Specific info on lifts, caster, and driveshafts

[Waggoner5]

I think this is a good time to start publicly documenting specs on all of our trucks regarding the amount of lift, caster correction, and which type of driveshaft we are running, also documenting if we have DS vibrations, and exact alignment specs if they are available. I don't want this to be conversation thread, only a spec thread, so all of us old and new, will know what works in general. Please list your lift size, what type of caster correction you have and if you are using front, rear or both stock or CV type driveshafts. If you have alignment specs for after your truck, please list them. Also, if its possible get fender measurements so we can have loaded heights. This can later be compiled to spreadsheet for reference.

1996 FZJ45 Loaded height doesn't count
7.25 inches of lift, all Slee stuff, front arms, rear uppers, CVs front and rear, very slight vibs in front only at high speeds. Caster is 2.75L 3.0R

1997 FZJ80 Sold truck so I don't have loaded height, but it did go up 3 in front and 2 in back almost exactly.
3" front springs, 2 " rear springs, Slee caster correction brackets, stock shafts, no vibs at any speeds. Caster 3L 3.7R. Truck has slight pull to right because of R lead in caster. Could be corrected with bushing on right side.

 

[jonheld]

OK, I'll play.
1991 FJ80 US spec
OME 850J/863J springs w/matching OME L shocks.
2 10mm spring packers on each front spring.
Slee blue bushings castor correction
OEM front driveshaft; CCF rear driveshaft with new OEM joints
33x10.50R15 BFG ATs (street)
36x12.50R15 TSL/SX (woods)

No vibes to speak of. Will get round to replacing the uni-joints in the front eventually.

 

[cruiserdan]

850J front plus a one inch spacer, 864 rear. OME caster bushings (feels a bit light on the steering but very driveable), stock driveshafts. No vibrations.

I have asked our front end guy to do a caster sweep for me when he finds the time. He's still looking for it...

Edit 2-7-07

Current caster is .2 degrees on both sides. Left camber is 0 and right camber is .1 degree.

 

[MSGGrunt]

1997 40th FZJ80
6" Slee Springs front & Rear
Slee front control arms for correct caster
Extended front panhard bar
Slee Double cardan front and rear driveshafts
extended rear upper control arms and panhard bar
OME shocks front and rear

38.5" x 11.00 Michelin XLs. I can run at 70 -75 MPH with zero vibration, no wandering and no pulling to either side. It pays to spend the extra on the right parts.

 

[Romer]

1997 LX450
850J and 863J
2 degre Castor correction
weighted down with front and rear bumpers, Dual Batts, Supercharger, Sliders and Drawer setup

 

[landtank]

I'll start with the specific info,

Slee 4" springs
caster plates that rotated axle 7*
DC front drive shaft
panhards adjusted

front u-joint drive angle of 0* (measured with cheap sears protractor)
Caster measured just under 3*

No drive line vibs and tracks perfectly straight.

Not sure what the purpose of this thread is if people don't have their measurements to go along with their hardware. Without those readings it's just subjective data isn't it?

 

[tech_dog]

Springs: OME 850/860 (heavy front, medium rear)

Castor Correction: OME caster correction bushings

Tires: 295 75 16 Terra Grapplers

Heavy things added:

Front: Dual Battery, New Slee bumper, Warn 9.5XP with synthetic
Back: Slee back bumper w/o spare tire mount
Middle: Hanna Sliders

No vibes, rides great, and the rake looks correct.

I was perfectly happy with the castor when I had the older Slee bumper, roller fairlead, and metal cable. When I switched to the new slee bumper, hawse fairlead, and synthetic cable I noticed a bit of overstear in certain conditions. I probably removed close to 50 lbs, and that added enough lift that I could use another degree of castor correction.

Good idea on the thread.

 

[cruiserdan]

Please define your springs so that the playing field is level.

 

[Waggoner5]

Of course I would like real data on caster to go along with this stuff, but I imagine most people are not like us and keep everything written down or in their head. If we know what works as far as aftermarket lift parts go it should answer lots of lift questions that are asked and repeated daily, mostly about caster and DS vibrations.

 

[cruiserdan]

Of course I would like real data on caster to go along with this stuff, but I imagine most people are not like us and keep everything written down or in their head. If we know what works as far as aftermarket lift parts go it should answer lots of lift questions that are asked and repeated daily, mostly about caster and DS vibrations.

I will edit my post when I can get our front end guy to do a sweep for me.

 

[Dusty]

i have slee 4" in front and J in back.
slee 3' blue castor correction bushings.
no panhard correction

when I first put them on the truck had a slight vibration so i took the front driveshaft out for a few thousand miles (cdl). then i put the shaft back on and have had no vibrations since. the truck had settled since the lift. no measurements but with 295 bfg at's she tracks well enough that my wife cant tell the diff. with 35" micky thompson bajas it is is little squirly.

