Builds Brunt Force Trauma's fj80 thread. (2 Viewers)

[Workingclass]

Removing the faux-wood dash crap was the first thing I did when I've bought my 80s.

Even on the drive home after picking it up I was picking at it and breaking it off

Sure is a lot cleaner look.

With all of the weight dropped out of the back of the rig, does it get bouncy while driving 'round town?

Jeff

What did you use to remove leftover adhesive?

Sorry to thread jack.

 

[Brunt Force Trauma]

What did you use to remove leftover adhesive?

Sorry to thread jack.

My fingernail.

 

[Brunt Force Trauma]

Decided to bring the beast back down a few inches and do some trimming. Liked the belly clearance, but didnt like the COG or the body sway on the road. Removed the 2" front spacers and 1" from the rears. Currently sitting on 3.5" coils up front and stock coils with 1" spacer in the rear. Thinking 4" coils up front and 2" rear will be perfect once the sliders/bumpers are on, and rear is put back together.

BTW. Spacers are for sale in the classifieds.

 

[93yotasr5]

Pics?

 

[Wrench]

Belly clearance is a must for these beasts.

 

[VCCruzr]

Decided to bring the beast back down a few inches and do some trimming. Liked the belly clearance, but didnt like the COG or the body sway on the road. Removed the 2" front spacers and 1" from the rears. Currently sitting on 3.5" coils up front and stock coils with 1" spacer in the rear. Thinking 4" coils up front and 2" rear will be perfect once the sliders/bumpers are on, and rear is put back together.

BTW. Spacers are for sale in the classifieds.

You will rub if you wheel it. What shocks are you runing right now, might be the cause of your sway problem. Are you still using your swaybars?

I have re-attached my front swaybar and going back to OME's from my Prochump ES9000s.

 

[julstirn]

Glad to see you making headway again.

 

[Wrench]

Glad to see you making headway again.

I don't think he is. He's going backwards IMO.

 

[Brunt Force Trauma]

Belly clearance is a must for these beasts.

I agree completely. But the taller coils have a higher spring rate to compensate for the added height. Running a spacer increases the height but not the spring rate, so you get more sway and roll with 3" coils and 2" spacers than you would with 5" coils. I'm really not losing that much anyway. Probably end up with about 1" less lift when I swap to the new coils. Ive really gotten into running in the dessert and faster overland stuff, lately. Ill take the control of higher rated coils in exchange for the small loss in flexyness from the coil/spacer combo.

You will rub if you wheel it. What shocks are you runing right now, might be the cause of your sway problem. Are you still using your swaybars? I have re-attached my front swaybar and going back to OME's from my Prochump ES9000s.

No swaybars, and they arent going back on. Im running es5000s up front and es3000s in the rear. Going to upgrade to reservoirs once the truck is fully put back together. Im not worried about rubbing. I am going to be trimming lots more sheetmetal before I am done.

Ill get some pics to make this more interesting, asap.

 

[Ebag333]

Belly clearance is a must for these beasts.

This is true to a certain extent, but there are alternative ways of achieving better clearance than just throwing the tallest springs you can find on it.

Im running es5000s up front and es3000s in the rear. Going to upgrade to reservoirs once the truck is fully put back together.

I'm assuming you mean 6000's?

The 3000's are no where near enough to handle an 80. I'm curious what you think about the 6000's though, Pro Comp said they weren't up to the weight but I don't know anyone who's run them.

 

[CreeperSleeper]

This is true to a certain extent, but there are alternative ways of achieving better clearance than just throwing the tallest springs you can find on it.

Like what?

 

[Ebag333]

Like what?

Drive train lift will net you a couple inches of clearance in the belly area, and in the particular spot that is most likely to be a problem (t-case, which is pretty much smack dab in the center of the four tires and also hangs down the furthest).

It's not like it's that difficult to do either. Or expensive. Maybe $75 if you source everything yourself?

And since a ~2" body lift is required to make the drive train flush with the frame, you're also lifting your rockers out of harms way and giving you more room in the wheel wells for up travel (or bigger tires).

IMHO it's a win, win, win, with really no down sides to it (unlike a taller spring).

 

[Brunt Force Trauma]

This is true to a certain extent, but there are alternative ways of achieving better clearance than just throwing the tallest springs you can find on it.



I'm assuming you mean 6000's?

