Does anyone make caster drop brackets

[landtank]

Using a drop bracket similar to what 4Plus offered often interfered with other aftermarket items such as skid plates and sliders. I'd map out what accessories can be used with them and how much modification is going to go into making the ones that do interfere work.

 

[jkeithw]

Using a drop bracket similar to what 4Plus offered often interfered with other aftermarket items such as skid plates and sliders. I'd map out what accessories can be used with them and how much modification is going to go into making the ones that do interfere work.

thanks, that's certainly worth consideration!

 

[jkeithw]

looks like it might get close on the panhard frame side mount, possibly... may have to just make it and try it.

 

[Cruzilla]

I have them and it interferes with the removal of the skid plate, the back wing of the drop bracket overlaps the ends of the plate

 

[Box Rocket]

I thought about multiple holes, but I'd like to keep the rear ramp profile as slim as possible (for situations where it needs to slide off of something..)



That was for 35s? If so, did you have room to creep it back toward the firewall with that setup? (meaning the mount hole location)

Any photos of that cutting/clearancing?

I didn't do any trimming until I had the 37's but that's also because I didn't move the axle forward until I had the 37s. But my lift height is a little taller than what you have planned and I am pretty confident even with 35's you may have some minor clearance issues to address after moving the axle.

This is what I took off the bumper wing (was originally flush with the edge of the flare at the wheel arch.
80 mods by Adam Tolman, on Flickr

This was the first sheet metal cut of the inner fender. I also removed the part of the core support that is still visible behind this cut. Cut the core support to match this cut.
80 mods by Adam Tolman, on Flickr

Cuurently the area is covered with a thick rubber "inner fender liner" that is riveted in place. Eventually I will do a full sheet metal repair to close it up and give it a more "factory" appearance. But I'm waiting to do that until I get the truck ready for a repaint and have some other sheetmetal work I want to do in preparation for that.
80 mods by Adam Tolman, on Flickr

 

[Propellue]

Does anyone make caster drop brackets any more?

All I see is bushings and Correction Plates.

I have some of these on mine. They are quite popular on Iceland as they mostly make overlanding-rigs for glaciers.
Give Arctic Trucks on Iceland a shout on email: info@arctictrucks.is www.arctictrucks.com. I don't think they build that many 80-series any more, but they might have a pair laying around.

I can snap a picture of mine tomorrow if you are interested.

 

[jkeithw]

I didn't do any trimming until I had the 37's but that's also because I didn't move the axle forward until I had the 37s.

thanks! - does that mean you cleared sufficiently with 35s without moving the axle forward?

 

[Box Rocket]

Yes, with the 75mm Slinky kit and 35's no moving of the axle was necessary. Had very light rubbing in the rear wheel well at full stuff. But my feeling is if you aren't rubbing a little you can fit bigger tires.

 

[jkeithw]

Yes, with the 75mm Slinky kit and 35's no moving of the axle was necessary. Had very light rubbing in the rear wheel well at full stuff. But my feeling is if you aren't rubbing a little you can fit bigger tires.

ah! so I can cheat this one back a bit. that's great!

- wait; that's full stuff with wheels straight, or turned?

 

[Rollinns]

Does anyone make caster drop brackets any more?

All I see is bushings and Correction Plates.

I searched and couldn't find them so I made my own out of 3/16" 304 stainless (it's what I had available). Here's a "work in progress" photo before I added a plate to the front to reinforce it, I also added a horizontal plate inside the vertical plates to provide further stability. I'm pleased with them.

Mine is a daily driver, currently not a crawler. The points other people have made about them dragging on stuff while crawling are valid. If I want to start crawling, I'll consider other options at that point.

I only plan to run 35" tires max, and I don't even have 35s now, so I didn't worry about moving the axle forward. These just drop the pivot point down 3".

 

[jkeithw]

Mine is a daily driver, currently not a crawler. The points other people have made about them dragging on stuff while crawling are valid. If I want to start crawling, I'll consider other options at that point.

what's great about adding to the factory mount versus cutting it off and replacing it is that is you ever have a change of heart, you just cut off the new stuff. No problem!

 

[Rollinns]

I agree, which is why I didn't have any hesitations with making my own. Some of the other options were not as reversible.

 

[Box Rocket]

ah! so I can cheat this one back a bit. that's great!

- wait; that's full stuff with wheels straight, or turned?

With the 37's I needed to trim what I did to fit at full stuff and turned.

