leaf spring vs coil spring

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coldtaco

coldtaco

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Was wondering if anyone has had the privilage of driving each kind back to back, like say a BJ-70 and a LJ-70. If so, how big of a difference was the driving between the two? Naturally I assume that the coil springs offer a better ride, but have not personally been able to do any comparisons.
The reason I ask is this, I have a BJ-70 and am going to replace it's body/frame with a LJ-78. I want to keep my heavy duty axles. So, do I just move my leaf springs to the "new" rig? Use leafs in the rear for better(?) load carrying and coil the front? Or coil both ends? Just moving the leafs will be the cheapest, then cost going up after that. Thanks.
 
If you are not planning carry heavy weights, and you like the nice ride and flex .. do with coils. It's just more cheap and easy ( if you have all control arms and coil plates from the LJ ) fitt all with coils ..

anycase you can add height and improve the coil rate more easy than spring packs ..
 
I like my leaves! I can have lots of flex by fitting nice long leaves and still maintain a low ride height, where as most coil rigs i've seen with lots of flex need lots of lift aswell. Approach angle kinda sucks a little bit but it hasnt held me back yet. As for ride, with the nice long soft springs i've got the ride is pretty good. Offroad it feels about the same as a GQ patrol coily not much difference I reckon

cheers
 
I should say that I do realize that the driving characteristics would be different between a short wheel base and a longer wheel base no matter what kind of suspension one has. I have thought about maybe running some longer leafs in the rear, like chevy ones, that a lot of Tacoma owners like to do. As far as weights go, I think the front will pretty much stay constant, but the rear would change from pretty empty to filled up for road trips, both on and off, so the rear would need to be able to handle heavier loads.
Both points of view are good ones, but so far no one has been able to drive similar vehicles with the two different set ups? What about some of you JDM importers in Canada?
 
I was searching around for info on this tonight...

Can someone offer much opinion on same size vehicle (BJ70 vs LJ70) with coils VS leaf springs?

Better or worse on road?
Better or worse off road?

I know these are subjective but Id like some input from people who have driven both. Ive never had a coil sprung 4x
 
Hello,

I have a BJ74 that I drive daily and last week I had the opportunity to drive a Bundera. The Bundy was a 2.4L petrol. I reckon the suspension on the Bundy was a fair bit smother the the 70. Coils definitely give a smoother ride.

These to rigs are a different breed tho. The 74 is a true cruiser and the bundy is more like a hilux with a SWB cruiser body. The 70's cruisers are drfinitely built tougher. The Bundy was under powered and even tho it was a petrol my turboed diesel would beat it no worries.

I reckon to have the best of both worlds any BJ70's sprung over would be real good. If you have the time and skills to do the mods thats what I'd do.

I only drove the Bundy on road and tested its 4x4 on an unsealed surface to see if the running gear was ok. So haven't done any real 4wheeling in a Bundy.

Gav.
 
i have driven dozens of both both on and off road and the coil is the way to go...
that being said, a well set up leaf suspension is fine as well...

i drove that truck you have and i would stick with the coil...
 
Im considering combining parts from a BJ70 and an LJ70 to make a coil sprung BJ70. Id probably use the rear from a BJ70 and possibly the front axle from the LJ.

I have a BJ70 project with a rusty frame and the possibility of getting an LJ frame/axles
 
but the front center is different between the 80 and the LJ, the LJ is a reverse high pinion (or is it reverse low pinion?) anywho it is different.
 
crushers said:
but the front center is different between the 80 and the LJ, the LJ is a reverse high pinion (or is it reverse low pinion?) anywho it is different.
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good to know.


I guess Ill deal with it somehow if I go through with it. I think lshobie posted that it was difficult to put a full size LC diff in place of the "light duty" diff in the front of the 79 series - so Im assuming it might be hard to do on the LJ as well. In any case its a lot of cutting brackets and welding if it will fit.

Anyone tried a HD axle on the front of an LJ or RJ?
 
lynchmob said:
Im considering combining parts from a BJ70 and an LJ70 to make a coil sprung BJ70. Id probably use the rear from a BJ70 and possibly the front axle from the LJ.

I have a BJ70 project with a rusty frame and the possibility of getting an LJ frame/axles
Click to expand...

Are you doing this for on road comfort or off road ability?
It will be comfy on road but im pretty sure the LJ's have a pretty bad coil design which doesnt flex very well at all.
 
Gib009 said:
Are you doing this for on road comfort or off road ability?
It will be comfy on road but im pretty sure the LJ's have a pretty bad coil design which doesnt flex very well at all.
Click to expand...


Both I guess. Also just an interesting project.

Is it bad coil design or just hard to flex on the SWB? Bad geometry?

I do a lot of driving on washboard roads - coils better or worse?
 
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i love it when i read "im PRETTY SURE the LJ's have a pretty bad coil design which doesnt flex very well at all."
you stick a STOCK coil sprung LJ up against a STOCK leaf sprung HD 70 series and the LJ will outperform the leafs everytime.
once you modify the leaf sprung then you are allowing the LJ to be modified. the coiled LJ will still outperform the leafs with the same amount of mods.

coils will absorb the wash board better than leafs, much smoother.
 
crushers said:
i love it when i read "im PRETTY SURE the LJ's have a pretty bad coil design which doesnt flex very well at all."
you stick a STOCK coil sprung LJ up against a STOCK leaf sprung HD 70 series and the LJ will outperform the leafs everytime.
once you modify the leaf sprung then you are allowing the LJ to be modified. the coiled LJ will still outperform the leafs with the same amount of mods.

coils will absorb the wash board better than leafs, much smoother.
Click to expand...

All im saying is that if he wants more flex offroad there are easier and cheaper ways to modify the leaf springs rather than swap the whole system out for a coils which inherintly is a bad design anyway. And if the reason was off road performance (which i was asking) he would be dissapointed with the LJ's coils anyway.
 
Gib009 said:
All im saying is that if he wants more flex offroad there are easier and cheaper ways to modify the leaf springs rather than swap the whole system out for a coils which inherintly is a bad design anyway. And if the reason was off road performance (which i was asking) he would be dissapointed with the LJ's coils anyway.
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OK so what about using aftermarket coils in the LJ/RJ system. What is is it that you are referring to that is bad about the suspension system on the LJ. When I did a search I came up with a guy that put a high lift coil system on an LJ78 but he had to make mods for the height he chose. Looked like a good setup.

Im not necessarily looking to build and offroad monster. I have 33s and OME leaf springs on the BJ70 now, but my frame is a pile of shiz. So far it looks like the only way Im going to get a frame is to import it - and this gives me the option of LJ or BJ.
 
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