Game on: Lift, Bumper(s), and Winch (2 Viewers)

[Rich]

Anyone have any additional feedback about using the 4" lift caster correction plates instead of the correction bushings on the 2.5" heavy lift? Hayes

1) Presuming that you will be in the correct weight range for the 2.5" heavy springs, then you are not planning on a 4" lift, so Slee's caster plates intended amount of castor correction would be out of wack for your needs, and 2) based on reports to this forum, Slee's castor plates have, in some, cases, resulted in the relay rod hitting the arms which then necessitates grinding a significant amount off of the control arms. (https://forum.ih8mud.com/showpost.php?p=738632&postcount=100)

I would think that there is an opportunity for a plate caster correction that does not interfere with the relay rod, of course, at slightly less caster correction. Landtank has something in the works, you might check with him to see if it fits your needs.

 

[NorCalDoug]

If you don't need the protection from Roo strikes, get the Slee bumper. It's a great product.

Me...I live in fear of roo strikes, so I have the ARB.
I'm not sure what I'm going to put on the wife's 80...slee or ARB. I keep going back and forth on it.

 

[Hayes]

...that would be the rare northern Californian giant roo? No deer, roos, or wildebeasts in my normal stomping grounds. I might be moving back up to the land of Sasquatch, though. He'd probably put a big dent in the hood...

 

[FirstToy]

The ARB bullbar hoops are great for wheeling b/c you can see the corners and use the hoops for braille-method on tight trails (actually did that on a tight trail..kinda went the wrong way hehe). It is also a handy grab handle if they need to stand on your bumper- or to loop your tow strap around.

But, I think the no-hoop bumpers look cool too. I love that one guy's Slee w/o the center hoop. Looked great.

 

[green_machine]

you should run a 12000 winch for an 80.

 

[Brentbba]

...that would be the rare northern Californian giant roo? No deer, roos, or wildebeasts in my normal stomping grounds. I might be moving back up to the land of Sasquatch, though. He'd probably put a big dent in the hood...

Nah - he lives in Sacramento. He's after the dumbass politicians that purport to work in Sacramento!

 

[Trunk Monkey]

you should run a 12000 winch for an 80.

9k with a snatch block should be fine. I'd like a 12k too, but the cost difference between the two is huge.

 

[NorCalDoug]

...that would be the rare northern Californian giant roo? No deer, roos, or wildebeasts in my normal stomping grounds. I might be moving back up to the land of Sasquatch, though. He'd probably put a big dent in the hood...

So...as long as you don't leave your area to wheel...you'll be okay.


In my world a roo is anything that I don't want hitting the front corner of the rig...bet it the short-tailed, north american, antlered roo, or the 4-wheeled, tall basketed, parking lot roo.

 

[Hayes]

"or the 4-wheeled, tall basketed, parking lot roo"

Those suckers run into you, even when you're not moving.

 

[green_machine]

9k with a snatch block should be fine. I'd like a 12k too, but the cost difference between the two is huge.

You know, it's like insurance. You can't always snatch off, or the angles suck, etc etc etc.

It will always seem expensive until the day it saves your life, your families life or your truck.

 

[Godzilla FJ80]

Dude, I've got the ARB w/12,000lb winch (you really should get a 12k winch with these trucks), and I'm also running the 2.5" OME - BUT I HAVE NO CASTER PLATES! I would suggest you install the lift first, then align the truck and see. Not only did I NOT NEED any caster correction, but I had plenty of adjustment left. The truck drives straight and true, no vibration or wandering. It's awesome.

-that's my $.02

 

[sleeoffroad]

Dude, I've got the ARB w/12,000lb winch (you really should get a 12k winch with these trucks), and I'm also running the 2.5" OME - BUT I HAVE NO CASTER PLATES! I would suggest you install the lift first, then align the truck and see. Not only did I NOT NEED any caster correction, but I had plenty of adjustment left. The truck drives straight and true, no vibration or wandering. It's awesome.
-that's my $.02

How do you have adjustment left? Unless you install bushings or plates, you can not change the caster. What was your caster readings after you did the lift/bumper/winch.

 

[e9999]

I'm about 0.5 deg low (around 1.5 IIRC) on OEM suspension.
Does that mean I would for sure need plates if I go 2.5" heavy and am light upfront at first (no bumper no winch yet)?
Would the plates then be too much if I had bumper and winch?

 

[Cruiserdrew]

I'm about 0.5 deg low (around 1.5 IIRC) on OEM suspension.
Does that mean I would for sure need plates if I go 2.5" heavy and am light upfront at first (no bumper no winch yet)?
Would the plates then be too much if I had bumper and winch?

