Help with lift, bumpers, and sliders

[scottryana]

The slee kits are not going to gain you much in offroad performance you are not trading up to higher flex arms, adjustable rate coilovers, etc, the changes you will get going to the kits are improved on road handling, i.e. adjustable camber plates or arms, double cardan driveshaft, etc. So if you really want offroad performance, to be graceful and to keep up with mini trucks and 4runners save your money and do a custom 3 link in the front.

P.S. I have never bought a part from autozone.

 

[fj804iii]

Thx Scott....what are you running on your rig? I can't find any other series 80kits that are as complete. Do they make better lowers? It's sad these series 80 seem to becoming more popular and their just doesn't seem like there is anyone stepping up in the aftermarket world.

 

[scottryana]

I have done custom 3 link on 80 axles and I am running OME on my current 80. This 80 isn't a hardcore wheeler, my last truck was on 39's and had 40"+ inches of front wheel lift, great wheeler but trying to drive anything longer than 2 hours was not as comfortable. That is why I am just suggesting your intended use should drive your suspension choices not picking some random number of inches of lift. If it is nothing but a wheeler the choices are much different than something that has to be driven 3 hours to wheel. I am sure you know all of these things I am just trying to prevent what happens a lot here and people either buy a lot that they don't need or they don't go far enough and end up spending all the money again when they upgrade.

Like I said Christo and his guys do great things and are very thorough, but their 6" kit is really overkill unless you are going 37" tires and then you really need to regear or add some kind of forced induction, then if you do that the stock e-locker becomes a weak point, so you have to add an ARB, then a 6,000+lb rig with 37's in the rocks needs some kind of hydraulic assist so you get your box ported and add a ram, but you twist the splines in the sector shaft so now you need to rebuild the box with a 100 series shaft, etc, etc

Read Delancy's thread he has faced a lot of these things, and it is pretty well documented by many other 80 ownders.

 

[MAINEFJ40]

If that lightly modded 80 made it through the same trails as this highly modded, chopped, linked, coilover 4runner I would be pretty proud of that, I am guessing these guys have a lot more than 5500 into these heavily modded trucks including time and most likely dont like driving them on the street loaded with family and enough gear to live for a week in the bush... Nice looking rig by the way...

90% of the guys I wheel with are from ttora and all have custom yota rigs, I only been out with one 80 series with a Ome lift and 35s and it did ok. Not the most graceful of the bunch but it made it to the end of the trail. I know everyone's terrain is different in parts. Most of our trails we run are 3.5 to 4 in difficultly. I'm sure there are cheaper routes just like buying auto parts from auto zone and not from a dealer. I don't mind paying for something as long as it works not just the first time but every time. I'll keep you all posted on the outcome.

View attachment 743812

 

[fj804iii]

I was going to run the 4" in kit with there lowers I don't like the caster brackets at all. It's going to be driven as dd mostly. My days of "rock crawling" will be very limited in this rig. You have been a great help, and please don't hesitate to speak up if you still feel this is not the way to go. I don't want any driveline vibes and just like with other vehicle their is more than one way to skin a cat that's for sure. Lol

 

[ngrich99]

I'm running the 315 km2 that you desire, I have OME 850j in front and OME 860 rear with doetsch shocks and homemade bumpstop and sway bar spacers. It flexs through the whole range with slight tire rubbing on the rear frame rail at full stuff. It is a camping rig and sees DD service cause I like it. Freeway 70 mph no issues. I am factory locked and go anywhere I want pretty much except when I can not squeeze between trees. Yes they are big, and heavy and you drive as such. But they represent in so many ways with very few mods. I'd like to get Fox shocks or equivelent and then I'd be very happy with the ride. That is where I'd spend my money.

 

[Delancy]

Others have covered the intent of my statement regarding 315s being too small for 4" lift, but will expand slightly.

My opinions.

Too many negative attributes a 4" lift imparts to only run 315s. My opinion, keep it low. In retrospect, I'd run a 3" lift with 37 s and cut anything that got in the way of wheel travel out, to avoid the issues with 4" lift.

Consider swapping to a 17" wheel, now.
Yes, the OEs are kick ass. They're strong and light, but they're 16" wheels and tire manufacturers don't appreciate as much as we do. FJC wheels are of similar substance, for a cheap, lightweight alternative.

Find one vendor to trust through the build. They're limited for this application, so it won't be hard, but listen to them and give greater weight to their recommendations.

Research, research, research, before you spend, spend, spend.

 

[sleeoffroad]

View attachment 743812

Herein lies the rub. I know we spoke on the phone and seems you might have spoken to someone else as well. If your aim is to follow the above trucks on the trail with an 80, and if the said owners of these mini's wheel anywhere near the capabilities of the mini's you are eventually going to be frustrated with the 80, or destroy the truck, or the capabilities of driving 500 miles to Moab in comfort and then wheel.

