Builds “It’s only an axle swap and a motor swap” aka AK2AL aka Dream Build (1 Viewer)

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@J Mack is my friend. Last year, he bent over backwards, cancelled his plans, let me use his shop and tools for 2 days, borrow his new Dodge, drink his beer, and literally wrenched on my truck. I could not have made it home without him. And I had just met him. Stand up guy.

I asked for his opinion and I got it!!! He has forgotten more knowledge that I’ll ever have.



I have dealt with poor 3/4 link on the trail and on the road. Cost me a lot of time and money fighting it.


I am a simpleton and my original plan was to cut off of the 80 frame the stock suspension parts/brackets and re-weld onto the 55. I understand the weights and some stock geometry will be off some, but no more than when you bolt 2,000lb of crap onto an 80. I saw and still see the TT kit as a much cleaner way to do that. I would like the 55 to ride and wheel like an 80 (with a V8 and manual too ;) ).

Hopefully I won’t die.

If I do, I want Jim in charge of suing for me.
 
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Is it conceivable to have a conversation that doesn’t involve swearing and emotion about front suspension?



I had asked what the benefits of going to an 80 style radius arm system and still don’t think I have a good understanding of why someone would go through the time and expense of doing it.

I’ve read that quite a few guys will convert their radius arm system to a three link in fact the guys you are working with over at North West Toy’s just installed a 4 Wheel Underground 3 link on what looks like an 80.

I know you said you fought a 3 link setup before, what specifically didn’t you like about it?

Have you completely ruled out keeping the front leaf springs?
 
I too was told the 55 stuff is DOA, so I am curious where you land. I dont have much to offer other than in my experience a coil sprung live axle rides significantly better than a leaf sprung one does. Perhaps a good set of leafs makes the difference, but I have not experienced that. I have a set of Alcans that I can put on my 55 if I can sort out the bushings. Perhaps I will do this for now and wait to see how this discussion plays out.
 
Perhaps a good set of leafs makes the difference,
I have the kit Cruiser Outfitters sells that include the Emu Dakar Front Leaf Springs, IMHO the limiting factor in the ride was the front shackle length and angle and I spent a bit of time after the fact making some changes that would have been better addressed in the beginning had I known better.

Add a set of quality shocks like the Kings that have the ability to be tuned to your specific needs and I believe leaf spring are going to be hard to beat for what we do. For reference my wife has one of the new JL Rubicon’s with control arms and coils in the front and my old Pig with leaves in the front is hands down better on fast fire roads, and highway driving and about the same when wheeling over rocks both running 35” tires. I know a little bit of apples and oranges but I believe the engineers at Jeep have designed a quality system for their product and have resources far beyond what the rest of us have and I’m not convinced it’s any better than leaf springs
 
@TachedOutOffRoad apologies in advance for this hijack

I have the kit Cruiser Outfitters sells that include the Emu Dakar Front Leaf Springs, IMHO the limiting factor in the ride was the front shackle length and angle and I spent a bit of time after the fact making some changes that would have been better addressed in the beginning had I known better.

Can you share your knowledge on the shackle length issue? The Alcans I have are pig specific, NOS if you will. I need bushings, shackles and shocks, so I can dial it in so to say, but if there info to be gleaned on the shackle length, I'm all ears.

Thanks.
 
Can you share your knowledge on the shackle length issue?
I would need to go back in my build thread to give you specifics but from memory the factory shackles are barely adequate with factory springs and way too short with lift springs and why anti inversion shackles are all the rage with Toyota's.

If you jump over to off road racing forums and read or ask questions the off road guys that still race in categories that require leaf springs will do a lot of work to get the most out of their springs and proper shackles are a big part of that. Again from memory (so please don’t quote me) the shackle wants to be almost vertical with the suspension at full droop and not quite 45° at full compression on the bump stops, I believe it’s somewhere around a 6” shackle to get there, this is really difficult within the space constraints and front shackle on a pig, doing it after everything is together is even harder and why I think the Liquid Iron Industries Slider Box Kits are a great solution.



Sorry Clay…..

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An FJ80 is just one of the best driving, riding, stable, wheeling, handy dandy do all rigs out there. Master of none, Jackoff of all trades.

Id like my 55 to do that.

I’ve never had leafs operate -that-
well and 80 axles/steering don’t fit leafs well either.

id be down with a nice 3/4 link kit. The 80 bracket swap and set up was/is such a nice, clean, easy way to go.

I drove my ‘69 Pig on Alcans, 1994 FJ80, 2011 Tundra, and 2018 Subaru today. The 80 drove and rode and took the bumps better than any of them.

My taco on leafs was a great truck.

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