Details on my rig: Rotbw - IH8MUD.com Forum
After much reading around on the web and pirate, I went ahead with the chevy spring swap. For those who are like me and CANNOT weld, don't worry! The stock length springs can stay on while you measure and mark for the new mounts. Then just run it to a welder, not the muffler guys, and you're set. I went with these springs because my Downey springs where at the full point of suck after just a few years. The chevies also are so cheap at the 'yards here that they can be readily replaced down the road. From the little time I got to try these springs, they flex really well and ride LIKE A NEW TRUCK!! I also worked it so that I can run the shocks in the stock locations, which kept it simple.
I went with a Bud-bulit front mount because of its low profile and optional slide cover (which I didn't use). The rear mounts came from Trail Gear and the shackles from Ruff Stuff. I had a local shop make ubolts and picked up a 4* castor shim (a 6* shim might work better). I also have a longer brake line and the e-brake cable's axle mounts had to spaced up with a few washers.
I had to cut the 1/2" tab off the front of the Bud-built hanger so it would set flush on the frame's crossmember. This crossemember may differ on other trucks since mine is a xtra cab.
This allowed for the front mount to be 11.5" forward (hole to hole) from the stock hanger. The picture shows it to be less than 11.5" but that is due to the tape measure being above the bolt. I moved it 1/2" more to 11.5" so the axle would be in nearly the stock location. 11" puts the axle slightly back in the fender, which gives clearance between bigger tires and the front of the fenders but I'm only running 33s and I wanted everything as close to stock as possible. Also the stock hangers will have to be cut off, right now I just have them spread apart and they still hit the springs.
The rear hangers are set at 4-5/8" (hole to hole) back from stock. After finishing it, I think I could have put it at 4-3/8" to give a little better shackle angle.
The shackles are listed as 6" but are really 5" (hole to hole), though they still worked out great. The 1/8" offest on each makes up for the 1/4" more width of the chevy springs. This is of course if you chose to use a Toyota width hanger. I also had to have the holes drilled larger for the Toyota 3/4" bolt and Chevy 5/8" bolts, I think Ruff Stuff provided them with only a 1/2" hole at each end.
To keep the factory shock mounting I had a local spring shop make a set of ubolts. The new ubolts are 2.5" wide but since they are of a softer metal than the stock Toyota's and longer, I was able to squeeze them together enough to get them through the stock bottom plates. I then just cut the extra lenght off the ubolts just past the nuts.
--Updated-- I put on some load leafs off a Tundra, posted later in this thread
In the above pics the pinion shims are installed BACKWARDS for a DC joint drive shaft. Otherwise you will need a 6* shim installed to point the pinion down but then there will be uneven shock lengths if the stock lower mounts are re-used. That leads to more work for custom shock mounts like what Budbuilt carries.
I got a nice 3" of lift and I'm very happy with the outcome. Don't be fooled though, I didn't get it right the first time and spent A LOT of time with this and more money than I should have. BUT hopefully my writeup saves someone the pains I went through.
After much reading around on the web and pirate, I went ahead with the chevy spring swap. For those who are like me and CANNOT weld, don't worry! The stock length springs can stay on while you measure and mark for the new mounts. Then just run it to a welder, not the muffler guys, and you're set. I went with these springs because my Downey springs where at the full point of suck after just a few years. The chevies also are so cheap at the 'yards here that they can be readily replaced down the road. From the little time I got to try these springs, they flex really well and ride LIKE A NEW TRUCK!! I also worked it so that I can run the shocks in the stock locations, which kept it simple.
I went with a Bud-bulit front mount because of its low profile and optional slide cover (which I didn't use). The rear mounts came from Trail Gear and the shackles from Ruff Stuff. I had a local shop make ubolts and picked up a 4* castor shim (a 6* shim might work better). I also have a longer brake line and the e-brake cable's axle mounts had to spaced up with a few washers.
I had to cut the 1/2" tab off the front of the Bud-built hanger so it would set flush on the frame's crossmember. This crossemember may differ on other trucks since mine is a xtra cab.
This allowed for the front mount to be 11.5" forward (hole to hole) from the stock hanger. The picture shows it to be less than 11.5" but that is due to the tape measure being above the bolt. I moved it 1/2" more to 11.5" so the axle would be in nearly the stock location. 11" puts the axle slightly back in the fender, which gives clearance between bigger tires and the front of the fenders but I'm only running 33s and I wanted everything as close to stock as possible. Also the stock hangers will have to be cut off, right now I just have them spread apart and they still hit the springs.
The rear hangers are set at 4-5/8" (hole to hole) back from stock. After finishing it, I think I could have put it at 4-3/8" to give a little better shackle angle.
The shackles are listed as 6" but are really 5" (hole to hole), though they still worked out great. The 1/8" offest on each makes up for the 1/4" more width of the chevy springs. This is of course if you chose to use a Toyota width hanger. I also had to have the holes drilled larger for the Toyota 3/4" bolt and Chevy 5/8" bolts, I think Ruff Stuff provided them with only a 1/2" hole at each end.
To keep the factory shock mounting I had a local spring shop make a set of ubolts. The new ubolts are 2.5" wide but since they are of a softer metal than the stock Toyota's and longer, I was able to squeeze them together enough to get them through the stock bottom plates. I then just cut the extra lenght off the ubolts just past the nuts.
--Updated-- I put on some load leafs off a Tundra, posted later in this thread
In the above pics the pinion shims are installed BACKWARDS for a DC joint drive shaft. Otherwise you will need a 6* shim installed to point the pinion down but then there will be uneven shock lengths if the stock lower mounts are re-used. That leads to more work for custom shock mounts like what Budbuilt carries.
I got a nice 3" of lift and I'm very happy with the outcome. Don't be fooled though, I didn't get it right the first time and spent A LOT of time with this and more money than I should have. BUT hopefully my writeup saves someone the pains I went through.
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