Need help Landcruiser 80 (1 Viewer)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Joined
May 12, 2021
Threads
3
Messages
12
Location
Oregon
Hello all, I just clapped my 3d gen 4runner, and after the insurance company gave me back way more than I paid for it, I thought "hmmm, a landcruiser seems adue." Then someone bought my Subaru, and I thought "hmmm, a landcruiser IS adue." So I bought one off Copart. After a few cheap fixes (someone had lit the mirror and a headlight on fire), I now have a 1994 Landcruiser with only 97k miles on it, in emmaculate condition.

However, I think I'm going to change my approach, and instead of giving it 35 inch tires and a massive lift, I'm only gonna go for 2 inch lift and tires/wheels to size. I don't do any rock crawling or mudding, just light duty trails and some overlanding straight through the forest (also my daily).

I realized that all my knowledge on 4runners was garbage and Landcruisers were a completely different animal, and I did many hours of extensive research. I only now realize the pain I have gotten myself into, as these trucks require a bit more work after a lift kit is installed. Now I know some of you may say that I'm bonkers and half the stuff I list isn't nessecary-but hear me out. I like things done right the first time, no matter the cost, and no matter how innocent and small they seem. That being said, this is what i've come up with:

With a 2 inch lift I need:
Adjustable front and rear panhard bars
front castor correction plates
Adjustable trailing arms
front and rear sway bar drop brackets

Now with that said, if there is any other small detail in terms of things needed to be adjusted/changed with a lift kit, please please please let me know. If I find out later that there is something I missed, I will litterally cry, so please have mercy on me ;)

But I do have some questions... the trailing arms for the rear-are there two different kinds (lengths) that are installed, or is it one? Every time I get some information from the internet, it doesn't tell me exactly which model of car that person would work on. From my understanding, they help align the rear axle, but I have no clue if there are upper and lower ones for it, or even ones in the front.
Also, I see a lot of brands selling their steering dampers according to certain lifts, for example, so and so damper goes with a 2 inch lift. Is that how it works? Or is that BS?
Also, are there castor arms in the back? if so, do i need correction plates?



All in all, this is the list I've come up with which I intend to install at the same time:

Ironman Adjustable Pandhard Bars front and rear
New shocks and coils 2" lift (please give me some suggestions, my head is spinning from all the different kinds. Again, light overlanding and everyday driver)
King Steering Damper
Coastal High Clearance Bumper (looks cool, cheaper than ARB)
Irronman front Castor Correction Plates
Irronman Adjustable trailing arms
Irronman front and rear sway bar drop brackets
Whiteline Rear sway bar (better stability on roads)

Again, if theres something I've missed, please let me know, and if something on this list that won't work together, please let me know ASAP.
 
I do have lift 2.5 (CORRECTION - 2.0): front - 2850, rear 2863. all the sway bars, panhards, etc are stock.
Tyres 285/75/16 ....no issues. so IMHO no need to waste money for any type of adjustable panhrads etc with this "low" lift kit
 
Last edited:
I do have lift 2.5: front - 2850, rear 2863. all the sway bars, panhards, etc are stock.
Tyres 285/75/16 ....no issues. so IMHO no need to waste money for any type of adjustable panhrads etc with this "low" lift kit
What lift do you have?
 
Coils only - OME. And all the bushings are from OME (no castor correction as well). And i also don't do any type of rock off-road. Light mud, desert off-road ish
 
So from my understanding-you're saying that a low lift kit won't hamper with the alignment of vehicle? Wont axles be slightly misaligned from stock panhards? Or castor angle become neutral/negative without adjustment?
 
Well, according to high technology and science - yes, there will be slight misalignment of axels but as per my personal opinion and opinion of the cruiser owners (per some threads here) the impact of the lift up to 2.5 is insignificant that doesn't require any other improvements. In simple words no impact at all.
 
A1282C70-2E88-4254-B4E5-67BD03C1C8CF.jpeg
32278B07-CDC9-4031-B7B4-39FBAE506AB7.jpeg
 
2 inch lift is the max legal here in Oz without paying big money for an engineering certificate. My car has had a 2" lift, and you don't need to mess around with anything. Drives great. At 2", just do the springs and shocks and you'll be right.
 
not sure about Oregon, but in CA lift could be 50 inches - no issues :)
In Russia (im originally from) any modification is illegal until you pay and adjust the papers.
 
