FJ62 - Old Man Emu Installation - Detailed Steps (4 Viewers)

[batthewmrown]

I'm wondering if going heavy/extra heavy and taking a few springs out and saving them for later would be the best idea. This way you get the lift and ride quality and when you break in the springs and they settle, and you add more weight, you can add the leaves back in as needed. The money saved in shipping and the value of the spare would set you ahead.

This is exactly what I did recently. Set yourself up for your current situation but plan for future upgrades.

 

[1stchair]

This is exactly what I did recently. Set yourself up for your current situation but plan for future upgrades.

I went with Dobinsons instead of OME, however I also bought heavier than needed and will remove additional leaves until such time as they are needed. Will save the hassle of tracking down additional leaves later, and didn't cost much more out of the gate.

 

[MoaByte]

Suspension replacement isn't cheap. Go a little more and save money. If you can. You are more likely to waste money if you go with unreputable or unproven. Lucky you got MUD.

 

[MoaByte]

The old beat suspension stock, has to be remedied. I'm happy I did ARB's OMEs, and you would too if you are not running tires bigger than 33". There are a few great alternatives. What are your objectives?

 

[WSOPgold2012]

@MoaByte & @WSOPgold2012 I'm new to the LC game, but trying to level up the '87 60 I just picked up.

I've had OME setup before but not on a wagon. Since I'm gonna do the ARB front bumper/winch & spare tire swing as well (much like @AdventureYeti setup above) -- would a medium/heavy be a smarter setup than a medium/medium?

In my experience, heavy leafs always produced too stiff of a ride for the extra 200lbs rating tradeoff.

Any advice would be appreciated!

Im in same boat as you...and im a mechanical/aotumotive nitemare. I did read a s*** ton about Suspensions...and can say ive narrowed it down to Dobinson + OME + prlly Dobinson. I got sidetracked ordering a H55F+T-Case from @cruiseroutfit and can say this...his crew is wonderful. If i decide on OME (which is unlikely) id go thru him.

 

[WSOPgold2012]

I'm wondering if going heavy/extra heavy and taking a few springs out and saving them for later would be the best idea. This way you get the lift and ride quality and when you break in the springs and they settle, and you add more weight, you can add the leaves back in as needed. The money saved in shipping and the value of the spare would set you ahead.

This is what Ive decided ill do! Heavy+Heavy and take 1 out if i dnt like

 

[batthewmrown]

Im in same boat as you...and im a mechanical/aotumotive nitemare. I did read a s*** ton about Suspensions...and can say ive narrowed it down to Dobinson + OME + prlly Dobinson. I got sidetracked ordering a H55F+T-Case from @cruiseroutfit and can say this...his crew is wonderful. If i decide on OME (which is unlikely) id go thru him.

@cruiseroutfit carries Dobinsons, too.

 

[WSOPgold2012]

@cruiseroutfit carrys Dobinsons, too.

nah...not really

 

[CinaSlick]

Disclaimer: I'm not responsible for your rig, injury and/or possible death. Continue at your own risk, this isn't for everyone and you could get really hurt. If you're not mechanically inclined or equipped, just pay a shop to do this.

After reading numerous threads (thanks to all the gear heads on here), posts and tips. I felt comfortable tackling this installation myself. I can say however, there wasn't any, one good post that compiled all the necessary information with visuals I could find. (Yes I read the FAQ one) but it left a lot to be desired. This thread may be helpful to someone, as I know it helped me get through this task. Here's what you need to know:

Tools & Tips for the job that will certainly make this easier:

1. Penetrating oil spray (Soak your bolts a week before starting) my rig was all OEM and has 0 rust. My parts came off with ease, but I still soaked to be safe to avoid breaking anything, including my ego and/or hands in the process.
2. Deep socket (Metric) set (I have two, one for my pneumatic impact and one for my standard hand ratchet)
3. Breaker bar (Medium Length) not too long or you'll have no room under the truck to get a good angle
4. Floor Jack (3-ton for safety)
5. 4 Jack Stands (3-ton for safety)
6. Rubber Mallet
7. Hand-held Sledge Hammer
8. Strap wrench
9. Steel, solid Metal Punch
10. Angle Grinder (You'll need to cut down the rear u-bolts as they are tad longer after installation
11. Heat Torch (I used a small braising one and it worked just fine) goal is to heat bolts as needed to "un-seize" them (cherry red) w. some impact & you're good
12. Grease gun with correct automotive grade moly-grease
13. Safety Glasses, Gloves, Shop Towels (Wear glasses people, you only get two eyes and there is a lot of road crud on these bits)
14. Someone to help or at least call 911 if your truck falls on you. At a minimum have your phone nearby so you can say "hey Siri call 911"

