285s to 315s, wish you hadn't?

[Kalawang]

IMHO, it sometimes seems as if there have been more "bum steers" than actual, factual tech around here lately.

In a stock 80 series set up, the only things that can wear to the point where 285's will rub the rear fenders are the three rubber control arm bushings. If they are worn to that point, stop driving the vehicle immediately because it is a danger to everyone else on the road, not to mention you. I suspect something else was changed (or is still changed) though. Post up pictures of what your set up is, and many will chime in and let you know.


Shocker,

I'm also somewhat suspicious of my bushings on the control arms. ( You identified the right number of bushings so I think it safe to say we are talking about the same part. ) My LC80 is 15 years old and for all I know those could still be the original bushings. They are certainly not after market. However if they were worn that badly I should be getting some loose steering or very insecure driving lines with the car lollygagging about and I don't. The car points easy and holds it's line well. For me to change those bushings now means spending about $ 200 to replace all those bushings that do not appear to be misbehaving enough to warrant the expense. I don't feel all that good about doing that at this time unless a better reason presents itself.

The rubbing problem came up only after I put the drop hangers back in, but that rubbing was with both the 33's and the 35's on a 2" lift. I still have the hangers there, but since I used the pry bar, I've not had any rubbing, 35's or 33's. I'm pretty sure my solution worked. I'm also pretty sure that one or more of those bushings will become bad enough to change by the end of the year, or longer as I'm pretty boring off road. I use my LC more for secure travel than for sport. When that time comes, I'll know where to look and what to change.

I have a few digitised pics of some of the underneath parts of my cruiser. I try to take some whenever I do something there as it's easier to look at pictures to study a problem than to be constantly crawling under. Please let me know by e-mail how I can post some of these, and what the maximum size of each file should be. My pictures average 2 and a half million bytes each, and I don't want to burden the server unduly. I'm pretty sure you'll find my pictures boring as a friend with a 2" lifted LC80 also has pretty much the same stuff I have other than the drop hangers, adjustable panhards and beefier trailing arms.


Kalawang

 

[Tools R Us]

Is this a US spec truck? If so I have to call BS! Your telling us that you have drop brackets that are so wimpy that they bend back the 3 or 4" required for 285's to rub? And that you "adjust" them with a pry bar? Do you have any idea how much force is put on the brackets when you hit the brakes hard, that must be a big pry bar! And the truck drives correctly? What brand are the brackets?

Get them pictures cut down to size, this I have to see.

 

[Tools R Us]

My LC80 is 15 years old

Your 80 is a 1990 model?

 

[landtank]

This guy's 80 is a 62!. And his lift is in the form of shackles (drop brackets) I'd suspect.

Where the hell are those pics.

 

[wb1948]

Yes shocker this is very true. And i am a newb to this forum and cruisers but that doesn't mean i don't have knowledge on things that having to do with in this case tires. I have learned a lot from people in my club and friends and on this forum so i feel like my advice is that of a lot of the people on here. It is true that 285's are more practical and you know that. 315's are great too if the proper stuff is there to go along with them. Don't let that little thing that says rookie on the side of the thread make you think that, that person knows nothing about a topic. Its just wrong.

2.5" ome 850/863 heavy lift and 33s works well for a lot of members here, but so does running the exact same lift w/ dropped bump stops and 35s. Please explain how the addition of bump stops makes running 35s unpractical?(assuming your content to run 35s with 4.11s, which I and many others are). Your speaking to generic of terms, "285s are more practical, and 315s are great to if the proper stuff is there." 285s on stock suspension? Yes more practical, you buy the tires and thats it. But a lifted crusier... spend an extra 50 bucks to drop bump stops and you can run 35s, I will pay 50 bucks for an extra inch of axle clearance any day... and thats practical.

 

[stuck in GA]

Shocker I never said they were for looks only. I said they look bad ass and if thats all you are going for and don't want to spend money on regearing and more lift then they arent that great for wheelin. They are just for looks which is fine for some people. Its all good you guys don't worry about. I know a new guy can get your panties in a bunch but its cool.

