We compaired them side by side to my rear springs on my 2002 Chevy 3/4 ton HD and they were the exact springs. You will need the 3/4 tons for a wagon.
63" chevy's on a fj60?
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We compaired them side by side to my rear springs on my 2002 Chevy 3/4 ton HD and they were the exact springs. You will need the 3/4 tons for a wagon.
Me too. Thinking of replacing my worn out rear pinnacle springs with some 63" Chevy's. I would have never considered 3/4 ton over 1/2 ton. Good thing i read this thread. Never would have thought a 60 would require 3/4 ton springs.
Just to satisfy curiosity, I think I will take both my FJ60 and my 91 Z71 1/2 ton Chevy down to the scale, weigh both vehicles on the rear axles and compare weights of the two.
both Pro-Comp and Superlift sell 63" Chevy 3" and 4" lift springs reasonable. I might go this route since I'll be staying SUA.
Just to satisfy curiosity, I think I will take both my FJ60 and my 91 Z71 1/2 ton Chevy down to the scale, weigh both vehicles on the rear axles and compare weights of the two.
both Pro-Comp and Superlift sell 63" Chevy 3" and 4" lift springs reasonable. I might go this route since I'll be staying SUA.
You should just do a super low SOA in the rear to give you an ass load of flex. Keep the COG low, with a bunch of droop. We did this on Jers 40....Turned out pretty awesome.
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I would recommend the 3/4 tons if you like to carry any kind of weight. I just got from some wheeling today and the springs work great. I think I am going to play around with the upper and lower mounts of my shocks and see if I can get them a bit more vertical, these springs are soft, plus my shocks are not in their optimal spot. The less vertical the the dampening power right?
Dylan
Dylan
I second this, I run a set of these on my mini truck, with a tool box, gas tank, hydro tank (for the mile marker winch) and all the gear adds up pretty quick. I also kept most of the big thick overload leaves, I cut em down, but didnt take them totaly out. I figure it helps them from going negative and bending. Skip the double shackel junk, buy the Sky kit, its a big time saver and go sprung over, youll be all set.
OK I need pictures of that 55 behind the flexed out 60 please
OK I need pictures of that 55 behind the flexed out 60 please
Which one? The Grey and White or the Brown and White?
For info on the both just PM FC187 here on Mud.
That would be the ultimate setup......But my truck has a 3" body lift. The spring eyes would have to be resting on the frame at both ends to keep the truck at the right height.
The truck currently or before I started messing with it was SUA with 3" lift Pinnacle springs, 3" body lift, 37" MTR's.
Sooo, I went out and bought some 3.5" lift Chevy springs in attempt to keep it SUA and maintain a correct lift. Their application is for 88 to 95 3/4 ton pickups 3” to 3.5” lift, 5 leafs. The results are somewhat less than desirable. The hangers and shackles look like they will be rock catchers. It also looks kinda goofy too. Not that the shackles are so long, but just accentuated by the body lift and the fact that they sit further back.
The shackles in the pics are temporary and just for mock up. The first pic is left side with 6” shackle length which puts the center of the spring eye 7” from the bottom of the frame. The second pic is right side with 5” shackle length which puts the spring eye 5 ½” from the frame. The 5 ½” is somewhat better, but still not that great. Any shorter of a shackle and it won’t be enough lift.
I’m trying to figure out the best way out of this. I guess my options are:
Go back to the way it was and get some 3.5” OME or HFS springs, but I’m kind of at the point of no return. I modified the cradles of the spring packs for the narrower Chevy springs to the point where they can’t be undone and I cut off all the original spring hangers off the frame.
Go with 6” lift Chevy springs. It would put the rear spring eyes 3” closer to the frame. It would be better, but would end up with little to no shackle length.
Go SOA with stock Chevy springs. Pretty much out of the question because would need a new front suspension too or front tires would hit. Also would I need to make new exhaust and many other mods would need done.
Maybe I’m being too picky and should just make 6” shackles for it and leave it be.
I dont think it looks too bad. Trimming up the shackles would help, but I am sure you were gonna do that. I am sure it will be better than what was on there.
I still vote SOA with a super flat set of springs. Exahust isnt a hard task to get around.
So how stiff or soft are they compaired to the yota springs?
I still vote SOA with a super flat set of springs. Exahust isnt a hard task to get around.
So how stiff or soft are they compaired to the yota springs?
I guess I was over reacting. They'll be ok. No big deal if I gotta drag them over a rock once in a while. measured the distance from the bottom of the frame to spring eye on the other cruiser. Distance is about the same. Just because they're further back it just stands out.
Getting 10" more drop than before. About the same flex as the old springs, but old springs were totally worn out.
Next time it's four link
Getting 10" more drop than before. About the same flex as the old springs, but old springs were totally worn out.
Next time it's four link
I have a very heavy 4runner and did this 63" Chevy spring swap. Here are my experiences
3 leaf packs were way too soft. The springs didn’t not have the ability to control the sway of the truck, and made my 4runner dangerous to drive on the highway.
My 4 leaf packs were great... with the top off. When I bolted the top on it had the same issue as the 3 leaf packs.
Now I have 4 leaf packs with a rancho add a leaf. It works great, rides soft, decent travel (I use 12" travel shocks, and don’t see the need to have more travel than that), and cost effective.
I found that if the springs are under 250-275 in lbs they are too soft for a heavy wagon. With my poor calculations a 3-leaf pack are 175 in lbs.
Also note, the more of a shackle angle, the more the shackle has leverage over the spring, thus making it effectively softer. My shackles are at 45° which may explain some of the springs soft tendencies. If I had mounted the shackles closer to 90° it would give me an effectively higher spring rate with better handling characteristics (but a harsher ride).
