Hello everyone. I'm new to the forum and need some help locating a capable garage/mechanic that will do good work on my stock '94 Cruiser. I would like to have it lifted and some other upgrades, but I don't have the tools or space to do it myself. I would appreciate any suggestions in the Harrisburg, Mechanicsburg or Carlisle area. Thanks again for any help.
Central PA Garage Recommendations?
- Thread starter shadrach
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Do you need a fast turn-around on the work or would you be able to leave it at a shop in order for the work to be completed in a timely manner? If you can leave it, there is a great mechanic/fabricator in the Ephrata area that may be interested in undertaking your work. He's owned everything from 40's to 80's and has worked on just about everything in the book, Toyota wise. Let me know what you're looking to have done and I'll give him a call to see what he has going right now. Like many on this list, I can personally vouch for his work.
I'm currently having him re-do the floor pan for my M416 trailer. Dropped the new floor pan off the other week, just need to get the trailer down there one of these days...
Mike in PA
I'm currently having him re-do the floor pan for my M416 trailer. Dropped the new floor pan off the other week, just need to get the trailer down there one of these days...
Mike in PA
offer up some Beer, Pizza, Doughnuts, coffee to the local members and you probably have somone to lift that sooner then you think. Think of it like a "Man day"
- Thread starter
- #4
Thanks Mike. I don't need a fast turn around...I could leave it, though Ephrata is a bit further than I was hoping. From your description, though, it may be worth the distance. I'm not sure what all I can have done...I want it to remain street legal and pass PA state inspection without any problems, so I need other's advice to tell me what the limits are. I would definitely like a lift and larger tires. Also thinking of a winch. Beyond that I'm looking for advice. I am not very experienced, so I'm happy to have recommendations. Thanks again.
Get it to John Merkey in Ephrata... he has an 80, did PS and misc. on my 45 and the work is among the best.
Keep the rear bumper height below 29" or so and the front close to that... tire tread inside the fender flares and that'll tell ya what size tires you can run. My guess would be a nice 2.5" lift and 33's/35's and regear.
Welcome!
Keep the rear bumper height below 29" or so and the front close to that... tire tread inside the fender flares and that'll tell ya what size tires you can run. My guess would be a nice 2.5" lift and 33's/35's and regear.
Welcome!
Jeff was right on for something not too crazy and won't give you headaches with inspection. I have close to that setup on mine. Actually it's around 3+ with 33" BFG All Terrains.
A good idea is to figure what you want on the truck eventually before you start figuring your lift requirements. If you add a front bumper and winch, that will effectively erase some of your front-end lift, depending on the springs you get.
You go too high and you start having issues with caster correction and possible driveline vibes.
But once again, usually the 2.5" lift is still low enough to avoid a lot of other hassles. You'll just have to correct caster with it, typically.
Check out the 80's section for a whole lot of opinions and some really good advice--focus on posts by Landtank, Bear80, CruiserDan, and Nay. I'm in some of them too, but these guys know tons more than me. Whatever I know I learned through them and my experience with my truck.
John Merkey will definitely help point you in the right direction, too.
A real conservative setup, depending on what you want to do, will probably end up being some iteration of the Old Man Emu (OME) 2.5" lift with caster correction bushings and 33" tires (no need to regear at that size).
I work in Harrisburg and muddle about the Mechanicsburg area, too, if you ever want to meet up to see what yours might look lilke after the suspension and tires.
Welcome!
Brett
A good idea is to figure what you want on the truck eventually before you start figuring your lift requirements. If you add a front bumper and winch, that will effectively erase some of your front-end lift, depending on the springs you get.
You go too high and you start having issues with caster correction and possible driveline vibes.
But once again, usually the 2.5" lift is still low enough to avoid a lot of other hassles. You'll just have to correct caster with it, typically.
Check out the 80's section for a whole lot of opinions and some really good advice--focus on posts by Landtank, Bear80, CruiserDan, and Nay. I'm in some of them too, but these guys know tons more than me. Whatever I know I learned through them and my experience with my truck.
John Merkey will definitely help point you in the right direction, too.
A real conservative setup, depending on what you want to do, will probably end up being some iteration of the Old Man Emu (OME) 2.5" lift with caster correction bushings and 33" tires (no need to regear at that size).
I work in Harrisburg and muddle about the Mechanicsburg area, too, if you ever want to meet up to see what yours might look lilke after the suspension and tires.
Welcome!
