F.O.R. Lift -- any one else waiting too?

[grunt001]

Just wanted to see how many others are also waiting for the F.O.R. lift from frankies.

This is the 3" front, 3.5" rear lift.

I've been on the waitlist since January. Emailed a week or two ago and still no springs yet. Any one else waiting too?

[bhmmapping]

Have you already paid for them? Frankie hasn't logged in here since nov. 07 fwiw

[grunt001]

No money has been paid yet. (Frankie sounds like a real good guy on the phone, so this is not one of those "vendor took my money" threads). I'm just on the wait list to buy the lift once they are available again.

Just wondering if there are others in the same boat.

[Nay]

Interesting - these are custom springs ordered in batches, but since Jan? That's a long time.

[walleyefisher]

I was waiting and finally went with OME. Prolly not as good but I'm no expert rock climber anyways

[cruiser-poor]

I'm not on a waiting list or anything but have been checking FOR's site for a couple months. Their shop is about two hours away from me so I thought it might be a convenient option. I didn't realize this has been going on all year though! How hard can it be to get a batch of springs made? This reminds me of the elusive FOR tube bumper.

[Cj80cruiser]

Frankie is a super nice guy. He did my birf job back in April of this year. I have all the parts to his lift which I believe he does have in stock except for the all important springs. I'm going OME with spacers to prepare for the F.O.R. springs. I have his bumpstop extentions, swaybar spacers, Bilistein shocks with adaptors, and 3* caster correction bushings. He said he was thinking that the springs would be available in May but maybe it will be just a little bit longer.

[calstyl2]

Originally Posted by cruiser-poor

This reminds me of the elusive FOR tube bumper.

Originally Posted by Cj80cruiser

He said he was thinking that the springs would be available in May but maybe it will be just a little bit longer.

Bingo........

[Cj80cruiser]

Originally Posted by calstyl2

Bingo........

From what I've heard they are worth waiting for.

[calstyl2]

Well then he needs to get them out, I think he underestimated the lead times and details that go into puttng a kit on the street.........

[Nay]

Originally Posted by calstyl2

Well then he needs to get them out, I think he underestimated the lead times and details that go into puttng a kit on the street.........

It's really small shop and small shop finances to buy top end springs in batches. Although, I agree - nobody likes to wait, and waiting costs business.

[calstyl2]

Originally Posted by Nay

It's really small shop and small shop finances to buy top end springs in batches. Although, I agree - nobody likes to wait, and waiting costs business.

He would of sold a dozen or more of his bumpers it he had given that a go...............but again he lost that chance

[Nay]

Originally Posted by calstyl2

He would of sold a dozen or more of his bumpers it he had given that a go...............but again he lost that chance

It would have been a lot more than a dozen. I helped design that bumper, and you may notice I'm not running one .

Again, and I have inside details, the investment capital wasn't there to bring it to market. Metal Tech is about to bring the first tube bumper to mass production for the 80, and as both of us know, it will sell.

I support FOR because I am in heavy favor of non-traditional designs. I don't like everything being framed around OME, I don't think every 80 is a classic "add a ton of weight" expedition design, and I'd like to see a market designed specifically for rock crawlers.

FOR is tuned in that direction, and I think this could be built upon. Just imagine the 4.5" lift designed for 37's with a progressive rate coil that delivers outstanding road performance paired with 12" travel high end Fox or Bilstein 7100's, all centered around a suspension design premised on weight reduction (or at least mitigation) rather than huge increases. I think that would sell like crazy, but it's nowhere in sight as an off the shelf kit. Twenty or thirty of us just doesn't justify the R&D. Hell, I just need the coils and I could build the rest myself.

I'm not sure the 80 yet supports that market and I'm not sure it ever will - the money is more in "outfitting" than in a mass market suspension design. And so we wait...

[Vistataco]

The last kit was picked up by yours truly. Sorry!

