Frankly if you're going with STOCK LENGTH springs... go OME, Dever or Alcan... OME is the best Value and they flex like mad once they're broken in. Plus I flogged OME equiped Cruisers in Australia and ARB/OME makes good products that are made to withstand the harshest conditions and still shine...

I consistantly haul thousands of poun ds of Rafting gear with my 4Runner and they (my OME Dakar springs) just keep taking it adn riding BEAUTIFULY...

that's my .02

Cheers

Dave

tj884Rdlx

wow! this thread is turning out nicely. thanx everyone who's chimed in here.

@ junker: so you're going with the spring mod now, hm? great, way to flip flop on me! hah

i am going to do the downey 3"s (unless someone else has experience with the OME's AND DOWNEYS AND SAYS OTHERWISE) because i think i just want some new springs in there and the price is right for a pair. i will swap in the spring board as website indicates. maybe afterward i will do the coil mod as well. but i do want to remove these tired 21 yr olds, and i need rear bushings anyway.

i took some pics of my springs, and the front control arms too. I'm interested in y'all's opinion on THE SHACKLES (which came with the truck, and the T BAR SETTINGS up front. Can you tell if they're currently at stock or not by the little round thing with the hole in it? you can see how level they are in relation to the curb in the background. do the shackles look reusable, or should i blow em out for the kind with the H-shape?

corax

here's the write-up from my recent Old Man Emu install . . . so far I like them alot, but haven't had a chance to really wheel them because of fuel line rust and brake upgrade issues (unless you count fireroads @ 3x the speed I could take them before)

OME install

corax

those are the camber/caster adjustments, don't go turning those. The t-bars run along the frame rails back from the upper control arms

Here's a pic of someone adjusting a torsion bar

tj884Rdlx

WOW MAN, that's some write up! thanx for including this link here. it looks like the hot rod shackles you used are similar to mine. i guess they're legit, huh? i thought it was a home made thing.

aha, alignment markers, i was wondering what those things were. i can see they're not set the same. but i know this truck has taken a whack to the front right, so i wonder if something is bent requiring the difference in settings. no matter, an alignment is in the future after i get the bj spacers in.

so based on the visual of the LCA to the curb, does it look like i'm raised up on t-bar cranking? i've been reading a lot about this torsion bar config, but all my vehicles have been rack n' pinion fwd stuff. this is all new for me.

corax

They're not the best thing going for sure. I only used them because they were cheap ($15) and I knew I wouldn't have any of those big holes between the frame and the leaf springs (weak point). If/when you go with new leaf springs, be sure to use the "short" hole in those shackles and cut off the excess so it doesn't snag.

Junkers88

Man I'm sorry about that. Yes I'm doing the ZUK mod. It's cheaper than new leaves and I've got a welder/CNC guy making me some mounts and BJ spacers. Total out of pocket for 1 1/2" in the front and 3" in the rear is going to be 75$. The coils work wonders on my pickup and from what I've read do about the same on the 4runners. I'll post a build thread when it happens so you can drool.

BigBluePile

iTrader: (3)

Oh boy can't wait!!! I wanna see some rear axle stuff pics!!!








Seriously though, pics or it didn't happen.

nmtoy

I think you will be fine with Downey springs. Be sure to remove your load leaf from your old springs and install it in the new spring pack.

Your torsion bars do not look to be cranked too much. If you look at the distance between the bumpstops and the control arms you can see they are pretty even top and bottom.

Those are some scary shackles... When I had 6 1/2" shackles it sat way too high in the rear so I bought some 4crawler 3 1/2" ones and it's level now.

Here is a pic of my 4runner with stock length shackles, 3" Downey springs, BJ spacers and relaxed torsion bars. The truck is Junkers.


I'm the first to admit I don't wheel my truck hard but I want it to stay together if I decide to.

Robb

BLKNBLU

iTrader: (1)

In regards to OME, they are a good product. When I did my springs in 2005 I wanted OME but chose the Downeys strictly on price. At the time there was a large discrepancy in price i.e. $186 per pair vs $210 each. Now Downey has gone up some in price and OME has come down as they have shifted production to somewhere in Asia. (Thailand I think, but I wouldn't swear to it) Supposedly OME is following production quality very closely and I've not heard any complaints since the switch. Now pricing is very similar IIRC so either choice is available to you more readily. I can only speak to the Downeys as that is what I had and I felt I got good service from them.