Brett
Sounds like they have given you the right guy to contact and the lift law issues with PA, not one piece of advice would be if you try and have another local shop do it, stay as far away from RV 4 Wheel Drive in Mechanicsburg. They will riun your truck, I had them put a body lift on my former Tacoma, but they couldn't follow the directions and the cab decided to seperate from the frame while wheeling because they used a fender washer instead of the body mount washers and the bolts pulled through the washer, not cool. Just stay wayay from them.
Like Andy said, if John M. can't help, have a wrench fest, you would be amazed what can get done when ten guys start working on a truck.
Like Andy said, if John M. can't help, have a wrench fest, you would be amazed what can get done when ten guys start working on a truck.
They sure do seem to like Jeeps, tho. The selection on their lot and their "personal" vehicles persuaded me to not inquire about any LC work.
Yeah, I was young, and dumb, had no time or the knowledge I do today, hell it took me an hour to put a body lift on the 4 runner. That shop is defiantely not a good shop unless you want bumpers and crap bolted to a Jeep.
- Thread starter
- #12
Thanks to all of you so much for the comments.
Brett, I would certainly like to see your LC...it sounds like you've got the setup I'm imagining I'd like. Send me a PM if we can meet somewhere. I also work in Harrisburg. Please share a picture(s) if possible...
Jeff, I'll check the PM. Thanks.
JT, thanks for the warning....I actually was heading down that path with RV 4 Wheel Drive in Mechanicsburg for a few minutes before ever finding this forum :? I called them and they seemed clueless when I asked about their services for a LC, and they never got back to me. So, thanks for confirming what I suspected.
Andy and JT, I'll let you know if I John M. isn't available. Thanks for the offer!
Brett, I would certainly like to see your LC...it sounds like you've got the setup I'm imagining I'd like. Send me a PM if we can meet somewhere. I also work in Harrisburg. Please share a picture(s) if possible...
Jeff, I'll check the PM. Thanks.
JT, thanks for the warning....I actually was heading down that path with RV 4 Wheel Drive in Mechanicsburg for a few minutes before ever finding this forum :? I called them and they seemed clueless when I asked about their services for a LC, and they never got back to me. So, thanks for confirming what I suspected.
Andy and JT, I'll let you know if I John M. isn't available. Thanks for the offer!
Another shop would be Hoaks 4WD and RV there in Whritesville(I probably spelled that wrong) Down off of Rt30 between Lancaster and York right on the river. (717) 252-3602 They do mostly Jeep stuff but will call vendors and work with you. I got my OME rear springs from them.
Too bad Whaley Enterprises closed up shop in Dauphin, Brian did great work and was reasonable too, although he still does some side work now and then. Capitol 4 Wheel Drive Center over in Hershey may be another option, again they deal with Jeep a lot, but seen to have worked on some Toyotas from time to time.
I've dealt with Hoak's in Wrightsville when I needed to purchase items from vendors that were otherwise unavailable through anyone here in the HBG area. It was a positive business experience and I'd buy stuff from them again, but they're not local and the drive there and back is such a pita. Never had any work done there.
I've also had work done with Capitol 4 Wheel Drive Center with good results. John is the owner and very knowledgeable and easy to work with. Honest, too. I had some brake work done there years ago (2001?) that inlcuded replacing the front wheel bearings. Nothing too technical but the work was first-class.
All that said, nothing comares to the quality of the work John Merkey does. Worth waiting for if you have to. No one better in this area to work on your Toyota than him.
Nuff said.
Mike in PA
I've also had work done with Capitol 4 Wheel Drive Center with good results. John is the owner and very knowledgeable and easy to work with. Honest, too. I had some brake work done there years ago (2001?) that inlcuded replacing the front wheel bearings. Nothing too technical but the work was first-class.
All that said, nothing comares to the quality of the work John Merkey does. Worth waiting for if you have to. No one better in this area to work on your Toyota than him.
Nuff said.
Mike in PA
not really.
he jerked me around for 6 weeks on a transfer case rebuild, before he said he just did'nt feel like doing it......
A real conservative setup, depending on what you want to do, will probably end up being some iteration of the Old Man Emu (OME) 2.5" lift with caster correction bushings and 33" tires (no need to regear at that size).
I work in Harrisburg and muddle about the Mechanicsburg area, too, if you ever want to meet up to see what yours might look lilke after the suspension and tires.
Welcome!
Brett
i'd like to take you up on that offer.
i also work in the harrisburg/steelton area.
No problem--We can shoot for later this June--I'm leaving on vacation this week for the next week and a half. While we're gone, the 80 will be getting a little rust and dent work done, a new PPG windshield, the roof refinished, old faded pinstripes removed, and the whole thing's getting buffed. 
cool. lemme know then.