zuke mod for sure!!! cheap and easy. doesnt necessarily require any special tools
How to fix my springs on a budget?
- Thread starter dlucky894runner
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
What is cheap and how much are these coils?
I mean, I did a chevy 63" spring swap for less than 100 bucks using junk yard springs and recycling yard stock.
I mean, I did a chevy 63" spring swap for less than 100 bucks using junk yard springs and recycling yard stock.
Right what is the cost of the coils? My reworked stock leaf springs probably only cost me the price of the 2 new bolts for the center pins and about a 10th of a chopsaw blade. I allreaady had the extra springs but worst case scenario you should be able to find some used stock Toyota springs to use for like $50.
I also get full stuff from that setup which you can't get with the coil spring in the way of the bump stops.
My leafs looked just like yours. I did the Zuk mod with TJ springs (front I believe). I bought used springs from a local Heep shop for $20. Took me about 2 hours to put them on and I'm slow/anal. It gave approx. 1.5" of lift over stock.
The ride is firm but far more compliant. At max articulation, they will not fall out, not even close. Pretty much all the old leafs do now, heck, even before, was hold the rear axle in place.
As far as it being ghetto, maybe so. But I wouldn't have even considered it if the set up didn't have a good track record. If you're watching your budget, there's not a better way to go.
Ken
As far as it being ghetto, maybe so. But I wouldn't have even considered it if the set up didn't have a good track record. If you're watching your budget, there's not a better way to go.
Ken
A door like this might work just fine if your watching your budget......
.....but some might think theres a better way to go.
A door like this might work just fine if your watching your budget......
.....but some might think theres a better way to go.
I dunn spose yoose rite.
We're talking about using a quality automotive product, not some jerry rigged plywood door. Not an accurate comparison.
If one doesn't like the results, they can just be pulled out. That was my plan, but the set-up works quite well and they're in until I can afford the OME set up. There's a good chance if you rode in my 4runner, you'd changed your mind...but maybe not. Don't knock it until you've had experience with it.
I have done more ghetto s*** than I care to admit. Im somewhat of a ghetto king in my own mind.
I just dont want folks to confuse "ghetto" with "just fine".
Stacking one spring ontop of a different kind of spring is ghetto.
Wait till you coil pops out of that sweet upper coil mount and costs you a $200 tire and causes you to swerve into a caddy in the next lane.
Your insurance company will want to know where that ghetto spring modification was performed.
It ranks right up there with stacking lift blocks.
Running a lift block might be considered a bad choice by some and just fine by others, but this "dooky mod" ranks right up there with stacked blocks.
Even hillbillies know thats just plain wrong.
And whats wrong with that door? it has hinges and a good latch. Looks "just fine" to me.
- Joined
- Sep 16, 2008
- Threads
- 96
- Messages
- 2,930
- Location
- Freensville
- Website
- www.poolpartydeathmachine.com
A door like this might work just fine if your watching your budget......
.....but some might think theres a better way to go.
HEY! I don't appreciate my rig being on the interwebz like that! Some punks may take a shine and steal my upper middle-shelf stereo!
That is a priceless pic!
I'd second Ih8pvmnt's idea and build a springpack, or run some OME's. ZUK has some seat ideas, but that isn't one I'd do. If you're really on the cheap these days, have a shop re-arch them, you might get a year between the the re-arch and the next time they sag out, enough time, hopefully, to budget for some replacements.
Last edited:
If you lived closer, I would give you some leaves and help you rebuild the packs!
- Joined
- Sep 16, 2008
- Threads
- 96
- Messages
- 2,930
- Location
- Freensville
- Website
- www.poolpartydeathmachine.com
Shoot, man, you're in Utar! Give Kurt a Cruiser Outfitters a call, maybe he'd have a suggestion, or may know somebody with some good shape springs he's looking to peddle!
I have done more ghetto **** than I care to admit. Im somewhat of a ghetto king in my own mind.
