needing some help on the best lift kit out there for a 75' FJ40, i would like to put 4'', been looking at jtoutfitters, like the price and the feed back. but just want to know what else is out there and recomendations. plus info on good roll bars, did look at some from metaltech4x4, again liked the price and look. i will have my pics up shortly. oh and any ideas about center console. thanks for your help
deciding on suspension lift help
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needing some help on the best lift kit out there for a 75' FJ40, i would like to put 4'', been looking at jtoutfitters, like the price and the feed back. but just want to know what else is out there and recomendations. plus info on good roll bars, did look at some from metaltech4x4, again liked the price and look. i will have my pics up shortly. oh and any ideas about center console. thanks for your help
Welcome to Mud!
Check the feedback on those JT Outfitters springs a little more and you will probably decide on another product. You can't go wrong with a Tuffy brand center console, avoid the look-a-like console at CCOT that is junk construction compared to the Tuffy. Metaltech makes great cages for 40s also.
I have just recently put a 4" Skyjacker on my 40, and I love it so far. The price was great, I ordered it through 4 Wheel Parts i think. Some people complain about the skyjacker lift being too stiff, but i think any 4" lift will be stiff compared to your 30+/- year old stock springs.
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what would you recommend or atleast some good websites that have lift kits for the 40's that has been proven. i read the threads about lift kits but nothing that stood out. thanks for the reply
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- #5
my truck leaf springs are shot, there pretty flat right now lol, feel everything. for skyjacker being stiff is one thing but quality how is there product?
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- #6
what do you guys think about specter offroad? i've bought some parts from them and so far so good
Downey
SILVER Star
I'm obviously partial to the Downey site , for more than just springs. Check it out at www.downeyoff-road.com.
i just ordered a hellcreek 4" lift. I heard good things about it + lifetime warranty. Do a search
and i bet you got great shackle angle right out of the box. (the only lift i've seen that does)
X2 HFS
I have a SOR 4" lift on my 74 FJ40.
I strongly recomend that you Buy something else.
I strongly recomend that you Buy something else.
Stay away from the BDS lift, I run one and the springs are too thick and way too stiff. I've researched the lift thing a bit over the past year. Old Man Emu springs and Alcan seem to always come to the top of the list as far as quality and ride. I have also been told that the skyjacker soft ride lift has great articulation. I can say that about the skyjacker CJ-7 soft ride from experience but not for the FJ-40.
After going through my springs, rebuilt the packs, corrected caster, driveshafts etc (stuff the PO didn't know how to do) I can honestly say I sincerely regret even screwing with lifted springs greater than 2". If I knew then what I know now... SOA Spring Over Axle is by far the best way to go, the best ride, great articulation (even with a factory spring). It is a little bit more labor intensive however, I think as do many others (they finally convinced me) this is the best way to get lift without the s***ty ride of high-arched springs. I believe it boils down to a little bit of physics and geometry. Everyone I've talked to that has done this mod hasn't looked back since.
To your comments above regarding $pector Off-road. We all take shots at them for some of the pricing being on the steep side however, I have not been disappointed in anything that I've order from them in the past 3 years. Man-a-Fre also seems to have so pretty decent stuff judging from the few orders I've received. As far as the prices go well, we're not drivin' chevys and fords, were driving 30+ year old trucks that were never common place like a ford or chevy, that's the way it goes.
I can't say that for JT Outfitters and CCOT, everything I've ordered from them has been either complete s*** or a piss poor attempt unless it was a toyota brand part. I think you find Mark's Off-Road, and CruiserDan (both are frequent users of this forum and easily found) can find you most of the parts you may need and for a very good price. Don't forget the dealer (oh yeah I said it). Join the TLCA and get your card, it should get you 25% off or wholesale price at the dealer.
Be sure to research the s*** out of any type of part your going to buy from other companies like Autozone, advance, napa etc, sometimes the parts are inferior cheap-ass junk. I've refused alot of parts that they've ordered due to piss poor quality, I recently lost faith in the napa stores as well. I mostly use the dealer.