[Atticus]

80 Series Cruisers are a small market. If you can't be a little patient when a custom job like this is being produced, then nobody is going to go through the hassle of bringing custom jobs to our small market of $5000 luxury SUV wagon rock-crawling expedition trucks.

This negativity can be crushing. I am surprised that Slee has done as well as he has, to name but one.

[landtank]

If you guys know what you want how about taking a stab at it your selves. I've had some luck building what I wanted. There is a whole cottage industry out there with professionals working in their basement for extra cash. Times are getting tight and all it takes is some phone calls and a little face to face time and the leads start to flow.

Look for a small spring manufacturer who might be willing to work with you on getting started. Don't go in there talking big numbers because they see pie in the sky dreamers all the time. Go in with a good basic knowledge of what you want and be honest with your situation and have reasonable expectations.

I've done it. It can be frustrating at times and down right disappointing. But then all of a sudden things fall into place and it's pretty damn exciting and rewarding.

So Nay, get some of these guys together, talk about what you want and put something together or at least give it a try.

[reffug]

Originally Posted by walleyefisher

I was waiting and finally went with OME. Prolly not as good but I'm no expert rock climber anyways

why would you say that?

I personally have never played with one of FOR lifts but I don't see it as superior to OME in anyway, just a different option to accomplish the same goal.

[Atticus]

Originally Posted by reffug

why would you say that?

I personally have never played with one of FOR lifts but I don't see it as superior to OME in anyway, just a different option to accomplish the same goal.

The only real advantage I see is that you have a way to substitute what many people feel is a superior shock.

[FJBen]

this could get interesting.

Here's my small .02

FOR springs are cold rolled, no others that I know of are. He also has stated using a "sorta" progressive, but not really setup. I'm sure his spring rates and other things are different as well. Couple this with good shocks and rates that work well with those springs and you have a really nice ride. I have no other idea what would make those springs better as it's technically above what I know. It would be nice to has a test, new OME vs new FOR vs new Slee just to feel the differences in the springs/setups.

IMO, you can make them both flex the same. It's just the design of the suspension on the 80's.

When I ran Bilsteins on the rear of my old 80 (OMEJ rear spring), the ride was MUCH less harsh than with the OME shocks, BUT the rate of the shocks weren't suited to the OME springs. It had an extra rebound after every bump.

I'd like to know how it would ride with Slee 4" springs and nice Bilstein shocks. (with correct ratings)



I applaud FOR for diving into the 80 series suspension. Someday I'd like to try his springs/setup in the 4" range, so I"ll keep watching for now.

[Cj80cruiser]

Originally Posted by reffug

why would you say that?

I personally have never played with one of FOR lifts but I don't see it as superior to OME in anyway, just a different option to accomplish the same goal.

Not trying to knock OME because it's a great alternative but think about how many people say there rig sits high and low on one side. Frankie says it has to do with the way the OME's are produced. Something about you need to use the same metal for each spring or you get slightly varying heights when weighted down. Don't quote me on that because we talked about a lot of things that day and I might have a few things confused. This is the jist of what he said.

[Cj80cruiser]

Slee is OME from what I"ve been told. 4" and 6"

[FJBen]

Originally Posted by Cj80cruiser

Slee is OME from what I"ve been told. 4" and 6"

What???

Slee uses OME shocks, but I'm pretty sure they aren't buying OME comp springs and powdercoating them silver.

[reffug]

Originally Posted by FJBen

What???

Slee uses OME shocks, but I'm pretty sure they aren't buying OME comp springs and powdercoating them silver.

their not..........

the stuff slee uses is spun up custom for them.

[calstyl2]

FOR is not the only suspension maker to promise big stuff with a big fizzle, Outback Offroad, did a front link system for the 80 series and we never heard anything about it...................

[KSTaco]

I've been waiting since the end of winter as well and was just told yesterday it would be at least 6 weeks yet. I'm looking at OME. They're proven and from a good dealer I may actually get to wheel this summer.

[reffug]

slee's 4 and 6 inch kick some arse IMHO...............