Cruiser Outfitter's 55-Specific Suspension Kit - Advice Please

[J Mack]

I'll definitely pre-order the bits you linked - after reading others' threads I'd prefer the 30-minute job (including beer!) versus days of frustration and injury.

Get yourself a bottle of Castrol Moly-Dee CF Variocut C cutting and tapping fluid, apply a little to the bit before you start drilling every hole. Trust me it’s worth the cost of the bottle when you’re drilling and tapping holes on a pig. You can find it on eBay pretty cheap.

I think I can wrangle up an air hammer from Dan or Tasche, but will let you know.

You’ll need an air hammer that has a longer piston stroke like Ingersoll Rand 117, I bought mine from the Snap-On truck but it’s probably just a rebranded IR.

 

[residualboulders]

i've rounded up all of the sway bar parts, issue i have now is my axle and frame don't have the mounts. Trying to figure out how to get those mounted up and looking like they are supposed to be there.

might have to add in some leafs to get rid of the lean. don't know why the lean bothers me, but it does.

 

[thebus]

i've rounded up all of the sway bar parts, issue i have now is my axle and frame don't have the mounts. Trying to figure out how to get those mounted up and looking like they are supposed to be there.

might have to add in some leafs to get rid of the lean. don't know why the lean bothers me, but it does.

My 80 got nicknamed iLean..yeh lean bothers the hell out of me!

 

[wngrog]

I have the SloCruisers airbags in the back of my 60. It used to sway and lean a lot. I keep a little air in mine to keep it level and stop away. It’s a bolt on deal.

 

[Voodoocruisers]

I used that kit too and moved the rear back exactly 5”. I tried 4” but the shackle angle was too much. I also used a shackle reversal kit and custom shackles. I took out too many springs at first and had a rear sag after loading my gear trailer and crew. Jim suggested putting them back in, I did and it’s all good now. Noticeably stiffer ride but still great flex and no rub from 35’s. Still suffers from a slight cruiser lean... but I’ve got an add a leaf from OME I plan to install.

 

[residualboulders]

I have the SloCruisers airbags in the back of my 60. It used to sway and lean a lot. I keep a little air in mine to keep it level and stop away. It’s a bolt on deal.

i hadn't considered air bags. I guess the air bag would maintain the height between the axle and frame thus eliminating the lean. Am I right? You wouldn't necessarily keep a bit more air in one vs the other.

 

[wngrog]

Yeah more on one side if it leans to that side. You would not notice the ride.

His kit bolts in where the rear bumpstops are. Super easy.

 

[RUSH55]

Are the Cruiser Outfitter springs specific to what side they go on? *Some* Cruiser spring manufacturers make them side specific to cancel out the lean by way of an extra leaf or more arch. Supposedly, it should be just slightly higher on the drivers side (unoccupied) to compensate for the weight of the driver.

 

[residualboulders]

Yeah more on one side if it leans to that side. You would not notice the ride.

His kit bolts in where the rear bumpstops are. Super easy.

i might have to do that at some point. I didn't want a rough ride since realistically 90% of the time i won't have a lot of gear in the back. So I opted to not build springs for a load. Air bags would be a good solution. Still prob have to through an extra leaf in one side to get rid of the lean in the front though.

 

[RocketCityCrzrs]

Like to many have said, rust is the issue moving the rear hangar. I went through a few bits and a lot of penatrating oil to keep them cool. Patience and measuring. I went 2.5" with mine and am happy with the out come

 

[Voodoocruisers]

Are the Cruiser Outfitter springs specific to what side they go on? *Some* Cruiser spring manufacturers make them side specific to cancel out the lean by way of an extra leaf or more arch. Supposedly, it should be just slightly higher on the drivers side (unoccupied) to compensate for the weight of the driver.

 

[Voodoocruisers]

I don’t remember the source of this info but I remember it like this.... OME springs are marked with a + if it a little more arch than normal and a - if it a little less than normal arch. I wasn’t able to order all +’s. Also when I switched the + to the driver side to try to fix the lean it didn’t seem to make much of a difference.

 

[wngrog]

+ goes on the driver side US market.

My fronts have +/- but the rears did not have the signs.

 

[Ol Yeller]

Good tech, thanks.

 

[RUSH55]

Good info to know. If someone was unaware of that and their springs had the notation and got put on backwards, that would be some tiff causing lean. Especially if you realized afterwards and had to go through the trouble of swapping them.

 

[wngrog]

Good info to know. If someone was unaware of that and their springs had the notation and got put on backwards, that would be some tiff causing lean. Especially if you realized afterwards and had to go through the trouble of swapping them.

Been there. On my 60. I was so sad.

 

[onemanarmy]

My front springs were marked with identical markings. I had read that they were often marked driver/passenger side, so I looked before install. Both had a 'plus' sign. Got some serious lean to the driver side, so installed 2 add a leafs.

 

[RUSH55]

And what’s the verdict after that?

 

[onemanarmy]

in the front after the kit install, i had about a 1.5 in. difference (lower on driver side)

after Add a leafs, .5 to .75 in. difference.

Now only I notice it, its acceptable.

 

[wngrog]

in the front after the kit install, i had about a 1.5 in. difference (lower on driver side)

after Add a leafs, .5 to .75 in. difference.

Now only I notice it, its acceptable.

When you can will you measure from the center of the inside of the fenders down to the center of the hub on your setup?

I’ll have my “3 leaf removed” setup installed in 48 hours and we can see what difference it makes.