FJ40 Spring over axle front higher than the rear? What gives? (1 Viewer)

[Wadesters]

Hello, I am restoring a 1978 FJ40. It came with a spring over axle kit purchased from BTB all ready installed. I have not had a truck with one before. I read several threads and as many people like it as hate it. I decided to leave it on and had the frame powder coated with the kit installed. Now I am reassembling and the front end is way higher than the rear end (I would estimate 4 inches). Is it possible I have the long end of the front springs towards the rear. From what I see this is how it is supposed to be. I removed the long shackles in the front just to see what would happen. Even so the front is still higher than the rear.

I know most will say to get rid of it which I am about to do unless someone can tell me what is wrong??

Thanks...

 

[shawnfj40]

Pictures help

 

[Wadesters]

Ok here are pictures. They don't show how much higher the rear is compared to the front. I have removed the large front shackles that came with the spring over kit and know the springs are resting directly on the spring hangers (no shackles currently installed). This helped bring the front down but still is higher than the rear even with no shackles on the front.

 

[Mace]

That is not a spring over, that is a shackle reversal, and it adds about 3" to the front lift.

you need a 2" lift spring for the front and a 4" lift spring for the rear.

 

[shawnfj40]

What he said^ plus the front should have short shackles. The long ones were probably for the rear

 

[shawnfj40]

I didn't see the rear but going spring over back there will get you close.

 

[Fast Eddy]

I didn't see the rear but going spring over back there will get you close.

SOA will be about a 6" lift. He needs 2" more in the back than the front, as Mace pointed out. It would be damn tall with a SR kit + 4" springs up front.

 

[shawnfj40]

I was just talking about the back. He has a reversal up front. The front is spring under. If he has lifted springs in the front a spring over (in just the rear) will bring him pretty close. In other words he should net about 6 inches front and rear.

 

[shawnfj40]

He might need to get a stock or 2 inch spring for the front. I'm not sure what springs he has now.

 

[Wadesters]

Thanks for the responses, my mistake I meant to say shackle reversal.

 

[Wadesters]

I have what I beleive is stock springs in the front with the shackle reversal. If I get stock shackles for the front and put the longer shackles in the back does that sound like it will work? I want to lift it as little as possible.

 

[White Stripe]

I have what I beleive is stock springs in the front with the shackle reversal. If I get stock shackles for the front and put the longer shackles in the back does that sound like it will work? I want to lift it as little as possible.

You could do stock springs up front with stock shackles and either 2.5" lift springs out back with stock shackles or stock rear springs with really long shackles. Should give you a total of 2.5" lift all the way around which isn't much at all.

 

[Fast Eddy]

You could do stock springs up front with stock shackles and either 2.5" lift springs out back with stock shackles

Good idea.

or stock rear springs with really long shackles.

Bad idea. You'd need 5" over stock shackles to get 2.5" of lift.