 

[NorCalDoug]

kalawang - how about posting some pics of your current set up.
it sounds kinda screwy to me, but maybe I'm just having problems picturing it.

 

[landtank]

don't want to spend money on regearing and more lift then they arent that great for wheelin.

I regeared my truck to 4.88s for ON ROAD performance. Do you really think that an 80 in low range out on the trail is going to have a hard time turning 35s.

 

[Kalawang]

Is this a US spec truck? If so I have to call BS! Your telling us that you have drop brackets that are so wimpy that they bend back the 3 or 4" required for 285's to rub? And that you "adjust" them with a pry bar? Do you have any idea how much force is put on the brackets when you hit the brakes hard, that must be a big pry bar! And the truck drives correctly? What brand are the brackets?

Get them pictures cut down to size, this I have to see.

Tools,


The car came from Japan, it's a 1990 model turbo deisel AWD, and the drop hangers look to be made of 1/4 inch mild steel. They don't bend and I'd like it very much if you would quote me on that purported bending and identify the post involved.

It doesn't take 3' or 4" of movement on the trailing arms to cause the 33's to rub. Anyone with a similar lift and a 33x12.5 R15 setup can verify by using his fingers to measure the space between the fenders and the tires as a friend turns the wheel lock to lock. You'll see the space reduce tremendously and what was formerly generous becomes stingy at full lock. With smaller tires the lost space is less visible but measureable regardless, just needing more care. The movement I got with the pry bar on the trailing arm was probably less than or in the area of an inch, but it made a world of difference to the tires and the mudflaps.

The lift is accomplished by a set of TJM springs. For a 2" lift, that's pretty much all that's needed unless you want to include fine adjustments needed to try to level the car. Some of LC's as old as mine had a body lean that became apparent when lifted. My adjustable panhards, drop brackets, longer bump stops and beefier trailing arms are only necessary to the 4" lift which I removed when I replaced the springs.

I find myself repeating. If you won't give me the courtesy to pay attention to what I actually say, as against putting your ideas in my mouth, this discussion shall be left hanging. My point is simple. On a 2" lift with 33" tires, rubbing CAN happen at full lock given a sufficiently old set of bushings on trailing arms that are not tightened sufficiently to the frame, or in my case the drop hangers. There's nothing fancy beneath my car. It's effectively stock.


Have a nice day.


Kalawang

 

[Kalawang]

kalawang - how about posting some pics of your current set up.
it sounds kinda screwy to me, but maybe I'm just having problems picturing it.

NorcalDoug,


The setup is effectively stock, but I can accomodate the request if you'd be kind enough to instruct me. I don't know how to post pictures, though I do have a few of my ride in my computer.


Kalawang

 

[landtank]

I find myself repeating. If you won't give me the courtesy to pay attention to what I actually say, as against putting your ideas in my mouth, this discussion shall be left hanging.

This is mainly a US board. What you have was never offered here and the parts installed are not available as well as far as I know. So considering you are a newbie to the board and posting information that doesn't fit the norm, Ya you are going to be asked to verify again and again what you are saying until we understand what you have. This goes along with trying to keep the info on the board accurate and reliable.

Now that we realise you have basically one of a kind, we can let everyone know that when considering what you are saying when these differences arise and how it applies to their situation.

To post a pic go to the advance posting window and select manage attachments blow the text window where you type and you can select 3 files to attach. They do need to be less than 79k I think. I usually resize the photos to 7" accross so they display properly on the screen without scrolling. If you are having problems you can e-mail them to me and I can resize them for you and post them up or e-mail them back for you to do so.

Even though your truck is something odd for us I still beleive your truck is royally screwed if it rubs with 33" tires. I still can't beleive that if it's basically designed like the 80s we know you should normally have a problem.

 

[GXO]

Josh,
You are as full of sh!t as a Christmas turkey. Give me one good reason that you shouldn't go to the twit filter like that idiot lurker.

-B-

Remind me never to eat at Beo's house for the holidays.

