I bought the manafree 4” lift kit for my 62 project to be able to ride on 35s. I was looking for a simple bolt in system to achieve my goal but I would not hesitate to do what Johny recommended above if your goal is to run 35 - 37 tires on your rig.
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Are you saying do the SOA AND a set of Dobinson's lift springs at the same time? That would be extremely tall and unstable.
Wording this as tactfully as I can, has this shop done SOA's on Cruiser's before?
Also, have you driven any SOA land cruisers before? If not, I would highly recommend you drive a few and take notes on what springs, axles, shocks, geometry each one has before making a jump like that.
They can usually take a bit of fine tuning after, is that something you are prepared to do yourself after or are you going to be bringing it back and forth to the shop to make minor adjustments? if so, have you budgeted for that?
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- #123
Sorry for the confusion.... it was a SOA and factory height springs. They said my stock springs were worn out and should be replaced before the fab work.
Never driven a SOA vehicle so thanks for the recommendation. This is not a daily driver and when I do drive it, it's never on streets over 45 MPH. Heck, I'm not sure this thing will do much more than 55
I work behind a computer screen all day and this provides a bit of an outlet to work with my hands. I enjoy learning the issues and intricacies of older vehicles. I have a welder and have experimented some with it, just didn't feel confident in my skills for this level of fab work. I was hoping for someone to do the structural work and I could "tinker" on it from there. Maybe that's a bit optimistic?? but I enjoy researching and trying new things out to develop new skills.
Thanks for everyone's input!! I love this forum.
Never driven a SOA vehicle so thanks for the recommendation. This is not a daily driver and when I do drive it, it's never on streets over 45 MPH. Heck, I'm not sure this thing will do much more than 55
I work behind a computer screen all day and this provides a bit of an outlet to work with my hands. I enjoy learning the issues and intricacies of older vehicles. I have a welder and have experimented some with it, just didn't feel confident in my skills for this level of fab work. I was hoping for someone to do the structural work and I could "tinker" on it from there. Maybe that's a bit optimistic?? but I enjoy researching and trying new things out to develop new skills.
Thanks for everyone's input!! I love this forum.
What's your end goal for your 60? Don't build it to just drive 45mph. You'll regret it if you can't take it camping or the next Hurricane Creek camping trip.
Recommend the SOA. Love my SOA 60, the ride is fantastic. With you having the Ford, you could always do alot of the prep work, mock it in place, tack weld it up and take it to an experienced welder. Matt is right, it can take a while to dial in. 2 years later I'm still tinkering with mine. Also, I collected parts for mine for several months before I started. A lot of the SOA cost is labor and if you have a place, you could make it work.
I did 37s and went to 35s. My 60 drives and just handles better with the 35s. Im trying to get mine lower and will be tinkering further with my suspension when I pull my 2F in the near future.
The kit like Del did is nice because it bolts on and it's done.
These are my random thoughts from someone who is daily driving a SOA 60 now. I take the kids to school everyday in it.
no matter what you decide, Budget in replacing all your steering linkage, rebuilding your steering box, and a front axle service. Being where I am now with mine, I'd do that before a lift. If it drives and steering like crap doesn't matter how cool it looks if you don't like driving it.
Recommend the SOA. Love my SOA 60, the ride is fantastic. With you having the Ford, you could always do alot of the prep work, mock it in place, tack weld it up and take it to an experienced welder. Matt is right, it can take a while to dial in. 2 years later I'm still tinkering with mine. Also, I collected parts for mine for several months before I started. A lot of the SOA cost is labor and if you have a place, you could make it work.
I did 37s and went to 35s. My 60 drives and just handles better with the 35s. Im trying to get mine lower and will be tinkering further with my suspension when I pull my 2F in the near future.
The kit like Del did is nice because it bolts on and it's done.
These are my random thoughts from someone who is daily driving a SOA 60 now. I take the kids to school everyday in it.
no matter what you decide, Budget in replacing all your steering linkage, rebuilding your steering box, and a front axle service. Being where I am now with mine, I'd do that before a lift. If it drives and steering like crap doesn't matter how cool it looks if you don't like driving it.
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- #125
My goal is for this to be a weekend warrior. It doesn't have to do 75mph and I don't need to do serious rock crawling but would like a capable off-roader. It's not much of a looker so I don't want to invest a ton of money but know this isn't a cheap hobby.
Great feedback, I really appreciate the insights.
Great feedback, I really appreciate the insights.
Soa trucks done right can do 75 no problem. My truck is hammered but drives with one finger at 75-80 all day long.
Figure what you want to do with the truck. If weekend wheeler, wheel it a bunch first with sua guys and Soa guys. If you find yourself not being able to do the trails you want that Soa guys can, go Soa.
Figure what you want to do with the truck. If weekend wheeler, wheel it a bunch first with sua guys and Soa guys. If you find yourself not being able to do the trails you want that Soa guys can, go Soa.
I'll add... mine can't go 75. It hit 68 once but that was because of a glitch in the matrix. It's happy at 62 all day but that's my fault bc of the 4.88 gearing. When I am on the hwy, I can cruise all day with one pinky on the wheel and when it hits dips, bridges, whoops, small animals, pot holes it just absorbs it and keeps going straight. My 60 isn't built to do the same at Johnnys, or Matts but our suspensions are very similar in how they're set up. I drive mine daily and have set it up to camp, daily and exploring whether it's 9 minutes or 9 hours down the road. The SOA axle is nice because no matter what direction you decide to take it with how you use it, it can be a wheeler and serve as daily duty. For me as I get older, I knew the SOA would serve what ever I threw at it win the future.