With a 2 inch lift I need:
Adjustable front and rear panhard bars
front castor correction plates
Adjustable trailing arms
front and rear sway bar drop brackets
No, you dont need plates, adj bars or drop brackets for this height.
Also, are there castor arms in the back? if so, do i need correction plates?
no
Ironman Adjustable Pandhard Bars front and rear
New shocks and coils 2" lift (please give me some suggestions, my head is spinning from all the different kinds. Again, light overlanding and everyday driver)
King Steering Damper
Coastal High Clearance Bumper (looks cool, cheaper than ARB)
Irronman front Castor Correction Plates
Irronman Adjustable trailing arms
Irronman front and rear sway bar drop brackets
Whiteline Rear sway bar (better stability on roads)
Just get an OME kit. it will come with the steering stabilizer.

get an alignment after and youll be good to go.

IF YOU plan to go higher in the future then drop brackets, castor correction and adj bars will correct the geometry. However at 2" you dont need it. IF you made it to this forum chances are that will eventually end up on 60" tires and you will be trying to crawl 2 story buildings as we tend to get into that at some point. If you dont need a harness and step stool to get in, might as well just head to the mall =]

If you get 1 whiteline sway bar then you need both, they work in tandem UNLESS you are off road and disconnect the front. The HD front is what keeps the front corners flat in the turns. The rear will keep the arss end from swaying.

also it depends how much weight you are loading up with / / those HD sway bars will help alot if you are lifted high and have a bunch of accessory weight. i.e. full armor, drawers, roof rack etc. if you are loading up for weekends away chances are you wont need those.

it will handle and feel much different compared to your 4runner and after some seat time you will get the feel for it.


oh and welcome to the club.
 
Hello all, I just clapped my 3d gen 4runner, and after the insurance company gave me back way more than I paid for it, I thought "hmmm, a landcruiser seems adue." Then someone bought my Subaru, and I thought "hmmm, a landcruiser IS adue." So I bought one off Copart. After a few cheap fixes (someone had lit the mirror and a headlight on fire), I now have a 1994 Landcruiser with only 97k miles on it, in emmaculate condition.

However, I think I'm going to change my approach, and instead of giving it 35 inch tires and a massive lift, I'm only gonna go for 2 inch lift and tires/wheels to size. I don't do any rock crawling or mudding, just light duty trails and some overlanding straight through the forest (also my daily).

I realized that all my knowledge on 4runners was garbage and Landcruisers were a completely different animal, and I did many hours of extensive research. I only now realize the pain I have gotten myself into, as these trucks require a bit more work after a lift kit is installed. Now I know some of you may say that I'm bonkers and half the stuff I list isn't nessecary-but hear me out. I like things done right the first time, no matter the cost, and no matter how innocent and small they seem. That being said, this is what i've come up with:

With a 2 inch lift I need:
Adjustable front and rear panhard bars
front castor correction plates
Adjustable trailing arms
front and rear sway bar drop brackets

Now with that said, if there is any other small detail in terms of things needed to be adjusted/changed with a lift kit, please please please let me know. If I find out later that there is something I missed, I will litterally cry, so please have mercy on me ;)

But I do have some questions... the trailing arms for the rear-are there two different kinds (lengths) that are installed, or is it one? Every time I get some information from the internet, it doesn't tell me exactly which model of car that person would work on. From my understanding, they help align the rear axle, but I have no clue if there are upper and lower ones for it, or even ones in the front.
Also, I see a lot of brands selling their steering dampers according to certain lifts, for example, so and so damper goes with a 2 inch lift. Is that how it works? Or is that BS?
Also, are there castor arms in the back? if so, do i need correction plates?



All in all, this is the list I've come up with which I intend to install at the same time:

Ironman Adjustable Pandhard Bars front and rear
New shocks and coils 2" lift (please give me some suggestions, my head is spinning from all the different kinds. Again, light overlanding and everyday driver)
King Steering Damper
Coastal High Clearance Bumper (looks cool, cheaper than ARB)
Irronman front Castor Correction Plates
Irronman Adjustable trailing arms
Irronman front and rear sway bar drop brackets
Whiteline Rear sway bar (better stability on roads)

Again, if theres something I've missed, please let me know, and if something on this list that won't work together, please let me know ASAP.
With the 2"-2.5" lift, you don't NEED adjustable panhard bars or caster correction, or anything special to run 35" tires.