Verify you have everything you need for the job before starting, layout all your components in a manageable orientation of assembly. Kurt & Bryce @cruiseroutfit will get you what you need and are a wealth of knowledge. In my case, I ran their "Budget" Kit with Heavy Fronts and Medium rears. The kit includes literally everything you need to do a complete install (including new hardware, shackles, sway-extensions, bushings etc.) but keep your OEM items organized as you remove them, just in case you're missing something. I found an old "paint roller" tray works great to keep things from rolling away.

My kit from Cruiser Outfitters included:
OME Heavy Front Leafs
OME Medium Rear Leafs
Bushings (F/R)
Anti-inversion Shackles Front/Rear
Hardware Kit
Rear Leaf Bolt Spacer Collars (85-90MY Only)
OME Nitro Soft Valved Shocks
OME Steering Stabilizer
Sway Bar Extensions (F/R)
U-bolts (F/R)
The best guide for this job is the member posted OEM Chassis & Body Toyota repair manual. Section FA-31 & RA-39 will not only walk you through this with illustrations it will also provide you the proper OE Torque Values so you don't over/under torque your hardware during reinstallation.

Tip: For those who didn't find & save this awesome .pdf, here it is -> Toyota FJ62 Chassis & Body Repair Manual

Front Disassembly time: (remember, you soaked your hardware with penetrating oil a week ago so those bolts should come right off)

Step 1:
a) Chock the back wheels, engage your e-brake (don't want it rolling away)
b) Loosen your lug-nuts for the front wheels while on the ground
c) Jack up the truck (see guide below)
d) Jack stand proper areas for support and safety
d) Remove your front wheels

Do you know where to jack up your truck?

View attachment 1910983



Refer to this Diagram for reference below throughout the next steps. Or refer to the complete guide as noted above.

View attachment 1910988


Step 2: Your truck is jacked up, and the body/frame is properly supported with jack stands. Lower the axle housing until the leaf spring tension is free, and keep it as this position with your floor jack. I opted to use two stands on the frame, and two on the axle housing to keep the pinion angle the same.

Step 3: Remove Shock Absorbers (If OEM Shock, use a strap wrench to hold the tube from spinning) if like mine, Rancho - there is an allen-head on the top you can use to keep the strut from spinning during removal of the nut.

Step 4: Remove U-Bolts.
a) Remove the U-bolt mounting nuts (breaker bar, or air-wrench)
b) Remove the spring lower seat (wiggles off, down)
c) Remove the U-bolts (wiggles up, off)

Step 5: Remove Front Leaf Springs (I start with shackle end first)
Tip: work from the side, not directly under. These are springs after all and could slam down.
a) Remove the hanger pin mounting nut
b) Remove the shackle pin mounting nuts
c) Remove the hanger pin
d) Remove the leaf spring and old bushings ( spray-lube, metal punch, and a hammer will pop them out if stuck) my kit came with new bushings and anti-inversion shackles so I'm not reusing these.
Tip: The one, fixed nut on the back of the leaf (non-shackle side) is on the inner portion of your frame. It's an odd angle, so having a compact air-wrench or medium length breaker really helps here.

Reinstall your new front components:

Step 1: My kit came with greasable, anti-inversion shackles. So this refers to that setup.
a) Assemble the shackles to your leaf springs. Use this as a guide:

View attachment 1911018


Step 2: Start installing the leafs back onto your truck. I reattach the fixed side first and worked backward from the disassembly. Tip: Military wrap end goes on fixed end. Orientation matters- (remember this for the rears too)
a) Pull your leaf up and install on the fixed mount with appropriate hardware supplied. Snug tight the bolt, and hangar pin. Don't torque yet.
b) Install bushing in the front mount with a nice coating of grease, Align your leaf center bolt with the axle, and push up to have the top of the shackle bolt slip through the mount. Now snug tight the hardware and your leaf is attached to its mounts.
c) Reinstall the spring lower seat using the new u-bolts and hardware. Snug tight for now.
d) Now do the same on the opposite side.

