Sandy the Tan FJ60 (2 Viewers)

[Hokie LX]

The last post on the last page is of the leafspring changes made.

The truck lost 0.75-1" of height with the leafs pulled. Once I get some miles on it, I'll see if I want to put any of them back in. The truck is still 1.5" or so higher than with the worn out OME leafs.

As it sits now...

 

[garfieldthecat]

Did some tinkering with the Dobinsons as I wait for the front shocks to ship.

My shackle angle was beyond 90* front and rear with the leafs installed. I know they may break in a little but I wanted to get the angle back under 90* before driving it. Pulled a leaf front and rear and also got rid of the rear u-cups and isolators in favor of the center bolt spacers from @cruiseroutfit.

I swapped the rear leafs side to side when I pulled the rear leaf and it completely 100% leveled the truck side to side. Then I pulled a leaf from the fronts and the truck is leaning 0.5" left to right. I'll toy with it further once I get a couple hundred miles on it with a couple hundred pounds in the back.

Shackles before:
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And After:
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Spacers:
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Thank you for the update and photos. How many leaves total are in the front and rear spring packs now? 5 and 6 or 6 and 7? It looks like they are sold in 6 or 7 leaf-spring packs for the front and 7 or 8 leaf-spring packs for the rear, but alot of threads I have read seem to say that a spring is usually removed. Is there an "ideal" spring leaf number, like 5 or 6 for the front or 6 or 7 for the rear? Would someone get the same result from buying a 7-leaf pack and removing a leaf as they would if they bought the 6-leaf pack for the front and same result with an 8 pack rear and removing one leaf? Your truck has heavier front and rear bumpers, so if it was still not enough weight for the springs to compress, then a stock truck should probably go with the lightest set of springs I'm thinking? Thanks for any insight you can share.

 

[CruiserTrash]

Thank you for the update and photos. How many leaves total are in the front and rear spring packs now? 5 and 6 or 6 and 7? It looks like they are sold in 6 or 7 leaf-spring packs for the front and 7 or 8 leaf-spring packs for the rear, but alot of threads I have read seem to say that a spring is usually removed. Is there an "ideal" spring leaf number, like 5 or 6 for the front or 6 or 7 for the rear? Would someone get the same result from buying a 7-leaf pack and removing a leaf as they would if they bought the 6-leaf pack for the front and same result with an 8 pack rear and removing one leaf? Your truck has heavier front and rear bumpers, so if it was still not enough weight for the springs to compress, then a stock truck should probably go with the lightest set of springs I'm thinking? Thanks for any insight you can share.

My application is a little different but I went from 7 leaves in the front down to 5. I have a shackle reversal and run the HZJ75 springs, which are the dimensionally the same, except that they’re longer. I put in the stock 60 packs in the rear, and while the shackle angle is about 85 degrees, they have been riding nice out of the box without pulling any leaves. I was kind of surprised by that. I’m mostly daily driving, commuting to work, but we do lots of loaded up camping/light to medium wheeling about 8 months out of the year.

I do have a front bull bar, but no winch. I have a dual swing out in the rear. Rack on top, but no rooftop tent. I do plan on adding a winch and dual battery system this spring, so we’ll see how the front springs do with the extra weight.

Stance:

 

[Hokie LX]

Thank you for the update and photos. How many leaves total are in the front and rear spring packs now? 5 and 6 or 6 and 7? It looks like they are sold in 6 or 7 leaf-spring packs for the front and 7 or 8 leaf-spring packs for the rear, but alot of threads I have read seem to say that a spring is usually removed. Is there an "ideal" spring leaf number, like 5 or 6 for the front or 6 or 7 for the rear? Would someone get the same result from buying a 7-leaf pack and removing a leaf as they would if they bought the 6-leaf pack for the front and same result with an 8 pack rear and removing one leaf? Your truck has heavier front and rear bumpers, so if it was still not enough weight for the springs to compress, then a stock truck should probably go with the lightest set of springs I'm thinking? Thanks for any insight you can share.

I found pics of the light leaf springs and found which leaf they add to make these "heavies". I pulled that leaf out of the front and rear packs so I'm essentially running the light versions of them now. 6 leaf front, 7 rear. Time will tell how much more it'll drop and how it rides once the springs break in. Like I mentioned above, I plan to put some miles on it to break them in and then load it up as if I'm going to an event and drive it some more to see how it sits and rides. I'll adjust accordingly from there.

My DIY rear bumper is light relative to most aftermarket options so that may play a factor but I also have drawers and a fridge in the back but I don't have any of my tools or other heavy stuff I travel with in there currently in the pics above.

 

[onemanarmy]

can you provide the distance from the center of the wheel to the underside of the fender opening as it sits now? all 4 corners?

 

[Hokie LX]

On another note, my extended front sway bar links from Cruiser Outfitters no longer reach so I'm deciding it I should keep the bar at all or just take it off. Anyone have any experience with removing it and have you regretted it? Otherwise, I'll need some longer links if it stays on the truck.

 

[Hokie LX]

can you provide the distance from the center of the wheel to the underside of the fender opening as it sits now? all 4 corners?

I'll get some this afternoon.

 

[CruiserTrash]

On another note, my extended front sway bar links from Cruiser Outfitters no longer reach so I'm deciding it I should keep the bar at all or just take it off. Anyone have any experience with removing it and have you regretted it? Otherwise, I'll need some longer links if it stays on the truck.

