Builds Stretched 1-Ton FJ40 (5 Viewers)

[GLTHFJ60]

Well first and foremost that boot is not long for this world, lol.

Another pair of joints and a stabilizing heim might be your best choice here. That or run it and see how it does, change later if you have issues. Body flex might cause an issue, but the motor mounts compressing would be my primary concern.

 

[Paul]

Lol on the boot. Just mocking things up right know. Thanks for the comments. Appreciate it

 

[Paul]

Where on the shaft would you recommend the additional joint?

 

[GLTHFJ60]

You'd have to start at the joint on the firewall to get it away and maintain good angle to the box.

 

[EWheeler]

Where on the shaft would you recommend the additional joint?

Paul, you should really start your own build thread to share what you're doing and ask questions as they arise and pertain to your specific vehicle. I'd love to see more photos an details on your rig, but hard to keep track of what is going on when you're posting questions all over in multiple peoples build threads.

 

[Mike Shull]

That’s good advice from @EWheeler and @GLTHFJ60. If you do start a new thread, be sure to tag us. I’d like to participate in the thread.

To add a little context to the steering conversation, I’ll post a picture of mine from how I ran the steering for 20+ years. The engine was an old cast iron Chevy 350 turned into a 383 with a drinking problem. I sent it to counseling multiple times and it got faster, but the drinking issue never resolved. Getting to the point, the heads are narrower than the LS heads so exhaust clearance was not an issue for me. However, my steering shaft was about 1/2 to 3/4” away from the steering pump return line and it touched when I was fully articulated. If you zoom in with the first picture you can see a rub spot that is now rusty (it hasn’t seen action in two years). This seemed fine so I never changed it.

Fast forward to last year when I installed my 6.2L LS and it got a little tighter (see pictures). The steering column has since been stored under the house under a bunch of holiday decorations otherwise I would put a tape measure on it. Nevertheless, I’d guess that it is about 1/2” away and I plan to run it this way before I worry about clearance. I realize that the exhaust manifold is less forgiving than a hose . If I did make a change to my setup, I would most likely lengthen my upper column shaft to get my joint further away from the engine.

A pro tip: take a string from the centerline of your upper shaft and run it in a straight line to where it would intersect your frame and tie it off (kind of like measuring your instant center on the suspension if you did it the old fashioned way). Then run a string from the centerline of your steering box to multiple places along the other string and find a spot that gives you the clearance that you want. Make sure to account for the u-joint mass and angles. It goes without saying, though make sure to add 1/2 the diameter of your shaft plus the extra clearance that you want. If you can’t achieve what you want you might consider running a carrier bearing toward your left fender kind of like what I did for my front driveshaft (see threadmark). I think this is what GLTHFJ60 is recommending but I could be mistaken. You have many other options, too, such as raising the engine or moving the steering box, but I agree with the above comments and believe that you can achieve what you want without too much hassle.

 

[mtweller]

This is how jogged my steering around the exhaust:

I welded a piece of angle to this bearing and it bolts to the frame rail, so it's easily removed:

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[mano002]

View attachment 3139463

I would probably try different headers, or manifolds before modifying the steering shaft, but that always has a trickle down effect under the truck as well.

 

[mano002]

@mano002, could you please snap a few photos of your rear shock mounts (mainly the uppers) and your rear frame notch?

Here are a couple photos from last night. The bent tube is welded to the rear crossmember, and butts into the angled 1/4" plate that supports the notch. The plate above the shock mount is a sandwich plate that goes to the rear of the roll-cage. I have a diagonal bar in the roll-cage that ties into this cage node as well.

 

[Mike Shull]

Here are a couple photos from last night. The bent tube is welded to the rear crossmember, and butts into the angled 1/4" plate that supports the notch. The plate above the shock mount is a sandwich plate that goes to the rear of the roll-cage. I have a diagonal bar in the roll-cage that ties into this cage node as well.

View attachment 3139538

View attachment 3139539

Wow, this looks great! I will have to borrow some of this for mine. I like how you tied your cage in with the shock mount and notch. Nice work. I would like to keep my coilover towards the rear like you have as long as I can fit my sway bar in there somewhere. I don't want the coilover in the front as I want to keep that space for passengers....though it looks like you didn't loose too much space inside if the truck, right?