Step 3: Install your shocks, snug tight the hardware

Step 4: Torque all hardware to proper spec. The OME bits have their own respective torque see on the above document. The OEM components have there own as well. Don't mix them up, o.r you'll likely damage your hardware. OEM specs are found on FA33 & A34 etc within the chassis repair guide.
OEM QR: Hanger Pin Nut = 9 ft-lbs / U-bolt Nuts = 90 ft-lbs (Length of the exposed thread should be the same for all) Shock Absorber Top Nut = 19 ft-lb / Bottom mounting bolt = 70 ft-lbs / Hanger Pin & Shackle Pin Hardware 67 ft-lbs. Sway bar info below on step 5.

Step 5: Install your sway-bar extensions if supplied. @cruiseroutfit supplies them, many do not! This part is pretty self-explanatory, but if you want a visual check out page FA-35 in the OEM Manual. Torque the bolts as follows; 13 ft-lbs. They are specific front and rear, you'll see.

Repeat these steps on the other side.

Your front is down for now. Re-check everything. I use a paint pen on all the hardware I torque, so I know I didn't miss anything. Grease your components via the zerk fittings using the correct automotive grade moly grease, don't overfill, however. You don't want the bushings to bulge out, and you definitely don't want excess grease everywhere. Amsoil or Mobil 1 has a good Moly Grease, sourced from NAPA.

Step 6: Re-install your wheels, remove jack-stands and lower the truck. Torque your wheels to 116 ft-lbs (star pattern).

Tip: Now hop in your truck, release the e-brake and rock it a little. Get things kind of settled before starting the rear. It'll help get back to square.

Rear Dissasembly time: Tip: Chock the front tires, lock your hubs and engage 4WL. This will help keep the truck from rolling when you jack up the rear. Once the rear is up, there isn't anything to keep it from rolling. (E-brake is only on the rear drums)

Diagram for reference;


View attachment 1911188


Step 1: Noted above, properly chock the front wheels before jacking the rig up.
a) Use the designated jacking points and start getting the rear end up
b) Loosen your wheel lugs while they are on the ground
c) Jack up the rig, and properly secure the body/from with jack-stands. It's also wise to place two jack stand under the rear axle after you allow the axle to full droop away from the body
d) Remove your wheels

Step 2: Remove the Shock Absorbers
a) Straight forward, top and bottom bolts/washers come over and allow you to wiggle the shock free from its location. Mine were shot, didn't even spring up after being compressed by hand.

Step 3: Remove the leaf springs
a) Similar to the front, remove the shackle side first. Be careful, these are under tension and could come off fast. Mine was flat, so it wasn't dramatic. Tip: Keep a bottle jack and/or floor jack on the leaf spring, this will allow you to control it coming down after removal.
b) Remove the old bushings from the mount, if stuck use a punch and tap them out with a hammer
c) Now remove the U-bolts, and Spring seat to free the leaf from the axles
d) Now remove the fixed end nut, spring bracket and hanger pin nut
e) Remove the leave spring from the truck and set-aside. Admire how ugly, worn and flat it is compared to your new OME unit

Reinstallation of new components:

Step 1: Similar to front leaf packs, assemble shackles to leaf. Apply some moly grease to the bushings before inserting.
a) Use above-mentioned ARB reference for orientation and install
b) Install fixed end first, then wrap up under the axle, keeping the center bolt in-mind for alignment on the axle housing. My kit came with two small metal rings that made up the difference of the bolt to the axle (considering on some, the rear leafs have a rubber isolator pad that lessens road vibration and fits in the hole. When you remove this, the bolt is too small and the hole is too large. These little rings make up the difference.
c) Snug the bolt, and now get that rear shackle to the mount. It's not super easy, and take some leverage or a helping hand. My floor jack helped a lot.
d) Snug the hardware
e) Install the U-Bolts onto the Spring Seat now, snug the bolts

Repeat these steps on the other side.

