so I've been thinkin... (1 Viewer)

[Mr.Bryan]

I want some more lift, and I'd like a nice amount of flex, and I don't want to spend a butt load of money. I own a Land Cruiser. One of those is not physically possible in that equation... unless... I convert from coils to leafs.

I've been thinking about it, and it really wouldn't be that hard of a job because I've got pretty much everything I need anyways. All I would have to do is just cut off or unbolt a ton of arms and crap, do a bunch of welding, and i'd be all set.

I was thinking 63" chevy 4wd springs for the rear, having some custom alcan springs made for the front, and all of the other little things like shackles and perches and junk I can make easily. I've got full access to a welder and plasma cutter and my uncles tool and die shop.

What do you guys think?

i'm guessing total cost for 6-7" (from stock) lift... $1200ish

 

[NorCalDoug]

Does the $1200 estimate include:
double-cardan driveshafts
adjustable panhards
adjustable upper control arms
longer lower control arms
drop blocks
extended brake lines
yada, yada, yada?

 

[Arya Ebrahimi]

Does the $1200 estimate include:
double-cardan driveshafts
adjustable panhards
adjustable upper control arms
longer lower control arms
drop blocks
extended brake lines
yada, yada, yada?

Did you read what he wrote!?

He still might need driveshafts and brake lines, but that's about it out of your list...

Bryan, it certainly is an option, and depending on your useage and desires, possibly a good one. However I must remind you that leafs aren't exactly known for their ride characteristics, although their load handling abilities are far superior to coils IMO.

If you have an otherwise pristine 80, I wouldn't go cutting it up to put leafs on it. However if you fully intend to thrash the truck, then hell, why not?

Oh yeah, you'll get to deal with things like bent leafs, axle wrap, and axle hop. All the reasons many people convert to link suspensions in the first place

Ary

 

[Gumby]

I'll just trade you my 55 for your 80 and you'll be set. Or you can take my 60, Hell for your 80, you can have both.

Seriously. I you want a leaf sprung wagon buy a 60. Leave the 80 alone. It's a far, far superior truck with the coils.

Apparently, by thinking you meant drinking.

bibo ergo sum.

 

[clownmidget]

If you've got access to all of that equipment and have the skillz then I'd say go this route...

1) convert the front to a 3-link (http://www.actionjackson.com/cruiser/mods/20060110.asp). Cost about $400. You can get Slee's front panhard adjuster DIY for another $95. Sleeve the steering rods to beef them up.

2) you can go with Slee's springs for $400 for all four to get the spring lift you want.

3) you'll need to deal with shocks and the mounts regardless of going to leaf springs or staying with coils. You can go with the 14" ones posted in the hardcore section for about the same cost of Rancho 5000's.

4) just cut and sleeve the rear 4-link arms once you have it set up the way you want. with very little work it'll drive fine and use up all of a 14" shock. you can do Shawn Jackson's rear panhard threaded insert for under $50 or do Slee's for just a few bucks more.

5) screw all of that and just add a 1", 2" or 3" body lift for about $100 (www.4crawler.com) and you can run 37's with just a plain old OME 850/863 setup.

there's cheap ways to do it, you just gotta live with the choices....

edit: yeah forgot to point out all of that added up to less than $1500 easy...

 

[Nay]

I want some more lift, and I'd like a nice amount of flex, and I don't want to spend a butt load of money. I own a Land Cruiser. One of those is not physically possible in that equation... unless... I convert from coils to leafs.

I've been thinking about it, and it really wouldn't be that hard of a job because I've got pretty much everything I need anyways. All I would have to do is just cut off or unbolt a ton of arms and crap, do a bunch of welding, and i'd be all set.

I was thinking 63" chevy 4wd springs for the rear, having some custom alcan springs made for the front, and all of the other little things like shackles and perches and junk I can make easily. I've got full access to a welder and plasma cutter and my uncles tool and die shop.

What do you guys think?

i'm guessing total cost for 6-7" (from stock) lift... $1200ish

Why don't you sell your 80, buy an old runner, do the 350 conversion and tube up some armor? You'll probably put money in your pocket and have a superior offroad rig. With that kind of fab capability an 80 is a terrible base platform, and the money you'll lose in depreciation will far exceed the cost of a 6" coil lift with custom front suspension.

For example:

 

[firetruck41]

I don't know anything about converting to leaf springs or the theoretical advantages of doing so, but I will go on record to say it sounds like one of those things that will cost alot more than you think... If you can afford the time/money/energy, it certainly would be an interesting project for us mudders to watch unfold.

 

[cruiserdan]

Leaf springs suck............