 

[Dusty]

i have slee 4" in front and J in back.
slee 3' blue castor correction bushings.
no panhard correction

when I first put them on the truck had a slight vibration so i took the front driveshaft out for a few thousand miles (cdl). then i put the shaft back on and have had no vibrations since. the truck had settled since the lift. no measurements but with 295 bfg at's she tracks well enough that my wife cant tell the diff. with 35" micky thompson bajas it is is little squirly.

 

[Lugboot]

What the heck, I'll throw in my data.

OME 2.5" lift
Front Springs: 850
Rear Springs: 863
No spacers front or rear.
OME 2* Caster Correction Bushings
OME Nitrocharger shocks

Stock driveline.

Extra Weight: ARB front bumper, no winch yet.
Slee Step Sliders
Rear drawer system constructed of 3/4" plywood.

Last Alignment Readings:

Left Front:
Camber--0.2*
Caster--0.6*
Toe--0.02"

Right Front:
Camber--0.2*
Caster--0.0*
Toe--0.01"

Front:
Cross Camber--0.0*
Cross Caster--0.6*
Total Toe--0.04"

Left Rear:
Camber-- -0.2*
Toe-- 0.16"

Rigth Rear:
Camber-- -0.3*
Toe-- -0.05"

Rear:
Total Toe-- 0.12"
Thrust Angle-- 0.21*

No driveline vibrations but I really want to get the Caster closer to the spec range as it is a little twitchy on the interstate and there is a slight pull to the right. Don't know if it will help the pull but I want to make it steadier at speed.

Unloaded height, measured hub center to fender:
Front:
driver side: 22.25"
pass. side: 22.5"

Rear, both sides: 23.75"

 

[jfz80]

OME J Lift

1995 Fzj 80 200k+ miles
Front Springs: 850J
Rear Springs: 863J
N74L shocks
sway bar drops f/r
OME "2degree" bushings (not enough)
stock driveline/steering
285/75 r16

Front Left:
castor .4
camber .3
toe .11

Front Right:
castor .5
camber .0
toe .16

Front cross castor: 0.0 degrees

behavior: truck is driveable w/ only the slightest vib upon letting off during acceleration. it tends to wander a bit and windy days and emergency braking make you realize the need for proper castor

Additional mods (lbs): Simple so far: sliders and a skid

 

[XXXR]

1996 Fzj 80 195k+ miles
Front Springs: 851
Rear Springs: 860
30mm MAF spacers
ARB no winch
N74L shocks
Slee "3 degree" bushings
stock driveline/steering
285/75 r16 BFGs

Front Left:
castor 1.1
camber 0.0
toe -.19

Front Right:
castor 1.3
camber 0.0
toe .30

Behavior: truck is driveable w/ no vib. Tends to wander a bit at 70MPH plus.

 

[PKP80]

- 1996 FZJ80
- 9.5" front (comprised of 7.5" suspension via 6" slee springs and 1.spacer and 2" body)
- 9" rear (comprised of 7" suspension via 6" slee springs and 1" spacer and 2 "body)
- Slee first generation front control arms with EMU bushings backset 45deg.
- No sways
- Double Cardan front DS stock rear
- 38x14.5R16 Toyo M/T

Rear vibration (guess is b/c of the DS) mostly when reducing speed from 70+mph....love the body roll and lean on the street/desert/sand drive, but gets you to pucker a little when you're crawling.

 

[alkaline747trio]

Slee 4" Front springs + 2" spacer, Slee Gen 2 control arms, stock drive shaft.

No vibes unless rear is loaded down and then it is VERY slight.
Tracks very well, caster seems to be better than stock.

 

[Slomo]

1997 FZJ80 136k miles

Frankies Off Road 3 1/2" springs Front, no spacers (5/8" higher than 850's with 25mm trim packers)

Frankies Off Road 3 1/2" springs Rear, no spacers (1/2" higher than 863's)

Rake: Rear sits 5/8" higher than front

OME N73/N74E shocks

OME castor bushings left steering a little twitchy but liveable. Slee castor plates currently and steers perfectly.
EDIT: Just took a little highway trip and the steering is just a tiny bit stiff but I like it that way. Feels more stable and doesn't follow the imperfections or misaligned lane stripes vs concrete joints on our freeways nearly as much.

Factory driveshafts F/R

Swaybars dropped 1" F/R

No Panhard correction: Front axle off 9/16" to US Drivers side, Rear axle off 13/16" to US Passenger side

315/75/16 BFG AT's

Weight: ARB with winch, Hanna sliders, factory rear bumper

Behavior: Occasional intermittent vibrating in front, still tracking down but I think it is hub bushings not driveshaft. No vibes rear. No discernable pulling

 

[Walking Eagle]

1997 LX450 185,000 miles
850J and 863J
3" MAF drop brackets
No armor (weight)
No vibes 0-100mph
No wonder - No worries letting wife drive it

 

[concretejungle]

I'll add by posting this link: https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=135919

It should have all the specifics along with my caster reading.