IFS Rough County 4" lift install, will 35" tires fit?

[meigsrock]

OK, I am happy with my set up now for the most part (1.5" B.J. spacers, t-bar torque, and home fabbed rear spring pack) but I got a Rough Country 4" drop bracket for super duper duper duper cheap and am going to be putting it on this month. If I get into 4x4-ing more because of this I will do a SAS in a year or two.

I will still have to buy front shocks for it and extended break lines but that should be about it unless I decide to re-gear again. I have some 4" lift springs and shocks for the rear which I think are TG if I remember right. So I will have to buy a couple brackets and reposition the rear springs I think, but I am ok with that. It should be a good match up and the right height for a 3" SAS down the road.

This Kit is recommended for 33x12.5 tires which is what I have with 4.88 gears. I have seen this kit on a couple of trucks and it looks good but I always thought that it may look better with 35's.

Does anyone know if it will fit 35x12.5 tries?

This truck is my Daily Driver so I don't want to go to big a tire if it is going to mess with my handling, steering, etc. I also don't really want to re-gear to 5.29's but I could sell off the 4.88's to get some $ back.

Now is a good time to put it on because my lower ball joints are shot so I have to tear into it any way. I am also putting power steering on it so I will have the front all torn apart anyway.

Any thooughts on it before I get started.

I will post pictures and such when I get going on it.

Thanks.

 

[eetdirt47]

35x14.5's. 4 inch lift.

 

[meigsrock]

OH ya. That's what I am talking about. I can't believe those are 14" wide. I should not have too much trouble with a 12.5" then.

I think I will stick with my 4:88's for now as I don't really want to re-gear, but that may change once I start to get it apart. I will try to find some used 35" tires or barrow some to see how it works out once the lift is on. I know the 5.29's would be a better match with my 22re engine but I will give it a shot like it is for now. Maybe upgrade gears next year if I like it and add a LSD rear end to it at that time.

 

[MaK92 4RnR]

yes, they'll fit.

 

[jtaco1]

You don't need any lift to run 33's, just take a hammer and pound back the pinch weld. To run 35's you don't really need a lift either, just trim to make them fit. Personally I would not run a suspension lift on these trucks as they can throw the angles off, which leads to issues with CV's, torsion bars, and high center of gravity.

Here is my 4 Runner when I first built it with 35's and stock suspension with minor trimming.

And here it is with 37's, still stock suspension - had to do some major surgurey to the firewall to get the 13.50" wide PB Rockers to turn all the way under compression.

I am no help with gearing as I still run 4.10 gears and didn't relly have much issue on the street with 35's.

 

[meigsrock]

I read all about your truck when I was putting my BJ spacers on. That is a cool set up. Too bad you rolled it. I can't believe you never re-geared.

I got the lift kit for $50 so it is going on, extra costs will be shocks, break lines, alignment. I already paid for the rear springs, gears, and tires, so not much more $ into it to finish it.

It will not mess up the cv angles any worse than a t-bar crank or BJ spacers (probably better angles) because it drops the front axle down (drop bracket).

This truck is my DD and I use it to go fishing, tow rafts, atv, and small jet boat so I need the gears to be on or close for best performance. Also driving up mountains and hills on the freeway to go fishing, and driving in REAL WINTER conditons 5-6 months of the year, (the Canadians will know what I am talking about here when I say real winters).

I drove it with 31" and 4.10 as was a little weak on the up hill. 33" with 4.10, super lame, 3rd gear up hills if I remember, so 4.88 with 35's would be about the max range I would go without re-gearing and that may be too gutless too, but we will see.

I really don't do much 4x4-ing any more now that I live up here. On the coast the mountains just go straight up. That may change a little once I get this set up going however. If you are really into 4x4-ing up here you pretty much need 35"+ or stay home. So for now consider this a mall-crawler-ish build.

P.S. I have already trimed the pinch welds and fenders back a little for my current set up.

 

[jtaco1]

Yeah, can't beat a $50 lift

Definately give the 4.88 gears a shot, no cost to try it out and it may be just right for your.

 

[eetdirt47]

I didn't even notice Anchorage was your location when i posted those pics of my truck.. i'm in Naknek, AK. it's part of Bristol Bay. my brother works at Specialized Imports out there (they work on Subaru's Toyota's and Honda's mostly) we're both commercial fishermen out here. he could probly cut you a deal on gearing your rig (he's redoing my front end with 4.88's and a open diff, i had a trutrac but i kept breaking c/v's then i took off a pinion tooth) he drives a tacoma, think its and 01 and silver. hit me up if you want to talk to him.

 

[meigsrock]

Thanks for the tip on your brothers shop. I think I will keep my 4.88's for one more summer to see how it works for me and to see if I want to re-gear or not. This will also save me some $ that I can put into one of my other truck projects.

I will definatly keep you/him in mind if I need a third member set up.

Thanks.

 

[meigsrock]

I finished up the FJ60 so I am ready to put the pickup in the garage and start working on it tomorrow.

I picked up some BFG AT 35x12.5 tires and rims up about a week ago.

Picture is my Dunlap MT's 33x12.5 on steel rims, now on my FJ60.

I was kind of tossing around the idea of putting an Aussie locker in the front axle while I have it apart to help out with muddy trails......nothing too serious. Any thoughts on this? Good idea or bad? Would I just be asking for trouble and breaking parts with that set up. Would it make driving in 4wd a pain? And how would it do in the snow/ice for winter driving?

Here is a picture now with 1.5" BJ spacers and 33's.

 

[eetdirt47]

where are you? this doesn't look like anchorage in march... truck looks good though. i like the canopy

 

[TCinVA]

My older son runs 35" MTR's on his 22RE 4Runner. It is doable, you can use fifth gear, but it definately won't win any stop light drags. He plans on 37's soon, it will definately need 5.29's then.

 

[meigsrock]

where are you? this doesn't look like anchorage in march... truck looks good though. i like the canopy

Anchoreage, Summer photo. About 2+ ft. of snow in the yard now.

TCinVA, I like that 4-runner, looks good.

 

[toy4xfun]

HIJACK TCinVA is that the one your son rolled, and is that the new body?

 

[TCinVA]

Yes and yes!

 

[Rattlewagon]

Leave the front open if you plan on running 35s. The CVs just cant handle it. You could get away with a limited slip though. If you do lock it...stay under a 33 and still carry a spare.

Stock on 35s...

 

[meigsrock]

I like the no lift but would with a lift will get a better break over angle. I am hoping with the lift I can avoid trimming the fenders although I may have to trim my pinch weld up some more. I would like to get some fiberglass high clearance fenders eventually.

I was thinking Aussie locker because they are under $300 but a LSD is about $500 so unless I can find a used one I will probably just leave it open for now and put the money into sliders or a winch bumper or the fenders.

 

[meigsrock]

I picked up some 35's and the lift is under way.
https://forum.ih8mud.com/79-95-toyota-truck-tech/573293-satan-1992-pickup-build.html#post7453650

 

[eetdirt47]

i have a trutrac up front right now. it's a lsd and i've been through my fair share of c/v's and now i think i'm missing a tooth off the pinion gear. i'm going back to open.

 

[meigsrock]

I decided to leave it open based on your advice and the fact that I don't want to sink any more money into the IFS system right now, and don't want to fix parts on the trail if I don't have to. If I really need it locked for super hard wheeling then I will just have to go all out with a SAS, but for now once I get the winch on I can pull cable if needed.