On road manners of TG and Marlin

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steelynorm

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Here is my concern, everyone loves to Flex.. Flex flex flex flex...flex flex flex.. articulate.

Marlin, TG and Allpro apparently all flex and articulate very well...Got it.

My question to the audience of acutal users of these systems out there is the flexiness(sp) of your springs detrimental to the health of the uninitiated.

I have an 85 Runner, I am going to lift it in the near future i live near the Rubicon, would love to take a run at it this summer with a buddy, but i need this thing to be safe for my wife/daughter to drive around on a daily basis.

Are these things safe as a DD for the uninitiated?

Thanks and sorry for the long post
 
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in this case, 6 of 1, 1/2 dozen of another. Marlin's springs are USA made and should last longer than TG's. I'm not sure where AP's are made now. I've run a number of different springs and once you get over the initial changes, all is good.
 
I'd like to offer a different alternative.

Old Man Emu.

Very happy with mine, they are 8 years old now, still doing well. The Dakars are competitively priced, and according to Tedd at Cruiser Solutions, they are still very well made. He installs tons of them (literally...).
 
I will let you know in about two or three weeks. I have a 85 4runner to and am putting a Marlin 4" lift on. I think you were asking more about the road wordiness of the truck once lifted. My last on ewas lifted 4" too but with Pro Comp springs in the stock location, it drove fine once you got used to the height.

There are several people in our club that have lifted 4Runners and like the way they handle.

After having lifted about 7 trucks you get a feel for how to drive them and learn the quarks. Right now my wife drives the 4Runner with 33" tires and a 2" lift with no problem. We will be going to the 4/5" lift and 37" tires and she can't wait.

Get the lift and take your wife and daughter out for a drive, teach them how to drive it and have fun.

You never said how much of a lift and tires you wanted to put on it.
 
Where specifically are you located?
Hook up with a local shop and go for a test drive.

There is a shop off of 50 called Dave'z Off ROad www.davezoffroadperformance.com (web site is a little slow)

Dave sells a lot of Trail Gear stuff lately. He did a solid axle swap with Trail gear with 5" up front on my nephews truck. )86 Extra Cab long bed) The truck flexs well and he drives it down the road. Dave can probably set you up with a truck to test drive.

I have the All Pro 5" up front on a 83 mini (short bed) I just picked up and it drives well. Although I wouldn't want to drive it everyday, but hell I'm getting old and like the comfort of my 2004 F150.

Both trucks have different springs in the back. (do some research on all the companies)

Send me a PM and I get into other details.
Dave
 
TG lift

I just put a TG 5"HD lift on my runner drives great on/off road will take time to get use to very soft does tend to nose dive under hard breaking all out I was very pleased with there kit and service. 5"sas & 2" body will fit 36-37" tire with out hitting great flex over 3 ft before other tire leaves the ground.
Good Luck
 
I was running a total of 9 inches of lift on my 80 P/U and what I did to keep the flex off road and the stability on road was the sway bar. You can either run quick disconnects or just remove them like I did, the end links that is. The front springs were built by All Pro w/ orbit eyes and the rears were custom spring packs I made w/ Chevy springs. It was soft as hell and felt like it would fall on it's side w/o the sway bars hooked up but when it went on road I hooked everything up and it drove good.
 
I have TG 4" on my runner and they are very soft and the truck leans significantly thru turns. I'm going to swap them for the 3" springs shortly as they are supposed to be stiffer.

Your question of safety is subjective- the truck will handle differently, higher CG, more flex, probably no torque tube....in an evasive maneuver on the freeway it will be much different.
 
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