87 bj74 suspension replacement

[torqueluvr]

Hey guys,

New to this forum, and also the LC universe. Just picked up a 87 bj74 w 13bt auto. It is in need of new suspension. I have done my research and found there are a couple options: OME, Ironman, or Belton. I have bookmarked about 3 threads in this forum on how-to's.

Here is my question. What would be the most cost effective solution. 4wheelauto has quoted me $1900 for the OME (Old Man Emu) kit (I assume its the lift kit). How much do the IronMan and Belton ones cost? I have found an OME kit for about 1500 shipped.

Are there any other solutions/dealers to work with, or am I stuck around the $2000 range?

Also, I can't seem to find a stock suspension replacement kit, all I can find are lift kits - this is no problem, but I'm in a pinch and depending on the difference in $ I will take the stock one.

BTW, I love this forum and have already diy'd a couple issues with my new purchase.

Any suggestions on lift/stock kits and price and dealers would be great. I live in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Or if someone has just done a lift and has their old stuff lying around I may be interested.

Thanks guys. I thoroughly appreciate the help I've received from this forum - and this is my first post!

 

[ForealBoreal]

Just get an emu kit. Heavy front if you plan on adding a winch and bumper. Medium rears. Get the whole emu kit.
John @ Radd matches prices and is a land cruiser wizard. I would say give him a shout.
It will run you in the 2 g range. That will make your truck awesome and ride nice.

 

[torqueluvr]

Thanks for the suggestion. The 74 already has a huge bumper and pto winch installed on the front; this would call for Heavy springs, correct?

Just out of curiosity though, what are the prices on the other brands? and the OME kit mentioned, would this be the 2" lift kit? I can't seem to find a kit thats not a lift kit.

Also, when installing the kit (if its a lift kit) will my brake hoses, drive shafts, and sway bars be ok?

Look how much the springs are sagging, and the angle on the shackles is pretty bad too. Here's a link for pics.

DSC_0438.jpg picture by Tannerbp - Photobucket

 

[amaurer]

The stock "huge" bumper and PTO do not really count - they're very light.

I have a Belton lift that I like very much; got it second hand for under two hundred bucks.

 

[torqueluvr]

Will the springs from a different series fit my 70? say, 40, 45, 55 or 60 series?

 

[canadian bum]

All your brake lines, drive lines, and sway bar will be fine. Put an OME kit in my buddies 74 he loves it rides way better. We also stuffed 35's under it. Had to redrill the front axle mount and move the axle ahead as well as trim and reform the front finders. He is really happy with the ride and look of the truck. He is also in Edmonton.

Also I don't think spings out of a 40, 45, or 55 will work. But I think a 60 uses similar springs or the same. On one end.

 

[prado t]

Congrats on your find. I would say your stock springs are sagging a bit , but that is very common for the age. Anything up to 3.5 " for lift and your stock brake lines and driveshafts will be all right. Anything around 4" and up there will be more work involved.

If you do get a lift 2" or higher a 2 deg or 4 deg caster correction kit would advised and replacing those stock shackles is a must.

Floreal Boreal metioned Heavy up front and medium for back springs. Good call FB

 

[Radd Cruisers]

There is no such thing as a "kit" from OME. The parts are all sold a la carte and are assembled as a package for a particular application and can be tuned depending on needs.

The OME springs themselves are not all that expensive, it's the shackles, shocks, pins and other items that adds greatly to the price. When you price out your parts, you need to make sure that you're comparing identical parts and brands - I had one guy tell me he wanted one thing (recently), which I quoted on, and then he went and bought from another vendor saying I was several hundred $$ more than my competitor - but what he bought was quite different than what be asked me to quote on.

There are numerous ways of making a suspension systems cost less, but you should make sure that you're not compromising quality or ride quality in the process.

A few things about OME springs & suspension systems:

- OME spring rates tend to be somewhat high - meaning they have a fair bit of arch, but that comes at the cost of droop when off-roading. This means that you're going to get a decent riding road suspension and an acceptable off-road suspension, but it's certainly not optimized if you are going to be doing a LOT of off-roading. Think of most OME suspension systems as ideal for touring or expedition driving, but a pretty mediocre suspension for more challenging off-roading (for example, where an SOA conversion would be far superior).

-Use OME bushings with OME springs.

-OME shocks are expensive - but they are also better tuned for the springs than most things out there. There are other options, but as a package, the OME shocks are a good choice.

-OME shocks tend to be too short for the given application (in my opinion, and that of others), so if you are going to be doing lots of off-roading, you might want to look at optimizing your suspension travel with longer shocks. If you are primarily on the road, or doing basic off-roading then OME shocks would be a good choice.

-OME spring pins are pricey. Much more so than they need to be... The 70 series rear spring pins are affordable, but you re-use the mounting plate.

-OME shackles are pricey. Again, much more than they need to be.

-Consider using the length of shackles that OME designates for the rear for both the front and rear. You will get a little bit more lift from the front and a slightly more spring travel.

-You should have caster correction shims installed with your lift. 2.5* is a good starting point, 4* is better. Caster correction will require a little more time to fit, but I don't think you should consider a lift without it.