Step 2: Torque your components. Specs are the same, with the exception of the rear shock values: Top Nut = 47 ft-lbs / Bottom 27 ft-lbs.

Step 3: Install your sway-bar extensions if supplied. @cruiseroutfit supplies them many do not! This part is pretty self-explanatory, but if you want a visual check out page FA-35 in the OEM Manual. Torque the bolts as follows; 13 ft-lbs. They are specific front and rear, you'll see.

Step 4: Check everything, make sure you didn't miss any bolts, paint pen comes in handy if you're scatterbrained.

Step 5: Install wheels, snug hardware, remove jack stands and lower vehicle. Torque lug nuts to spec, Hop in, remove the e-brake, bounce the truck a little so things settle.

Step 6: Grease - Grease your zerk fittings with appropriate Moly Lube. Don't get wild, you don't need to overdo it as a little goes a long way.

Step 7: Unlock front hubs, put the vehicle in 2H and back out of the garage or driveway.

Take it for a spin, see how things feel. Pull back in and do a visual check to ensure nothing is out of the ordinary. You're going to need an alignment, so get that scheduled or if you're a pro do it yourself. I'll likely recheck the torque on all hardware removed/reinstalled within 100 miles to be extra cautious.

Congrats! You're truck thanks you, and I'm sure you'll notice a vast improvement of on-road or off-road handling on your next adventure.

Moderators, Legendary FJ Dudes - please send me a message if I missed anything? Happy to adjust.

*I'll add in my own pictures for color references shortly. Need to figure out how to upload more than 5-attachments.

Saving this post for sure! Thanks!
GBY- God bless you

 

[batthewmrown]

nah...not really

Really? They told me they did. Oh well.

 

[WSOPgold2012]

Really? They told me they did. Oh well.

"We dont really stock it" is what i was told....

 

[cruiseroutfit]

"We dont really stock it" is what i was told....

We stock a great deal of Dobinson suspension components, particularly shocks, steering dampers, pallets of coil springs, fit kits and track bars, etc for 4x/5x/6x/7x/8x/100/200 and Prado applications.

“We don’t really stock it“ is absolutely true for leaf springs proper. Frankly, I personally don’t see any advantage over the wide range of OME leaf spring offerings we already stock. We can/have regularly pair up OME leaf springs with Dobinson shocks, Dobinson coils with OME shocks (very often) but we get very few calls for Dobinson leaf springs and having spent time around them in the US and Australia, there isn’t a spring they offer that would be an automatic go-to for a particular build like we do find with many coil applications. If/when there is continued demand, we can easily order them in or stock their leaf springs, but I’ve not seen it. Hope that makes sense.

 

[WSOPgold2012]

We stock a great deal of Dobinson suspension components, particularly shocks, steering dampers, pallets of coil springs, fit kits and track bars, etc for 4x/5x/6x/7x/8x/100/200 and Prado applications.

“We don’t really stock it“ is absolutely true for leaf springs proper. Frankly, I personally don’t see any advantage over the wide range of OME leaf spring offerings we already stock. We can/have regularly pair up OME leaf springs with Dobinson shocks, Dobinson coils with OME shocks (very often) but we get very few calls for Dobinson leaf springs and having spent time around them in the US and Australia, there isn’t a spring they offer that would be an automatic go-to for a particular build like we do find with many coil applications. If/when there is continued demand, we can easily order them in or stock their leaf springs, but I’ve not seen it. Hope that makes sense.

yes,,,i shld've clarified Leafs. And yes, it makes TOTAL sense. And i'm far from any expert as to which is or isn't "better". However, as a consumer I just happened to really like like the marketing effort put forth by Dobinson on the Dobinson web site where as there's hardly any web presence (I found) for OME other than everbody statin "they are a good choice". I liked that the Leafs have been made by the same business/family for 60 years and that they are made in Australia as opposed to other Leafs being made in Thailand ect...Im not sure where OMEs are made as I couldnt find that information. Lastly, I certainly wasn't trying to dis your operation @cruiseroutfit I was just mentioning You guys dnt really carry Doobinson Leafs

 

[FishNinJay]

Disclaimer: I'm not responsible for your rig, injury and/or possible death. Continue at your own risk, this isn't for everyone and you could get really hurt. If you're not mechanically inclined or equipped, just pay a shop to do this.

