Suspension and wheels installed finally...WTF?

[alex e]

New Pro comps and 37" TA Krawlers. Old Man Emu 2.5" lift suspension SUA. Running 1.5" spacers on all four corners. Body is not yet bolted to frame but a quick inspection at the mounting points shows I might have .25" to move forward and line it all up.

What is going on with the damn rear wheels and axle? How could it be so far forward?















I'm confused. Is this merely a new suspension that needs to flatten out in the rear? I can barely fit my index finger between the tire and the quarter panel at the 9 o'clock spot. Muy tight!

 

[vk7ybi]

Tyres are too big. Theyre what I'd only consider using SOA.. When I installed my 33's and 35s, I redrilled te axle perch and u bolt plates and relocated the axle 40mm rearward.. My soft top had been trimmed at the front of the rear arch.. My hard top hasnt, and clears small 33s with 40mm relocation.. I couldnt imagine trying to fit a 37 in there, even with 2.5in lift..

 

[FJ40Jim]

That is a standard defect w/ the OME rear spring pack, they move the rear axle too far forward. Were you able to install the rear d-shaft? It is usually completely bottomed out at the slip yoke.

Also, a 35" is the max that will fit w/ a stock bodytub and 3" lift SUA.

 

[alex e]

Driveshafts aren't in yet. This sucks. Time to go SOA I guess.........hopefully I can at least roll it a bit. Alternatively I can mount my AR Mojaves with 33s on there....I came this far and the 37s screw everything up!

 

[splib]

Did you put extended shackles in the back, they look like they are vertical? Throw some weight in the back and that might draw the axle back some. Looks like it needs to be flexed out.

 

[vk7ybi]

Flip the springs?

 

[4x4Poet]

Before FJ40Jim schooled me above on OME lift spring design "flaws," I noticed your rig has longer than stock shackles. Looks like about 2 inches longer which, if a good guess, would make your lift 2.5" spring plus 1" shackle (half the shackle length since the spring eye is fixed).

The extended shackles have pushed the shackle springeye & axle in an arc down and toward the xfer case. Obviously, the lift springs moved the axle downward which, alone, should extend the driveshaft length required unless what FJ40Jim said means that OME locates the centerpin hole foward (iow, near stock distance from the springeye despite 2.5" lift springs being longer than stock by necessity of the lift involved) to keep the axle near the stock distance from the xfer case so generic customers can run their stock-length driveshafts or simply have the axle/tire biased foward to allow for no rear tire to fender strikes with the greater-than-stock movement rearward inherent with longer lift springs under compression. Generic customers probably don't take to fender trimming. Perhaps I'm over thinking the OME part of this. No reflection on Jim.

Another clue that the springs are too short for the shackles is the vertical position of the shackles. The shackles should angle towards the rear some like the stock shackle position which gives a good ride, relatively speaking. With vertically positioned shackles atttached to positively arched springs, the rear spring eye must first struggle back before it can more easily arc upward.

Only springs made longer for the extended shackles with a centerpin hole location placing the axle in the stock, unbiased front or rear, location would bring the axle back to what you seem to expect from lift springs (me too). Custom springs are probably your only SUA option where the springmaker makes the rear springs with the lift amount and shackle length in mind. Not to mention pinion angle, axle location, vehicle weight, and usage (rockcrawling). You could then trim the fenders around the "properly" located tire to allow for axle movement rearward under compression.

I still don't know for sure if the 37s would work in SUA configuration with a 3.5" to 4" spring/shackle lift and fender trimming; I just know that the spring and shackle combo you have are not compatible with where you (and I) expect the axle/tire to end up under the lift. HTH.

 

[In2cruisers]

yes....flip the springs... swap ends of rear springs

 

[njshofear]

That is a standard defect w/ the OME rear spring pack, they move the rear axle too far forward. Were you able to install the rear d-shaft? It is usually completely bottomed out at the slip yoke.

Also, a 35" is the max that will fit w/ a stock bodytub and 3" lift SUA.

so wait, the OME 2.5" lift moves the rear axle forward? is there an easy fix for that other than redrilling the spring perch? or if your running 33's it doesnt really matter?

 

[dgangle]

Alex,
Your tires are pretty darn big for a 2.5" SUA. How in the world did you settle on that combination?

I run 33's with a 4" SUA, slightly longer shackles, trimmed rear quarters and modified rear lift springs that relocate the centering pin rearward.