 

[Mike Shull]

This is how jogged my steering around the exhaust:

View attachment 3139520

I welded a piece of angle to this bearing and it bolts to the frame rail, so it's easily removed:
View attachment 3139523

Borgeson Universal 670600 Borgeson Universal Steering Shaft Support Bearings | Summit Racing

Free Shipping - Borgeson Universal Steering Shaft Support Bearings with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Steering Shaft Support Bearings at Summit Racing.

www.summitracing.com

This clears your exhaust manifolds quite well

 

[Paul]

What’s the length of the Kings? Is the tub wheel wells modified?

 

[Mike Shull]

What’s the length of the Kings? Is the tub wheel wells modified?

I’m going to tag @mano002 so that he can correct me if I am wrong. I believe that he is using 2.5” x 16” King coilovers in the front with 2.0” x 16” rear, which would give him a 3” and 2.5” diameter springs respectively, yes?

It does look like he modified his wheel well, though maybe not as much as the Cruiser that DJ posted from Proffits. @mano002, could you also snap a photo or two of the inside of your Cruiser where you made room for your rear coilovers, please? You should start charging for these photos.

 

[Paul]

Thanks Mike. I want to start looking for parts for my future front 3 link and updating my rear 4 link.

 

[mano002]

Wow, this looks great! I will have to borrow some of this for mine. I like how you tied your cage in with the shock mount and notch. Nice work. I would like to keep my coilover towards the rear like you have as long as I can fit my sway bar in there somewhere. I don't want the coilover in the front as I want to keep that space for passengers....though it looks like you didn't loose too much space inside if the truck, right?

I am planning on putting the sway-bar under the floor of the tub, just above the frame as it starts to drop. I have not got there yet. Definitely needs one.

I’m going to tag @mano002 so that he can correct me if I am wrong. I believe that he is using 2.5” x 16” King coilovers in the front with 2.0” x 16” rear, which would give him a 3” and 2.5” diameter springs respectively, yes?

It does look like he modified his wheel well, though maybe not as much as the Cruiser that DJ posted from Proffits. @mano002, could you also snap a photo or two of the inside of your Cruiser where you made room for your rear coilovers, please? You should start charging for these photos.

This is correct, and the tub is heavily modified. The width of the tub is the same as the narrowest part of the frame, probably 1 rib narrower than stock. I got a custom floor made from @Awl_TEQ. The tub is about 1" per side narrower than the rear door opening. The wheel wells are taller as well. This was all to fit the shocks outside the frame. It was a lot of work to get it sorted out. tack it up, cycle the suspension, move a mount, repeat, repeat repeat. Like I said earlier, it fits, but it it hits at full stuff and full droop, even with 1-tons and 17x9 - 3.75" backspace wheels. I also had some challenges with 4-link geometry, I recommend reading and learning a lot about the 4-link calculator, keeping a keen eye on your roll-oversteer and anti-squat numbers. I am on iteration 2 and need to do a 3rd.

 

[Paul]

Cut the tub off, tube it and be done. Lol

 

[Mike Shull]

I am planning on putting the sway-bar under the floor of the tub, just above the frame as it starts to drop. I have not got there yet. Definitely needs one.

This is correct, and the tub is heavily modified. The width of the tub is the same as the narrowest part of the frame, probably 1 rib narrower than stock. I got a custom floor made from @Awl_TEQ. The tub is about 1" per side narrower than the rear door opening. The wheel wells are taller as well. This was all to fit the shocks outside the frame. It was a lot of work to get it sorted out. tack it up, cycle the suspension, move a mount, repeat, repeat repeat. Like I said earlier, it fits, but it it hits at full stuff and full droop, even with 1-tons and 17x9 - 3.75" backspace wheels. I also had some challenges with 4-link geometry, I recommend reading and learning a lot about the 4-link calculator, keeping a keen eye on your roll-oversteer and anti-squat numbers. I am on iteration 2 and need to do a 3rd.

Thanks for the reply! Very helpful. What antisquat/dive are you aiming for? I am sitting around 94% and 89% front to rear.

 

[cseitz]

Here is some pics of how I cleared the rear of mine with 12x2.0s. It's very very tight... wheel back spacing helps big time.

 

[Mike Shull]

Here is some pics of how I cleared the rear of mine with 12x2.0s. It's very very tight... wheel back spacing helps big time.

View attachment 3144531

View attachment 3144532

Thanks for posting pictures. This looks very clean. It looks like you angled your rear frame rails inward? What is your WMS and backspacing?

 

[cseitz]

Thanks for posting pictures. This looks very clean. It looks like you angled your rear frame rails inward? What is your WMS and backspacing?

Stock frame in the rear. I'll have to measure wms, it's a full width Dana 60U. I had to sneak a 1/2 wheel spacer in to get a little more width, but I had plenty of lug length to do so.