I have the OME 850 / 863 heavy springs F/R. I am running the Nitro Sport shocks (too stiff). You can buy from Toyota the stock Tokico shocks with these springs as well, with only a minor loss in droop.

I run 33" tires. 35" will fit with that lift, but may rub under heavy articulation.
I have driven 40K miles with my lift and no caster correction or panhard bars. My truck drives "OK" and it's a DD.

I am planning on doing caster plates and a rear panhard lift bracket to get the road manners closer to stock, because I drive 85 MPH with mine, but very little rock crawling.

We ALL suggest driving it and wheeling it a while before you just start throwing money at it, because it behaves very differently from your 4R and such.

Steering dampers have more to do with tire size than lift size. You can run a stock steering damper for a LONG time.

Read up on panhard bars. Adjustable is not necessarily the best thing. Go to Delta V's site.
 
Thanks all for replies. The reason i was going to change all these little things was not only to correct geometry for now, but also because after a few years i intend to get a different everyday driver, and use the Landcruiser strictly for fishing, hunting, camping, offroading. I would give it a higher lift kit and new bigger tires, so having adjustable parts at hand would be useful.

@enox Some blokes on this forum were discussing sway bars and disconnecting the front when offroading, and installing a heavier one in the rear for road stability (yes, I pack heavy on the roof rack). If the Whitelines work together, i'll be sure to get one for the front as well, and a quick release for offroading.

@BILT4ME The steering damper on mine is clapped, so i have to get a new one. How do i choose the right steering damper according to tire size? I heard good things about King, so that was first pick, but if I get one in lift kit, then I'll install that one.



Okay, now, for the big one-the lift kit. I always hear about the OME kits and they do have one for 1k. On my 4runner I had Bilsteins but they were already installed from previous owner so I don't know the specs on them. But what other brands should I consider and what are your experiences with them?

That being said, I will consider the OME kit. But in the options, whether it be for OME, Bilstein, etc... There are options for different springs. My rig will be top heavy (loaded roof rack) give or take 100lb. I will have a heavy front bumper as well, so heavy coils in front. As for the rear, website lists different coils, but it doesn't say if they're lighter or heavier, or how much lift they give. Just their part no. How do i know which to choose?

OME-2860 - Old Man Emu Rear Springs
OME-2862 - Old Man Emu Rear Springs
OME-2863 - Old Man Emu Rear Springs
OME-2864 - Old Man Emu Rear Springs
(copied from site)

I hear Icon makes a good kit-anybody here have one? THoughts?



Thanks all, i am a big noob in this field, all help appreciated.
 
Just so you know, you can fit 33 inch tires fine on stock suspension. Even the stock 31 inch tires will get you where you need to go for your intended use. I have run several 4x4 trails on stock suspension and 31 inch tires when I first bought my LC and it did just fine - even though every other vehicle I saw on the trail was a lifted jeep. If your tires need to be changed that is one thing, but if not you can run it stock and save your pennies for maintenance items. Getting to know its stock capabilities and handling gives a good baseline to compare against future changes. Read through the thread titled "if I had to do it over again" or something like that to understand what people have done in the past and wish they hadn't.

You may also want to check out dobinsons springs and shocks. I think they have a 1" lift that may look better for 33" tiers than a 2.5" lift and be closer to stock geometry.
 
My two cents: you do NOT need adjustable panhards or trailing arms for a 2.5" lift. In fact, with a Delta VS panhard lift bracket in the rear, you do not need adjustable panhard at any lift height, IMO. Delta VS bracket is a more "correct" fix anyway. Adjustable panhard basically just fixes an aesthetic problem. The bracket actually corrects your suspension geometry. But I wouldn't say you NEED either at a 2.5" lift. Adjustable trailing arms are a waste of money at lower lift heights. Do not spend money on this kind of stuff until (AFTER) you run into driveline angle problems.