I drove with no front sway bar for about 6 months and in certain situations it was downright scary. Mostly on the highway in the mountains rounding sharp curves at speed. I got some Man-a-Fre sway bar end links and they’ve been great. They come in a bunch of different sizes and have ball joints in them so they don’t limit flex as much. I still pull the end links and tie up the seay bar wheeling though.

 

[Hokie LX]

I drove with no front sway bar for about 6 months and in certain situations it was downright scary. Mostly on the highway in the mountains rounding sharp curves at speed. I got some Man-a-Fre sway bar end links and they’ve been great. They come in a bunch of different sizes and have ball joints in them so they don’t limit flex as much. I still pull the end links and tie up the seay bar wheeling though.

Guessing I should keep it for the trek to Ouray later this year then. As much fun as it would be winding down the million dollar highway with no front sway bar hoping I don't roll off to my death with the 18 wheeler bones from years past. I'll look for some other longer options and I'll check out the manafre ones as well. Thanks.

 

[CruiserTrash]

Guessing I should keep it for the trek to Ouray later this year then. As much fun as it would be winding down the million dollar highway with no front sway bar hoping I don't roll off to my death with the 18 wheeler bones from years past. I'll look for some other longer options and I'll check out the manafre ones as well. Thanks.

That would 100% be the time I’d want a functioning sway bar. One of the twistiest roads in America, no guards rails, tight lanes, and sheer 1000-1500’ drops? Yeah, I’ll take all the stability so can get.

 

[Hokie LX]

can you provide the distance from the center of the wheel to the underside of the fender opening as it sits now? all 4 corners?

FR: 21.75”
RR: 21.6”
RL: 21.5”
FL: 21.75”

Damn near level. So maybe driving it up and down the driveway a couple times moving it has moved the bushings back and forth and settled it a hair.

 

[mattressking]

Guessing I should keep it for the trek to Ouray later this year then. As much fun as it would be winding down the million dollar highway with no front sway bar hoping I don't roll off to my death with the 18 wheeler bones from years past. I'll look for some other longer options and I'll check out the manafre ones as well. Thanks.

Interesting, I yanked my swaybars with OME and OME shocks and would outrun everyone on the 550.....OME is super stiff and the 5 years I whipped around, I couldn't imagine putting a sway back on. Wouldn't be surprised if reverse shackle would change it.

 

[Hokie LX]

Interesting, I yanked my swaybars with OME and OME shocks and would outrun everyone on the 550.....OME is super stiff and the 5 years I whipped around, I couldn't imagine putting a sway back on. Wouldn't be surprised if reverse shackle would change it.

Good point. I may run around with it off and see how she feels then decide.

 

[CruiserTrash]

Interesting, I yanked my swaybars with OME and OME shocks and would outrun everyone on the 550.....OME is super stiff and the 5 years I whipped around, I couldn't imagine putting a sway back on. Wouldn't be surprised if reverse shackle would change it.

With my OME suspension I didn’t need it at all. Shackle reversal raises my COG and the springs are more flexy now, so I definitely like having it on for highway driving.

 

[garfieldthecat]

FR: 21.75”
RR: 21.6”
RL: 21.5”
FL: 21.75”

Damn near level. So maybe driving it up and down the driveway a couple times moving it has moved the bushings back and forth and settled it a hair.

Has a great stance in that last photo in front of the garage.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

On another note, my extended front sway bar links from Cruiser Outfitters no longer reach so I'm deciding it I should keep the bar at all or just take it off. Anyone have any experience with removing it and have you regretted it? Otherwise, I'll need some longer links if it stays on the truck.

We have longer 6x/7x ones, used on 3"+ setups fwiw.

 

[PapaGiamati]

What a read!

Lots of items added to my "to do" list I had never thought of. Great stuff.

 

[Hokie LX]

As many have posted recently, the Toyota Koito headlights lights are on sale at Toyota dealers. I just picked up a spare set for $17 to have cause why not. Includes the headlights, bulbs, zip ties, and full harness! Best deal Toyota has IMO.

I have since switched to LED headlights but still using the harness.

 

[Hokie LX]

New seat for the 60. Wanted something new that was hopefully more comfortable than the stock seats and this one delivers. They’re back ordered in this color so passenger seat will come later. It’s a Bestop Trailmax II Pro in their spice color with the fabric insert. They fit great in the 60, color matches the interior well, and I’m very happy with it. Whipped up some quick adapters out of steel flat bar and bolted them to the factory sliders. I also took the opportunity to move the seat back 2” for more space and driving comfort.

I had been eying the procar elite seats pretty hard but ended up going with these and am happy with them!

Yes it’s a J**p seat…

 

[GLTHFJ60]

New seat for the 60. Wanted something new that was hopefully more comfortable than the stock seats and this one delivers. They’re back ordered in this color so passenger seat will come later. It’s a Bestop Trailmax II Pro in their spice color with the fabric insert. They fit great in the 60, color matches the interior well, and I’m very happy with it. Whipped up some quick adapters out of steel flat bar and bolted them to the factory sliders. I also took the opportunity to move the seat back 2” for more space and driving comfort.

I had been eying the procar elite seats pretty hard but ended up going with these and am happy with them!

Yes it’s a J**p seat…

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It looks the part and feels the part. I tested it out in his truck today and ordered one myself (Amazon prime ftw) before I got up, lol.

Paving the way for us! Thanks Chris.