Well, I decided to buy myself a X-mas present this year...got a spring hanger kit from a well known company. I wanted to cut out my homebrew/redneck hanger system and put one on that is "engineered" so I can feel a little better about it on the trail and the road being my rig is a daily driver. Got all the parts and began to "mock" up the sytem. In doing so I noticed that the bolt holes on the hanger are sitting at slight angles, basically they're not parallel to the hanger itself, or to each other. For example, if I got a long 18mm dowel and slid it through one set of holes it wouldn't slide through the other end. After an initial e-mail to the tech address, they were requesting pics. Sent some pics to the tech guy, no response. I called the tech line and they stated that the person I was in coorespondence with went home sick and won't be back till Monday. Phone tech informed me that since it's an aftermarket part it's not going to be perfect....not exactly the answer I wanted to hear but after talking about it for a bit longer the guy did kinda see my point. It seems to me the pairs of spring mounts weren't welded parallel to each other, which would explain the third pic. The pair of holes on each side of the hanger have an equal amout of angle, which I believe will create un-needed stresses on the system. Basically I need to know if I'm just being an anal SOB, I'm a carpenter and things that aren't straight, square, parallel, etc, don't jive well with me. Is this amount of bolt angle "within spec"?

I wanted to burn this stuff in this weekend, but would like a consensus as to if that is a good idea, or if I should be asking this company for a new one. Maybe it's a fluke, maybe they're all like this, which is what I'm afraid of. Here are some pics of what I'm seeing, it's the same for both pairs of holes.....

Bolt drift to the left.....



Bolt cock-eyed in mount.....



Bolt head not flush with hanger. If inner side of spring mount was moved to the right (in this pic) about 1/16" -1/8" bolt would then sit flush and be straight and centered along length of hanger (as seen not happening in first and second pic).....



Line of sight, centerline is about 1 bolt width to the left....the far set of holes should be dead center in circle it's being viewed through

 

I havent done hangers on my runner yet, but that does seem kind of odd....I would think they need to be straight

 

Actually, I would imagine that a few degrees (FEW) would be fine. There is a bushing in the assembly as well, and some play should be expected. That said, Dbcfr and I are fabbing up our own front hangers after looking at the front ones that came with the kits that we ordered from that "well known" company. I just see no reason to build them such that a skid plate cannot be incorporated, so we are building them out of 3.5"x3.5" 1/4" wall box, and will protect the spring from the front with a small plate. I now have three of those "well known" hangers sitting around doing nothing.

 

That guy got back to me today. He was worried that the angle would eat up bushings so it's going back. Unfortunately they're making me send it back first to make sure it's warrantable (after seeing the pics) , then they send me a new one. If anybody's bought one of these hangers recently CHECK it before you weld it on, it's possible several went out the door like this if they're all made in a jig that's off.....

 

Send it back and make your own....the metal they use is only 3/16"and made in china use 1/4" USA steel it will be far better......

 

What is the issue with posting the name of the company that made that? I would assume Trail-Gear????

These are good to know tips to check for others so lay it out there for everyone to know.

 

I'd like to make my own (I have a homemade one on right now that's not working out for me) but my tools are for wood and concrete. Plus for the cost of my time and materials I could buy 2 already made. Not only that but, unfortunately, I trust 3/16 chiny professionally welded over 1/4 USA me welding . dntsdad, yes, you are correct, T-G. I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt before I started naming names, plus I thought the pics ID'd the manufacturer well. But now that the guy got back to me and said "it's not right", it's better people for sure know who made it so they can check theirs. I should be getting the new one tomorrow, I'll inspect it and shoot up a post on the condition. If the new one is not right I will be asking for a refund as I don't believe "third time's a charm" in this situation. Soon after I'm gonna start a hangner thread trying to do some stuff I have yet to come across on this forum.....

 

Ever checked the "trueness" on any vehicle, particularly your Toyota? There is stuff all over it 1/16" off here, 1/8" off there, well within acceptable fabricated tolerances. I don't just play with Toyotas at WabFab but do industrial fabrication for a living full time in a real job. This being said that front hanger would have been fine as the bushings will take up any variances in alignment, that's what bushings are for, and torquing up the bolts will snug up those tabs perpendicular. I seriously doubt you would have had any issues.

I've sold thousands of Trail Gear products and installed hundreds more on my trucks and countless customer rigs and my first hand experience is that they are top notch and perform well for the purpose intended.

The whole American made USA debate when talking about Toyotas made in Japan I find quite humorous.

IMO that hanger would have been fine once installed.

MC, why do you want a skid plate on a SAS/SFA lifted Toyota? Not really a need for one.

:wabbit2:

 

Wabbit, I've seen your work, and am envious, and get what you're saying, that's why I wanted to get a consensus first from guys like you who have seen/installed hundreds of these, or even a few. To be honest, I have checked some of my frame dimensions per the FSM, and yes there is variance. The variance of 1/16 to 1/8, like you said, was over the course of several feet (in my case). This hanger was out almost an 1" over 32" (you can see it was out about 3/32" - 1/8" in just that 2.5" pocket) as far as alignment goes. This is a DD so I'd like it straight as possible. Anyways, the tech guy said it was bad, so I'll take it from the horse's mouth. Hopefully I just got the 1 in a thousand that sneaked out the door un-noticed....

Side note, here's what I've been looking at for 1st gen 4Runner frame dimensions, it might be useful for anyone else. I've been using it for scale to draw/calculate parts (like hanger orientation/height in relation to spring length / shackle angle/length, etc.). Just gives me a rough visual to go by.......

 

Got the new one, it's dead on, the last one must have been my "luck of the Irish" hanger.....

 

What manual did you get this from. Are there more and can you email it to me for whatever years you have but preferably 89-95

dntsdad@comcast.net