Improving handling on my FJ62. (1 Viewer)

[melias24]

Hey all, so i got my 2nd 60 series a few months ago. It's awesome and i love it. Only issue is handling, and yes i know its not a race car and yes i know these trucks don't handle well but how can i improve it? It is very swayey on the road and i struggle to keep it in a straight line about 50kmh.

I've replaced tie rods, steering box, put more preload on my kingpin bearings and it got a wheel alignment. It has 33x12.5xr15 Federal Couragia M/T's, 2 inch shackles with 2 inch springs and no sway bar. I've tried 31" road terrain tyres to see if it handles any different and it actually was a bit more shaky on the road.

The next thing i was going to do was to buy extended sway bar links and a rear sway bar also and fit them to see if it improves, and also a tough dog return to center damper.

What else could it be? Is it the lift itself? Should i buy shorter shackles? Any help would be awesome! I love it but it's a bit difficult to drive.

Heres a photo of the beast:

Cheers for all answers guys, i love my cruiser and i love iH8mud!!

 

[TexasBlue]

add a oversized steering stabilizer to your steering / suspension to handle the larger tires. It will help.

 

[VX 12HT]

its the shackles extended shackles are not the best for handling. i noticed this when i had them fitted for a cheap lift took them off when i did a proper lift. For turn in response a low profile tyre is best but not suitable for our offload application.

 

[White Stripe]

Add the sway bar back and make sure your caster is in the 2 to 3 degree positive range.

 

[VX 12HT]

^^^^yeah add the rear sway bar sorry missed that point you did not have one on the rear. I had the sway bar links extended when i had a bigger lift put in.

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

caster. everyone puts on perkier springs, but only a few people consider caster...the angle from 90* that the centerline between your upper and lower knuckle joints create... it affects stability of steering. if all other things are correct, look into this.

 

[Seth S]

Worn bushings will also contribute to sloppy handling

 

[Trapper50cal]

...and set the toe in on your front tires...Helps vehicle return to center
and stay straight. IIRC, .125" to .25" should be toe-in value.

It's clear from your picture that the shackle angle on the back is almost
completely vertical. That makes for a very bumpy, stiff reaction to
bumps and stuff.

 

[morganism]

i like the shackle reversal for front end

Pair of Extreme Shackles for FJ40, FJ55, FJ60, and FJ62

Pair of Extreme Shackles for FJ40, FJ55, FJ60, and FJ62 - JTOutfitters

Poly Bushing 81 Up FJ40 FJ60 FJ62 Land Cruiser - JTOutfitters

or

Shackle Reversal & 4" HFS Lift Combo

 

[Michael Hanson]

Hi, What kind of springs? Mike

 

[Randy88FJ62]

When you lift the truck and don't adjust caster angle of the front axle (as stated above) you are going to have wandering issues even with new tie rod ends, spring bushings, and trunnion bearings. I have a spring over axle setup with a professionally cut and turned axle. I can do 90 mph on the freeway and steer the truck with two fingers.

I will also add I have crappy cheap shocks, no front sway bar, and no steering stabilizer. That tells you that the geometry is the main factor.

Your spring lift compounded with your extended shackles (a second lift so to speak) makes the truck look really cool but now your springs can't absorb the terrain and your front wheels will follow any crack or rut in the road.

 

[melias24]

add a oversized steering stabilizer to your steering / suspension to handle the larger tires. It will help.

Thanks, would a return to centre be better or just an oversized one?

Add the sway bar back and make sure your caster is in the 2 to 3 degree positive range.

Will do, thank you.

^^^^yeah add the rear sway bar sorry missed that point you did not have one on the rear. I had the sway bar links extended when i had a bigger lift put in.

Yeah no rear sway bar, only problem is i have a pre 85 diff housing in the rear so no sway bar mounts on the housing.

caster. everyone puts on perkier springs, but only a few people consider caster...the angle from 90* that the centerline between your upper and lower knuckle joints create... it affects stability of steering. if all other things are correct, look into this.

Yes, i brought this car with the lift so i am unsure whether or not they considered this, but the stock wedges appear to be in the front.

Worn bushings will also contribute to sloppy handling

Checked them! Can tick those off of the list.

i like the shackle reversal for front end

Pair of Extreme Shackles for FJ40, FJ55, FJ60, and FJ62

Pair of Extreme Shackles for FJ40, FJ55, FJ60, and FJ62 - JTOutfitters

Poly Bushing 81 Up FJ40 FJ60 FJ62 Land Cruiser - JTOutfitters

or

Shackle Reversal & 4" HFS Lift Combo

Have you done this? Looks like a decent job?

Hi, What kind of springs? Mike

The springs are EFS, constant load 250 or 350kg constant load springs in the rear i believe.