 

[willie]

Dan is right. This '80 which I bought 2 years ago is the first coil spring rig I've had. It it so superior to the leaf systems. Mechanically may be simpler with less control arms etc, but they don't perform with the flex and stability of coils. Stick with the coils.

 

[4rnr]

can you blame the guy he is stuck with an 80!!!! he has an option of a very very small handful of lifts all costing a fortune. At least hes thinking out of the TINY fj80 box.

 

[cruiserdan]

It's a helluva lot cheaper (and easier) to lift an 80 than it is a 60.

 

[Newps]

This is by far the most confusing thread I have ever read.

 

[Mr.Bryan]

Ok, here's my reasoning. First off, it really wouldnt cost more then 1200. I can get custom front springs, 3-4hundred, rear chevy springs 100 at a junk yard. steel, scraps and whatever I got laying around, maybe $50, shocks $400, front d-shaft <300. with all that together 1200 should cover me.

that is going to get me a good ammount of lift, and the springs should flex just as good as coils. From what i experianced in my friends leafed 92 4runner, it rides just as good as my truck. I am not concerned about the value of the truck cause i'm never going to sell it. I'm going to just keep beating it up, eventually put a new motor, trans, whatever else ends up going, make it a soft top, and give it to my kid if he/she wants it. (or if we're not driving flying cars by then)

I'm just trying to think up some viable options here, and i'm not opposed to really f*in with the truck. As far as the 80 not being a good platform, I think that would be in the eyes of the beholder. I really like the 80 for what it is (size, interior, looks) but in my honest opinion, i think the coils are whats holding it back. For me without dumping a ton of cash into it and modifying all of the arms and what not, getting any more lift then what i have now is a pain. Obviously it would be more work to go to leafs, but in the long run if i ever wanted to go to coilovers, i'd need to strip out the frame anyways. This is kind of an intermediate thing.

I'm definatly not committing myself to anyting yet. I'm trying to figgure out what exactly I want to do. Maybe i'll cut my roof off and go with a soft top before I do this, I'm just trying to figgure out how it would all work.

 

[cruiserdan]

The 80 is a coil sprung vehicle. If you want leaves, take a step backwards to a 60-62.

 

[IdahoDoug]

What lift do you have on your 80 currently? It's important to have a frame of reference here and your sig doesn't mention anything.

DougM

 

[Mr.Bryan]

2.5 ome with ome trim packers and mr gasket spacers in the front

 

[Mr.Bryan]

I don't want to backwards to a 60 cause they dont have leather!

Honestly though, its all the little things I like about the 80, that's why I dont want to go to a 60/2.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Mr. B-Step away from the Cruiser. You have to be kidding about changing the 80 series suspension to a leaf spring set up. Not only is the 80 series suspension cheaper to lift-it's better in every way. If you are determined to do leafs, start with a 60 or 62 and go for it. I have both, and drive both, and I can see no logic in what you are proposing. Now if you said you wanted to change an FJ60 to coil springs-I'd say good idea, and let us know how it turns out.

 

[clownmidget]

I can get custom front springs, 3-4hundred, rear chevy springs 100 at a junk yard.

ok, so that's already the cost of a full set of custom coils in any lift and pretty much any rate you want from Slee/OME. Slap 'em on, wheel it and adjust accordingly :hillbilly

steel, scraps and whatever I got laying around, maybe $50, shocks $400, front d-shaft <300. with all that together 1200 should cover me.

I don't see this adding up. you still have the spring perches, ubolts, shackle set up, I'm guessing the steering is not going to work in it's current configuration so that's a wild-a$$ guess as to how that'll play out. As I said before, lots and lots of folks have spent a lot less time and pretty much the same money to get 35" tires running just fine both on the road and off road. anyone with advanced fab skills can spend almost no money on using the stock front control arms, cutting them and re-welding them to get the right caster and cutting and sleeving everything else (e.g., z80).

that is going to get me a good ammount of lift, and the springs should flex just as good as coils. From what i experianced in my friends leafed 92 4runner, it rides just as good as my truck.

I have to laugh at that one. there are some great leaf sprung trucks that get great flex but I wouldn't take them up to 100 mph on the freeway and do any steering Seriously, you can build up your coil spring 80 to run 35-37" tires, not have the bolt-on, bolt-off or slickness of say a full Slee setup, spend a lot more of your time and resources, but have it act pretty much like a regular OME 2.5" lift on 33's. And I assume you're talking about your friends 92 4Runner being leafed only in the front since their rear was already a sweet 4-link coil setup that flexed like mad kind of like some other Toyota's...

 

[clownmidget]

Cool Andy, when are you coiling your 60?