HEY, ....whatcha trying to say there, young man? HAHAHAH! I'm 42 in November...... Is that old? WAIT, DON'T ANSWER THAT! lol. Actually, aside from residuals from my gnarly wreck in 2002, I'm way more mobile than most friends my age. NOT ALL THOUGH! lol.

and YES, now that I reflect on what I just forgot to remember.....that IS WHAT HAPPENS! lol.

 

List of things to do, needed, etc........(including costs)

1. Upper Ball Joints(Have, mega Travel Downey).................................... 0.00$

2. Lower Ball Joints(Online 65$ each<>Dealer, 105$ with my 20% off???)>....130.00$

3. Bj Spacers(Maybe from Mighty Mouse'RIP' for ???)................................ 108.00$

4. Front Shocks(Bilstein 5100 series 120$ pair... Fox 2.0- Trade for BFG's)>......0.00$

5. A-Arm Bushings, 4, through friend............................................ ...........100.00$

6. Possible Diff and Sway Deluxe Kit (4Crawler)........................................ ...50.00$

7. Steering Stabilizer(Bilstein and most decent ones are 60-80$)....................80.00$

Total W/OUT Diff and Sway kit............................................... ................418.00$


************************************************** ***************
Not to bad, right? Hopefully I wont need the drop kits since I will have new stuff's and don't go wheeling, unfortunately, as often as I'd like to any longer.... We'll see, I'll test all that once it's all on with my buddy...while it's on the lift, ya know?

Regarding the Lower Bj's- Questions: Toyota Parts Online has them for 65$ each... Dealer- 105$ each... WTH??? I called the dealer, asking "What brand are they, the OEM?" Coulnd't tell me! Grrr... So, 'Are stock OEM bj's the 'Sankei' brand? Can someone look at theirs for me? I can't read mine,... I'll try again to clean them up and find if there's any stamp on them like "Aisin" does. Napa has some for 80$.... for the best ones they have. "NCP" brand. Napa Car Parts brand. They may be OEM-Equivalent for all I know, but they're still more, ya know? lol. I guess the Toyota Parts Online is the best way to go, but why don't they list or even know the name at the dealer? Ahhh.

Regarding Low Pro Bump Stops... Are you saying that not only do I not want lower profile, but I might even have to add washer/spacers? Lil confused on that one. Sorry Aaron, I'm just learning how it all works, let alone how the add on's work! lol. PLEASE bear with me? hahaha.

Might have to consider the cost of the Torsion Bar Hardware, too. Mine are SPOTLESS, no rust or corrosion... but I hear ya, I know they can still snap off.

I'm also reading that low profile bumpstops?>>> Those are around 24$ for 2 pairs for the lower bump stops........link below....
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f129...mpstops-75740/

I guess I'll do a bit more research before I snug it all together and call it a day. I DO NOT, as much as I love working on my rig, want to do this AGAIN, ...AND AGAIN, AND AGAIN! lol.

Thanks for any MORE input, and what you've already provided, Guys! Thanks alot, Aaron, for sharing your time to help me out!

I think this is a good discussion, and I plan on organizing all of my threads into an "INFORMATIVE" one, like Jerry did. So LET'S HEAR THEM OPINIONS, EH? lol.

Mark

 

low profile bump stops when used in conjunction with the BJ spacers is probably a bad idea. Especially if your gonna use the BJ's for lift and keep the t-bars cranked. This is because with the BJ's your allowing the CV's to travel more. Which tends to bind them up and well you can guess how that will end. Now if you put low profile stops on you just compound that problem. This is what the washer spacers are for in the lower stops. To basically bring the original travel length back to somewhat stock.

IIRC low profile stops on top is not that big of a deal but on the lower stops it becomes a problem.

This is where it gets a little confusing, a lot of people think the BJ's are for extra travel and the lift you can get from them is secondary. This is because they don't understand the risks involved with the BJ's. The way I look at it is BJ's are actually meant for lift with extra travel being the secondary benefit but really isn't a benefit at all and is actually an added risk or side-effect if you will.

 

Thanks X!

Hmmm, yeah, I've heard that too. Makes more sense of it, appreciate it. So, when you're saying "bj's"... you're meaning "BJ spacers", right? I have the mega travel bj's, but I know that can only do so much without spacers, right? So is my best bet adding the Mega travel Bj's, BJ spacers(1" plus .5" torsion bar crank or just 1.5" spacers) and leave the stops alone?... or it's ok to do the Upper bump stop....just leave the lowers alone...?

Does this also mean that you 'prefer the idea of diff drop' ?

I just wanna get the front end up 1.5" and thought, "wtheck, these Downey mega travel bj's are only 80$ for the pair...why not?"... Was I wrong? lol. I really don't mind being wrong.. In fact, it's fine, means I'm learning. However, I also DO mind pushing things to the limit, lol. I thought this was a minor mod if I was only doing 1.5".

