New Truck, New Things to Fix (1 Viewer)

[FreedromRedFJ62]

So I recently purchased a 89 FJ62 and had two questions that I needed some guidance on.

1.) The previous owner added a SOA lift on the truck but had blown shocks and failed to re-add the sway bars. My question is, what's the good/bad of just adding new factory shocks to the old mounting brackets which are located on the top of the leaf springs directly above the axles on all 4 corners? Is it possible to just re-add the factory sway bars? Ideas if not?

2.) The AC seems just be missing the belt for the compressor and needs a new condensor, from what I am told the coolant was R-12, is it possible to just recharge with R-12 or do I need an upgrade? What's the alternative?

 

[gregnash]

1. You will need to measure the amount of flex that the new SOA suspension is giving you to get the proper travel shocks. Stock replacements will more than likely be too short. Factory Sway bars probably will need some extended links from the frame mounts to the axle, look for some of the SOA threads and see how others have done it.

2. R-12 has actually been illegal for the most part. If you need new parts your best bet is to upgrade to R134a and go from there. Coolstream once supplied parts for the swap but I do not believe he is doing it anymore, but his posts on the conversion do give ALL the parts needed. The hard part with R-12 is that while it is not illegal to sell it, it is not manufactured anymore (and believe it is illegal to manufacture) so it will be increasingly hard to find a shop that has it. If you are set on the R-12 system then look at hotrod shops to see if they may have it.

 

[FreedromRedFJ62]

Added the stock shocks, I would say they maybe too long rather than short. The front only has about an inch of downward travel room.

 

[tmxmotorsports]

Not sure how they could be to long unless they changed the mounting locations do you have pics.