ToyoTech559

ahh, i bet your shocks are limited your droop travel. should take them out and cycle the rear to see how much travel you really have and if the shocks are limiting anything

the springs i used for my zuk mod gave me a lift for sure

Robert m

iTrader: (2)

lol I knew this was going to ruffle feathers...
just because I'm the first person to say it on here doesnt mean I'm the only one who thinks this way. I've been in conversations in person and read on one other forum about this mod and it was thought to be a bandaid fix at best and a little ghetto to do. why not fix it right and just save up and get new leafs? or add a leaf to your pack? when leafs get tired and sagged out, the next step is to bend or snap. putting a coil on the axle might take some of the load off the leafs but they are still flexing and getting closer to the end of there life.
OP, like I said before you already have the blocks and they are already installed. unless you are getting massive amounts of axle wrap and are braking things, I'd just leave it as is and get new leafs soon. the zuk mod might only cost $100 to do but that would be $100 closer to getting the new leafs.

RAD4Runner

Zuk will definitely improve quality, and is affordable. WE know.

Block lift only increases ground clearance and looksbetter than sagging. However, it does not improve ride quality.

Replacement stock will only sag again.

Old Man Emu upgrade is solid. However, because of 2-inch lift above stock, it adds further complexity; Requires to lift the front to compensate. Ball joint spacers is the popular solution. OME torsion bar is another. However, either would add more stress to CV joints and CV boots.

To eliminate the need to modify the front end, try 12-inch 125-pound Black Magic springs (this requires cutting the upper bump stops). Mine does not have noticeable rake.

So replacement springs are out of the question.

No need to imagine Springs are secure



My zuk mod here.

Hoss89

Dawa88, you're going to keep hearing opinions for both ways. I did a bunch of research myself and read through a bunch of stuff on Zuk's site and ended up doing the no cut mod. I've had it on for about a year and I am pretty happy with them. I will change them out sooner or later for new leafs. I have BJ Spacers up front and I ride level. I had an '87 4Runner and I put 2" blocks in the rear to take out the sag. I don't remember any problems with ride quality or wrap up, but it was only 2". I have noticed a definite improvement in ride quality loaded and unloaded with the Zuk Mod. I used the Black Magic racing springs. So far so good...

JohnnyCanuck

I changed to bilsteins too. I was going to do the no cut version but I knew I was moving and the out-of-province inspection sheets indicate they will not pass you if you've cut the spring.

ToyoTech559

Blocks are actually worst if your springs are already flat. They will go neg arch more often and snap. Your springs just lost its spring rate but the zuk mod will basically re arch them and take a lot of the load off. If the spring is on its way out than why do companies re arch your flat springs if its about to break. I'm one if the few I have seen flex the crap out of my rig and yet I rather wait till it breaks to replace it

dawa88

Alright guys that's great!! Seems like the no cut mod definitely gets the benefit of the doubt over the blocks so I'll likely go forward with that. Probably have to wait till I get back home to van in December. But thanks so much for the advise!!

clacker

i bought a truck that had the zuk done to it and because the frame wasnt great it caused more problems and stress to it. after a few hard hit wheeling (my own fault nothing to do with the mod) i ended up cutting out and replacing the rear frame. unless your frame is mint i would stay away from it just to prevent future problems.

i do like it better then blocks but found lots of cheap lift springs. my current toy is getting 63" chevs and it will around $500 by the time its done. springs $75 complete swap kit was $150 new ubolts bushings and getting it put in at a frame shop around $300 for labour.

theres always soemthing extra but still not expensive

HighLux

Blocks have been know to crush or come out. They are the unsafe option.

Ill admit zuk mod works. Dont see why its not safe at all. Is it a bandaid fix to what you should really do? Yes.

Logic dictates to do new rear leafs. Lifted or stock. Do the bushings while you are at it. Greasable shackle is a nice goodie. Do the shocks if needed while you are at it and if your parking brake doesnt work...this is the time to fix it as well. POR 15 that rearend too.

So...

jank it up.
bandaid it.
fix it right.

what kind of person are you?

Kruser3005

+1 No Cut No Bolt Zuk Mod on a '89 Runner

RSR

Not sure why everyone went directly to zuk mod...

Do you really need that 3" lift for your tires?

If not, why not remove the blocks, install extended greasable shackles, and release your tbars until your truck is back to level?

It'll give you a much better ride, not be jerry rigged, and be a component you'll need and re-use when you decide to do a proper lift...

Or delete the blocks in entirety, relax the torsion bars, and install a 1-2" body lift...

Both routes will give you approx 1/2 of that 3" lift without continuing the bad practices of the previous owner...

Hoss89

Everyone probably went directly to Zuk Mod cuz they have had a better experience with them over lift blocks. Maybe some, such as myself, have not had experience with extended shackles and other bits to comment on them. I didn't measure the gain I received from the mod. It removed my negative arch and made me level with the BJ spacers up front. As some have said, it can be considered more of a bandaid fix until you are able to afford a better route.

My ride is awesome with the mod.

Personally I don't like the gap you get with a body lift or the extra noticeability of the frame.

As they say, different strokes, for different folks.

dawa88

Yeah the ride is horrendous at the moment, torsion bars cranked and lift blocks makes for a ride not dissimilar from a brick with wheels. I also dont really like the look of a body lift, BJ spacers will be going in and then Ill loosen off the torsion bars around xmas time, same with the zuk mod.

ToyoTech559

It's such an bandaid fix that there is a company in Australia sells kits to run coil springs and advertise saying get the best of both worlds. Leaf and coil spring suspension.
In a sense you basically get a budget link set up where the leafs are links.

Coil springs will ride better than new set if leaf springs. Aal or longer shackles. Longer shackles is just as bad as blocks on flat springs lol. Longer shackles is more of a bandaid fix as well as blocks

Kruser3005

Check out this thread too.
They talk about replacing leafs on a PU. It is a PITA!
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f199...rrived-245272/

RSR

I guess I didn't realize the OP had flat springs...

If dawa88 doesn't have flat springs, then I suppose other options I mentioned can be explored if he doesn't need that full 3" of lift...

I personally can't tell much of a difference w/ 1-1.5" body spacers.

Extended rear shackles seem like an option not to pay double to get where you ultimately want to be... Personally, I like to figure the ultimate end goal and then work back from there with vehicle mods, instead of the getting buy route which seems to closely parallel the buy cheap, pay twice and fix twice route that too many go...

Those Ironman springs look nice. The only other springs I've seen recently that I care for are the Old Man Emus that ARB USA sells. I also like OME torsion bars (think I'm leaning towards ARB over smittybuilt for a new front bumper and will probably do the OME torsion at the same time).

Here's nice writeup I saw recently on the ARB/OME kit for our trucks: http://desktoglory.com/old-man-emu-suspension-install/