Fj60 Softer Ride (1 Viewer)

[Huk]

So I'm a little stumped at this point I recently acquired an FJ60 and it's a hell of a lot of fun. My only problem is the ride is beyond stiff. You feel every bump in the road and needless to say with the lift it has and no sway bars you kind of go all over the place afterward. I've managed to read up that removing springs from the spring pack can soften the ride but I'm also not 100% sure if my shackles are really moving either. I jacked up the wheels and the rear shackles didn't move at all! Not sure if this is enough of an induced flex to move them but I feel it should. What do you guys think? I was also given the original shackles with the purchase as I could just whip those back on. The car right now is on stock fj80 wheels but with the shackles reversal it still should be fine.

 

[BGarcia88FJ62]

I'm no suspension expert, but your shackle's are nearly vertical. Do a search on Shackle Angle you should find
a pretty good bit of info.

 

[Output Shaft]

Stock suspension had 5 leaves in the front, 6 in the rear. Front shackles were angled out about 45°, the rears a little less. Add more leaves and more perpendicular shackle angles & more spring arch & the ride gets more harsh.

 

[gregnash]

You have a ghetto lift where the front spring pins have had a shackle added to increase height. This is part of your problem because it is causing your TRUE shackle angle to be nasty and straight up and down which basically is causing your springs to not flex at all instead just hitting the shackle mounts like a bumpstop. I am basing this on the last picture where it looks like you can see your stock shackle in the background behind the diff breather tube and looking at the pinion/driveshaft angle.

 

[Devils Paw 80]

I was also given the original shackles with the purchase as I could just whip those back on..

If you'd rather have a decent ride than a lift, that sounds like a good plan.

 

[Haggis]

Kurt at Cruiseroutfitters is your friend for this problem. Old Man Emu medium suspension lift. Mine rides like a dream.

 

[3_puppies]

does anyone else not like the front driveshaft angle?
I think it is an optical illusion, but both rear springs look bent.

 

[HemiAlex]

I spec'd out bilstein shocks for my ome lift. I've not installed them yet but I've ridden in a truck that was running them and the ride was ultra plush.

 

[AKcruzr]

You have a shackle reversal in the front and what looks like the same lift that My sons FJ62 has, OME Dakar springs front and rear. If you have the heavy version of OME springs your going to have a rough ride unless you add the weight to the truck that the springs are rated for or remove the overload leaves that give the springs there rating. My son bought his rig from a friend that had plans of over landing and carrying a ton of gear so he ordered the extra heavy spring. My son doesn't have the weight in or mounted to the 62 that the springs are rated for and consequently it rides like a dump truck down the road. The bent spring that was mentioned above isn't bent it's the design of the spring, the lift comes from the curved part of the spring. The spring is flat in the middle where the spring perches are so when you tighten the u-bolts they don't try and flatten and take out some of the lift. I would first make sure that your shackles aren't over tightened and restricting movement and also grease your shackle and spring pins that have grease zerts. The next thing I would do is take it some where and flex the crap out of it and try and settle the springs, plus throw some weight in the back and see if that helps with the ride. It looks like you have an older FJ60, pre 1985 by the look of your short transmission and front driveline angle, I wouldn't be surprised if you don't get some driveline vibrations and possibly some binding of your u-joints from the steepness of that front driveshaft.

straight from OME website:
Emu Dakar Leaf Springs - ARB Old Man Emu 4X4 Suspension

And more than likely the kit that's on your rig:
Old Man Emu/ Man-A-Fre FJ60 4-inch Suspension w/ Shackle Reversal Kit - Man-A-Fre

 

[Huk]

Thanks a ton guys! I love the feedback. I was also questioning the driveshaft angle but when I test it in 4wd other than some driveshaft noise it hasn't really caused any issues. As far as my springs yes I can confirm on the rear that the leafs are my main problem. I have a total of 8 leafs in the rear when I just haul a couple tools and some occasional friends around for now. This is why it was so hard to see movement in my shackles. As for the front I'm still a good bit stumped. The front is also harsh as hell but there are only 5 leafs, just as many as stock.

What do you guys think I should do?
Replace the springs with the originals that came with the purchase of the car?
Remove leafs from the springs and if so how many?

The original owner had 35s on there with this lift, that's a bit big for me. This is going to be mostly a highway/light offroading rig. Something that I can drive from state to state and still have some fun on the weekends. Right now I have the stock fzj80 rims with the 31s. Maybe remove some springs that'll lower the car a tad so that 33s will look good? Or are the original springs the way to go any maybe keep it at 31s?

Also, some hints on removing leafs would be appreciated. My only procedures are to farm jack that up on some jacks and c clamp the springs and then just unbolt and from then on it's a mystery.

 

[HemiAlex]

I would just replace the leafs with ome springs and hardware, then install 33's.

Can't get more tried and true than that.

 

[lcwizard]

@Huk
Since you've already got the springs, start by pulling the bottom leaves in each pack. I found that the OME Mediums rode best with a S/R
with 4 leaves up front. The front would drop about an inch but the S/R adds 1 1/2" so you won't have any trouble with 33s .
It's odd you can still run the isolators on the rear springs. It there is much of a variation in spring pack thickness from stock, the isolators
have to be scrapped

 

[Huk]

@Huk
Since you've already got the springs, start by pulling the bottom leaves in each pack. I found that the OME Mediums rode best with a S/R
with 4 leaves up front. The front would drop about an inch but the S/R adds 1 1/2" so you won't have any trouble with 33s .
It's odd you can still run the isolators on the rear springs. It there is much of a variation in spring pack thickness from stock, the isolators
have to be scrapped

So you're saying to remove the bottom leaves? I read some that I should take out alternating ones and not the first one.

 

[lcwizard]

You're bottom leaf is the least important. In many cases the top three are the most important. ARB is one of the few that peen all their leaves
for longevity. Many spring companies only peen the to third. Peening the leaves adds memory to the arch. Start with the single bottom on the front. It won't change the rate dramatically but it may be enough to flatten the shackle a bit. That and a slightly lower spring rate may be enough. I can't see the rear that well but removing the bottom leaf and maybe the bottom two should make a difference. I found that
if the front end absorbs well you rear is less nocitable

 

[Huk]

@icwizard
I took two off the rear springs and I'm quite impressed. I'll get to the front one as soon as possible. Would it be bad to go down to 3 leafs on the front? Or does the 4 you said take bumps really well? I'm really looking to get the most comfort possible for now.