DON'T CARE DON'T CARE DON'T CARE

 

Hey Chris, my leafs where flat damn near inverted when i got the runner. I went down to the local Les Shwab and now my rear sits higher than the front. also that was 5 years ago!!! New Leafs are the proper way to go but when money is tight the add a leaf works great. I actually prefer the way it rode before i added new shocks last month with just the add a leaf and broke shocks. I would almost garrantee that you will need new U bolts as well. $87 for a shackle? not in my lifetime. also if you do one shackle you need to do both. Be careful when buying OME stuff. it used to be that you could order straight from OME, now you have to buy from ARB and they jacked the prices just like on everything they sell.

 

I went down this road last summer.

In the end, 4Wheel Parts Wholesalers was the best deal, all things considered. The shipping on this stuff is huge, due to weight. 4Wheel parts will order it for you and have it delivered to their store for you to pick up. I ordered the 2" rear leafs, the front T-bars, the shocks front/back, and the bushing kits for the rear leafs. I also bought the ARB Bull Bar and Warn M8000from them. Even with sales tax (ga, 9.25% in Santa Rosa) they were the lowest cost due to the shipping charges.

You do not need the front T-bars unless you are running a winch and offroad bumper. If you are running the stock bumper on the front, no need.

You will need new shocks in the rear with the OME springs, as the stock length units will not be long enough.

As for the front, you can crank the T-bars, but, there is not much droop travel in there at stock height and if you crank it up 1.5"-2" you will have no droop travel at all and a harsher ride due to the suspension geometry at ride height (more angle on the control arms, less lever arm). Given the lack of droop travel you will lift the front tires off the ground on a minimal height rock, etc. If you have a locker in the front, that is not as big of a deal, because if you lift a tire in the air the locker will keep traction on the one that is planted on the ground. Without a locker, you effectly lose all traction in the front as the tire in the air spins at 2x speed. (open diff)

So, if you are not going to put the BJ spacers in the front, which requires new shocks also (more money), I would just do the Zuk mod or add-a-leafs in the rear to level it out.

I have my stock set of leafs in my side yard. I'm not sure if you can take one leaf out of them and add them to your pack or not. Anyone know? You can have them for free, but you have to pick them up or pay shipping for the leaf. I would pull the leaf for you, I'm that nice of a guy.


Looking forward to this trip.

Mike

 

unless you've got the cash, i'd just get add a leafs for now, they're cheap. i was in the same boat as you and was about to get them knowing they'd only be temporary until i did it right. decided it was not worth the extra $100 + my time to do do the temporary fix, and then have to do it again later since i knew that i would eventually install new leafs; plus, i needed my truck to haul some materials. what really sealed the deal for me was getting my tax return during that time so i could fund the upgrade. IIRC, the shipping for my stuff was free since the order was over like $500. it got mine from trdparts4u, dunno if they've raised their prices since but i paid under $1k for everything in a 2" lift minus the t-bars and shackles.

where is that price total from? what kind of leafs are those? if you're gonna do that, skip the shackles. i did. stock shackles will work fine as long as they're in good condition and you can always swap those later down the road very easily. if you can scrounge the extra cash, i'd put new shocks up front since you'd be doing the rear. a new steering stabilizer makes a HUGE difference as well. bj spacers, if they sell them, might as well buy them at the same time or you're gonna pay shipping twice when you'll eventually want them - plus they'll give you the extra droop that we all need.


DON'T CARE on date. dunno what the calendar says at home, but in the ideal world i'd say BOTH! even if we don't go back there twice, i'd like to go to at least rattlesnake bar.

 

ill let you know when rattlesnake bar is open man.

 

well according to the parks.gov website, they'll close Rattlesnake Bar when the water level is below 425 ft. and the current level is 399 ft. i'm guessing it won't be until late March/April that they open it up.

 

sposed to open march 31st.

i ordered my aussie locker today! should get it thursday

 

cool, we will need pics

 

most of the gates up here open the last friday of the month in non-snow areas as well (march).

 

They are from 4x4connection... http://www.4by4connection.com/ifsrearleafs.html

They are OME leafs. I know a guy who's friend was really into modding out his 4runner and am going to see if he knows anywhere local that might have parts.

 

Well Fairy, you talked me into it. The ready welder should be headed my way in the next 15-22 days. along with a Big Agnes flying diamond 6 from REI. Des wants a tent big enough for the 4 of us and a seperate room for sierra to sleep in. I might actually make the trip down to sac to check it out first but it looks like the only viable option for a 4 season family tent. We are talking about a coast trip for our late anniversary this year. camp out on the beach or some small camp ground near the beach.

 

Sportsmansguide has some great deals sometimes on tons of stuff.

Their tents
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/b...ents.aspx?c=80

They sell lots of surplus stuff so their inventory is always changing. Some stuff is new some is used.

The military surplus is my favorite. Great camping jackets for cheap.
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/b...aspx?c=2&dc=74

 

that tent is pretty nice looking. the price is not to bad either.

I still need to order my welder. just got to do my maintenance first.

 

The only other tent I ever considered was the Sierra Designs wuhu but it is pretty strictly a 3 season. waitin on tax return. I thought i was gonna have to pay in and I am getting what I paid in back with interest.

 

They have the WuHu. Just saying, Sports Mans Guide has some killer deals sometimes if you into camping. They are always worth a gander.

I think you should look into the Grand Mothership 12 man tent. Bring along some friends or sleep all the yota crew in one tent. Only $4,000

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/c....aspx?a=557472

 

sounds like your offering chris, lol

 

Of we haven't come to a date yet , I revote for 19-20
I can get those days off for sure.

 

I am not sure I wanna sleep with all the guys in one tent, tell ya what, i will bring the tent and all the ladies can sleep in there with me, that way it lightens the loads in all your trucks, all you have to do is bring a one man tent. See problem solved, just lookin out for all of ya
I am pretty set on the Big Agnes for family campin. Good strong tent for a decent price. withstands 60mph gusts with out support lines so with lines???? If the wife comes it will come with us but if she does not it will just be me in the XPG ultralight.

 

oh and for the record I have to vote for the first weekend, I have family crap to do the following weekend. (dad's Bday and I believe fathers day)

 

well the vote has run for a week. the verdict looks like the trip will take place on the weekend of the 12-13.

if you did not know already, i will arrive there to camp the night on the 11. we will be meeting up at Bear Rez. dam in the morning. If any one wants to join my self and moon your are welcome to hang out with to relax the evening and night away.