OME is tried and true, but their springs and shocks are simple, low tech and don't really stack up to other options available nowadays. There are too many options to list, but Dobinsons is generally a good alternative, icon is fine for a lighter rig, Slinky is the gold standard for a heavier rig. Read the suspension thread sticky at the top of the 80 section about 50 times. :hillbilly:
 
Some blokes on this forum were discussing sway bars and disconnecting the front when offroading, and installing a heavier one in the rear for road stability (yes, I pack heavy on the roof rack). If the Whitelines work together, i'll be sure to get one for the front as well, and a quick release for offroading.
Whitelines front and rear are the way to go, disconnect kit from here Land Cruiser Products - LCP - https://sites.google.com/site/landcruiserproducts/ You can also use that same sway bar setup when you taller/ heavier.

I hear Icon makes a good kit-anybody here have one? THoughts?
Personally, I have heard mixed reviews

You may also want to check out dobinsons springs and shocks. I think they have a 1" lift that may look better for 33" tiers than a 2.5" lift and be closer to stock geometry.
I have heard good things about dobinsons set-ups. I would also recommend.

My rig will be top heavy (loaded roof rack) give or take 100lb. I will have a heavy front bumper as well, so heavy coils in front. As for the rear, website lists different coils, but it doesn't say if they're lighter or heavier, or how much lift they give. Just their part no. How do i know which to choose?
I have spend a full day in a fully loaded 80 with the OME medium kit, it was much smoother than mine with the Heavy kit. We both have about the same amount of accessory weight. Only difference is that the medium kit sat lower than my heavy kit. I would suggest if you know you will be running with all the added accessories that a heavy kit brings on, go with that. otherwise even with a front bumper and roof rack id say you will have a much more pleasant driving experience on the medium spring rate..... BUT if you want to only spend the money 1x then go with long travel :cheers: 2-3 years will fly by like a boosted 80.

My two cents: you do NOT need adjustable panhards or trailing arms for a 2.5" lift. In fact, with a Delta VS panhard lift bracket in the rear, you do not need adjustable panhard at any lift height, IMO. Delta VS bracket is a more "correct" fix anyway.
Two more cents: I agree on the above.
 
Ok, so I talked to the previous owners and they said that the stock suspension that is currently on there came off a 1992 80 series. The suspension came off a clapped vehicle and was used 70k miles. they said since they got the replacement suspension for cheap, they just put in the driver side from the previous cruiser because theirs had a broken spring. So essentially my cruiser has all stock suspension with the 97k from factory, and the drivers side front one has coils and shocks at about 160k miles, since they were taken off another cruiser. The only reason I called was because there was some noticable leaning to that side, but the VIN report came very clean, so it made no sense (at least at first).

Since I won't be needing 2 inch lift cuz it will screw with all the stock geometry, I would like to change my screwed up stock suspension for something fresh, but not high. Looking at it now, I will rarely use it for overlanding and offroading, but as a daily driver, it needn't be high.


I saw on the link above that OME has the best street going suspension (so to speak), and with a full lift kit at $1k, I think its the way to go. But again, them springs...
Below is the list of stuff that I'm pretty sure should work-front and rear shocks, and low height heavy load front coils which say .25" lift. I want some extra weight capability because I intend to put on a heavy front bumper (purely asthetics). However, for the rear, the lowest coils say they go .75" inch lift. Would these two coils work together? I'm guessing the heavier front coil won't press as much after installation and the rear will-and this would even them out?
  • Front Shocks:
    1 x OME-60018-P - Old Man Emu Nitrocharger Sport Front Shocks
  • Front Coil Springs:
    1 x OME-2861- Front Coils (Low Height, 80 Series Land Cruiser)
  • Rear Shocks:
    1 x OME-60020-P - Old Man Emu Nitrocharger Rear Sport Shocks
  • Rear Coil Springs:
    1 x OME-2862 - Old Man Emu Rear Springs
 
if anything, i can put the correct size spacers to adjust the lift if it becomes uneven-if thats an option (and if its needed)
 
Go with OEM or OME stock height springs, get the Tokico OEM shocks. If you need heavier for the front bumper, then do OME medium or heavy.

For the rear do medium at most and add a set of AirLift air bags for when you actually load up.

The OME shocks are stiff and uncomfortable. The Tokico shocks are going to last a while and are less expensive.

Run 33" tires, maximum, to maintain driveability.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom