Lift kits (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter DLMERCER
- Start date
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what size tire do you want to run? what do you plan to use it for? pavement pounder (nothing wrong with that) or mild wheeler or rock crawler?
brian
SILVER Star
They're called rough country for a reason.
- Thread starter
- #4
Mainly just for the look. Paid too much to abuse it. Would like a better ride.
- Thread starter
- #5
I figured there must be a reason. Rough Country is half the price!
brian
SILVER Star
Skyjacker is underrated on this forum.
I've been pleased with several sets of them over the years.
I've been pleased with several sets of them over the years.
cruiserkev
3 decades in the same FJ40
Rough Country equals rough ride. I helped a buddy install those things. Ride height looks great but it is a very bumpy ride even with decent shocks. Hard pass.
if it’s just for looks i’d go with something in the 2” lift area. i have ome and run 33s with no rub. taller makes center of gravity go up and it might not feel as nice to drive. rough country i hear are rough. my experience was the same with bds. the fewer leaves the thicker they are and the harsher the ride. find something with more thinner leaves. you can tune them easier as well by taking a leaf out if you need to.
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I was introduced to FJ40s with a serious spring-over-axle rock-crawler that my friend in college built. Power steering, SM465, Detroit lockers front and rear. At the time, I only knew of guys running SOA on their 40s, and I owned a '73 with about 2.5-inch set of Ranchos. My buddies rigs had stock springs because they were flatter in profile than lift springs. They taught me that the more curve that you introduce to the leaf-packs the more resistance they will have to articulate / compress, due to friction. The kind of trails that they were doing were about as demanding as they get, and my 40 wasn't able to keep four wheels on the ground. I tend to think that the curve itself adds to ridgity. So, I'm never surprised when lifted leaf springs fail to smooth out the ride, or keep you from loosing traction on the trail. My opinion is to keep it stock, or closer to stock with a 2-inch (ish) lift.
pbgbottle
Forum Lifer
I always do the SOA. Best lift ,even better ride it always seemed like the stock springs rode softer in a SOA configuration than a SUA. ,, this one is a bone stock BJ42 and all we did was a SOA. Nothing else. On skinny 33’s.
I don’t think it is to huge. Stock steering also. Super soft ride.
lol owner does beat it up on the trails. Oh and a lunchbox locker only mods done.
.
,l
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Ocho77
SILVER Star
The Redline lift that is on my 78 FJ40 rides better than my wife's 62 on OME's. Super smooth and handles bumps amazing.
I agree, I’ve been on a Skyjacker 2.5” lift for years. For the price, they are reliable and fit. I run them with 31” tires….it’s a good combo. However, they are pretty harsh, as advertised as a ‘soft ride’….NOT.
Is the skyjacker 2.5 lift enough for 33's or do I need to go with the 4"? My rear fenders are cutout with flares. I need to upgrade my suspension because it's currently just add-a-leafs to original springs with longer shackles. Way less than ideal!
brian
SILVER Star
its enough, but doesnt look quite right.
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so stock leaf packs, what about new shocks length?
I have OME Dakar 2.5 inch lift on my 40 and it is a rough ride. Any thoughts on Terrain Tamer Parabolic Leaf Springs?
pb4ugo
SILVER Star
Doing a soa is more involved than just mounting the springs on top of the axle, if you want it to drive nice.
pbgbottle
Forum Lifer
Stock leaves ,he modified the shock mounts for awhile. To retain the old shocks. But I would myself get longer shocks. Also needed to get driveshafts lengthened , cheap way of doing it is to shorten the front to fit the back and then just retube the short rear one to fit the front. For the steering we found a used double steering arm. Modify or lengthen the brake lines as needed. Still a pretty simple mod. No cut n turn on this one as we just moved the front axle ahead an inch running stock caster , There is a couple ways to to a SOA. Most need to do the cut n Tuen because they running a V8. And the tranny is moved ahead 3-4 inches making for short front shaft but with stock setup and the 3B. We didn’t need to mod the front axle housing as front driveshaft is long enough to work angles are not to extreme just minor clearancing to the yokes.
pbgbottle
Forum Lifer
Sure but not always. Running a V8 with tranny moved ahead 3 inches usually requires a cut n turn.short front driveshaft. But with the 3B and long front driveshaft we just needed to move the front axle ahead about an inch and then the drive shaft angles aren’t that extreme just needed to clearance the unjoint yokes. There is a couple ways of doing it. Mines a v8 I had to do all the usual SOA mods. Cut n turn also Shackle reversal on mine etc.
with the 3B setup we didn’t need to get that involved.
No cut n turn and no shackle reversal etc . It’s been 10 years still works fine , it’s also only running cookie cutter 33”s. Nothing huge. After doing a few SOA ‘s. I’ve just realized every rig is slightly different and there are option. You do have to know what your doing and what your looking at and how it all works for sure. For me the steering is always more the pain in the butt ,double arm Vs high steer arms ,it’s all about the driveshafts and the steering. Yep. Cheers.
pbgbottle
Forum Lifer
None of the lift kits out there actually address the steering issues that arise and most people will use extended shackles now you have to look at pinion angles caster angles Drag link angle which is suppose to be level. Which no llift kit addresses, which to me sright off the bat is a big issue in my mind. Bump steer is unacceptable even if I use lift springs like years ago I addressed this issue. I still made a custom double steering arm to get these drag link level. No lift kit out there fixes the draglink issue. So I find SOA with stock springs stock shackles in some cases is a better approach than lift springs
Call 4x4labs one time and talk they may still make custom steering arms to address the steering issue with lift kits or SOA.
Call 4x4labs one time and talk they may still make custom steering arms to address the steering issue with lift kits or SOA.