After reading numerous threads (thanks to all the gear heads on here), posts and tips. I felt comfortable tackling this installation myself. I can say however, there wasn't any, one good post that compiled all the necessary information with visuals I could find. (Yes I read the FAQ one) but it left a lot to be desired. This thread may be helpful to someone, as I know it helped me get through this task. Here's what you need to know:

Tools & Tips for the job that will certainly make this easier:

1. Penetrating oil spray (Soak your bolts a week before starting) my rig was all OEM and has 0 rust. My parts came off with ease, but I still soaked to be safe to avoid breaking anything, including my ego and/or hands in the process.
2. Deep socket (Metric) set (I have two, one for my pneumatic impact and one for my standard hand ratchet)
3. Breaker bar (Medium Length) not too long or you'll have no room under the truck to get a good angle
4. Floor Jack (3-ton for safety)
5. 4 Jack Stands (3-ton for safety)
6. Rubber Mallet
7. Hand-held Sledge Hammer
8. Strap wrench
9. Steel, solid Metal Punch
10. Angle Grinder (You'll need to cut down the rear u-bolts as they are tad longer after installation
11. Heat Torch (I used a small braising one and it worked just fine) goal is to heat bolts as needed to "un-seize" them (cherry red) w. some impact & you're good
12. Grease gun with correct automotive grade moly-grease
13. Safety Glasses, Gloves, Shop Towels (Wear glasses people, you only get two eyes and there is a lot of road crud on these bits)
14. Someone to help or at least call 911 if your truck falls on you. At a minimum have your phone nearby so you can say "hey Siri call 911"

Verify you have everything you need for the job before starting, layout all your components in a manageable orientation of assembly. Kurt & Bryce @cruiseroutfit will get you what you need and are a wealth of knowledge. In my case, I ran their "Budget" Kit with Heavy Fronts and Medium rears. The kit includes literally everything you need to do a complete install (including new hardware, shackles, sway-extensions, bushings etc.) but keep your OEM items organized as you remove them, just in case you're missing something. I found an old "paint roller" tray works great to keep things from rolling away.

My kit from Cruiser Outfitters included:
OME Heavy Front Leafs
OME Medium Rear Leafs
Bushings (F/R)
Anti-inversion Shackles Front/Rear
Hardware Kit
Rear Leaf Bolt Spacer Collars (85-90MY Only)
OME Nitro Soft Valved Shocks
OME Steering Stabilizer
Sway Bar Extensions (F/R)
U-bolts (F/R)
The best guide for this job is the member posted OEM Chassis & Body Toyota repair manual. Section FA-31 & RA-39 will not only walk you through this with illustrations it will also provide you the proper OE Torque Values so you don't over/under torque your hardware during reinstallation.

Tip: For those who didn't find & save this awesome .pdf, here it is -> Toyota FJ62 Chassis & Body Repair Manual

Front Disassembly time: (remember, you soaked your hardware with penetrating oil a week ago so those bolts should come right off)

Step 1:
a) Chock the back wheels, engage your e-brake (don't want it rolling away)
b) Loosen your lug-nuts for the front wheels while on the ground
c) Jack up the truck (see guide below)
d) Jack stand proper areas for support and safety
d) Remove your front wheels

Do you know where to jack up your truck?

View attachment 1910983



Refer to this Diagram for reference below throughout the next steps. Or refer to the complete guide as noted above.

View attachment 1910988


Step 2: Your truck is jacked up, and the body/frame is properly supported with jack stands. Lower the axle housing until the leaf spring tension is free, and keep it as this position with your floor jack. I opted to use two stands on the frame, and two on the axle housing to keep the pinion angle the same.

Step 3: Remove Shock Absorbers (If OEM Shock, use a strap wrench to hold the tube from spinning) if like mine, Rancho - there is an allen-head on the top you can use to keep the strut from spinning during removal of the nut.

