semlin
curmudgeon
how do you fit a 3/4 drive socket onto the DS top shock mount?? A std. 1/2" wobble and socket won't fit for me. I think christo has a 1/2" drive socket with a built in wobble for that job.
OME Lift Upgrade
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spartan said:
I found it easier to do the bottom nut and then use a bottle jack between the axle and frame to create seperation. I first looked at the top, but FOR ME, the bottom was easier, and when I took the bottle jack off, it went right back into the hole.
I prefer to un-do the bottom nut. I don't do either usually because I have an old SST for macpherson strut springs and I pop the tire and while the jack is under the axle I put the sst on the spring and tighten it up. I then let the jack down and set the frame on a jackstand and when the axle drops the spring is free...
I then remove the two nuts that hold the spring hollow to the frame and bring the spring and the hollow out togther.
I then remove the two nuts that hold the spring hollow to the frame and bring the spring and the hollow out togther.
semlin
curmudgeon
and then, presumably, you compress the new springs by carefully stacking 20 cases of M1 ammunition on top of them before attaching the strut SST 
Where, exactly, is your spy camera anyway?
Back on shocks - not springs - this is for shock removal / installation ..... I had a blonde moment(s). My wife is blonde - that counts....
Extension with flex for drivers side. Use 3/4 to 1/2 adaptor if needed. The 1/2 air wrenches just don't spin up quick enough to run the nut down before the shaft spins. Usually have to finish that one up the old fashioned way though. Ratcheting wrenches work wonders for this. If you don't have air wrenches, get a full set of ratchet wrenches and you will be a happy customer.
Everybody knows this, but for gas shocks you need to elevate the frame of the truck enough to get full extension on the shocks or it's a real PITA to pull or install. Call me old fashioned, but the easiest way to do this is with the Hi-Lift jack sitting in the back / or clamped to to your truck somewhere. Forget the floor jacks. Just lift it up tilll you get full extension with eqalized pressure of the shock on the corner you're working on. Then it's easy off - easy on. Same for front and rear shocks.
Lower the jack for compression before tightening the top shock nuts in front.
Works for springs too once you disconnect shocks.
Extension with flex for drivers side. Use 3/4 to 1/2 adaptor if needed. The 1/2 air wrenches just don't spin up quick enough to run the nut down before the shaft spins. Usually have to finish that one up the old fashioned way though. Ratcheting wrenches work wonders for this. If you don't have air wrenches, get a full set of ratchet wrenches and you will be a happy customer.
Everybody knows this, but for gas shocks you need to elevate the frame of the truck enough to get full extension on the shocks or it's a real PITA to pull or install. Call me old fashioned, but the easiest way to do this is with the Hi-Lift jack sitting in the back / or clamped to to your truck somewhere. Forget the floor jacks. Just lift it up tilll you get full extension with eqalized pressure of the shock on the corner you're working on. Then it's easy off - easy on. Same for front and rear shocks.
Lower the jack for compression before tightening the top shock nuts in front.
Works for springs too once you disconnect shocks.
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Undo whichever shock bolt seems to want to spin. Last time I did the bottom nut on the DS, top nut on the PS- but you only need to disconnect one end if you want to do this w/o compressing the springs with a SST or by other means..
semlin
curmudgeon
cruiserdan said:Where, exactly, is your spy camera anyway?
lucky guess
Spring install isn't that hard,
I lift the truck up on stands and remove both tires, disconnect both lower mounts to the shocks and then change out both springs. I leave the sway bar attached and have plenty of room.
Doing one side at a time is a real PITA because you need to flex tha axle to get the springs changed out.
I lift the truck up on stands and remove both tires, disconnect both lower mounts to the shocks and then change out both springs. I leave the sway bar attached and have plenty of room.
Doing one side at a time is a real PITA because you need to flex tha axle to get the springs changed out.
You have to do the front that way - it doesn't flex anywhere near enough for a spring change. Rear is easy to do one side at a time. With the shocks I am running now, I can change rear springs in about 30 minutes by myself...and half that time is dealing with the tires.
Ken - your regular OME shocks are a bit short at this point. But if you plan to keep 33's...L's probably won't help you much. Why have less up travel and not have the bigger tires to go with it? If you are going up in tire size, you should absolutely get new shocks.
Nay
Ken - your regular OME shocks are a bit short at this point. But if you plan to keep 33's...L's probably won't help you much. Why have less up travel and not have the bigger tires to go with it? If you are going up in tire size, you should absolutely get new shocks.
Nay
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spartan said:
A 3/4" impact!
Holy overkill bat man. I have never been denied using a 3/8" on the shocks.
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- #34
Nay said:
Thanks for the opinion that my current shocks are fine for my set-up
This mod was a simple and cheap mod ($100 after selling my old springs) to bring the truck slightly above the lift I had before I went and added all the accessories. Or to gain 1" in lift to my sagging medium set-up. $100 for an inch, best value dontcha think
I am going to keep it this way for a while.
But, if I do decide to go to 35's, then I will have to do the following. Install Cory's spacer in the front (Have them), Replace shocks with L Shocks. Swap out 863's for 863J's in rear, extended brake lines, New Control Arms or other methods to fix castor, REGEAR (expensive) plus the new tires.
So with the tires, I would be looking at $2K-$3K to make this mod.
And of course, I would have to then consider the Slee 4" lift.
On the otherhand, I could throw 35's (now 33's) on my FJ40 right now as I have the lift and shocks to handle it. I would probably want to regear it eventually, but that would be easier and cheaper and not as required since its not my DD..
Or, I could just take the $3K and get a supercharger
Decisions, decisions, decisions. If I only had $10K to just throw at both of my cruisers
Thanks for the input!
semlin
curmudgeon
nakman said:
ok got the new used 850J/863 coils on today. quite a surprise was awaiting me when I went to figure out how my new 863s were giving me 2 full inches of lift over the 860s that were on there.
rears are 39 3/8" ground to flare (24" centre hub to flare)
fronts are 37 5/8" ground to floor (23" centre hub to flare)
it turns out I now have Js front and rear
. The mudmember who sold me 863s shipped me an 863 box but when i scraped the roadgunk off the "A" "B" stickers the coils were 863J. So I'm rolling on Js now I guess sure glad i ordered a longer rear brake line. here are some shots showing progression from stock to 851/860 to 850j/863J. first two shots are on 265 Ats, last one is 285s. I am missing a shot of the truck with the medium lift on the current build (285 ATs, arb, warn 10k, hanna sliders, 4x4 lab bumper, rear seats in)
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semlin
curmudgeon
Also I can't resist this stat. The current clearance to the very bottom of my 4x4labs bumper at centre is 24" 
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- #37
Nice Simon! Any Castor issues