 

Chef don't think about the bump stops yet and if you need them it should be for bigger bump stops not lower profile.
As for the cv's if it isn't broke then don't fix it for me but i always had spares with me when wheeling. If you want piece of mind and not have to deal with them yeah buy some toyota cv's and be done with it for a long time.
My 0nly concern about the downey ball joints is they offer more travel and might affect the cv's when at full stuff or droop since they'll give it extra travel over all. If you use the downey ball joints for more travel and find you need to shim the bump stops to limit travel then you're kinda missing the point of having the extra travel in the first place. That's kinda why i shied away from the downey parts in this scenario. Do you need lower ball joints? if not then leave em till they go bad. no sense in replacing them if they are fine. use that money for toyota cv's.

 

chef also don't over complicate this with too many options as well as you said it's a minor mod. But seriously i know you don't want to crank the torsion bars too much but this may be a golden opportunity to find out if the adjuster nuts are bad. Try getting another .5 out of them and see where that puts you in ride quality and height. That's a free lift for your runner. And yes no matter what most guys say unless you really lucky need to adjust you torsion bars to A. get both sides equal. and B. get the ride height dialed in. Just saying if you crank a little out of the bars and end up not liking it you did nothing but change the height and can go back to where you were. Nothing to loose but every thing to gain here. I linked a good write up on how to adjust them and it's easy. I cranked another 3/4" out of mine when i had the bj spacers in.

 

That'll look sweet on your truck brotha.
Gun metal hammered, or black..

 

Thanks, Scoob! Appreciate it. I'm probably gonna paint it black on top of this...so that will be white powdercoat on the bottom, hammered black(kinda, lol) and then black on top.... I guess it wont rust, eh? lol. I posted a pic on the 'whatcha do to your truck today', but forgot to post one here. I'm JUST FINISHING work, today, ....so before I crash, I figure, WHY NOT, EH?





Well, that's how it'd look at this point, if I don't paint it black. Just wanna decide before I slap it on, ya know? Not a huge deal.... this isn't 'weird' looking, at least to me, lol. I just think black might look better....maybe, hahaha.

Have a good Saturday, Guys... I'll post some pics, tomorrow, of the suspension parts as they stand.

THANKS AGAIN, EVERYONE, for all the help! LOVE learnin this stuff!

Mark

 

I thought those downey ball joints were just to allow for more travel, not give a lift or anything like that? Kinda like hiems vs your standard rod joint ends. You sure you can use the BJ's in conjunction with those Downey BJ's? And yes By BJ's I meant the spacers. Forgot you had picked up those Downey joints.

 

Looks good man, I would like to see it out in the sunlight, but I am thinking that you should leave the paint as is.

 

Hey X, ....

Yeah, the Mega Travel Downey BJ's are for more up travel. They can't provide any more droop. And yes, Jim said they did countless BJ spacers with the Mega Travel Ball joints, then used stock or HD lower BJ's... This would increase travel from 6" to 11". He also mentioned some other things that I just can't remember. What I do remember was, when I asked him about the Diff Drop kit, he said ,"Nah, you don't need that. Just leave everything else stock, because with too much droop you'll bind the CV's". I guess I'm misremembering some of it... But I DO know he said "Don't bother with the Diff Drop". Now, I know he's done THOUSANDS of these... but still, I'm reading people saying "Don't do the BJ Spacers without a diff Drop", ...let alone with Mega Travel Bj's.

Just out of curiosity..... I'm trying to understand this all, I'd really appreciate it;

1. If you increase up travel, while using diff drop kit, would that stress your CV's out any more than if you just left the Diff at stock height?

2. With a diff drop kit and sway bar drop kit, would I be providing a lil more droop allowance?... or will it only droop so far with stock bump stops?

I don't want to break things, if I can help it. And, my only objective, when all this started, was to get;

A. LIL bit more uptravel for the Mild to Medium Trails(and comfort, new shocks, etc.)
B. Lil more flex allowance in the rear, which I seem to have with the Zuks
C. 1.5" higher in the front,... the rear is perfect height for me, all I want.

Honestly, I don't mean to 'over think' anything, etc....I apologize, honest, if it seems that way. I'm just trying to learn. I've read over everything posted, and elsewhere as well, couple times.. Just seems to be a lil conflicting ideas of what's 'TOO MUCH' or what's 'Just right without any real damage worries, considering your use of the application'.

I'll be back, finishing cooking for the day and not working tonight... so I'll get lots of pics right now(inches from well to well, underparts, etc.), and I'll be back.

Thanks guys, don't mean to drag this out. Just want to have the perfect plan and all the parts I need for when I get over the the shop with the lift... I can't use it just 'any time', so I wanna make the most of it.. Should make it easier, right?

PS> Just get the adjuster nuts and locking nuts and whatever else at the Dealer, right? (for the torsion bars)

PSS> Thanks, Rob... I might just do that. I'll try to get some pics in the sun, today, too!

 

Okie dokie, ... some pics, w/explanation of what they are and then,.... YOUR GUYS THOUGHTS! lol.... Thanks again, Buds! I'm actually figuring this out! hahaha.