On the shackles, I ran my Downeys on the stock shackle (3 1/2 inch eye to eye) and was happy with the result. I did it that way mainly because I'm a cheap SOB. I figured to see what the result was from the springs first and then swap shackles if and only if I was still unhappy with the results or performance. I'm guessing you will want to do something with those shackles you've got there. Likely some one already made the effort to get rid of saggy rear at some point. But you certainly have the option to wait and see how the springs work out first and adjust from there. Here is some good shackle tech over at Roger Browns site.
http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/ForSale/Shackles.shtml

On the front, those LCAs look pretty level. You can probably stand to crank them up a little. Maybe a half inch? Don't get greedy. Again you can also wait til the spacers are in and adjust from there. Get a measurement from the wheel well edge to the lip of your rim before you start so you have a point of reference. Good luck.

tj884Rdlx

@ Robb, Jeff, Dave, corax, and BlknBlu:

THANK YOU THANK YOU, for chimin' in here. This is excellent info for IFS runners with 33s. I really appreciate the input here. I am going to price compare the downeys and the OME's and see what my wallet decides. I think I noticed once before that OME doesn't offer a 3" leaf, only a 2".

I'll be looking forward to your install on the Zuk coil trick, I will replace the leafs now, and save that as an option for later on. I know these leafs and these shackles gotta go. I'll get them installed, then see what is the best shackle to put in to level off and place another order with 4crawler then.

also, thanx for the eyeball on my t-bars, i didn't think they were adjusted much if at all, and no i don't want to bring them more than 1/2" above stock, that's why i sprung for the 1" B.L.

man i am excited. meanwhile, i heard today about this SE4RJ THING i have to check what that's about too. it's been too long i've been waiting to get to this point with my runner.

thanx again y'all! and of course more input that comes in is certainly appreciated!
tj

tj884Rdlx

@BMC

man that runner is pretty. is that new paint? my truck is on the way to becoming its twin. i cant wait 'til its time for the paint phase, but that is last. i just put on the soft 8s, but with BFG A/Ts, and i'm about to strip the chrome moldings and go all black and red. i see you pulled your mldgs. any regrets to that? some say to keep for added protection, but i think they just hold moisture for rust potential.

what do you think about your chrome grille? i just bought a new one from flea bay, cuz that's what my truck has, but now i'm thinking of black or maybe red to match.

man that is a nice truck, bro. i like the bumper choice as well. not sure if i'm going tube or plate, but i'm going to have something custom made locally. or i may modify something that's sold for jeeps to get a tire carrier/bumper on the back.

corax

If you want to fit 33x10.5x15 tires on stock rims (stock width and backspacing) you don't actually have to lift that much. I think 1-2" will get the sheet metal away from the tire and a hammer on the body seam in the rear of the front wheel wells will take care of that close spot - remember, for actual offroading it's better to lift only what you have to to clear the tires you want to run, the goal is to keep the center of gravity as low as you can for better stability

tj884Rdlx

i already have the 33s on the truck. i need to take a new pic and update my info. hm, maybe i do that right now.

my wheels are 15x8 with 4" b.s. so they're outside of fender edge just a little. i have already smashed the @#$% out of my pinch weld, i really need trimming to clean it up. *later* the 1.5" suspension in front and the 3" leafs in back i think will be enough height for my needs, and since this sounds like a common set up for 33s on IFS (judging by the feedback here) i feel confident with going this route and i'm buying parts now.

the 1" b.l. will give me some additional clearance for adding sliders and bumpers last. sound like a good plan? this is what i conjured from reading here and at 4crawler. what a great site RC has compiled.

i owe so much to the folks here at YT for guidance with my truck. i really wish i was going to se4rj but i have booked plans in FL. already for that weekend.

tj884Rdlx

yeah! body lift kit, poly bushings, and bj spacers are here! thanx RC~ hopefully i can get this lift done this weekend. woohoo!

tj884Rdlx

update:

ok so i put the bj spacers in, and had it aligned. i had the t-bars set back to stock. apparently they were cranked to the max, because now the truck is LOWER than it was before the spacers! but my top a-arms are parallel to the ground now, which is how it should be i reckon. i gotta get my 1" bl in this weekend as i'm rubbing again. and i guess i'm going to order the 3" downey leafs, as i don't have welding abilities.