Another 60 SOA

[traviszesty201]

Well the beautiful LC is under the knife as we speak, getting her long awaited SOA. Rear is done, cut and turned the front last night, about to reassemble and tie up all the loose ends (brakes, front driveshaft flange, breather tubes, etc)


before picture

stock rear suspension

stock front

rear done - 35" SSR rear/33" TSL front (ha just for the picture)

rear suspension after, before shocks

who needs a front axle

removed the stock shock mounts and moved them (notice ground off area on spring pad)

top mounts

cross member cut out - all i had was Hammered Bronze Rustolium to seal it up

used 1/8 steel bent into a plas cut semi-circle. seems pretty solid, the biggest gap i welded on the whole thing wasnt more than a few sixteenths.

i need a flange on my transfercase output that will fit the older style DC drive shaft i have. (Not the square pattern, the ~3.14 x 2.8 rectangular pattern). For now the regular shaft will work at crawling speed (right? ha)

more to come later, after i finish up the front. Tell me what you think or would have done different. oh and total money invested so far -$18 for spring perches from dodge. shoot ya

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Excellent! Why didn't you use new spring perches on the **front** axle? I thought you couldn't use the stock perch that is there because it can't support the weight.

 

[landcruiserjunky]

Once you go SOA, you'll never know how you lived without it!

 

[inkpot]

Howdy! SOA is a wonderful thing. Looks good so far, but you may want to think about moving the top end of the rear shocks outboard a bunch. They will not be very effective at a 45 degree angle, as now you have a pivot point at the centerline of the rig. You may find a lot of rocknroll in the rear. John

 

[traviszesty201]

thanks! i do agree, when you look at the geometry the shocks arent being effectively stroked. but as in all things, you work to a certain degree, i know it isnt the BEST but it will work relative to how much work i wanted to put into it.
and those are new spring perches, maybe youre confused because they are dirty? i took the pictures after a quick muddy test... i matched the output/input angles to be parallel as well

 

[inkpot]

thanks! i do agree, when you look at the geometry the shocks arent being effectively stroked. but as in all things, you work to a certain degree, i know it isnt the BEST but it will work relative to how much work i wanted to put into it.
and those are new spring perches, maybe youre confused because they are dirty? i took the pictures after a quick muddy test... i matched the output/input angles to be parallel as well

Howdy! I am running a similar arrangement on my Piggy. But my shocks are at about 1/2 the angle of yours, and I am running duals on all four corners. The good news is in this arrangement, it does allow for more axle travel by about 20%. The bad news is it does allow for more body roll when you run thru the whooppies at speed. I am still running to OEM anti-sway bar to counter act the roll. I guess it works OK, as I have been setup like this for about 20 years, and I have never laid it over yet. John

 

[GLTHFJ60]

thanks! i do agree, when you look at the geometry the shocks arent being effectively stroked. but as in all things, you work to a certain degree, i know it isnt the BEST but it will work relative to how much work i wanted to put into it.
and those are new spring perches, maybe youre confused because they are dirty? i took the pictures after a quick muddy test... i matched the output/input angles to be parallel as well

Yeah, I meant the front axle.

 

[chicago]

Looks great!
Just out of curiosity, how come you didnt rotate the rear diff up?
Looks to be a harsh angle for the shaft. Is it because you didnt want to go to the DC shaft?
X2 on the SOA is the SHIZZ comment. I wouldnt have it any other way.
I know that some worrie about the COG issues, but there is a LOT to be said about the increased flex and its improved ability to keep all fours on the ground as a compromise.

Welcome to the dark side!

Chicago

 

[Randy88FJ62]

traviszesty201,
I have a question about the notched crossmember. It looks like yours is trimmed straight up and down. Does anyone ever angle the notch about 30° back for more clearance? It seems that it would still catch. I am researching SOA and I know it needs to be notched but I just want to be sure. I'm sure other SOA guys can explain this to me as well. Any other pics of notched crossmembers or links to them would be much appreciated as well. I'm sure you did it correct but I want to understand it better.
-Randy

 

[chicago]

traviszesty201,
I have a question about the notched crossmember. It looks like yours is trimmed straight up and down. Does anyone ever angle the notch about 30° back for more clearance? It seems that it would still catch. I am researching SOA and I know it needs to be notched but I just want to be sure. I'm sure other SOA guys can explain this to me as well. Any other pics of notched crossmembers or links to them would be much appreciated as well. I'm sure you did it correct but I want to understand it better.
-Randy

Randy,
Are you doing this to your 62?
There is no where that I can see where the x member will interfere with doing an SOA.
I, however, dont know if your your rig is different than mine. I did NOT have to notch the x member when I did my SOA on my 88 FJ62.

FWIW

Chicago

 

[Butt Ugly Chuck]

oh and total money invested so far -$18 for spring perches from dodge. shoot ya

You still have a ways to go, but if I could piece together SOA for that cheaply I'd pull the trigger too! Good job!
Butt

 

[kling-on]

NICE ...I like to see loved and dented 60 around .... bring it to Tree'sranch Labor day and get som more dents



I dont see a pic what did you do for front steering

 

[CruisinFJ60]

NICE ...I like to see loved and dented 60 around .... bring it to Tree'sranch Labor day and get som more dents



I dont see a pic what did you do for front steering

where is tree's ranch?

 

[traviszesty201]

Well i would love to say i KNOW that i did the crossmember cut correctly but i havent had the front axle fully drooped with my DC shaft in yet, so i can only assume based on what others have shown me. but i do understand what you mean, mine is straight up and down as opposed to angled backwards (which i agree makes more sense, logically.) But in all practicality it's alot more metal work and doesnt seem to be needed. And hopefully you dont have to do it to your 62..

Dont worry all pics to come...once i do it. haha. Steering/brake lines going in today. and tree's ranch?

 

[traviszesty201]

Everything done besides the front shocks and sway bar extensions...

 

[zuluzeugma]

Looks sick dude... Did you get the knuckles turned equally? Is it tracking straight?

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Looking good, but you need hi-steer in a big way. Did you just bend the sotck drag link?

 

[CruisinFJ60]

Looking good, but you need hi-steer in a big way. Did you just bend the sotck drag link?

yea i have to agree. bending that drag link just made it the weak link in your steering. its gonna fold much easier if you bind it up enough.

and get ya a hy steer kit and it will eliminate alot of the bump steer you are gonna have with the drag link being at that angle.

 

[chicago]

X3 on the high steer...
Plus, the links are hanging waay down just screaming to hang up on the rocks.

Chicago

 

[traviszesty201]

Oh ya i agree with yall, i definitely know what would be ideal. Once the money comes around it'll happen. but i still only spent $18 on the entire thing and thats good enough for me right now..

yes i just heated up the drag link and bent it