Front Driver Side Fender well measurement;


Rear Driver Side Fender Well Measurement;


Rear Pass. Side Fender Well Measurement;


Front Pass. Side Fender Well Measurement;


As you can see, the Zuks have not drooped. They were 13", but that was with the top off. Honestly, I think by now I can say that they're NOT giving any, lol. With the top on(I'll have to look back in my Zuk thread), I think the measurement with the top on was 12.75"... which would be the same as what I'm seeing here.

As far as the FRONT Well to Well Measurement. Well, it's actually around 13.33" on both sides(maybe 1/16" difference). That's just BARELY over .5" difference from rear to front. But, as you all know, the front is cut out QUITE A BIT higher. About 2" from what I could assess. Can anyone else measure their LEVEL TRUCK, NO RAKE, for me, just to double check myself? Also, I'm measured from the floor to the Chrome molding that runs along the bottom of the truck, below the door(goes from just behind front fender to just before rear wheel well)... In the rear it measured 23" from the ground to the molding. In front? 22". Is there a better point I should be measuring from?

Onward with the Suspension Pics.....

Pass. Side Lwr. BJ -rear view


Pass. Side Lower BJ- Front View


Pass. Side Upper BJ- Rear View


Pass Side Upper BJ- Front View


Pass. Side CV Angle


************************************************** ***

Driver Side Lower BJ- Rear View


Driver Side Lower BJ- Front View


Driver Side Upper BJ- Rear View


Driver Side Upper BJ- Front View


Driver Side CV Angle


************************************************** ********

Any other pics that you think I should post, let me know, k? Thanks guys!

Mark

Maybe I can get away with just a T-Bar minimal crank and 3/4" spacers, or just the Tbars, and new upper and lower BJ's? Just need to understand if the Torsion Bar Cranking puts the same stress on the CV's as BJ Spacers would.. I think I understand that the "Mega Travels will bring the angle of the CV "UP" higher, since they would add more travel, no additional droop... but I guess I'm wondering if they're able to give more up travel at all with stock bump stops...????

 

Is the boot torn on the lower DS?

 

Sure is, Thralldad... (Anyone Visiting, see post #712 w/pics... 2 above this one)

4 pics up from the bottom, Mr. Dad, "Driver Side Lower BJ Front View" you can see it.. You can also see it from the CV shot at the bottom. It's basically a hole the size of an M&M laying flat, maybe a lil bigger, in the Lower BJ boot. I didn't see a hole in the Pass. side Lower BJ, but it's kinda shaped strange, which I'm thinking might be the grease in there is hard as playdough? lol. Just a guess.

In mild dips, my front end isn't so bad, like an intersection rain runner(Smooth dips). However, if I hit it too fast OR, ...If I head over a speed bump in a parking lot(or rock on a trail, etc.), it's like 2 Notre Dame Mascots are having a Night stick fight in my undercarriage! "Klunk, kerplop, smackity klunk!" noises like that, and DANG is it a rough on the body experience!

 

i love all the pictures! im doing bj spacers and what ive come to is that bj spacers with a 1" diff drop and keeping the t bar at the stock setting works the best with minimal wear. good job ill be keeping tabs on the progress!

quote of the day for me and words to live by "Honestly, I don't mean to 'over think' anything" -Chefyota4x4

 

Hahahaha! Thanks, Bobby! And, well, honest... I DON'T MEAN TO! lol. I just want to do it once and be done with it. I know, doesn't always work that way, but I think I'll be ok. Also, I'm trying to plan some Winter Trips to the Hot Springs and some skiing, up in the Sierras and Sequoias... And with work basically EXPLODING on me every year around this time.... My time to actually get out there and 'wrench' becomes more and more limited..... so I wanna "get'r'done..... but 'done RIGHT!' " lol. Make sense?

I'm pretty sure I'm gonna do BJ spacers and mega travel BJ's, new shocks and stabilizer.... Lower Ball joints and maybe or maybe not a diff-sway drop kit. Probably will do the latter, at least the diff, and I can always remove it if it's not working out for me, ya know? lol.

 

I need to see the whole truck in the sunlight before I make any calls.
Though, it looks like the outcome will be pretty nice.

 

Yeah, sorry bout that, Scoob, lol. I'll get some in the day time, tomorrow, PROMISE!

Far as the Suspension stuff,..whatcha think? I sure as heck can respect your opinion as you're beast is quite the Capable IFS Green Machine! lol.

 

mark , if you put bj spacers in with no diff drop axles will be on more of an angle .(more stress cv joints) bj spacers lift frame up 1 - 1 1/2 inches so differential is lifted that much also by dropping diff an inch you are almost back to stock angle . because of increased travel it is important not to droop too much therefore you may have to increase the amount of bump stop (washers under bump stop) you would not want low profile stops.
just have washers on hand and pay attention to pass side. also you will need a shock for that much lift.

 

Hey Chef ! What happened to PROP 19 ???