Step 4: Remove U-Bolts.
a) Remove the U-bolt mounting nuts (breaker bar, or air-wrench)
b) Remove the spring lower seat (wiggles off, down)
c) Remove the U-bolts (wiggles up, off)

Step 5: Remove Front Leaf Springs (I start with shackle end first)
Tip: work from the side, not directly under. These are springs after all and could slam down.
a) Remove the hanger pin mounting nut
b) Remove the shackle pin mounting nuts
c) Remove the hanger pin
d) Remove the leaf spring and old bushings ( spray-lube, metal punch, and a hammer will pop them out if stuck) my kit came with new bushings and anti-inversion shackles so I'm not reusing these.
Tip: The one, fixed nut on the back of the leaf (non-shackle side) is on the inner portion of your frame. It's an odd angle, so having a compact air-wrench or medium length breaker really helps here.

Reinstall your new front components:

Step 1: My kit came with greasable, anti-inversion shackles. So this refers to that setup.
a) Assemble the shackles to your leaf springs. Use this as a guide:

View attachment 1911018


Step 2: Start installing the leafs back onto your truck. I reattach the fixed side first and worked backward from the disassembly. Tip: Military wrap end goes on fixed end. Orientation matters- (remember this for the rears too)
a) Pull your leaf up and install on the fixed mount with appropriate hardware supplied. Snug tight the bolt, and hangar pin. Don't torque yet.
b) Install bushing in the front mount with a nice coating of grease, Align your leaf center bolt with the axle, and push up to have the top of the shackle bolt slip through the mount. Now snug tight the hardware and your leaf is attached to its mounts.
c) Reinstall the spring lower seat using the new u-bolts and hardware. Snug tight for now.
d) Now do the same on the opposite side.

Step 3: Install your shocks, snug tight the hardware

Step 4: Torque all hardware to proper spec. The OME bits have their own respective torque see on the above document. The OEM components have there own as well. Don't mix them up, o.r you'll likely damage your hardware. OEM specs are found on FA33 & A34 etc within the chassis repair guide.
OEM QR: Hanger Pin Nut = 9 ft-lbs / U-bolt Nuts = 90 ft-lbs (Length of the exposed thread should be the same for all) Shock Absorber Top Nut = 19 ft-lb / Bottom mounting bolt = 70 ft-lbs / Hanger Pin & Shackle Pin Hardware 67 ft-lbs. Sway bar info below on step 5.

Step 5: Install your sway-bar extensions if supplied. @cruiseroutfit supplies them, many do not! This part is pretty self-explanatory, but if you want a visual check out page FA-35 in the OEM Manual. Torque the bolts as follows; 13 ft-lbs. They are specific front and rear, you'll see.

Repeat these steps on the other side.

Your front is down for now. Re-check everything. I use a paint pen on all the hardware I torque, so I know I didn't miss anything. Grease your components via the zerk fittings using the correct automotive grade moly grease, don't overfill, however. You don't want the bushings to bulge out, and you definitely don't want excess grease everywhere. Amsoil or Mobil 1 has a good Moly Grease, sourced from NAPA.

Step 6: Re-install your wheels, remove jack-stands and lower the truck. Torque your wheels to 116 ft-lbs (star pattern).

Tip: Now hop in your truck, release the e-brake and rock it a little. Get things kind of settled before starting the rear. It'll help get back to square.

Rear Dissasembly time: Tip: Chock the front tires, lock your hubs and engage 4WL. This will help keep the truck from rolling when you jack up the rear. Once the rear is up, there isn't anything to keep it from rolling. (E-brake is only on the rear drums)

Diagram for reference;


View attachment 1911188


Step 1: Noted above, properly chock the front wheels before jacking the rig up.
a) Use the designated jacking points and start getting the rear end up
b) Loosen your wheel lugs while they are on the ground
c) Jack up the rig, and properly secure the body/from with jack-stands. It's also wise to place two jack stand under the rear axle after you allow the axle to full droop away from the body
d) Remove your wheels

Step 2: Remove the Shock Absorbers
a) Straight forward, top and bottom bolts/washers come over and allow you to wiggle the shock free from its location. Mine were shot, didn't even spring up after being compressed by hand.

