Is anyone running FJ60 axles and springs with outboard spring mounts on a pig? I am thinking Dakar medium springs. If so any pictures, what size tires, How do you like your setup?
FJ60 AXLES on a PIG
- Thread starter rapovt
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I am SOA but outboarded my spring hangers. I absolutely love it, very stable and about the perfect width for any lightly lifted pig IMO, using stock backspacing wheels..
I have a rear 60 FF in the back of my 55. Outboarding the springs was cake; I reused the original perches and set to the same angle as the original 55 axle. I wanted a FF and to run skinny tires and get some width, so the 60 axle worked great.
As for the front, it will eventually get a 60 front axle, but instead of outboarding the springs I want to use 80 series control arms and do a coil setup. It's not going to be anything hardcore, so this setup should work fine.
As for the front, it will eventually get a 60 front axle, but instead of outboarding the springs I want to use 80 series control arms and do a coil setup. It's not going to be anything hardcore, so this setup should work fine.
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #4
Are 55 spring perches the same width as the 60 springs?
Perches on the axle?
Or hangers on the frame?
Axle perches are different because the 60 axle has a different U-bolt setup. Though I think the width is the same.
The spring hangers are also different. I have a set of 60 hangers and pins that I thought about using, but they are different from 55 stuff. I unintentionally mangled 1 hanger and that was it for me - I ended up making new sets of hangers except for the rearmost ones for the rear axle. The bolts and pins for the 55 spring bushings are 18mm or 11/16" ID. Good luck finding any bolt/pin readily available or cheap that will fit that.
I think you can get a bushing with a thinner shoulder OR you can get a 55 ODed bushing with a 5/8" ID. I decided to go up to a 3/4" bolt because I didn't like the idea of going down in size (however, I think Chevy 1/2 tons use 1/2" hardware for the suspension, if that's an indication of anything). I got the 18mm bushings, put them in the freezer as per some Mud advice, and drilled 'em to 3/4".
I moved the front axle forward a little so I could have a little better approach angle and did a shackle reversal as well. The fixed end of the hangers I made out of 4x4x1/4"(?-might have been 3/16" wall) square tube that I had laying around with one side cut out. I bought some 1/4" thick washers to go on each side of the spring inside the hanger because the spring+bushing shoulder width is less than 3 1/2". Can't have that 1/2" of slop! I outboarded the front to fit a D60 in the future. I'm not sure I'll ever do it, but who knows. Besides, you'll probably be cutting the 60 perches off to turn the axle anyway. It will definitely be a bolt-in affair.
Of course, I realize that by the time I actually get a D60 and put it in I will probably be completely redesigning my frontend somehow anyway.
I'll post some cruddy pics in the next couple of days. Anybody know a good freeware picture resizer?
-Tyler
Or hangers on the frame?
Axle perches are different because the 60 axle has a different U-bolt setup. Though I think the width is the same.
The spring hangers are also different. I have a set of 60 hangers and pins that I thought about using, but they are different from 55 stuff. I unintentionally mangled 1 hanger and that was it for me - I ended up making new sets of hangers except for the rearmost ones for the rear axle. The bolts and pins for the 55 spring bushings are 18mm or 11/16" ID. Good luck finding any bolt/pin readily available or cheap that will fit that.
I think you can get a bushing with a thinner shoulder OR you can get a 55 ODed bushing with a 5/8" ID. I decided to go up to a 3/4" bolt because I didn't like the idea of going down in size (however, I think Chevy 1/2 tons use 1/2" hardware for the suspension, if that's an indication of anything). I got the 18mm bushings, put them in the freezer as per some Mud advice, and drilled 'em to 3/4".
I moved the front axle forward a little so I could have a little better approach angle and did a shackle reversal as well. The fixed end of the hangers I made out of 4x4x1/4"(?-might have been 3/16" wall) square tube that I had laying around with one side cut out. I bought some 1/4" thick washers to go on each side of the spring inside the hanger because the spring+bushing shoulder width is less than 3 1/2". Can't have that 1/2" of slop! I outboarded the front to fit a D60 in the future. I'm not sure I'll ever do it, but who knows. Besides, you'll probably be cutting the 60 perches off to turn the axle anyway. It will definitely be a bolt-in affair.
Of course, I realize that by the time I actually get a D60 and put it in I will probably be completely redesigning my frontend somehow anyway.I'll post some cruddy pics in the next couple of days. Anybody know a good freeware picture resizer?
-Tyler
- Thread starter
- #7
I am going to use OME Dakkar springs. I know I have to fab new brackets to center the axles. I decided on the Dakkars because they are a production spring and after talking to lance at Iron pig Offroad I decide that they would be more predictable as to what you are getting. I have heard that Alcans sometimes come a little longer and stiffer than what people have ordered. My pig is mainly a DD and I am interested primarily with ride on the road.
rapovt said:
Why not just go with Beltons? They actually produce the Dakar spring for OME, and there's no need to source different bushings or spring hangers.
I have had excellent customer service and experience from Alcan. They did goof once on an order but they quickly made it right. I will continue to do business with them.
FJBen
SILVER Star
I'll throw another plus in for Alcans...excellent ride, good flex and correct ride height, plus totally customizable. No issues in 3 years, still sits the same.
