Best lift setup for 38's

[Marcus Anthony]

Hey guys! Towards the end of the season I put some new shoes on my 80. Some Toyo MT 38's.

Currently I have a 3 inch lift and a bit of trimming done to accommodate the occasional drive, but it is not offroad ready by any means. Looking for the best way to clear the tires.

My initial thought was to just add a 1" body lift, but now I'm hearing that's not a very good idea.
Should I just scrap the 3" and go all out with a 6"? Looking for some ideas.

 

[NV1971FJ40]

Take your flares off and cut the fenders.

 

[BILT4ME]

Go with a 6" lift and 42's.

 

[Qball]

One inch body lift works great, just watch out for the stubby 2l/4h shifter lever and boot. You probably need to trim still though, 6 inch lift is heap of trouble and money.

 

[davidp14]

I don't have any advice...I just want to see some more 38pron!!!

 

[White Stripe]

I say 2" body lift and 4" suspension lift at most. I had a 5" suspension lift on my last 80 and the link geometry was pretty far out the window.

 

[Jgrauman]

How deep are your pockets? If you have thousands of dollars to throw at it, go 6". If you have hundreds, body lift and trim.

 

[cybrstar]

Only thing you have to trim are your fender flares.

Cut? Just bang everything with a BFH and hide it all with the flares.

1inch body I think is a necessity if you don’t want to cut your fenders though, unless you just limit your uptravel with bigger bump stops, which you’ll have to do anyways.

You can go with 38’s and a 3 inch lift if you want that look, but IMO 6-7 inches look much better.

 

[COYS]

I love the look with fenders there, but even my relatively tiny 315/75/16s rubs a bit in certain back-up and turn parking maneuvers. My wide 16x10s certainly don't help.

I'm curious exactly how much some of the clean 80s are managing to stuff anything larger than 35s reliably. Heck, I want 40s someday!

 

[JeepinPete]

I do not know what the fear of body lifts on these trucks is. It does take some work, mainly with the steering shaft clearance, but I have been running a 3" body lift, stock suspension and 365/75R16 BFGs for a few year now. That is a 37.5" x 14.3" tire by the math, probably smaller knowing BFGoodrich. Biggest issue I have is the width of the tires, they do cut down on the steering radius. Otherwise a little flare trimming, and some metal removal in the front inner wheel wells has minimized the rubbing.

If money was no object, I'd run a 2" lift and a 2" body lift just to get a bit more up travel than the stock suspension.

 

[White Stripe]

I do not know what the fear of body lifts on these trucks is. It does take some work, mainly with the steering shaft clearance, but I have been running a 3" body lift, stock suspension and 365/75R16 BFGs for a few year now. That is a 37.5" x 14.3" tire by the math, probably smaller knowing BFGoodrich. Biggest issue I have is the width of the tires, they do cut down on the steering radius. Otherwise a little flare trimming, and some metal removal in the front inner wheel wells has minimized the rubbing.

If money was no object, I'd run a 2" lift and a 2" body lift just to get a bit more up travel than the stock suspension.

I think the no body lift mentality comes from the look of a lazily done body lift which many do and looks terrible with huge gaps. But if a body lift is done with effort to hide the gaps it can be hard to even notice. That said, a 2" body lift combined with a 3" suspension lift will out-wheel a 5 or 6" suspension lift alone or a 3" suspension lift with fender cutting.

 

[Marcus Anthony]

I should have mentioned that this pic is from when the tires first went on.

Flares have been trimmed fairly well and liners have been hammered to allow for decent around town driving. It sounds like I'll be atickubc with my plan for just the 1" body lift.

Any issues that may come up with that that I may run I to? Also, where is a decent place to source parts for one?

 

[asuddendeath]

I have a 2" BL set up on my 450, putting c97-144VT in the front and c59-615v in the rear.
I think I should be able to clear 38s on stock rims. If not ill take a hammer out and fix what would be a small problem

 

[Marcus Anthony]

I have a 2" BL set up on my 450, putting c97-144VT in the front and c59-615v in the rear.
I think I should be able to clear 38s on stock rims. If not ill take a hammer out and fix what would be a small problem

2" suspension lift and you can clear 38's? What's the trick?

 

[LC4LIFE]

@ExpoMax has a lot knowledge about this, plus he's done an 80 on 40's with a lowish lift and he's in the Springs.

 

[baldilocks]

Time to start chopping.

 

[Biggreener]

I do not know what the fear of body lifts on these trucks is. It does take some work, mainly with the steering shaft clearance, but I have been running a 3" body lift, stock suspension and 365/75R16 BFGs for a few year now. That is a 37.5" x 14.3" tire by the math, probably smaller knowing BFGoodrich. Biggest issue I have is the width of the tires, they do cut down on the steering radius. Otherwise a little flare trimming, and some metal removal in the front inner wheel wells has minimized the rubbing.

If money was no object, I'd run a 2" lift and a 2" body lift just to get a bit more up travel than the stock suspension.

What's the measurement from the center of your hub to the radius of your fender wells, front and back? Curious for comparisons

 

[Marcus Anthony]

With a 1" lift could I get away with minimal chopping/trimming?

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Best way to clear the tires? Get rid of the tires. Where are you going to go on 38s that 35s won't work? Even 33s.

35s are such a no drama and easy solution on an 80 that I'm not sure why you need more. Cool if you do, but seriously, with bikes and such, 38s are for style.

Do you have gearing for 38s? If you're not running 4.88 or more, 38s are just making your driving more difficult.

Here's some hard facts:
-your 80 is not a ruck buggy. It's too big and too heavy
-your 80 has a small and delicate front axle
-smaller tires and lower lifts will take you where you want to go, 99% of the time
-a 3 inch lift and 35s is near the sweet spot for 80 series Land Cruisers

In all cases with mods, decide where you want to go that you can't go now, and build accordingly. But my guess is, that you don't need 38 inch tires. Once you give that up, it gets easier to plan, and it's easier on you and you wallet.

 

[ExpoMax]

Best way to clear the tires? Get rid of the tires. Where are you going to go on 38s that 35s won't work? Even 33s.

35s are such a no drama and easy solution on an 80 that I'm not sure why you need more. Cool if you do, but seriously, with bikes and such, 38s are for style.

Do you have gearing for 38s? If you're not running 4.88 or more, 38s are just making your driving more difficult.

Here's some hard facts:
-your 80 is not a ruck buggy. It's too big and too heavy
-your 80 has a small and delicate front axle
-smaller tires and lower lifts will take you where you want to go, 99% of the time
-a 3 inch lift and 35s is near the sweet spot for 80 series Land Cruisers

In all cases with mods, decide where you want to go that you can't go now, and build accordingly. But my guess is, that you don't need 38 inch tires. Once you give that up, it gets easier to plan, and it's easier on you and you wallet.

I’d say that is pretty false. Most of the wheeling I’ve done, the lines I take can’t be done with anything less than a 37”. I ran 40s for over 20k miles and loved it. Highly suggest going 38s man! I’d be sweet.