OME Lift Install Write-up?

[TheLoyale]

I'm looking at getting into a 3" HD OME kit sometime soon, I would like to see what else is involved with such an install, What do I need to lengthen? Just brake lines? What are the steering arm? etc...

Looking for a decent thread with pictures to give me a fair idea Thanks ya'll.

-Tom

 

[busmup808]

Heres what you can choose from

 

[Jrob80]

You can click on any of the lifts installation instructions and it will show what is involved.

Slee - Toyota 80 Series Toyota Land Cruiser Suspension

 

[brian]

Reading how to go about it makes it seem harder than it is. Lifting an 80series is a cake walk. Undo a couple brake line brackets, remove the shocks and let the axle hit the ground remove old shocks remove old springs. Install new springs, new shocks replace brake line brackets. Drink cold festive beverage admire new look of old ride.

 

[Romer]

this is in the modifications section of the FAQ thread near the top of the page https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/93325-ome-lifts-discussion-faq.html

 

[BlueCruiser84]

All you honestly HAVE to change is springs. I did shocks as well and have yet to do brake lines. Took me about 3 hours with hand tools and PB blaster.

 

[aclos3]

I installed shocks and an OME stock height kit over the course of a couple of evenings after work and mine was not quite a cake walk because of the shocks. As brian describes, it is easy to remove the springs with a decent jack and jack stands.

However, removal of the old shocks with hand tools can be tricky. I had a good assortment of angled wrenches, breaker bars and straps to grip the shock body and still had trouble with the driver side front top nut and the passenger side front lower nut. I suspect that a shop with air tools performed the last shock replacement and really cranked the nuts down with a lot of torque. My truck is completely rust free having lived in the Northwest its entire life -- rust or other corrosion was not the issue here. For these two nuts, I had to cut them off with a breaker and a dremel.

I love working on my truck, but back-breaking, knuckle-busting attempts at removing over torqued nuts quickly kills the fun. If I were to do this job again, I would do the springs and rear shocks myself and have a shop replace the front shocks (and I have never taken my rig to a shop).

 

[aclos3]

I should add that if I have air tools on the next go around I'd do the whole job myself. Finding just the right flex impact attachment that can fight around all of the brake booster components would be a requirement though. I believe Slee also talks about a particular Snap-on device that they use on this location.

 

[TheLoyale]

Hey, thanks to all of you! This helps tremendously.

aclos3, I agree the front shocks will be the most PITA part of the job (Main;y the top nuts) Mine is rust free as well being from Missouri, but the threads are a little gunked up. I have a harbor freight electric impact which has done wonders for all the old rusted Subarus I've worked on

Thanks to ih8mud and its members, another FJ80 (3F-E) will become lifted with improved suspension. Already had the 33x10.5 KM2s install today (Wow what a difference) I am liking them


-Tom

 

[aclos3]

Hey, thanks to all of you! This helps tremendously.

aclos3, I agree the front shocks will be the most PITA part of the job (Main;y the top nuts) Mine is rust free as well being from Missouri, but the threads are a little gunked up. I have a harbor freight electric impact which has done wonders for all the old rusted Subarus I've worked on

Thanks to ih8mud and its members, another FJ80 (3F-E) will become lifted with improved suspension. Already had the 33x10.5 KM2s install today (Wow what a difference) I am liking them


-Tom

Glad to help. If you've got an impact wrench AND a flex fitting that can fit through the maze of brake booster and hard lines on the drivers side front shock, you'll probably have no frustrations.

Remember to tighten everything back up at the end. Brake line brackets under the truck as well as the stabilizer bar brackets. I had a friend helping and he didn't tighten down my driver's side stabilizer bar bracket nuts enough -- thinking I was doing all of the final tightening. We miscommunicated and they never got tightened. A few miles later that bracket was gone and my stabilizer bar was clunking. Luckily that little bracket is only about $5 from Toyota and my "temp" fix with scrap metal has been good enough for 8 months and a cross country trip.

 

[TheLoyale]

Agreed, Its always good to double check your buddies work (I know this all to well)

This is the write-up for OME Kit Installation, for those who are looking for the same information as I.
Slee - OME Suspension Installation (Toyota 80 Series Land Cruiser)