No and no. With a 2.5 inch heavy lift (good choice by the way ) the OME caster correction bushings will be fine. If you go directly to the Slee 4's, then the caster plate would be good, but then you relly should spend the $$ on the panhard rod adjusters, brake lines etc. The beauty of the 2.5 lift is that you get a whole lot of capability with out spending too much $. Beyond 2.5 inches you need a lot of other components.

 

[concretejungle]

Caster on these trucks never stops amazing me. I am surprised the ranges of caster these truck have out of the factory. What's up with that?

I think the ultimate would be a kit you could buy (hint, hint christo) that allows for adjustable castor. Now that would truely be the ticket. May be expensive, but worth it in my opinion.

 

[e9999]

No and no. With a 2.5 inch heavy lift (good choice by the way ) the OME caster correction bushings will be fine. If you go directly to the Slee 4's, then the caster plate would be good, but then you relly should spend the $$ on the panhard rod adjusters, brake lines etc. The beauty of the 2.5 lift is that you get a whole lot of capability with out spending too much $. Beyond 2.5 inches you need a lot of other components.

the thing though is that the plates are IIUC much easier to install than the bushings, and I'm low already, so plates are attractive. Well except for the welding and grinding, these are a serious pain...

 

[landtank]

Well I have Christo's 4" springs with about the weight you plan. My mesurement from the front hub's center and the bottom of the fenter well is 22.5". Based on the alignment rack I need 5* of correction to center my caster. From what Christo has posted his plates aren't enough to get the job done. They will get the caster within range but at the very bottom of that range.

I'd suggest that you install all the mods and then see what needs to be done. With all that weight on my truck and those same OME springs with caster bushings the truck drove like crap. With Christo's 4" springs and NO caster bushings the truck's drivability is very much improved. I'd rethink the spring choice.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

the thing though is that the plates are IIUC much easier to install than the bushings, and I'm low already, so plates are attractive. Well except for the welding and grinding, these are a serious pain...

If you have access to a press, installing the bushings is a 5 minute job. Christo even sends the press tool you need to make it happen. I pulled off the arms myself and Mudrak swapped the bushings in just a few seconds. I'm sure someone in your neck of the woods could do the same. Installing the caster plates is a lot more work, but even that is not too bad.

The 4 inch springs are superb. I have a bullbar, winch and second battery and the amount of support is just right. The only thing I don't like is that the springs get loose at full droop using the "L" shocks. I'll either weld in a clip to hold the springs or more likely, install a standard set of OME shocks.

 

[CruisinGA]

If you have access to a press, installing the bushings is a 5 minute job. Christo even sends the press tool you need to make it happen. I pulled off the arms myself and Mudrak swapped the bushings in just a few seconds. I'm sure someone in your neck of the woods could do the same. Installing the caster plates is a lot more work, but even that is not too bad.

The 4 inch springs are superb. I have a bullbar, winch and second battery and the amount of support is just right. The only thing I don't like is that the springs get loose at full droop using the "L" shocks. I'll either weld in a clip to hold the springs or more likely, install a standard set of OME shocks.

I'll bet mudrack has a jig, that makes the job considerably quicker.
Also, explaining what you are doing to the average shop with a press takes some time too...

 

[Hayes]

Talked to Ben at Sleeoffroad.

He generally advised against using the caster plates with the 2.5" lift due to the likelyhood of too much caster.
He did also say that they MIGHT be getting in some other bushings that will correct caster +3 degrees MAYBE sometime early next year. This would give Slee shoppers a choice of +2 degree bushings, +3 degree bushings, and +4 degree plates.
That's nice.

He also clued me in to how to figure out how a given lift will likely affect my caster angle. It seems like I read this in a thread around here somewhere, but they're all blurring together today.

It goes like this:

Toyota spec: +2 degrees to +4 degrees.
Slee's "sweet spot" caster angle: +3 to +3.5 degrees.

A lift will generally reduce your caster angle by about 1 degree per inch of lift.

I had my caster angle measured today (Les Schwab did it for free). They're on the high end of Toyota spec:

+4.1 degrees left, +3.8 degrees right.

It looks like the the caster correction bushings will theoretically work out perfectly for me.

4.1 - 2.5 + 2 = 3.6 degrees.

3.8 - 2.5 + 2 = 3.3 degrees.

(estimated, of course)

The caster plates would put me into the 5+ degree range.

Hayes