Ok, so I am back from 2 weeks testing the bracket from Moab "proving grounds".
As you recall the bracket has dual purpose. First it provides for a place to hang your disconnected sway bar while off roading. Second it provides a mounting point for the Toyota front bump stops that used to come with the 1993 land cruiser.
Disconnecting the sway bar:
Like written before, it allows the front axle to move more freely from under the truck, but does not provides significantly more flexing. The concept has demonstrated itself time and time again during the Moab trails. But specifically it showed itself beautifully during the two days ride on the White Rim. On this trail is it mostly a dirt road with occasional more challenging obstacles. Most of the trail was about 10 to 20 MPH. When encountering a water rut that was diagonal to the road, you can tell one wheel goes first into the rut, and then the other, but the car stays leveled and you don't get the up-and-down/side-to-side effect the sway bar creates when if resist the wheels individually movement. So this was expected and performed as such.
What was not expected was how well a new Toyota bumps stops performed.
In the first few days I mounted a 4" bracket to my truck. On a 4" lift it leaves 2" gap between the axle and the bump stop. During the Cruiser Moab overnight run, we did some fast drives (20 to 40 MPH) on country roads. During these runs, hitting bumps at a higher speed was unavoidable. Crawling under the truck I sway that the bumps stops left quite a big imprint on the axle. Meaning the rubber bump stop was hit and expended and there fore was doing its job. The beauty about is I felt now harshness in the cabin. As a matter of fact, I didn't know the bump stops were hit until i checked underneath. There was no harshness at all.
Since Jonathan has the J springs with a spacer (about 4") and the 4" Ultimate Bracket we tested his truck for maximum flex. Jonathan, as well as I, have the 3" rear Ultimate Bracket as well. At Area BFE where the Cruiser Moab 2010 was held, we found a tail that hat huge and deep water ruts. We straddled Jonathan truck in such a way that the front was at maximum flex and the rear was maximum flex.
The axles were securely resting on the bump stops, yet looking at the tires (35") proximity to the wheel well, and other suspension components it became clear that by using the bump stops as the limiting factory as appose to springs, shocks, control arms, etc' is a great solution when giving very little in flexing (if anything).
After running the truck with the 4" Ultimate Bracket, I switched to the 3" bracket to test that.
During a bumpy run, I felt no difference between the 3" and the 4" drop. However, when looking underneath the truck, you can see that that foot print of the bump stop is much smaller. In Moab because it is dusty is it easy to see parts contact. That mean using a 3" gap between the bump stop and the axle (4" bracket = 2" gap, 3" bracket = 3" gap) the bump stop still reaches the axle. However during flex, the bracket provide less support and the truck rely more on the other suspension components to support the flex.
In conclusion:
For the 2.5" lift the 2" bracket needs to be used.
For the 3" lift, you have a choice of 2" or 3" bracket.
For the 4" lift (Slee or J spring) you can use either 4" or 3".
Above 4" lift, use the 4" bracket.
1/4" shims are available for in between or if you want to fine tune the bracket for exact measurement.
For example if you have 2" lift and 35" tires, you may need the 2" bracket and one or two shims to prevent rubbing.