I just dont want folks to confuse "ghetto" with "just fine".
Stacking one spring ontop of a different kind of spring is ghetto.
Wait till you coil pops out of that sweet upper coil mount and costs you a $200 tire and causes you to swerve into a caddy in the next lane.
Your insurance company will want to know where that ghetto spring modification was performed.
It ranks right up there with stacking lift blocks.
Running a lift block might be considered a bad choice by some and just fine by others, but this "dooky mod" ranks right up there with stacked blocks.
Even hillbillies know thats just plain wrong.
And whats wrong with that door? it has hinges and a good latch. Looks "just fine" to me.
As soon as someone local to me wants me to install the 14"x 125 coils under ther saggy Runner, I'm gonna make a proper link with plenty of pics.....and I'd like to use some of your text/thoughts if it's ok...and even if it's not
ZUK
That would be cool however I do hope the thread will include some better mounts which I am sure it most likely will. If you were to show how to quickly and cheaply modify at minimum the upper or lower mount to make it more rigid as well as securing the coil I am certain it would ease many peoples mind. It is not up for debate that it doesnt take a lot to make this a safe cheap solution. A 73-79 ford half ton pickup for instance has the one and only coil held in with a small one bolt bracket thing...... So it shouldn't take much. I do however hope the thread clearly explains the pros as well as the cons. I expect that the reason many think this will ride better is becasue the weight is taken off of the junk leaf pack and the majority of the weight is riding on the coil not as people are thinking that it has to compress the coils and the leafs....... Anyways I dont disagree that this has the potential to be a great solution FOR SOME but I do agree with others it has room for improvement. I am looking forward to your thread. Also it may help to point out that this is not a good solution for everyone. This sucks for articulation! specifically uptravel but on most people I knows vehicle this would probably limit out right before their tires crushed their fenders..... Also they are typically just pavement and gravel road vehicles.....
- Thread starter
- #34
Well...thanks for all the input. I will just drive this rig like it is until I can afford some OME's. I looked at the ZUK mod, but I think I'd like to not hack that much on my dd. Thanks again.
- Joined
- Sep 16, 2008
- Threads
- 96
- Messages
- 2,930
- Location
- Freensville
- Website
- www.poolpartydeathmachine.com
- Thread starter
- #36
What's FWIW? There is a place called Rocky-road.com that have them for $120/ea.
For What It's Worth
Dang- what a bunch of $%^&.
They still want $149 for the medium duty springs and $179 for the heavy duty for the same year for the 86-95 trucks. Is there any difference for spring between the first gen runner and the same year truck? (I didn't think there was, but RR wants $60 more for the truck...)
My truck's not hard core, but I wanted a better ride so the front got OME torsion bars and the rear- As ghetto s*** as it is, I did the ZUK mod. I knew flex would be less, but I wanted more carrying capacity without much lift. I went with the 12" coils at 125 lbs and made my own upper retainers. I cut off the factor upper bumpstop and at full droop compressed the springs to get them into place then welded the mounts. They are NOT coming out. I netted about 2" of lift, which I kind of didn't want, but ohwell.
On my last trip out the truck looked like this:
Even with firewood and about 600lbs of other junk, the springs probably compressed only half an inch. It rode GREAT on the pavement and dirt. Empty or loaded I no longer clench my teeth when I see a jarring bump coming up at speed.
Ghetto? Sure. Does it work? Absolutely.
Next mod's some plywood half doors. Maybe particle board since it's cheaper.
- Joined
- Sep 16, 2008
- Threads
- 96
- Messages
- 2,930
- Location
- Freensville
- Website
- www.poolpartydeathmachine.com
I forgot to mention, I was looking at the first-gen pickup prices, but that was the place I was looking at too.
FWIW- (Pronounced FWEEEEEEEEEEEEW) the sound squirrels make when launched from miniature catapults.
Actually, it's just what Ridgerunner says: "for what it's worth" I often get lazy while typing.