 

[Kalawang]

This is mainly a US board. What you have was never offered here and the parts installed are not available as well as far as I know. So considering you are a newbie to the board and posting information that doesn't fit the norm, Ya you are going to be asked to verify again and again what you are saying until we understand what you have. This goes along with trying to keep the info on the board accurate and reliable.

Now that we realise you have basically one of a kind, we can let everyone know that when considering what you are saying when these differences arise and how it applies to their situation.

To post a pic go to the advance posting window and select manage attachments blow the text window where you type and you can select 3 files to attach. They do need to be less than 79k I think. I usually resize the photos to 7" accross so they display properly on the screen without scrolling. If you are having problems you can e-mail them to me and I can resize them for you and post them up or e-mail them back for you to do so.

Even though your truck is something odd for us I still beleive your truck is royally screwed if it rubs with 33" tires. I still can't beleive that if it's basically designed like the 80s we know you should normally have a problem.

Landtank,


Thank you for the instructions. I shall look for the pictures that show as much of the underside of the front of my car as possible. Might take me a couple of hours as I have a lot and unsorted. I'll also have to look for an old program, IrfanView, that I probably still hjave somewhere in my drive to re-sample my pics to a small enough size. If I fail to find it, Ill e-mail them to you for whatever use you find.

It was a good point you made that my LC80 might be a bit different from what's available to you in the States. The only differences I see are that you enjoy newer vehicles with much more attractive accessories that would probably drive me to the poorhouse should I have easy access to their purchase. I would dearly like the newer vehicles. They more often need less maintenance.


Kalawang

 

[Bob_Garrett]

I regeared my truck to 4.88s for ON ROAD performance. Do you really think that an 80 in low range out on the trail is going to have a hard time turning 35s.

Having used mine off road with 35s and both stock gearing and 4.56 gears, I can say that while it will get the job done with the stock gears, it does the same climbs with much less effort after regearing (especially at higher altitudes). Also gives you more engine braking on downgrades.

Bob

 

[landtank]

Bob, I noticed an improvement as well offroad but I feel a larger difference was felt on road. Espcially in the towing department.

 

[e9999]

snip
This is 80's tech. If you have a fact and can back it up then fine. If you have an opinion then state it as an opinion. If you have a sample size=1 then don't generalize.

"All 80 Series Toyotas are desert dune over moonglow pearl and I can prove it because that's the color combo on Pristine." -Beowulf-


-B-

well, I then state that "Desert Dune over Moonglow" is the BEST color for an 80 and only driven by HIGHLY intelligent and attractive people!
My sample size=1.
So, that means you'll disagree?

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

This thread is worthless without pictures

 

[Kalawang]

This thread is worthless without pictures

Landtank and LandcruiserPhil,


It looks like I'll be somewhat embarassed. All I have are old pictures none of which include the drop bracket. I only re-installed the drop brackets a couple of weeks ago and didn't have my camera with me. Whereas I'm still a film shooter, it takes a while to get prints and scan.

I'll do that next time I have my car up on a lift if I remember to bring my camera.

I'm not sure what you can make of these pictures. They are of the underside front. The springs are TJM 2" above stock, and I don't know the manufacturer of the orange stuff. I think the rest is stock.


Kalawang

 

[ryanjl]

Kalawang,

So when you say "drop hangers", what exactly are you talking about?

 

[Tools R Us]

Tools,


The car came from Japan, it's a 1990 model turbo deisel AWD, and the drop hangers look to be made of 1/4 inch mild steel. They don't bend and I'd like it very much if you would quote me on that purported bending and identify the post involved.

I didn't say you bent them with a pry bar, you "adjust" them with a pry bar. From thread #37;

I loosened the bars that prevent axle wrap and used a pry bar to move the axle back forward to the center of the wheel well.

From thread #43;

we idly tried a pry bar, got movement and continued the effort till the tires looked centered in the wheel well.

You never said bent, it was pushed back, sorry. The point is that suspension mounting points should be solid not moving around.

It doesn't take 3' or 4" of movement on the trailing arms to cause the 33's to rub.

Your right it's more like 2" for my 295/75R16's, sorry. But if your axle is moving around that much you have big problems.