Take it as you will. My Chevy springs work well for my application, and plan to continue to run them for years to come.
3 leaf packs were way too soft. The springs didn’t not have the ability to control the sway of the truck, and made my 4runner dangerous to drive on the highway.
My 4 leaf packs were great... with the top off. When I bolted the top on it had the same issue as the 3 leaf packs.
Now I have 4 leaf packs with a rancho add a leaf. It works great, rides soft, decent travel (I use 12" travel shocks, and don’t see the need to have more travel than that), and cost effective.
I found that if the springs are under 250-275 in lbs they are too soft for a heavy wagon. With my poor calculations a 3-leaf pack are 175 in lbs.
Also note, the more of a shackle angle, the more the shackle has leverage over the spring, thus making it effectively softer. My shackles are at 45° which may explain some of the springs soft tendencies. If I had mounted the shackles closer to 90° it would give me an effectively higher spring rate with better handling characteristics (but a harsher ride).
Take it as you will. My Chevy springs work well for my application, and plan to continue to run them for years to come.
So what would it be like to put the 63" chevy springs on a SUA 60?
Would it help w. flex?
Could i Use the stock U bolts, AI shackles? Ect?
Do you move the Front spring perch or the back or both?
Looks like a great way to get more articulation.
Would it help w. flex?
Could i Use the stock U bolts, AI shackles? Ect?
Do you move the Front spring perch or the back or both?
Looks like a great way to get more articulation.
That's what FL cruiser did in post #28 although he is using lift springs and SOA guys are using stock heigth springs. At least for SOA I had to move both spring hangers (plus I put the shackle through the frame to reduce lift heigth). On my previous rig that I put 63" on it flexed great!
I have Heavies on it right now, it's already lifted about 3.5" above stock Ht. do you think i would lose lift??
It seems like if you move the front spring perch far enough you could still use the back one as-is. and can't you modify the top spring leaf so the the centering pin still lines up with the axle?
What if you reversed the shackles and the moved the shackle perch all the way in to mount the chevies?
It seems like if you move the front spring perch far enough you could still use the back one as-is. and can't you modify the top spring leaf so the the centering pin still lines up with the axle?
What if you reversed the shackles and the moved the shackle perch all the way in to mount the chevies?
Easiest would be to buy/make new spring hangers. The front hanger has that funky bolt that is 19mm. The holes in the chevy bushings are 9/16" so that bolt is too big to reuse, which means that the spring hanger would have to be modified and you might as well buy new hangers. You could re-use the rear shackle hanger but not the shackles for the same reason of the larger, fixed bolts on the shackle (new shackles would be easy to make).
The centering pin goes though all the leaves in a pack so to move that pin you would need to drill a new hole through all the leaves to the spot you want to position the axle on that spring pack. However I'm not crazy about drilling another hole in a spring pack.
I'm not understanding the last question yet.
My 60 previously had 3.5" lift and I had to go with Chevy lift springs to maintain height. You would loose lift if you used stock Chevy springs unless you went SOA. Procomp and Superlift make Chevy 3.5" lift springs. The Chevies are so much longer you just gotta move out hangers at both ends and/or make new hangers.
Like Boots 4 said, none of the bolts bushing or hardware can be used. Might as well make new hangers. The springs I bought came with bushings that had a 1/2" hole. I made front hangers out of 3.5" square tube which happens to be 3" ID. The chevy springs are narrower. They would flop around inside the Toyota spring pack holder, so made some craddles to go around the springs and fill up the slack. Also made up some steel centering dowels because the Toyota rubber pads with centering pins wouldn't fit in the craddles. Rear hangers made out of thick wall 2" sq tube and 1.5" ID tube.
Probably because you do not do a shackle reversal on the back.
sorry -
Spring perches would definately be easy enough to fab.
I ordered the sky-manufacturing kit and it was a good value:
http://www.sky-manufacturing.com/
Look under Toyota/minitruck/suspension..
The 3/4 ton in SOA config. worked great under the pig... 2WD are three leaves and helper and the 4WD are 4 springs and helper IIRC.. I used the 2WD version with the helper.
http://www.sky-manufacturing.com/
Look under Toyota/minitruck/suspension..
The 3/4 ton in SOA config. worked great under the pig... 2WD are three leaves and helper and the 4WD are 4 springs and helper IIRC.. I used the 2WD version with the helper.
Hey all,
I have a 4 spring pack with no overlaod. I think it is a 1/2 ton pack that came off of a Suburban... I am going to throw it under my FJ60 sometime in the near future and I will document the process. Can you of you with the 3/4 ton springs measure the thickness of the springs and post a pic of the spring pack? I will do the same with my pack.
Thanks,
Jeremiah
I have a 4 spring pack with no overlaod. I think it is a 1/2 ton pack that came off of a Suburban... I am going to throw it under my FJ60 sometime in the near future and I will document the process. Can you of you with the 3/4 ton springs measure the thickness of the springs and post a pic of the spring pack? I will do the same with my pack.
Thanks,
Jeremiah
I dug through my pics and found these during the build. These are stock 3/4 ton packs, 4 leaf plus overload. I took the overloads off at first but put them back on. Sorry, no measurements just eye candy.
I then put the overloads back on and think the pack would be too soft without them, plus since I tow with mine the overloads come in handy. Articulation is not hindered by the overloads since I've extended my bumpstops anyways so the tire won't eat the fender.
I then put the overloads back on and think the pack would be too soft without them, plus since I tow with mine the overloads come in handy. Articulation is not hindered by the overloads since I've extended my bumpstops anyways so the tire won't eat the fender.
