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Dirty Toad

Dirty Toad

Joined
Jun 19, 2005
Threads
56
Messages
661
Location
Northern Colorado
OK, I have used the search option, and read a ton of threads about what I "think" I need to do.

Here is the situation: I have a 1987 FJ60 that we just did a OME medium Dakar suspension kit on (tires are 33/10.5/15). I was told that it would be about 2 1/2 inches taller than stock, but the suspension on the vehicle was so worn out that when measured before and after, it was over 5 inches (not a problem). The front now sits lower than the rear (i here this is normal but I don't like it, so in my book it is a problem). It also now likes to wander a bit at freeway speeds (problem #2).

I read in one post that I need a 4 degree shim on the front to get rid of the freeway wandering, that would be great! Could someone please confirm or deny this for me?

If that fixes that problem, I am left with just one. Can I just put longer shackles up front to raise the front end? If I do this, what sort of negative affect will I see with daily driving (did I forget to mention that this is also a daily driver?)

Any and all help with these matters would be greatly appreciated!

p.s. - this may be a stupid question (i am full of them), but could someone please tell me the difference between a full floating axle and a semi floating axle? I really should know this by now, but I don't. Thanks again.
 
Shims should help, I would take it to an allignment shop once shims are instaled to make sure your castor angle is correct.

Put a little longer shackle on front will work....but wait that lift will sag some!
 
1- You need the shims. They should stop the wandering, lifting the suspension changes the camber/castor angles a little bit. A tire only 10.5 wide shouldn't make it wander like that. Might need an alignment, check for even tire pressure too.

2- I see no reason why you cant extend just the front shackles. Again, this will change the suspension geometry, but just barely. I daily drive mine with extended shackles and it made no difference on road at all except for the higher center of gravity. I would check out the shackle reversal kit for up front if I were you. That should level you out and improve handling.

3- When you break an axle with a full floater the wheel will stay attached, but a semi and it may fall off. :doh: All front axles are full floaters, rears aren't as common.
 
A 2.5 deg shim might be enough for you. I like to get the alligment measured before adding the shims. The 4 deg shims are thicker and will lower the front end a bit more than a 2.5. I actually made my own 2.1 deg shims to assure that they are as thin as possible and as wide as the metric width springs.
 
Thanks for the replies folks!

So let me get this straight. I need to do the shim to get rid of the wandering, but this will lower the front end more. makes sence now that I think about it, but adds to the issue I have with the front being to low. So I am thinking that I will need the new shakles to be at least 1.5 longer than stock (right?)

As for alignment....I work for a car dealer (in the service department) so I had the alignment done when we lifted it. My tech told me that it is within factory specs for caster. He did tell me that the right side knuckle may need to be worked on soon (has some play when you put one hand on the bottom of the tire and the other on the top and push/pull)

How hard is the shakle reversal? I will search on that right now.

Thanks again. I love you guys!
 
ARB builds castor correction into their springs (OME & Dakar) so you shouldn't need any castor correction shims, at least according to 2 different ARB tech reps I've spoken with over the course of the past 2 years.

I actually installed castor correction shims when I put an OME suspension on the '60 and pulled them after a week. Found that it drove/handled much better without them.

As for your wandering, if the alignment is on, I would inspect your steering components for excessive wear, i.e. TRE's, drag links, steering knuckles, PS gear box, and even the steering column. You've changed the geometry on all of those components by lifting the vehicle and consequently taken them out of the original wear patterns. Wouldn't surprise me if you didn't need to replace several of these with new.

As far as the rear end being higher than the front, that is completely NORMAL for a new suspension, especially the OME/Dakar. Drive it for 2-3 weeks and let the springs settle into their normal ride height. It takes some time for new springs under the weight of the vehicle to "relax" a bit and level out. Ours did this too but dropped down after a few weeks.

Take it out and exercise the new suspension, flexing it over a very bumpy/rutty forest service or logging road and you'll find that the springs will settle more quickly. Just be sure to retorque your u-bolts after doing so, and a couple of times during the next few weeks.

HTH,
-dogboy- '87 FJ60
 
don't mess with the front shackles, you don't need to, especially if you installed the OME anti-inversion ones when you did you install.

-db-
 
The suspention has now been in for over a month, we took it to death valley to steach it's new legs (lots of fun). So it has had time, miles, and streaching. Looks better than it did when first done, but still too low in front.

As for the shackles....What if I was stupid and desided to save some money and am still using the stock shackles front and rear? M.A.F wanted $100 a pair for the shackles. They looked real nice, but I only can save so much money at one time.

Are those shackles longer than my stock shackles? If so, maybe that is the ticket. I wanted to buy them anyways, just wanted to find them for less than $200
 
I re-used my stock shackles with the OME springs but switched the front and rear shackles(rears are longer) and it's definitely better. I'll prolly get the Man-a-fre anti inversions later and put the longer ones on the front..

Now..........










Before...........

 
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