ChefYota4x4

iTrader: (5)

Joby, I think LBeard mentioned he's tightened things up already with shackles....so maybe those longer coils are already under more load, causing them to get firmer. However, he did get 3.5" out of them...so not sure either. All I know is, mine was like riding on a rock with my flat springs, and when I'd hit even a 4" parking lot bump.... CRUNCH on the bump stops, lol.. The zuk is a lil firmer than I'd probably be with a whole OME leaf pack kit... but that's ok.....it was 70$, reversible, DIY ready and I was on a budget...Plus, like I read from others, it's a nice ride. I do really like it, aside from the occasional squeaking and 'bloinnnnnnnng' when they stretch hard, and I seemed to have more flex, not less, after adding them. I posted pics on that thread, lol. I know, poser stuff, but that's ok, I had lots to still work on to be trail ready. Still do have a bit, lol.

Philbert

iTrader: (2)

My sig has some photos of my zuk mod. I would go with 14" and cut if too high...

Good luck!

Joby8103

chef ill have those pics up in a few hours after work. thanks a bunch. And like i mentioned i have longer shackles in rear. will that affect me?

Joby8103

alrigh chef here it is. I cant get an accurate measure on fenders but the very front of (not sure what its called) Pinch weld? is 20" and the very back by rear fender in 21.5" so im guessing im right at an inch and a half taller in the rear.
and I dont think it looks bad. so if i did the zuk at 3" and the BJ spacer in front my rake would still be 1 1/2. and id be happy with that. so question is go 14 and cut if need or go 12 and expect 3" like you guys got?

Joby8103

I think i have decided to go with the 12" 125#. from what i have read i think its the way to go!

BC4runner88

Hey Philbert, I'm going to be doing your version of the zuk mod this weekend until, at least until my welder buddy gets back from his honeymoon. Selfish bastard not staying home to help me out. lol

Anyways, my question to everyone is. How important is it to install the 1.5" BJ spacers after the rear zuk mod. I'm probably going to use the 14" on 125lbs rating. I was reading the install instructions on 4crawler website and he seems to make it sound complicated. Is it a simple DIY mod or should I get the shop to do it?

bobby_duce

the bj spacer install isnt bad at all, just take your time and you should be fine. theres a really good pic by pic thread on here somewhere!

id say wait untill you get the bj spacers and do everything at once!

ChefYota4x4

iTrader: (5)

Hey Dude, lol... Sorry man, very busy this time of the year, through the years end, pretty much... so I can only check in when guests are not chatting me up in the kitchen, etc. lol....

Anyway, I think the reason that Philbert and Cougar(GREAT guys with great projects, always! lol) are for the 14" method, then cut down if necessary, is because it's hard to tell exactly what you're going to get out of these, depending on certain factors(how tired are your springs, do you have an AAL, blocks, etc., etc., etc)....and so, if the 14" brings you up to 4" up in the rear, turning you into a dego, even with the BJ spacers... then you simply measure out the proper ratio, front to rear(2.5" higher in the front, wheel top to wheel well top than the same measurement in the rear), then cut off an inch, maybe, slap it back in and measure again, then cut again if you have to until you get it right..... ya know? The 100# rating might have been another reason...it's a lil softer. I carry lots of weight in mine, often, and EVERY trip I take...so I wanted to have a lil more resistance to the loads.

However, I spoke to Zuk, and then a few others with the 12"x125# coils, and they pretty much, universally, wound up with 2.75-3", as long as they had NO lift, NO AAL and flat springs. With my set up, with stock flat springs, I had 10", rear measurement. Most of the other guys I spoke to, and Zuk, told me I'd get anywhere from 2.5-3"....and that's exactly what I got. That's why I chose the 12"x125#..... I didn't want to cut on it, cuz it's spun, tapered, and shaved flat at the top and bottom...and I wanted to keep it that way.

Maybe you could go with 12"x100#, and then you'd maybe get 2-2.5???? Not sure, I'd ask Zuk to get his opinion, etc. Either way, it's a cheap investment, for now, compared to what you'd have to do to get the same height, just in the rear. When I cut off the metal stop plates, I kept them.... I mean, why not, eh? That way I can weld them back on if I decide to slap in some chevy springs or OME or something.

ChefYota4x4

iTrader: (5)

YES, I kinda wish I'd done that.... But, then I couldn't have taken my trip without probably snapping my leaf pack in half! hahaha. But yes, to get a better idea of the height you'd need in rear...might even be best to do the Spacers, first.

ChefYota4x4

iTrader: (5)

Hey Dude, lol... Sorry man, very busy this time of the year, through the years end, pretty much... so I can only check in when guests are not chatting me up in the kitchen, etc. lol....

Anyway, I think the reason that Philbert and Cougar(GREAT guys with great projects, always! lol) are for the 14" method, then cut down if necessary, is because it's hard to tell exactly what you're going to get out of these, depending on certain factors(how tired are your springs, do you have an AAL, blocks, etc., etc., etc)....and so, if the 14" brings you up to 4" up in the rear, turning you into a dego, even with the BJ spacers... then you simply measure out the proper ratio, front to rear(2.5" higher in the front, wheel top to wheel well top than the same measurement in the rear), then cut off an inch, maybe, slap it back in and measure again, then cut again if you have to until you get it right..... ya know? The 100# rating might have been another reason...it's a lil softer. I carry lots of weight in mine, often, and EVERY trip I take...so I wanted to have a lil more resistance to the loads.

However, I spoke to Zuk, and then a few others with the 12"x125# coils, and they pretty much, universally, wound up with 2.75-3", as long as they had NO lift, NO AAL and flat springs. With my set up, with stock flat springs, I had 10", rear measurement. Most of the other guys I spoke to, and Zuk, told me I'd get anywhere from 2.5-3"....and that's exactly what I got. That's why I chose the 12"x125#..... I didn't want to cut on it, cuz it's spun, tapered, and shaved flat at the top and bottom...and I wanted to keep it that way.

Maybe you could go with 12"x100#, and then you'd maybe get 2-2.5???? Not sure, I'd ask Zuk to get his opinion, etc. Either way, it's a cheap investment, for now, compared to what you'd have to do to get the same height, just in the rear. When I cut off the metal stop plates, I kept them.... I mean, why not, eh? That way I can weld them back on if I decide to slap in some chevy springs or OME or something.

Philbert

iTrader: (2)

Well, I started with a 4" lift on my IFS up front (bracket) and 4 inch blocks in the back, with rear springs tha were almost inverted...so when I did the ZUK mod, I gained just over 4 inches, but lost the 4 inches of the blocks I took out. Now it sits about the same, but rides much better. Since you're starting from stock (right?), you'll likely have a "rake" - your rear will be higher than your front when done - you may want to do the BJ spacers up font to even things out....I'd wait till you finish the rear to find out how bad the difference is. Remember, as Chef says, you can always cut the rear 14" springs a little to even things out.

BJ spacers require some cutting with an angle grinder but it seems pretty easy to do (if you can do the ZUK mod, you cna do this...just follow online DIYs).

Let us know what you end up doing?

Good luck!

ZUK

iTrader: (1)

I'm thinking use the 12x125 and remove the AAL....

lbeard_gv

Sorry, didn't mean to lead you astray...I like what they did for my ride (level, doesn't bottom out, etc.). I guess for the amount of $$ invested, they are AWESOME...just doesn't flex off-road.
-L

Junkers88

That is the truth. The ride is incredible but there isn't any huge amount of flex. I will say that it does flex more since the leaf pack has more than 3" to travel before it hits the bump stop.

Pics.