Here are some places I tried to follow:
http://www.sleeoffroad.com/trails/chile_2004/Chile_Challenge_2004_Main_Page.htm

I wrote this sketch in another email. While written as a joke, the substance is true.

After 15 years of wheeling these trucks and having done a ton of different builds I am going to lay out the path that a lot of people take and you can then make your own conclusions as to why what you are asking is not done a lot.

Someone discovers an 80 series platform by accident. Goes wheeling with his buddies one Sunday while still stock and blows away the stock Jeep and 4Runners with them. He is stoked, his wife/girlfriend really likes the 80 as well. He washes it and takes her do dinner on Sunday night. He is really stoked that he has this awesome rig that can spank his buddies trucks and still be nice to go to dinner with.

Wheels starts turning, Woody's exceptional use of Google comes into play and he discovers ih8mud. Now he is excited. Maybe just need a little lift, no maybe needs 4", oh but everyone says 37's are the new 33's. These trucks swallow up those tires. OK, I want a bad-ass truck that can as you state it take the kid to daycare and wheel the Rubicon without a scratch. But look at Google Images. 80 does not flex for sh#(&$t in the front. Need to do something about this.

Fast forward 6 months. Truck looks bad-ass on 37's. Flexes like mad in the ruts next to the road and on the ramp. We are going to run the Rubicon, but we have to go shopping first. Girlfriend/scare does not want to drive the truck. Too tall, funny handling plus your comments on "be careful, it is not a race car" plays in her mind. She takes the Honda Civic. Your pride is a little hurt, but hey you are going to wheel the snot out of it, so it is ok.

Fast forward to Sunday after the Riubicon. You get back on mud. Search for used birfields, and why does it not want to steer. What is wrong with your steering system. Oh, and who makes the best tie-rod. Slee or Bud Built. 3 Months later you hasve hydro assist, new chromo birf from JT's and all the armor and upgraded links you can throw a stick at.

Cruise Moab is coming up, yes, going to wheel Pritchett Canyon. Super cool. Fast forward Monday. Mud to the rescue again. Search Phrase "Is Pritchett Canyon a legal road. Can I claim from my insurance. I caved the rear quarter panel in."

Oh, and need some more birfields. Or what is involved with a Dana 60 swap. What is the best tow rig. Do I need a 18' or 20' ft trailer. I am going to buy a 100 for the wife/girlfriend. Can it tow the 80 safely? I promise I am not going to mod the 100. She says she does not want another "red neck truck". You google, "what happened to my girlfriend/wive?" Why does she not like my truck anymore. It is such and awesome dual purpose truck. I simply do not understand it.

The real issue with the 80 and following the people that you want to is that they 80 is really heavy. Once stuck on the frame or link mounts, you are stuck. It does not move. So that is why we have a 6" lift. It is more than just tire fitment. It is getting the whole truck away from the rocks. Large tires with small lifts work for a lot of trucks, but for the 80 it is always a drawback. That said, 6" is the max we like to push the link geometry. It is not ideal, but we did a kit that gives you the best shot at having it drive as good as possible. When we spoke I also mentioned that I would opt for the part time kit vs the DC shaft if you really do not want to deal with vibrations.

The other issue, is that if you are going to wheel with those boys, I am not sure 315's are going to cut it. I would look at a true 35" tire or maybe even larger and then deal with the clearance issues to get the most articulation.

You have to remember the exact thing that makes the 80 a good all rounder and excellent on the road to the trails is the exact reason why the front does not flex very well. Now a lot of people will get on here and say do a three link, it can be done without sacrificing driveability etc etc. However I caution you to search for how many people that have built these flex monsters still own the truck after 3 years.

As much as I would like to sell everyone a suspension, you have to really be true to yourself and determine what your course is with the vehicle. Believe me I followed that same crowd of mini truck guys for years. Had a 80 purpose built for that. All the body that could be an issue was removed, however as a test bed we kept all the links stock or our own product, with the only exception of fitting really long shocks. Ran about 4" of total lift, with 39" tires. I followed them, but my wallet was always lighter at the end of the weekend after I bought all the drive-train parts that broke.

Call me if you want to chat about it some more.

 

[Delancy]

To reiterate

Find one vendor to trust through the build. They're limited for this application, so it won't be hard, but listen to them and give greater weight to their recommendations.

I spoke with Christo before I spent a penny, and didn't like what I heard and have traveled the path he described, to some degree (ain't a DD, for me) and still sliding down the slippery slope of over building.

The irony is, the major issues I've encountered have been partially resolved at Slee's ( collectively, Christo or Ben) recommendations, even though my purchases from have been minuscule, in the grand scheme of things.

Truth of the matter is, it's a station wagon that'll get the job done.......just not gracefully.

 

[fj804iii]

I will give Christo, a call. I talked to binks fab finally today. He agreed slee is top notch and being in az the extra ground clearance will not hurt. Thx everyone for the input. I definitely made me a little confused, but I'm pretty sure 4in is the right kit for what I want.