 

[jkeithw]

With the 37's I needed to trim what I did to fit at full stuff and turned.

sorry, I meant - did you clear the firewall at stock mount location with 35s at full stuff and wheels turned?
(I don't care about cutting up front, but would love to avoid tubbing the firewall on the 80 if I can)

 

[Box Rocket]

No need to tub the firewall. I never had issues with 35’s hitting the firewall. Most don’t.
With the 37’s different story. After moving the axle had tons of room at the firewall.

 

[jkeithw]

No need to run the firewall. I never had issues with 35’s hitting the firewall. Most don’t.
With the 37’s different story. After moving the axle had tons of room at the firewall.

thank you - that's great info.

 

[lcwizard]

I'm making brackets to use in conjunction with my 50mm slinky kit; but I'm thinking about moving the axle forward more than 11mm...

I read where @Box Rocket wrote:



and seeing the relative fender heights of his 75mm slinky kit vs my stock truck, as mentioned here:



I laid out Adam's radius arm arc and tried to match the position of a 35 (which is what I'm going to run) as it compresses into the wheel opening so that I can take advantage of the firewall clearance he referenced above.

View attachment 2130270

This puts me at 39mm forward on my 50mm drop bracket, or just over 1.5" forward - within the recommendation quoted below:




Here's where I am so far - my objectives are: self-locating (for easy alignment), reversible (maintains the stock hole if ever needed), and reinforce the factory mount (I ran a ramp up into the opening on the back of the factory bracket to give it strength for lateral impacts and am making the mount 3/16" thick.)

View attachment 2130278

View attachment 2130279

I'm not going to seriously crawl with the FZJ80, and I figure with 35" tires it will still be gaining 1" of ground clearance over the factory bracket and 33s... (and since it doesn't protrude below the arm itself, it shouldn't hang on any obstacle the arm might be sliding over..)

I realize the approach angle benefit, but I'm curious, however, what if any unexpected consequences there will be to moving the axle that far forward in terms of actual use? For instance; does the stock front driveshaft have enough plunge/extension to accommodate that at full droop? Potential binding of the front panhard? etc?

Thoughts?

You don't need to offset the new hole. Your first CAD didn't take into account that the centerline of the axle will move down an equal amount with lifted springs. Our bracket positioned the pivot hole directly under the factory pivot hole and with matching lift coils a 37 stuffed perfectly in the wheel well. i designed the whole lift around 37s. Toyota's lower rear arm length and front radius armwere a perfect length which is why I didn't make the rear lowers adjustable. Only the rear uppers had adjustment for pinion angles.

 

[jmkfzj]

I got a set from MAF last year. Says there are two in stock:

Front Control Arm 3″ Drop Brackets for 1990-1998 80-Series Toyota Land Cruisers - Landcruiser Parts

Front Control Arm 3″ Drop Brackets for 1990-1998 80-Series Toyota Land Cruisers. Designed to correct caster when lifting your 80-Series Land Cruiser.

manafrelv.com

 

[jkeithw]

You don't need to offset the new hole. Your first CAD didn't take into account that the centerline of the axle will move down an equal amount with lifted springs. Our bracket positioned the pivot hole directly under the factory pivot hole and with matching lift coils a 37 stuffed perfectly in the wheel well. i designed the whole lift around 37s. Toyota's lower rear arm length and front radius armwere a perfect length which is why I didn't make the rear lowers adjustable. Only the rear uppers had adjustment for pinion angles.

Ah, so you make a lowered radius arm mount as well? I didn't see it on your website. No one really mentions it, but the biggest advantage I see into lowering the mount over other caster correction methods is avoiding any unnecessary increase in anti-dive, so I'm surprised we don't see more options for this.

I'll have to go back to look at my first CAD to see what you're referring to as not being taken into account (since maintaining axle centerline at ride height with stock arms is the objective of lowering brackets), but in addition to wanting tire/firewall clearance at full compression, I like any advantage in approach angle that's easily attained. (I'm also trying to avoid adding unnecessary bump stop length & limiting uptravel if possible - hence the concern for firewall clearance at the top of the radius arm arc.)

 

[jkeithw]

Our bracket positioned the pivot hole directly under the factory pivot hole and with matching lift coils a 37 stuffed perfectly in the wheel well. i designed the whole lift around 37s. Toyota's lower rear arm length and front radius armwere a perfect length which is why I didn't make the rear lowers adjustable. Only the rear uppers had adjustment for pinion angles.

I shot an e-mail to 4plusproducts, what they told me was . . . They passed those drawings to Man-a-fre about 7 or 8 years ago.

Ah so! (I'm new here, lol.)