Step 3: Remove the leaf springs
a) Similar to the front, remove the shackle side first. Be careful, these are under tension and could come off fast. Mine was flat, so it wasn't dramatic. Tip: Keep a bottle jack and/or floor jack on the leaf spring, this will allow you to control it coming down after removal.
b) Remove the old bushings from the mount, if stuck use a punch and tap them out with a hammer
c) Now remove the U-bolts, and Spring seat to free the leaf from the axles
d) Now remove the fixed end nut, spring bracket and hanger pin nut
e) Remove the leave spring from the truck and set-aside. Admire how ugly, worn and flat it is compared to your new OME unit

Reinstallation of new components:

Step 1: Similar to front leaf packs, assemble shackles to leaf. Apply some moly grease to the bushings before inserting.
a) Use above-mentioned ARB reference for orientation and install
b) Install fixed end first, then wrap up under the axle, keeping the center bolt in-mind for alignment on the axle housing. My kit came with two small metal rings that made up the difference of the bolt to the axle (considering on some, the rear leafs have a rubber isolator pad that lessens road vibration and fits in the hole. When you remove this, the bolt is too small and the hole is too large. These little rings make up the difference.
c) Snug the bolt, and now get that rear shackle to the mount. It's not super easy, and take some leverage or a helping hand. My floor jack helped a lot.
d) Snug the hardware
e) Install the U-Bolts onto the Spring Seat now, snug the bolts

Repeat these steps on the other side.

Step 2: Torque your components. Specs are the same, with the exception of the rear shock values: Top Nut = 47 ft-lbs / Bottom 27 ft-lbs.

Step 3: Install your sway-bar extensions if supplied. @cruiseroutfit supplies them many do not! This part is pretty self-explanatory, but if you want a visual check out page FA-35 in the OEM Manual. Torque the bolts as follows; 13 ft-lbs. They are specific front and rear, you'll see.

Step 4: Check everything, make sure you didn't miss any bolts, paint pen comes in handy if you're scatterbrained.

Step 5: Install wheels, snug hardware, remove jack stands and lower vehicle. Torque lug nuts to spec, Hop in, remove the e-brake, bounce the truck a little so things settle.

Step 6: Grease - Grease your zerk fittings with appropriate Moly Lube. Don't get wild, you don't need to overdo it as a little goes a long way.

Step 7: Unlock front hubs, put the vehicle in 2H and back out of the garage or driveway.

Take it for a spin, see how things feel. Pull back in and do a visual check to ensure nothing is out of the ordinary. You're going to need an alignment, so get that scheduled or if you're a pro do it yourself. I'll likely recheck the torque on all hardware removed/reinstalled within 100 miles to be extra cautious.

Congrats! You're truck thanks you, and I'm sure you'll notice a vast improvement of on-road or off-road handling on your next adventure.

Moderators, Legendary FJ Dudes - please send me a message if I missed anything? Happy to adjust.

*I'll add in my own pictures for color references shortly. Need to figure out how to upload more than 5-attachments.

Terrific write-up.. if I'm ever in the situation to do this, I'll come here. Plus, I'm just down the street from you in Los Alamitos. Thanks.. -J.

 

[GoBigRed]

So I just did this. Here are my observations:

- Heat is very good. I used a MAPP torch from Home Depot. You're not really trying to burn the bushings away (that would take hours). Rather just make them malleable enough for the pin to slide through when you hammer it. On the fixed end of the spring I just heated both ends of the pin for a couple minutes. Then I pounded it out a quarter inch. Then I pried it the rest of the way.

- The shackle end generally came off without heat, just pounding with a 4 pound hammer. I hammered both pins on the shackles out, alternating to keep the shackle coming out straight.

- All my pins had a surprising variety of condition. The shackles were all pitted and nasty. The fixed ends were all perfectly clean.

- My stock springs were disgusting, and borderline dangerous. The main spring on the front right was cracked clean through at the eyelet! Then one pack on the rear had destroyed the center pin and the whole thing fell apart after I removed the ubolts. This is all on a pretty rust free Cruiser.

- The ubolts in the rear were kind of a pain to get aligned into the spring seat, because you have to jack the spring up or else the ubolts aren't long enough.

- On the front the axle got a little out of alignment and the spring pin wouldn't go in the hole. I ran a ratchet strap around the axle and a frame crossmember to move the axle a bit at a time. Just like the 80 series control arms but at least this is just one dimension.