My only negative is how tall it sits. Id love to be able to just open the door and slide in.
saying this....before you do anything. Get some seat time, use the vehicle, it will tell you what it wants to be, and what needs to be improved
My only negative is how tall it sits. Id love to be able to just open the door and slide in.
saying this....before you do anything. Get some seat time, use the vehicle, it will tell you what it wants to be, and what needs to be improved
60 series SOA stabi
Damn if it doesn't flex nice though!
To clarify, 60 series SOA rigs... my sprung over 40 at this point would easily top triple digits, but starts to make me nervous at 70 or more
Damn if it doesn't flex nice though!
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My opinion.
Start with a fresh bolt-on SUA lift, either from your local shop (support local is just as important as supporting Mud/TLCA vendors!) or someone like me,
Id be happy to set you up with a OME/Bilstein kit. It will ride and drive very nicely, bolt on in a weekend and replace your clapped out springs for about $2500. Im also a Dobinson vender but personally am not as much of a fan of them.
Run that for 3-4 years and most likely it will meet your goals. If it doesn’t, you will know.
All of us with these big SOA trucks generally wheeled for several years with more of a stock setup before going big.
But jumping right into a SOA without really knowing what you’re doing (or worse, having a shop do it without know what the shop is going to, aka, paying for a shop to potentially make mistakes you could make yourself for free) you will likely end up having a huge hassle. Just my .02. I have a shop and have done a few SOA for customers but only if they are highly educated on what is going on and what they want.
We just did this one in April that cruised 70mph to Relic run and back from Orlando.
It’s basically an FJ60 with an FJ40 body and frame at this point
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- #130
The '95 80-series has been sold 
I'm back to a single landcruiser now. I just didn't have time for another project and now I can focus on the 60!!
I'm still bummed the SOA didn't happen but I'm still working through plans... most likely a spring lift and hopeful I can still squeeze 35's under it. Research in-progress...
In the meantime, the daily needed some love. I commute 7 miles to work but start a new job next week that will have some road time involved. New fluids for the front & rear diff, transfer case, manual transmission and new crush washers all the way around. I learned way more about gear oil and GL-4 vs GL-5 additives than I thought I needed to know, but it was fun. Greased all the zerks and it's good to go!!
Those flex pouch oil containers are AWESOME but I was trying to use up some Mobile I had left from the 100 so I had to pump.
I'm back to a single landcruiser now. I just didn't have time for another project and now I can focus on the 60!!I'm still bummed the SOA didn't happen but I'm still working through plans... most likely a spring lift and hopeful I can still squeeze 35's under it. Research in-progress...
In the meantime, the daily needed some love. I commute 7 miles to work but start a new job next week that will have some road time involved. New fluids for the front & rear diff, transfer case, manual transmission and new crush washers all the way around. I learned way more about gear oil and GL-4 vs GL-5 additives than I thought I needed to know, but it was fun. Greased all the zerks and it's good to go!!
Those flex pouch oil containers are AWESOME but I was trying to use up some Mobile I had left from the 100 so I had to pump.
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- #134
Swing… and a miss
Found this Middle East import in Jacksonville with a cool story. It was a Saudi Prince who had it modified to haul his tiger around
The guy told me he imports FJ’s 20 at a time and he made his money on the first ones and was just trying to get rid of the last couple to import another batch. He said the paint was in bad condition but no rust. It was a rust bucket. I could have poked my finger through a couple of places.
It was a fun adventure but didn’t have a happy ending. Still on the hunt…
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Found this Middle East import in Jacksonville with a cool story. It was a Saudi Prince who had it modified to haul his tiger around
The guy told me he imports FJ’s 20 at a time and he made his money on the first ones and was just trying to get rid of the last couple to import another batch. He said the paint was in bad condition but no rust. It was a rust bucket. I could have poked my finger through a couple of places.
It was a fun adventure but didn’t have a happy ending. Still on the hunt…
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That looks like a screaming deal! Too bad it didn't shake out. Keep on the scent!Swing… and a miss
Found this Middle East import in Jacksonville with a cool story. It was a Saudi Prince who had it modified to haul his tiger around
The guy told me he imports FJ’s 20 at a time and he made his money on the first ones and was just trying to get rid of the last couple to import another batch. He said the paint was in bad condition but no rust. It was a rust bucket. I could have poked my finger through a couple of places.
It was a fun adventure but didn’t have a happy ending. Still on the hunt…
View attachment 3861702
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- #137
Saw this post while searching for a 40 and thought this is too good to be true. Met with him today and what an incredible guy…. He has done every conceivable mod & update and just doesn’t have time to enjoy it. He just wanted it to go to a cruiser-head who could finish off the last few remaining things. The trunk is literally full of parts, probably a thousand dollars or more. Super excited to bring this to RR.
Congrats, looks super clean. White is the way on 80's imo
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- #139
It’s been repainted but a good 20 footer…
Was really hoping to get into a 40 but as you know the Landcruiser is a pay-to-play game. I have too many other hobbies and just can’t justify 15-20k into a 3rd vehicle for fun.
This was a GREAT deal and maybe I can trade my way up in a couple years?? The exterior and mechanicals are all sorted, just needs some love on the inside
Was really hoping to get into a 40 but as you know the Landcruiser is a pay-to-play game. I have too many other hobbies and just can’t justify 15-20k into a 3rd vehicle for fun.
This was a GREAT deal and maybe I can trade my way up in a couple years?? The exterior and mechanicals are all sorted, just needs some love on the inside