dawa88

I purchased my truck with 3in lift blocks in the rear and completely cranked torsion bars in the front. I knew this was definitely the cop-out version of a lift, but I knew id get around to doing something about it. Ive got BJ spacers to get the front end to ride better (pending installation), but Im curious about the rear end.

I dont have much money right now so replacing the rear springs isnt really in my budget. Im just wondering what people think is the better option, zuk mod or lift blocks? I do understand both arent ideal, but Ive heard opinions both ways.

Sturmcrow

Pickup or 4Runner?

Zuk mod has great reviews, especially for on-road. It will inherently decrease your travel a bit for offroad, but would still be much better than 3" blocks. You could look into the no-cut Zuk mod, which will cost very little and is reversible.

If you can weld, installing a single heavy spring in the middle of the rear axle seems to work the best all around, but involves a bit of modification.

dawa88

Sorry, definitely spaced on the vehicle specs. 89 ext cab pickup. I definitely use it more on road, but its my hunting/fishing/adventuring rig as well. I was hoping to do the no-cut mod, and I should have some springs lined up to do it (stock front coils from a 92 xj), but Ill have to measure those.

Ive just thought that you cant really get a worse lift than blocks so anything is an improvement

JohnnyCanuck

Zuk mod is cheap, you can do it with TJ springs (uncut bumper stops) or with racing coils (cut bumper stops). I used the racing coils, under $100, threw out my 3" lift blocks and have same lift and way better ride. I'm going to replace springs or put 63" chevy springs in but I'm impressed with the lift and ride I got from the coil springs.

dawa88

Awesome! Good to hear that the ride got better! Ill definitely be doing a proper lift when I get the chance but being in school means not much to spend on the truck for a couple more years

ToyoTech559

how does it decrease travel. i did the Zuk mod and i have the same amount of travel as before and than some since i had to run longer shocks


i love my zuk mod but i plan to change it out soon for some chevy 63 since the zuk mod cant keep up with my long travel up front

Sturmcrow

With a locker in the rear it will not matter, but by adding in another spring, you are increasing the spring rate. My instinct is that for the same difference in elevation between right and left with zuk and no-zuk, you will have less traction on the lower side with a zuk mod. You will also have more body roll.

Robert m

iTrader: (2)

if you already have the blocks, then id just keep them (cant get any cheaper then that) and save the money for better leafs.
besides that, the zuk mod has always stricken me as being real hokey and unsafe and not something i would ever do on my truck.

ToyoTech559

zuk mod increase spring rate. install add a leaf or lifting leaf springs will also increase spring rate. so if zuk mod decrease travel, so does lifting springs.

with my zuk mod, i have already went neg arch on my leaf springs when flex out, so it didnt decrease much imo lol



op, if your looking to do the zuk mod. look around on some other new gen 4runner forums and see if you can get a set of rear stock 3rd gen 4runner coil spring. its what i did and its rides pretty good. the leaf springs are basically become links like in a 3-4 link system and the coil does all the work. just make sure you get correct length shocks if you do

benja455

Please explain to me how it's unsafe.

Robert m

iTrader: (2)

i dont know of any mishaps on hand but looking unsafe and hacked together is enough for me to not want it on my vehicle and not promote it. id rather do it right with new leafs then halfass it.
ive seen coil springs do funky things when they get used on things they weren't meant for or not secured properly, so i just imagine one coming loose from vibration or dislodging and launching from the truck.

benja455

Normally, I would agree with you about half assing things but: A) The Zuk mod doesn't really look hacked together - especially the no cut version. Looks pretty clean, actually. B) Given the wide range of people on this site, including many professional techs and veteran off road drivers, you're the first person I've seen express an issue with the Zuk mod. C) How long has the Zuk mod been around? Has there been any problems associated with it? As far as I know it has a pretty long track record. Full disclosure: I have not done the Zuk mod. I am simply considering it.

JohnnyCanuck

You've got quite the imagination.

Yamiryder

about the zuk mod being unsafe, from my experience it's hard to get the spring in when doing the no cut version. And that's when the vehicle is flexed and the spring has no energy. Highly doubt a spring could fly out under compression between the bumps. BUT, back to the OP, i always thought the zuk mod rode really rough IMO.

dawa88

Yeah, I understand that it will be a rough ride in comparison to stock or aftermarket springs but will it be worse than with blocks?

JohnnyCanuck

Ideally, I'd like to put the chevy 63" springs in, you can buy them pretty cheap at any autowreckers and that is my next plan, but in the meantime, for an hours worth of work and under $100, it was well worth it. The ride with the Zuk mod can depend on what spring you get, check out the zuk mod threads and you'll see some links to the springs; it is noticeably better riding for the springs I use. As for it coming apart, your rear suspension can only flex as much as your shocks can, so it's impossible for the coil spring to just fly out.

ToyoTech559

I don't know how many times I have seen a jeep loose its rear coil spring due to excessive droop. The spring just falls right out. No load at all. Wait and this is a jeep designed to have coils lmao. Yea zuk mod is unsafe that I had to uses and spring compressor and unbolt the rear leaf bolt just to fit them in.

I still think zuk mod is cheaper and will ride better than any direct fit leaf springs. Unless you go custom leaf but you looking at $500 plus for a set. Chevy 63 is a great option but your looking at $50-100 for used springs with unknown amount of lift than you will need a welder and ~$150 in hardware to install them.

derockus

iTrader: (1)

i have a no-cut TJ spring zuk mod.

my opinions are: it definitely put the ride height of the frame where it should be since the rear leaves were flattened out and i had that saggy-butt look.

i used 14" TJ springs cut to 12"... cutting the springs increases the spring rate (makes them stiffer). my truck rides really nice when it is fully (and i mean fully) loaded with camping gear and people. empty, its a little rough in the back.

there is no way at full axle droop for the coils to come out. i jacked my frame up, let the axle droop, then had to compress the heck out of the TJ springs to get them to fit between the bump stops. I realize just drooping by gravity can be shorter than a droop that is being helped by the opposite wheel being stuffed, but there is 3" of upper and 2-3" of lower bump stop that the coil spring is looped over. additionally, if the spring were to come out in a full droop scenario it would be totally uncompressed and would just fall out, not come flying out fully loaded.

i don't think you can zuk mod enough to provide an above-stock "lift" in the rear. it does a great job leveling your truck out if you have flattened rear springs. but it would not get you up to matching the lift height of a bj spacer lift. you may notice creaking, springy, and pingy noises from them after the first few rides (that goes away) and maybe some creaking when stuffing and unloading the rear end later on.

pic before:


pic after:


It was a little stink-bug (higher in rear) for a little bit after i installed. it has since settled to nice and level.

ToyoTech559

deruckus- what shocks are you using? i know after i did my zuk mod, the shocks was maxed out lol. i have since changed it but i did get an above stock height lift, at least 2.5-3 inches. since i dont know what stock height would be im kinda guessing. my blazeland LT up front gives me 3 inches of lift or so and my truck sits pretty level so the rear must be the same right??

derockus

iTrader: (1)

I used Bilsteins, dunno the model#. They matched the travel on the old beater shocks that came off it. You can see my build thread for how much it changed. I have a 2" body lift if my truck looks higher than stock.