so installing front and back springs today. I received 20 small bushing and 4 longer bushing. I’ll need to use 16 on the springs and 8 on the hangers the problem I’m having is knowing where the 4 longer ones go, there’s no instructions available, I’ve watched a hand full of install videos. Anyway here are some before photos for you guys , I’ll post up some after videos including how much lift I end up with. I’m pretty excited

 

I'm not familiar with the earlier trucks but when I installed my OME rear springs the longer bushings went on the rear shackle where it attached to the frame.

 

I got the rear together and figured out all the bushing , I’m stumbling the the front today , seems I’m not bolting them up in the right order. I think now after a failed attempt at both fronts , you bolt the forward , middle axle then the rear hanger in that order. Hopefully that will do it

 

Ok for anyone who has brought OME leaf packs and decided to just inslall with our any instructions , hang the new springs front hanger, axle then shackle. Military wrap forward, for the + - on the springs I choose + on the drivers side and - on the passenger and it worked out on my 82.

Now my next question , I only did leafs and no springs , I would like a little extra, not much more of a leveling effect for the front. This truck is not going missing or mountain climbing so I’m looking to shocks that will give a nice ride for a 60 round mile trip to work and back plus give me maybe a half a inch to a inch in front

i will get you guys some before and after photos tommow. I gained 2 3/4 In the rear front is unknown, I wrote it down but threw away my measurements

even with the 20 year old shocks , the springs made a massive difference in ride quality

 

Not sure if you can tell by the photos but it lifted the back way more that’s the front. The old Yellow shocks that are still on it look very old so I’m wondering if the new bilstein 5125’s will provide any lift/leveling effect. That is indeed wishful thinking but the fact still remains that I would really like to get another inch to level it out, and that wouldn’t even make it level, so I guessing looking leveler . Just not sure what to try , blocks , shocks or ? Hopefully someout out the ran a 2” OME leaf lift and has ran into this. I’ll post up some photos after the round lights go in and all future upgrades

 

for some reason your '05 Tacoma rims look good on your truck, when I threw the rims from my Tacoma on my 81 it looked funky to me

 

Ya I typically can’t stand newer wheels on older trucks but these came with it and have decent tires and there’s SO many other things to fix and replace , I’m going to roll with them until I come across a good deal on some FJ40 splits or something. They have some well made spacers so I don’t worry to much although the mud flying everywhere from them sticking out is starting to wear thin, mud flaps are at the top of my list. But ya they do kind of blend in with the old beast.

 

I agree, those tires look stellar on there.

 

Can you take a picture of the rear shackles?

 

I sure will this afternoon

 

 

From what I learned researching OME springs is that the + means it's a little over spec and the - means it's a little under spec but still within tolerances. Mine were both + so they matched side to side. With the spare strapped under there and a full tank of fuel will it level out some?

 

stand by for two inch body lift. Going to take the bed completely off first and pressure wash under the bed and frame then ospho everything and treat with POR15 . The bed needs patch work and the frame as well , going to shoot to have it done by Jan. Also going to do the larger vented rotors up front along with the V6 caliper upgrade I already did the 1” master but the braking is pretty much not safe at the moment my head is on a Swievl every time I get in it. But knowing my impatience this should be completed by the end of December. Have to hurry before the humidity and mosquitoes return

 

So I’m ordering some parts this week and having some trouble deciding on one thing. Going with Fj vented rotors and v6 caliber upgrade for my front

after reading I can’t decide between a 2” body or shackle lift. I want to run 35”s in the future and after adding the 2” OME springs I don’t think they will clear without hammer or zawzaw hackage and pounding

I’m thinking I can hide the body lift ugliness pretty well, I don’t like the things I have read about shackle lifts . Blocks are totally out of the question

 

Just wanted to say thank you to those who served

 

Your truck looks awesome, from a 22 year Navy retiree

 

Agreed! I hope mine looks half as good when finished! 7 years Army

 

also v6 calipers and fj rotors so she stops good now. Also new timing , water pump , oil pump etc so it fires right up and sounds good very happy about that. Found Teq marked glass from Japan 99% perfect 45.00 both sides! I’ll post up some pictures when those go in

 

Looking great in that last pic. What is the little Toyota badge in your grill, the round one?