I have been debating between doing a lift and getting an SOA. The people in this forum clearly like the SOA better. I have heard it gives you a softer ride and allows greater flexibility when four wheeling. I have gone to the tech page and learned about turninh knuckles and extending brake lines. So clearly from a technical point of view the SOA is superiou and also more work.
I would like to look at it from the Best value point of view. Here is the situation. You can do a lift (2" or 4" you pick) with all new components yourself for $700. Or, you can hire some one to do the SOA for $3000-$3500.
Is the SOA really worth 4 times the cost? I equate this to $200 front center Ice seats at the Hockey game. yeah there better, but I don't think there worth the extra $150 a seat from sitting at the front of the second level. That's just me. As an engineer I deal with quanitative data. So I am going to set up a 10 question evaluation and when I get sufficient replies to make a statistical rating, I will post them and try and keep them updated.
For questions 1-6, rate each answer 1-5 with 5 being best. Feel free to add comments and I will also compile those.
For #1-4, A brand new Stock Style Suspension is equal to a 3
For #1-4, A 20 year old Stock Style Suspension is equal to a 2
Question #1 How would you rate the ride on the highway for a Lifted (2 or 4") FJ40 with soft shocks? 1 to 5
Question #2 How would you rate the ride on the highway for a SOA modified FJ40? 1 to 5
Question #3 How would you rate the flexibility for off Road driving for a lifted FJ40? 1 to 5
Question #4 How would you rate the flexibility for off road driving fo an SOA modified FJ40? 1 to 5
Question #5 - What would you say the value of an Lift on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 is keep the stock set-up?
Question #6- What would you say the value of an SOA on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 is keep the stock set-up?
Question #7 - How much did you pay for your lift/SOA? please specify which you got and if you did it yourself.
Question #8 - Now that you have completed your SOA or Lift (specify which) would you do it again or switch to the other?
Question #9 - What do you think is the number 1 advantage of an SOA vs lift?
Question #10 - What do you think the number 1 advantage of a lift vs an SOA?
I promise to compile the results.
I would like to look at it from the Best value point of view. Here is the situation. You can do a lift (2" or 4" you pick) with all new components yourself for $700. Or, you can hire some one to do the SOA for $3000-$3500.
Is the SOA really worth 4 times the cost? I equate this to $200 front center Ice seats at the Hockey game. yeah there better, but I don't think there worth the extra $150 a seat from sitting at the front of the second level. That's just me. As an engineer I deal with quanitative data. So I am going to set up a 10 question evaluation and when I get sufficient replies to make a statistical rating, I will post them and try and keep them updated.
For questions 1-6, rate each answer 1-5 with 5 being best. Feel free to add comments and I will also compile those.
For #1-4, A brand new Stock Style Suspension is equal to a 3
For #1-4, A 20 year old Stock Style Suspension is equal to a 2
Question #1 How would you rate the ride on the highway for a Lifted (2 or 4") FJ40 with soft shocks? 1 to 5
Question #2 How would you rate the ride on the highway for a SOA modified FJ40? 1 to 5
Question #3 How would you rate the flexibility for off Road driving for a lifted FJ40? 1 to 5
Question #4 How would you rate the flexibility for off road driving fo an SOA modified FJ40? 1 to 5
Question #5 - What would you say the value of an Lift on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 is keep the stock set-up?
Question #6- What would you say the value of an SOA on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 is keep the stock set-up?
Question #7 - How much did you pay for your lift/SOA? please specify which you got and if you did it yourself.
Question #8 - Now that you have completed your SOA or Lift (specify which) would you do it again or switch to the other?
Question #9 - What do you think is the number 1 advantage of an SOA vs lift?
Question #10 - What do you think the number 1 advantage of a lift vs an SOA?
I promise to compile the results.