May I suggest the following:
1. Wait to do anything until you are in a position to have all the weight on your truck. Roll bar, seats, spare tire, hardtop, gas tank full, whatever. This normal sprung weight will sag the springs to some degree.
2. Trim your rear quarters as necessary minding what flares you intend to use.
3. Get a non-vertical shackle angle by removing shorter leaf(s) and relocating the rear shackle hangers forward.
4. Relocate the spring centering pin rearward to center the wheel. Rememberer that as the springs flex, the wheel will not only move up but to the rear as well. Don't move the spring pin too much or the tire may contact the quarter panel/flares on compression .
5. Attach rear driveshaft. Modify length as required.
6. Paint your truck/ mount your flares.
7. As your springs 'break in', you can add the leaf(s) back in and/or move the shackle hanger rearward to it's former stock location.

 

[alex e]

Dave,

TA Krawlers fell in my lap. The rear quarters are trimmed already (and fairly severely).

Rear shackles are CCOT, but possibly could be a bigger model they sell, IIRC...?

What about flipping the rear springs to push the axle back some?

MY instinct was wait until the seats, gas tank, spare tire, hardtop, and roll cage is in to see where it settles.

 

[dgangle]

If you gotta smoking deal on the 37's you could always flip them and put the $$$ towards some 33's. SOA takes some time, tools, knowledge, skill and makes some pretty drastic changes to your truck that you may not want to live with in the long run....all depends on what you want. If it were me, I'd go 33's and my above mentioned recommendations.

Yes, flipping the springs may be an option for you. Doing so will definitely move the rear wheels back. I know it has advantages in wheelbase, departure angle, etc but personally, I think it looks retarded. No dig towards anyone that has done it...just not for me and one must respect that. When you do this you are pretty much delegated to Heep flares so if that doesn't bother you, go for it.

 

[kyot4x4]

Why do you have to use flares i sure didn't.

kyle

 

[dgangle]

I guess if tire overhang it not illegal where you live and you don't mind every piece of dirt, rock, road grime, etc on the side of your truck, then don't worry about flares with the goofy looking new shape of your wheel well.

 

[alex e]

Spring flip is fast and cheap and can be done in an hour..

 

[crujones]

If it were me I would keep the 37s move the front fenders up a few inches, cut the doody out of the rear and flip the rear springs. You can run those tires with that lift it just takes a little trimming. I would only do this if the primary purpose of your rig was wheelen.

 

[kyot4x4]

dgangle whats goofy about my wheel opening? Ive been running them this way for a while and no problems with cops or with rocks

kyle

 

[bsmith123]

dgangle whats goofy about my wheel opening? Ive been running them this way for a while and no problems with cops or with rocks

kyle

They look okay as is ---I also dont like the flares for me they ruin the classic lines of the cruiser. But as far as SOA goes yours looks good --I also think it looks goofy when the axle is not centered

but I admit I am a SUA guy


On to the subject at hand

First things first ---are 37's a must and is this what you had in mind for a build? If so and you have the time and money then press in that direction but you have some work ahead of you and it takes some doing to get it right and looking right


I have 33 x 10.5s with a 4 inch lift, to me it retains the classic looks just a little tougher lookin

The easy way out is to trade the 37s for 33s


Body lifts and extended shackles are just more grief

 

[4x4Poet]

I would flip the springs, as well.

Doing so won't solve your shackle issue and will place the half of the spring with the shorter distance from centerpin hole to springeye at the shackle end which will degrade the ride compared to the longer half being with the shackle. I'd bet Toyota purposedly biased the centerpin hole towards the fixed springeye for better flex at the end with the accompanying shackle rotation.

However, flipping the springs will give you a no cost look at whether the overall spring and shackle lift will allow 37s with the tires more centered in the wheel opening.

I'd like to see a pic of the flip result so I, too, can get an idea of what 37s in 3-4" SUA looks like.

 

[CruisinGA]

I'd like to see a pic of the flip result so I, too, can get an idea of what 37s in 3-4" SUA looks like.

I've posted this picture a gazillion times, (seems like this topic is coming up a lot recently). Been away from the truck for 3 months so I haven't been able to take any new ones.

4" skyjacker springs flipped front and rear. 37" Irocks. Also run this setup with 38.5" SX's. Rear wheel wells are opened as high as possible, and widened to keep the axle centered after spring flip.

Schoolbus, Tellico.