FZJ80 + 3"lift + 38.7" Michelin's = spacers?

[sethzilla]

Hey everyone,
After searching the 80 tech for a few weeks, i've come up with a plan of attack for getting my BRAND NEW Michelin XML's under my '96 FZJ80. I figured out most of what i need to make them fit, but thought i'd run it by the "experts" who have been there/done that.

My current setup;

3" OME lift HEAVY's with sway bar drop in front, Hanna Quality caster plates and extended brake lines.

What i want to put on next;

5 brand new Michelin XML 325/85/R16's

Did i mention they were brand new?!?!?!?!?!

So my searching the forum has led me to believe that i can actually wheel it with this size tire if i do the following:
2" bumpstop extensions front and rear
1" trim packer for the front
rear swaybar extension brackets
cut and roll the front + rear fenders for maximum clearance
possible wheel spacers? if needed?
possible longer lower control arms? again if needed?

I am already geared at 4.88 and am fully prepared to get new axles to carry as spares in case the original ones walk off the job

My questions to the cruiser gurus is this;
Do you know anyone running a setup like this? Most big tire guys i have read about on here are running a 6" kit of some kind.
I am not looking to lift it anymore if possible(besides the spacers that is) unless it's mandatory. is tiny and has a hard enough time getting in it now!
Would no more lift still be ok with the original front driveshaft? or do i get a DC?
and lastly
What do y'all think?

 

[VCCruzr]

I suggest doing a 1" body lift. I did it when I moved up to 37s and it helped minimize the rubbing. It's a cheap mod too, roughly a $100.

 

[adventr]

You'll have to run wheel spacers. Tires will rub control arms in the front, and frame rails in the rear.

Also, plan on your passenger side rear tire rubbing on your exhaust where it passes by the rear of that wheel well.

Sent from my C771 using IH8MUD

 

[sethzilla]

I suggest doing a 1" body lift. I did it when I moved up to 37s and it helped minimize the rubbing. It's a cheap mod too, roughly a $100.

I would rather not do a body lift, but i'm not gonna rule it out, Thanks for your input.

You'll have to run wheel spacers. Tires will rub control arms in the front, and frame rails in the rear.

Also, plan on your passenger side rear tire rubbing on your exhaust where it passes by the rear of that wheel well.

What size spacers do you recommend?
And the exhaust already got ripped off and i had it relocated to behind the rear wheel well. It won't get rubbed now except by some granite

 

[adventr]

I would rather not do a body lift, but i'm not gonna rule it out, Thanks for your input.

What size spacers do you recommend?
And the exhaust already got ripped off and i had it relocated to behind the rear wheel well. It won't get rubbed now except by some granite

1.5" spacers worked for me.

Sent from my C771 using IH8MUD

 

[sethzilla]

Thanks Tim!

 

[julstirn]

any details on your front bumper?? And its gonna look sick with the bigger meats.

 

[sethzilla]

I used to work at Hanna Quality Motorsports so i copied the design that we did on the Ultimate 80 and had my friend over at S&G Metal Fab do it up!

 

[Delancy]

Also, plan on your passenger side rear tire rubbing on your exhaust where it passes by the rear of that wheel well.

Would the 1" body lift previously suggested allow enough clearance to reroute the exhaust over the rear frame rail?

 

[SDTLC80]

I don't have the 325x18x16 XML, but I do have the XZL 38.7x11R16 with 3inch OME lift without spacers. My tires are skinner than yours so I would recommend at least the 1inch body lift like Derrick said and spacers are a must for you because of the wider tires. I'm planning on to get one more inch of body lift on when I get a chance to replace my radiator. As of right now I'm still rubbing on the passenger front control arm and the frame on the rear. Here are some pictures so you can see what Im talking about.

 

[sethzilla]

Would the 1" body lift previously suggested allow enough clearance to reroute the exhaust over the rear frame rail?

i' don't think there would be enough room with a 1" body lift, but maybe. I wouldn't want my exhaust that close to the body though. The way we routed it now works out just fine.

 

[sethzilla]

I don't have the 325x18x16 XML, but I do have the XZL 38.7x11R16 with 3inch OME lift without spacers. My tires are skinner than yours so I would recommend at least the 1inch body lift like Derreck said and spacers are a must for you because of the wider tires. I'm planning on to get one more inch of body lift on when I get a chance to replace my radiator. As of right now I'm still rubbing on the passenger front control arm and the frame on the rear. Here are some pictures so you can see what Im talking about.

Thanks Nick. I love the look of a big tire and minimal lift, your 80 looks great. Side note; how did you balance your tires? Golf balls, dynabeads, standard rim weights?

 

[ajax1]

get some spacers and trim out your fenders u should be good, maybe have to bumpstop i didnt and they rub on the inside liner up in the wheel wail but dont hurt anything on the rear

 

[SDTLC80]

Thanks Nick. I love the look of a big tire and minimal lift, your 80 looks great. Side note; how did you balance your tires? Golf balls, dynabeads, standard rim weights?

My front has golfballs and rear has the standard weights. When I have time I will be changing all out for BBs.

 

[sethzilla]

My front has golfballs and rear has the standard weights. When I have time I will be changing all out for BBs.

Like BB gun bb's? i noticed on the Dynabeads website it said 14 oz. for my tire. Gonna do the same with BB's?

Someone else ran 4 golf balls per tire on their XML's. Small bb's make more sense to me as being able to distribute more evenly.

 

[sethzilla]

get some spacers and trim out your fenders u should be good, maybe have to bumpstop i didnt and they rub on the inside liner up in the wheel wail but dont hurt anything on the rear

I looked at your signature and just to clarify; You have a 30mm spacer on the coil, and trimmed your fenders, and with NO wheel spacers or bumpstop spacers you are getting rub on the inside wheel well. Is that correct?

I can live with some body rub, but if it's bad i can just build my own bumpstop spacers too.

 

[CruiseOrlando]

I would rather not do a body lift, but i'm not gonna rule it out, Thanks for your input.

A 1" body lift isn't that big of a deal if your rig is fairly rust-free.

If it's rusty... well, that's a different story.

The install itself isn't so bad - I've got a thread on what to watch out for somewhere on 'mud if you're curious.

 

[SDTLC80]

Like BB gun bb's? i noticed on the Dynabeads website it said 14 oz. for my tire. Gonna do the same with BB's?

Someone else ran 4 golf balls per tire on their XML's. Small bb's make more sense to me as being able to distribute more evenly.

Yeah gun BB's, I'm going with the copper one from Wallmart 10oz-14oz per tire should be fine.

 

[sethzilla]

A 1" body lift isn't that big of a deal if your rig is fairly rust-free.

If it's rusty... well, that's a different story.

The install itself isn't so bad - I've got a thread on what to watch out for somewhere on 'mud if you're curious.

I'll take a look at it, like i said, i'd rather cut sheetmetal to clearance it though.

 

[Delancy]

Yeah gun BB's, I'm going with the copper one from Wallmart 10oz-14oz per tire should be fine.

Don't know many running BBs, but airsoft pellets provide the same affect.

I added 8.46 oz per 35x12.5x17 tire, based on web perusals and, if I had it to do again, I'd up to 12-14.

Within reason, you can't add too much based on the dynamic balancing affect, but it's possible to not add enough, which is what I did.