After going through my springs, rebuilt the packs, corrected caster, driveshafts etc (stuff the PO didn't know how to do) I can honestly say I sincerely regret even screwing with lifted springs greater than 2". If I knew then what I know now... SOA Spring Over Axle is by far the best way to go, the best ride, great articulation (even with a factory spring). It is a little bit more labor intensive however, I think as do many others (they finally convinced me) this is the best way to get lift without the s***ty ride of high-arched springs. I believe it boils down to a little bit of physics and geometry. Everyone I've talked to that has done this mod hasn't looked back since.
To your comments above regarding $pector Off-road. We all take shots at them for some of the pricing being on the steep side however, I have not been disappointed in anything that I've order from them in the past 3 years. Man-a-Fre also seems to have so pretty decent stuff judging from the few orders I've received. As far as the prices go well, we're not drivin' chevys and fords, were driving 30+ year old trucks that were never common place like a ford or chevy, that's the way it goes.
I can't say that for JT Outfitters and CCOT, everything I've ordered from them has been either complete s*** or a piss poor attempt unless it was a toyota brand part. I think you find Mark's Off-Road, and CruiserDan (both are frequent users of this forum and easily found) can find you most of the parts you may need and for a very good price. Don't forget the dealer (oh yeah I said it). Join the TLCA and get your card, it should get you 25% off or wholesale price at the dealer.
Be sure to research the s*** out of any type of part your going to buy from other companies like Autozone, advance, napa etc, sometimes the parts are inferior cheap-ass junk. I've refused alot of parts that they've ordered due to piss poor quality, I recently lost faith in the napa stores as well. I mostly use the dealer.
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Marksoffroad.net has a great 4" spring for a reasonable price. I went for a joyride with one of his customers who had these springs and was impressed by the ride. Fair price too.
-Stumbaugh
I also Have the 4" BDS suspension and sorta agree with F-Junker, they are thick springs and the ride is alittle stiff. BUT, I do find in hardcore situations they hold up really well, it has nice articulation and Im sure about a dozen times a less robust spring would have bent in some of the situations Ive been in so I would definitely recommend these springs for heavy off-roading. SOA is a good choice but requires some work like mentioned. An earlier thread mentioned about the shackle mounts being off when you use a 4in lift. I had to adjust both front and back.....which requires some work also. A 4in" lift will change your caster in the front to almost neg 4 deg. you want around pos 3-4 deg so shim might be in order. Id also consider doing a front shackle reversal, which I'm in the process of doing. It should improve the ride and steering as well. Also extend your brake lines.
For myself a 4" lift wasn't just a simple bolt on. Hope this helps.
For myself a 4" lift wasn't just a simple bolt on. Hope this helps.
Downey
SILVER Star
All "lifetime guarantee" tells me is the guy offering it must be NEW to the game, and has not found out yet what you guys are going to do in unpredictable off road terrain, at what speed, at how many six packs, then try to make Hellcreek honor his generous offer!!!!!!!!!
Welcome to the blood bath Hellcreek. The last company who did the lifetime guarantee thing not only abruptly recended the guarantee, they even forced you to weld-in new bump-stop brackets to eliminate any negative arch (which quickly destroys springs).
Now a brief opinion about Downeys 4" springs. Forget that they are genuine NHK's (Toyotas spring factory, none better), what's really neat about really soft 4" springs is that they flex so much more than a 2" spring, almost make a spring-over utter ignorance, and in fact flex so much on the Rubicon that our Cantilever Shackles don't even have to open up.
Shackle angle is perfect. And it is as smooth as my Tacoma was with CompanyX aftermarket springs (Sagging when I got rid of it) that did about 1/2 as many trail runs as the HFS has so far. (Not going to bash any vendors)
FJBen
SILVER Star
lets see some flex pics 
everyone always claims that they flex better than so and so...lets see um
<<<slight hijack
>>>
btw: I run stock springs, SOA and 37's. It rides really nice.
everyone always claims that they flex better than so and so...lets see um
<<<slight hijack
>>>btw: I run stock springs, SOA and 37's. It rides really nice.
x2, HFS with 1 1/2+ shackles, real nice ride, better than my 80 on EMU J's,
With OME shocks, had Procomp garbage, went to OME, and yes sick flex, the drop out is incredible.
