79-85 OME lift. Who runs one?

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beatdown83fj60

beatdown83fj60

10 Year 15 Year
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Jul 30, 2006
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57
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615
Location
Evergreen, Colorado
I just bought myself 4 Old Man Emu leaf springs for my 4Runner. They were for sale on a local 4x4 message board for $75 so I just couldn't pass it up. I'm going to be running these springs on my 84 Runner but have just a few questions for those of you who run them. Im going to be adding 2 inches of shackle lift at the same time and I was wondering if I should extend my brakelines? Also I already plan on buying one but I wanted to double check and see if I should go ahead and get a dropped draglink. I wanted to go further with this truck but for now I just cant afford crossover etc. not to mention I'd like to get a little more confident in my welding capabilities.
 
I did a 4in lift on an old 81 Toyota and at first didn't extend the brake lines. On my first trip to Moab with the lift, I pulled the rear brake line out of the junction block on the rear axle, and promptly had to buy the set of extended lines through Marlin. I'd do it now and avoid the heartache or getting pulled out of a trail without brakes.
 
Yeah I was kind of expecting to have to do it, but didn't want to if I didn't have to. That same thing has happened to me before. The very first time I ever went down Radical Hill at Red Cone pass I didn't have any rear brakes. Any pics of this setup from anyone? I'm really hoping that between these springs and shackles I can run my 35's. I've already chopped the front and rear sheet metal and pounded/grinded the front fenderwell and plan on drilling my front spring perches back a bit but I'm still skeptical. I don't think my 180a stick welder would be very helpful when it came to tubbing the firewall, especially with my lack of experience.
 
I just finished tubbing my front fenders with a 160A welder - which wasn't so bad in the end.

I'll send some pictures of mine in the next day or so for you to see how I did the fenders and how my brake lines are run.

I have only done basic trimming of the rear fenders - only after going to the 14.50" wide Toyo tires. It worked great in the back with 35x12.50's when I had MTR's.

The front is a totally different story. My front fenders (or what's left of them) are pretty 'customized.'

- Brandon
 
I bought new OME springs for my old '84 pickup, that was back in 1999. I have them on my SAS'd '87 now. I would say that you will need the longer brake lines, but 35's won't work without a lot of hacking in the front. I run 35's on mine now, but my front bracket gives me a little more lift, plus I have a 1" BL, and my front axle is about 1.5" forward due to the perch re-drill. I still get a little rubbing in the front on a hard stuff.

Yes, you'll need the drop draglink. Otherwise the stock draglink will be at an odd angle and will hit the top of the U-bolts, you won't be able to steer.
 
Cool thanks for the input everyone, especially helpful. It's nice not to get my ass chewed like the Pirate folk always do lol. I have some old sheetmetal from past rigs I parted out laying around so I may try my hand at welding sheet metal and see if I can tub them myself. I guess it wouldn't be too hard to rivet them in and find someone with a good mig to lay some beads for me. Im still getting acquainted with stick welding and haven't welded anything less than 1/4" with it. I've read that sheet metal is very hard not to burn through. Also somewhere deep in the Pirate archives I read a post where a guy swore by auto body grade epoxy for tubbing firewalls. He said the sheet metal would actually tear upon major stress or impact long before the epoxy would shatter or crack. Does anybody have experience with this? I did a search but all I could find were industrial size units that would have been enough to probably do 30 firewalls and it was $$$$$. I may just make some adjustable bumpstops for now until I can get the firewall figured out. The 35's are the only tires I have so theyve got to fit one way or another.
 
NAPA Auto parts has industrial grade seam sealer in a caulking gun that's like $25. One tube'll do the set of fenders.
 
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