Flipped Front Springs w/SOA & SR

[yoda'stoy]

Greetings Mud Members!
I am currently in the process of doing a complete tear down of my 3/76 FJ40. It's been very slow going as I have had limited time to work on it.
Last year I bought a "cut and turned" front axle housing from Jerimiah Profitt and I finally was able to disassemble my old axle last night. I had a great time doing it and I have been thinking about how to mount it when it is finished and goes back on the truck. Jerimiah suggested that I might flip the front springs to gain a little more wheelbase. I am planning to flip the rear springs but I'm undecided about the front.
I would like to hear from any of you Mud Members that have flipped your front springs and what advantages/disadvantages you have encountered. How much in wheelbase length will I gain from this? How will it affect the ride and handling?
I like the idea of a greater approach angle. is it worth the effort?
Thanks for your comments.

 

[camcruiser13]

love it, about 3 inches ride is good because ur longer wheel base

search or see my pics got step by step

see sig

 

[Senor Aguas]

Do it for various reasons.

The small down sides that annoy me a little on mine are:

1. It looks a little funny from the side (the tires don't line up with the front fenders)
2. You'll have less clearance to your front fenders due to where the tire is located. Plan on cutting, or keeping the rig up high.

 

[KOOTENAY KRUZER]

Biggest issue I am aware of is that you will probably have to lengthen your front driveshaft so it doesn't fall apart if you get air under both front tires.

 

[yoda'stoy]

Thank you for the feedback.
Camcruiser13, thanks for the SR post.... very helpful. It looks like a very straight forward modification. It does look strange relative to the front fender. Have you had your tire rub your fender?
Koolenay Kruzer, it looks like you flipped both front and read springs (from the avatar pic). Cam, have you done that since your post? How about you Senor Aguas, did you flip your rear springs as well? If so, what is your total wheelbase now?
I did notice that the front shackles don't have much room to travel because of the slope of the frame. Do you feel it when the spring hits the frame? After that it seems that the spring would have to do the rest the work. It does seem to make more sense functionally to have the short side of the spring towards the front.
Have any of you trimmed or modified your front fenders in any way? I would like to see some more pictures if you don't mind sharing.

 

[Senor Aguas]

How about you Senor Aguas, did you flip your rear springs as well? If so, what is your total wheelbase now?
I did notice that the front shackles don't have much room to travel because of the slope of the frame. Do you feel it when the spring hits the frame? After that it seems that the spring would have to do the rest the work. It does seem to make more sense functionally to have the short side of the spring towards the front.
Have any of you trimmed or modified your front fenders in any way? I would like to see some more pictures if you don't mind sharing.

No, I have not flipped my rears. As I understand, if you ever want a gas tank under there, you can't flip the rears. That's a consideration for me, as I hate that under seat tank (and I have a new Toyota tank)...

My rig was front flipped and SOA when I got it. I simply put in a low profile SR kit from Proffitt's and took a couple leafs out of the packs. The stock shackles put the spring very close to the frame, so I made some new longer shackles. Ideally, it shouldn't hit the frame at all. With that shackle compressed into the frame, the spring no longer acts like a spring--its rigid (except for bushing deflection). Mine rides nice, and I'm fairly certain that the spring doesn't ever make contact with the frame as it is now. I guess I could put some fresh paint in there, hit a few bumps, and see if there's contact.

3/4" Longer home made shackles:
IH8MUD Forums - View Single Post - ROTW - Senor Aguas - Nov 3rd

ROTW:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/248898-rotw-senor-aguas-nov-3rd.html

About your trimming question---I've been on a quest to lower my rig, so my fenders will need major trimming, raised, or removed before I go wheeling again. Before I started lowering it (see first pic on ROTW), my tires would get into the fenders only when really twisted up and turned on the trail. But, the rig was too high to fit in the garage and a little tipsy on the trail. I'm trying to decide whether to raise my fenders (hrs of cutting and welding) or just downgrade to 35's. My 37's are for sale or trade, but no real interest yet. I don't really want the cut up look for my rig--at least not yet. I may change my mind.

 

[Vitesse_6]

This is my front with SR and spring flipped, No drilling...

Here is a bad pic of my rig with front and rear spring flip and front SR

If you would like any other pic's I'm sure I could wander out and take a few.
I inadvertently did the front spring flip on mine, I was told to make sure the military wrap was at the fixed point, Where it hadn't been before the tear down, I guess they didn't really do it around here back in the 90's so when I put it all back together I put the front springs on flipped, I didn't have the tub on so I didn't know until I put the tub back on... By then I already had new drive lines, But all I really needed to do was move the lower shock mount to the back side of the axle, Now I need some new bump stops.
Good luck with your search.

EDIT...
I re read some of your questions, I will not be cutting my fenders, They are in too good of shape, Right now my wheel base is at about 100"

 

[KOOTENAY KRUZER]

The PO had the SOA and the SR done before I bought the truck and according to him these are OME springs which were on it when he bought it, I don't know how much lift they have but it is too much for an SOA vehicle and I intend to pull a leaf or two from each spring pack. The SOA and SR were done by too tall here on this site.
The front springs are flipped but I believe the rears are stock orientation based on how they fit in (excuse me, under) the rear fender wells.

 

[fj40forlife]

So you say you got a axle that has aready been cut and turn? What was it set up to? Like suspension? Because if you change to SR it may change the caster ? I would call where you got it and see how they had it set up to. does that make sense?

Eric

 

[cruiserjunkie]

I think a spring flip works well with a sr because it gives more room for the tire to move back into the fender which it will do now

 

[camcruiser13]

yes i have my rear flipped, and i aslo trimmed my front fenders, due to the large tire size. i dont know what others are running but i got 37 and they rubbed, no iissue now


let me dig up some pics

 

[camcruiser13]

here is my front flipped, the bigger the tire the less you can tell, i may have to go take some pics of the rear.

i am sitting at right around 100" wheelbase

 

[cdv3286]

did any of you guys extend your frames at all during the swap? Thoughts on doing that as part of the conversion?

 

[Senor Aguas]

Mine is not extended, although the saginaw is in there very tight.

 

[camcruiser13]

no need to extend the frame, thats alot of work for the gain.

 

[Vitesse_6]

no need to extend the frame, thats alot of work for the gain.

agreed

 

[nuclearlemon]

I did shackle reversal and spring flip. love it. for larger tires, it looks a bit more proportionate because it puts the tire forward in the fender more, plus when you flex with shackle reversal, your tire will move backwards. also, longer wheelbase which a bit more comfortable.

 

[Mace]

The Wheel only moves backwards if the spring has an arc to it and you are reducing that arc.

If the spring is flat at rest, the tire will move forward under compression and extension.

Personaly, I love the spring flip, and am not a huge fan of the SR. Not enough benefits for me..

 

[mtweller]

Just completed a SR and spring flip. Mine's extended another 5/8" forward too due to spring hanger placement that was mandated by my Saginaw box. I'm also running FJ55 rears so my WB is now around 101". I love the MUCH improved approach angle!


Ramon

 

[rockcod]

mtweller,

Nice looking ride.

Yoda,

Click on the Sully thread in my sig. for SR, spring flip and re-drill.