SAW Lift.......and my last one.

[Delancy]

Installed an MT supplied SAW kit on a local's (not on Mud) FJC today.

700lb coils, no resi, basic "kit".



The "proper" way to remove the OEs.....and exhaust manifold studs on an 80 (credit to scottryana on manifold stud extraction idea)





Rear










Tie rod "method". Owner opted for UCAs later.





























Four hours work time, solo. Think I'm going to pass the torch on the freebie lifts, though.

I enjoy wrenching, but (and though my idea, not alone. I volunteered to help, schedules conflicted, and just wanted it DONE, so today was the day) not alone, with phone ringing ( real world chit ) all day, kids at home, blah, blah, blah.

All the while, I've a PS gear box to swap on the PP80, so I can return to scotia.......trying to muster the energy.


Doesn't drive as harsh as I had expected. I ran 700s for a few weeks, on Radflo's that Glenn loaned me, and, though a fat pig at that time, it was harsh, as well the 700s I ran on the LT, that later swapped for 600s.

Still nose dives, still has rake, though I've adjusted twice, so going to let him drive for a while, then re-adjust up. Knuckles are already bleeding from trying to get the spanner ( well designed by SAW, I'll add ) inside the tiny coil tower.

 

[Delancy]

S&GS.

A very brief email inquiry to LT, regarding suggested sway bar grinding to clearance the SAW coils, netted me this.

 

[Mtbcoach]

Nicely done, thanks for sharing, looks like it came out great. Does he like the ride?

 

[Delancy]

" Ride is fantastic, man "

 

[Daisy 53]

Looks good Chris, want to do mine??

Daisy

 

[Delancy]

Sure. Bring it on over.

 

[1911]

Installed an MT supplied SAW kit on a local's (not on Mud) FJC today.

...

Four hours work time, solo. Think I'm going to pass the torch on the freebie lifts, though.

I'm right there with you Chris! I have installed so many lifts on FJCs that I quit counting a while ago, and I've never charged a dime for any of them.

Back on topic though, I have also installed SAW lifts for other folks and IMO their quality is right up at the very top, I was very impressed. I'm still running the Donahoe front / OME rear set-up I put on mine ages ago, but if I were to do it again for any reason I would probably go SAW. The owners I have put them on for like the ride too.

 

[Delancy]

Guess I'm getting a little burned out, and only myself to blame.

My FJC is in dire need of CV axle swap, again, and general maintenance. 80 isn't even wheel able, right now, do the pile of crap that has to be done for rock worthiness, not even counting the long list of extras.

Don't have time for mine.

On topic, but a preface.

I'm a Radflo guy, and probably always will be, but based on an established relationship with Glenn.

A few things I did like about SAW's that others could take notes on.

The coil overs upper mount is threaded, so the bolts go through the top of the tower into the threaded holes. That's a huge time saver and just makes sense.

Most the others I've installed go from bottom to top, and don't have any means to retain the bolt. A big PITA on the back bolt and overall installation.

Coolest is SAWs spanner ( though the one they sent needed some attention with a flap disk. Was razor sharp. ).

Fits perfectly inside the tower. Best one I've seen, and I've been a huge fan of King's spud bar up until now. The coil but set screw may pose issues with finite adjustment, since full revolutions are required, but I've spent weeks adjusting stance, all in vain, so a non-issue, really.

What I don't like, and have voiced about all but King, is the Mickey Mouse bushings and washer on the upper rear shock.

It doesn't retain the bushing quite like, my opinion, it should.

Swapped mine to the King's on the Radflo's I'm running on FJC, and going to spec longer threads on the PP80s, so I can use similar too.

 

[Delancy]

More from the owner.


"Completely baffled at how well the FJ handles. I took some speed bumps in parking lot like not even there. The steering on hwy was just like stock."

It is a quality ride, not doubt. He opted to retain front sway, and still some body roll (Gobi's are heavy and dramatically affect handling and COG. Reason I no longer have) but it rode well, regardless.

I had shared my experiences with 700s expressed my opinion, but the valving/coil combo works well.

 

[BMThiker]

I hear ya on the spanner wrench. ICONs have a similar design, but with an extra pin on the end of the handle for even tighter maneuvers. I had to grind the edges off mine to make it usable, but went the extra step of powder coating it red too.

Back in '07 & '08 I lost count of how many lifts I'd helped with. But haven't done any lift work in a couple years now.

 

[nkybrad]

Shiny parts. Sexy parts. Good job! Fo free tho? Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!

 

[Delancy]

Fo free tho? Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!

Have yet to collect money for anything, except a few parts and, typically, at a loss there.

All part of the "pay it forward" mentality that carries through in day to day life up to the point of being taken advantage of, then it ceases.

 

[Mtbcoach]

Have yet to collect money for anything, except a few parts and, typically, at a loss there.

All part of the "pay it forward" mentality that carries through in day to day life up to the point of being taken advantage of, then it ceases.

X2...

 

[1911]

Have yet to collect money for anything, except a few parts and, typically, at a loss there.

All part of the "pay it forward" mentality that carries through in day to day life up to the point of being taken advantage of, then it ceases.

X3

Of all the lifts, bumpers, sliders, roof racks, winches etc. that I've installed, there not but a couple of the owners that I've ever heard from or seen again after the work was done.

 

[Mtbcoach]

Have yet to collect money for anything, except a few parts and, typically, at a loss there.

All part of the "pay it forward" mentality that carries through in day to day life up to the point of being taken advantage of, then it ceases.

X3

Of all the lifts, bumpers, sliders, roof racks, winches etc. that I've installed, there not but a couple of the owners that I've ever heard from or seen again after the work was done.

This is one thing I love about our TLCA club ONSC, we wind up hosting a HAMOM at least once a month. We did a massive swap on a club member's FJ60-62-??? that now has a 4BT in it. We got 90% done over the weekend, only reason it didn't fire was the 4BT had a minor issue with the fuel pump.

This way, even those with limited mechanical aptitude gain the benefit of the local "experts", training a new generation of cruiserheads...

 

[BMThiker]

Yep, Upstate does the same thing a couple times a year (especially late winter/early spring).

Personally, I only had one lift recipient test the cruiser-karma concept. He posted up in the blue room a few years back looking for help. Me and some other Atlanta folks got his lift installed in record time on the hydraulic lift at my office...and then never heard from him again. The few odd jobs I've done since then have been for existing friends...bumper install and Taco lift.

 

[Delancy]

installed in record time on the hydraulic lift at my office.

Hydraulic lift, huh?

You should hold a record.

 

[BMThiker]

We had enough (experienced) people to work each wheel, so it did go pretty fast.

 

[Delancy]

I was giving a hard time about lift, because my knees still hurt from crawling around on garage floor doing this one.

Have figured out the perfect symphony of jack stands, floor jacks, and bottle jacks doing it this way......but it still sucks and wish for hydraulic lift through the duration.

 

[BMThiker]

Still needed the floor jacks. The lift just gets all 4 wheels off the ground to remove them and replaces the need for jack stands. Once the wheels are off, you lower it again so you can use the floor jacks to compress the suspension as needed. It does help, but you are still crawling around on the ground.