When you lift the truck and don't adjust caster angle of the front axle (as stated above) you are going to have wandering issues even with new tie rod ends, spring bushings, and trunnion bearings. I have a spring over axle setup with a professionally cut and turned axle. I can do 90 mph on the freeway and steer the truck with two fingers.

I will also add I have crappy cheap shocks, no front sway bar, and no steering stabilizer. That tells you that the geometry is the main factor.

Your spring lift compounded with your extended shackles (a second lift so to speak) makes the truck look really cool but now your springs can't absorb the terrain and your front wheels will follow any crack or rut in the road.

Thanks for that, i was hoping on putting some stock shackles on it this weekend to see how it handles, and if it handles far better i might leave it at that height, they seem to be very capable trucks even at stock height.

 

[melias24]

Hey guys, swapped my shackles back to the stock ones today, shackle angle is still not the best but it drives heaps better, way less effort to handle it, though still a bit wanderie. Possibly caster or the tyres, i'm not too sure i need to try a set of smaller tyres on there to see how it is. Heres a photo of it on the stock shackles, Cheers for the help guys, i think i'll try source smaller tyres then see how it is, if it's still not 100% i'll look at caster.

 

[Roadnoiz40]

We added polyurethane bushings to the front and rear leaf springs on an '88 FJ62. It made a marked difference in the "tightness" of the overall steering and handling. The rig was a stock FJ62 with Michelin tires on the factory rims. No lift or other mods. The factory rubber bushings were shot. Holes for the shackles were oval'd out. There will be some squeaking even if you grease the heck out of them. Big improvement when driving over bumps on curves, no more lane dancing.

 

[TexasBlue]

Thanks, would a return to centre be better or just an oversized one?



Will do, thank you.



Yeah no rear sway bar, only problem is i have a pre 85 diff housing in the rear so no sway bar mounts on the housing.



Yes, i brought this car with the lift so i am unsure whether or not they considered this, but the stock wedges appear to be in the front.



Checked them! Can tick those off of the list.



Have you done this? Looks like a decent job?



The springs are EFS, constant load 250 or 350kg constant load springs in the rear i believe.



Thanks for that, i was hoping on putting some stock shackles on it this weekend to see how it handles, and if it handles far better i might leave it at that height, they seem to be very capable trucks even at stock height.

Bigger tires means more on the oem steering stabilizer. It will be fine for city driving. But 40 to 45 plus mph you will have a wobbly steering. After I had OME suspension n steering stabilizer installed my wobble went away..I went from stock tire size to lift n 31.5 x 10.5 x 15.

 

[HemiAlex]

I’ve got ome heavy springs, ome poly bushings and ome shackleswith bilstein shocks. It rides and drives awesome.

I’d try to run a better shock and get an ome shackle kit.

 

[melias24]

We added polyurethane bushings to the front and rear leaf springs on an '88 FJ62. It made a marked difference in the "tightness" of the overall steering and handling. The rig was a stock FJ62 with Michelin tires on the factory rims. No lift or other mods. The factory rubber bushings were shot. Holes for the shackles were oval'd out. There will be some squeaking even if you grease the heck out of them. Big improvement when driving over bumps on curves, no more lane dancing.

Yeah, the bushes that were in the extended shackles were aftermarket not stock, but i'm unsure if they are polyurethane or not. When i swapped my shackles over yesterday i checked the condition of all the bushes, none were ovalved or perished.

 

[melias24]

Bigger tires means more on the oem steering stabilizer. It will be fine for city driving. But 40 to 45 plus mph you will have a wobbly steering. After I had OME suspension n steering stabilizer installed my wobble went away..I went from stock tire size to lift n 31.5 x 10.5 x 15.

By OME i guess you mean old man emu? I have 31.5 on it at the moment in all terrains and it handles awesome. I am hoping to get some 285 or 33" BFgoodrich all terrains, and a new stabilizer.

I’ve got ome heavy springs, ome poly bushings and ome shackleswith bilstein shocks. It rides and drives awesome.

I’d try to run a better shock and get an ome shackle kit.

Yes, i want to upgrade to Bilstein setup. I have EFS shocks at the moment, and what are the advantage to OME shackles? I was hoping to buy some anti-inversion shackles that aren't extended.

 

[Hojack]

Hey guys, swapped my shackles back to the stock ones today, shackle angle is still not the best but it drives heaps better, way less effort to handle it, though still a bit wanderie. Possibly caster or the tyres, i'm not too sure i need to try a set of smaller tyres on there to see how it is. Heres a photo of it on the stock shackles, Cheers for the help guys, i think i'll try source smaller tyres then see how it is, if it's still not 100% i'll look at caster.

Looks like your front end dropped.

 

[Seth S]

FYI on poly bushings. You will have to replace them more often than the stock rubber ones. The poly will deliver a tighter feeling but after a couple of years they degrade. The stock ones are often more work to install but last 15 years in good shape and maybe 5-10 more as they degrade.