The 3000's are no where near enough to handle an 80. I'm curious what you think about the 6000's though, Pro Comp said they weren't up to the weight but I don't know anyone who's run them.

Oops. I mean 9000's up front and 3000's rear. The rear is extremely light right remember. bobbed/sut, no rear seat, no rear floor, no rear wheel wells, no bumper, no spare, no crossmember... well you get the point. The 9000's I had on there before wouldnt let the rear axle move around enough. the lighter 3000's dont push back when you compress them. So they allow the rear end to tuck more.

And persoanlly, i dont want a body lift. But one day i may cut up my floors and lift the drive-train. It would make a good bit of difference.

 

[Ebag333]

Oops. I mean 9000's up front and 3000's rear. The rear is extremely light right remember. bobbed/sut, no rear seat, no rear floor, no rear wheel wells, no bumper, no spare, no crossmember... well you get the point. The 9000's I had on there before wouldnt let the rear axle move around enough. the lighter 3000's dont push back when you compress them. So they allow the rear end to tuck more.

That makes perfect sense.

And persoanlly, i dont want a body lift. But one day i may cut up my floors and lift the drive-train. It would make a good bit of difference.

Why not on the body lift? Curious to hear your reasoning.

 

[Wrench]

This is true to a certain extent, but there are alternative ways of achieving better clearance than just throwing the tallest springs you can find on it.

Bigger lift and bigger tires are the only way to go. Anything else is just a compromise.

 

[Ebag333]

Bigger lift and bigger tires are the only way to go. Anything else is just a compromise.

Hmm, gee. Guess portal axles suck then.

 

[Land Speeder]

I rarely hang up on my xfer case, which would be the only reasoning in raising the drivetrain in these things. right? what other reason?
I always get hung up on my links though. And bent links show it.

Just cut out your rockers, this eliminates the need for a body lift and there's nothing in them... wasted space.. I personally don't run sliders but I would if it was a purdy 80.

 

[Land Speeder]

Hmm, gee. Guess portal axles suck then.

they do. and the reason it's a "has been" option. (at least for hardcore... which is what we're all sitting here discussing right?)

 

[Ebag333]

I rarely hang up on my xfer case, which would be the only reasoning in raising the drivetrain in these things. right? what other reason?
I always get hung up on my links though. And bent links show it.

Just cut out your rockers, this eliminates the need for a body lift and there's nothing in them... wasted space.. I personally don't run sliders but I would if it was a purdy 80.

I dunno, I have taken plenty of hits on my skid plate. Taller 80's than mine have as well. Plenty of pics/vids of tall (4-6" lift) 80's hanging up on their t-case protection. Guess it depends on the type of wheeling you do.

Agreed that the links are far more likely to get hung up on, but anything that hangs down is gonna get caught by a rock eventually.

Cutting the rockers isn't a half bad idea, it doesn't look bad either.

they do. and the reason it's a "has been" option. (at least for hardcore... which is what we're all sitting here discussing right?)

Portal axles are "has been" because they're either freaking expensive (custom), nearly impossible to find (Volvo), or just wrong for the application (like Unimog axles, too wide and too big).

And there's plenty of rock crawling videos uploaded this month of vehicles on portals (either stock or retrofits). So maybe not so much a "has been" option...just not much of an option in this part of the world (US).


But I'd like to hear why you think portals suck so bad. If you could have the perfect portal axle (width, size, etc) to drop into your 80, what would cause you not to run it?

 

[Land Speeder]

Portal axles are "has been" because they're either freaking expensive (custom), nearly impossible to find (Volvo), or just wrong for the application (like Unimog axles, too wide and too big).

And there's plenty of rock crawling videos uploaded this month of vehicles on portals (either stock or retrofits). So maybe not so much a "has been" option...just not much of an option in this part of the world (US).


But I'd like to hear why you think portals suck so bad. If you could have the perfect portal axle (width, size, etc) to drop into your 80, what would cause you not to run it?

portals: the weak link is the 8" ring gear. Is there one that has bigger? I've wheeled with George in his 80 on Portals, a friggin work of art. it crawled GREAT. But for the price.... Dusty's wins with tons cause they're stronger.
8" rings are a thing of the past on hardcore 80's. Otherwsie you'd better be carrying a spare dif with you. I carry a spare R&P to every ride I go on until I get get my second 9.5 axle built and installed.