- Nobody seems to mention the FJ62 exhaust is completely in the way on the rear left. There is no room for hammering! I took the back half of the exhaust out.

- The ubolts are very long. I had to cut them to be able to tighten them, because a deep well socket is not deep enough.

- I didn't reuse the rubber isolator or c-channel. I removed a leaf from mine to bring it close to stock height. With that, the leaf pack is too thin to use with the c-channel. The spacer from Cruiser Outfitters is key here.

Very helpful post - thank you. I’m contemplating the light/medium OME from CO (spoke to them today). I have fairly stock 85 Fj60 with OEM suspension - 133k miles. Springs are not horrible, but shocks are cooked. I want to retain something closer to stock height but I seem to be alone here, until I read the last line of your post. Were you successful in going OME and keeping close to stock height? That’s the ideal outcome for me. I appreciate any feedback. I’m not planning to add any weight front or rear (keeping stock bumpers).

 

[pawnthatdude]

Very helpful post - thank you. I’m contemplating the light/medium OME from CO (spoke to them today). I have fairly stock 85 Fj60 with OEM suspension - 133k miles. Springs are not horrible, but shocks are cooked. I want to retain something closer to stock height but I seem to be alone here, until I read the last line of your post. Were you successful in going OME and keeping close to stock height? That’s the ideal outcome for me. I appreciate any feedback. I’m not planning to add any weight front or rear (keeping stock bumpers).

So there is discussion on Mud for keeping the stock height, just Google it. I honestly don't know what the stock height truly is, since nobody has those measurements from the factory anymore. But with a leaf removed it does look nice and doesn't really look lifted to me. It did raise it quite a bit in the rear because the old suspension was so clapped out. Cruiser Outfitters can tell you what leafs to remove.

 

[Paco]

Excellent thread!!

On my HJ61 I went OME heavy heavy, which according the fit chart is supposed to be diesel heavy. Also I knew I was adding an ARB and winch up front along with an RTT and LRA tank in the rear. Now I am considering how much I really need the LRA versus the cost and applying those funds towards something else. In the meantime after installing my winch a couple of weeks ago there is a considerable difference between the front and the back:

To level it out I am looking at 3 options:

1) Add another leaf to the fronts to bring it back up a bit.
2) Remove a leaf from the rears to drop the back down.
3) If I do #2 (total pun intended - I have an 8th grade boy) then maybe add air bags to level it out when loaded.

The lift was installed by a shop but I am pondering pulling out a leaf as a home project. Which one should I remove? One of the two at the top or the one at the bottom?

As for bags I have a used set from a Tacoma that I was going to see if I could fab up to fit.

Any thoughts from folks who have removed a leaf or anything I am missing?

 

[MoaByte]

Excellent thread!!

On my HJ61 I went OME heavy heavy, which according the fit chart is supposed to be diesel heavy. Also I knew I was adding an ARB and winch up front along with an RTT and LRA tank in the rear. Now I am considering how much I really need the LRA versus the cost and applying those funds towards something else. In the meantime after installing my winch a couple of weeks ago there is a considerable difference between the front and the back:

View attachment 2652814

To level it out I am looking at 3 options:

1) Add another leaf to the fronts to bring it back up a bit.
2) Remove a leaf from the rears to drop the back down.
3) If I do #2 (total pun intended - I have an 8th grade boy) then maybe add air bags to level it out when loaded.

The lift was installed by a shop but I am pondering pulling out a leaf as a home project. Which one should I remove? One of the two at the top or the one at the bottom?

View attachment 2652820

As for bags I have a used set from a Tacoma that I was going to see if I could fab up to fit.

Any thoughts from folks who have removed a leaf or anything I am missing?

How does it ride? Mine is much rougher after the add-a-leaf. It did raise it up. I don't mind a little rake but the front needs more clearance. Not sure to do front add-a-leaves, longer shackles, or bags.

 

[Paco]

I think it rides pretty well, a little rougher than before but the suspension seats help with that.

I am leaning towards trying to add a spring to the front to regain the lost clearance, but that will likely stiffen it up a bit more...

 

[ERNRAM]

What are these and where do they go?