-The OME steering damper is really good, and I would suggest that you trash the stock unit and definitely install one of these units.

-Your skid plate (front) may need to be notched for the driveshaft to clear properly.

If you're not really handy with tools and have space to work on a vehicle, then get the package installed by someone who actually knows what they are doing. There are little things done during installation that will make your suspension system just that much better.

Most JDMs are not that bad to work on, but older Land Cruisers can take a fair bit of time to get the installation done right. I've had some pretty handy customers attempt an installation over a weekend with their family/friends/relatives/pizza & beer all helping out - only to find a tow truck pulling up early Monday morning with a vehicle in pieces for us to put back together again - at which time you have wasted your whole weekend and not having saved us any time on the install.

You may need torches and a big hammer (I often use a 4lb unit) to get pins to come out if they pins have rusted to the bushings. At the shop level the typical install with caster correction and a damper will run about 6 hours of pretty heavy work. More if the vehicle is a rusty POS, and less if it's really clean and low on rust, but 6 hours is a good baseline to get quoted on.

Front sway bar links should be extended if you're going to leave them in place.

The brake lines can be re-used, but it can be helpful to replace them with longer units (add time for installation and brake system bleeding).

40, 45, 55 springs are not the same. The fronts only fit a 70 series, the rears are the same length as the 60 series.

If you want to run tires larger than a 33x10.50 or 255 85R16, then you need to move the front axle forward by 20 mm or so.

The factory bumper (with PTO) does not really justify putting on the heavier front springs. An ARB bumper (with winch) would, however.


~John

 

[torqueluvr]

Thanks John, I've heard many great things about you and your shop, and you've just lived up to them. Would you mind pricing me out an OME kit with install (PM me if that's more suitable), as I just tried calling your shop to no avail. Thank you for all your help. This forum is great.

 

[Radd Cruisers]

Thanks John, I've heard many great things about you and your shop, and you've just lived up to them. Would you mind pricing me out an OME kit with install (PM me if that's more suitable), as I just tried calling your shop to no avail. Thank you for all your help. This forum is great.

Sorry, closed for the holiday but open again on Jan 3rd.

If you send me a message via my website I'll send you a quote when I next step in to my office.

Let me know exactly which springs you're wanting - front is a choice of CS006F or CS007F (heavy), rears would typically be CS017RB, the CS017RA if you want more arch (will sit tail high), and CS004R (A or B, but suggest B) if you want much more load carrying for a roof top tent or expedition gear.

OME pricing just went up about 5 - 6% over Christmas but I have "old" stock on the floor and also some used OME suspension available .


~John

 

[amaurer]

Wowee, great post John.

You may need torches and a big hammer (I often use a 4lb unit) to get pins to come out if they pins have rusted to the bushings. At the shop level the typical install with caster correction and a damper will run about 6 hours of pretty heavy work. More if the vehicle is a rusty POS, and less if it's really clean and low on rust, but 6 hours is a good baseline to get quoted on.

Can't emphasize that enough, freeing the old pins and bushings is grueling work. A 4lb'er is often barely adequate - the last install I gave up and resorted to setting the bushings on fire with a MAPP torch.

 

[bj74redrider]

Here's what went in my 89 BJ74 last year, I am still very happy.

2 - CS006F Front Leaf Springs
2 - CS004RB Rear Leaf Springs (B's have more arc than A's)
4 - SB1 OME Poly Spring Bushing Kits
2 - OMEGS1 OME Greasable Shackle Kit (GS1's are a bit bigger from what I remember)
1 - OMEGP1 OME Greasable Front Spring Pin Kit
1 - OMEGSP01 OME Greasable Rear Spring Pin Kit
8 - OMEU51/59A OME U-Bolts & Nuts
Rancho shocks front and rear, from what I hear the OME shocks are too short.

 

[Phil in BC]

My 74 looked a lot like yours does with the old sagging springs. I also put the ome lift in, 2.5" i think and what a difference it made. Truck sits about 6" higher than it did before. Handles well on and off road. Couldnt be happier. Wasnt cheap to have done, but it wasnt something I could do in my driveway so well worth paying for. Hope this helps.

 

[Adolf]

I fitted the OME Dakar Range. Springs, Bushes, and U-bolts. I then also fitted ProComp Shocks and Ironman Anti-Inversion Shackles with greasable Pins allround! ProComp and Ironman was almost half price then OME and I could not justify the difference in price. All going still strong after two years!

 

[torqueluvr]

Thanks for all the help guys. I have narrowed down a stock set of springs and works, and also I've priced out on OME set. Can anyone post before and after pics of a stock to OME Lift? Im running bfg all terrains 31X10.5X15, was wondering if a 2inch lift from now (from what I've heard will lift my truck 5-6 inches seeing that my springs are all shot) will make my tires look quite small. Before and After pics please.

Tanner
Edmonton, AB

 

[1985bj70]

This is a little different from what you are looking at, but here are some before and after pics of my 70 from stock to a Belton lift (3.5" I believe?). I also put on 33x10.5 tires, from the stock 235's....