Suspension Rebuild Project

[subatomic]

Hi all,

I've been saving my pennies, nickles, and dimes and am finally at the point where I can purchase a dobinsons suspension kit. However I have neither the space nor the tools nor the experience necessary to undertake a project this big by myself, but I'd prefer to learn if I can.

Would it make the most sense to find a shop, or is this a feasible weekend project with some guidance from a mentor? I can provide food and drink as well as some cash for the help. I'm happy to also trade cruiser work for bike parts/work, as I'm working at a bike shop in town. I'm open to advice and suggestions. I'll also be at the meeting tomorrow if you want to chat in person.

Thanks!

 

[BurntToast]

I just installed the Dobinsons on my 62. I’ll be there tomorrow too. For sure doable in a long weekend

 

[subatomic]

Ordered the kit a few days ago, just waiting for ubolts to no longer be on backorder.

 

[subatomic]

Small parts arrived, just waiting for the leaf springs.

I can't find cohesive information on this online, but @BurntToast did you also buy new extended sway bars? Or did you find that the difference in lift did not offset the OEM ones significantly? I just missed the Trail Tailor sale for them.

 

[BurntToast]

Small parts arrived, just waiting for the leaf springs. View attachment 3786868
I can't find cohesive information on this online, but @BurntToast did you also buy new extended sway bars? Or did you find that the difference in lift did not offset the OEM ones significantly? I just missed the Trail Tailor sale for them.

I’m not running a rear right now but you can just use these for the fronts.

https://a.co/d/2H2v72p

I actually may have the extended rears in my garage that I can’t use with the 80 axle

 

[BurntToast]

You may also need extended brake lines from the frame to the axle.

I also put 4deg caster shims up front

 

[subatomic]

I have everything but the caster shims. Bought some brake lines and front sway bar links from MAF. Let me know if you do have those rear links. Debating seeing how it drives before ordering the shims but may just do so anyways.

 

[BurntToast]

I do have the rear links. I can bring them by if your going to the party tomorrow

 

[subatomic]

I do have the rear links. I can bring them by if your going to the party tomorrow

I was planning on going but there was an enormous backup on 40 that we got stuck in after going tree hunting on Mt. Taylor. It added maybe 2 hours to our trip... I'll catch you next meeting though

 

[Dumpolina]

I was planning on going but there was an enormous backup on 40 that we got stuck in after going tree hunting on Mt. Taylor. It added maybe 2 hours to our trip... I'll catch you next meeting though

Do you have a rear swaybar? Neither of mine do (83, 85). I thought some internet fella told me only 62's had rears

 

[pappy]

Do you have a rear swaybar? Neither of mine do (83, 85). I thought some internet fella told me only 62's had rears

I'm pretty sure I have a rear sway bar out of a FJ62. Just the bar.

 

[Dumpolina]

I'm pretty sure I have a rear sway bar out of a FJ62. Just the bar. Free.

I think someone local was looking for one in the axles/suspension classifieds

 

[pappy]

I think someone local was looking for one in the axles/suspension classifieds

Schizam. Found it. Thanks. No idea who the fella is.

 

[subatomic]

I think someone local was looking for one in the axles/suspension classifieds

I need to check if I have the brackets/mounts for them, I thought I did but now that I remember most 60s don't have sway bars I have to go look

 

[pappy]

I need to check if I have the brackets/mounts for them, I thought I did but now that I remember most 60s don't have sway bars I have to go look

Let me know. That rear sway bar is yours if you want it. I know it's a common upgrade on the FJ60s.

 

[subatomic]

Let me know. That rear sway bar is yours if you want it. I know it's a common upgrade on the FJ60s.

Yeah I'll take it. Thanks!

 

[pappy]

Yeah I'll take it. Thanks!

OK, glad you can use it. Hit me up when you want to come get it.

 

[BurntToast]

I have two brackets for the axle end if your axle doesn’t have them. I made them for my 80 axle swap but the 62 bar doesn’t fit.

 

[subatomic]

Figured I've spent enough time keeping everyone in suspense since this project was completed.

Around April-ish I noticed the front right leaf spring had completely sheared from the shackle due to rust. I had bought a Dobinsons' lift for myself for Christmas, and I figured this was as good of a time as ever to actually get to work on the project. This was my first very large auto project, and I really didn't know what I was doing, so I enlisted the very kind help of August and Grant to give me guidance and borrow tools along the way. The whole project took about 4-5 days of effort in terms of raw time, about 2 weeks between work. Navigating this project with a very serious personal issue was pretty tough, as it was the same time that my partner and I were taking care of our sick cat and having to navigate that.

The most difficult part of the project was dealing with the fact that everything had been cemented together due to rust. We rotated from the front wheels to the back. The bushings had become one with the inside of the shackle -- using a sawsall to create grooves and then punching them out with an air gun ended up being very effective. The interior plates of the shackles could be wedged apart with a combination of using a chisel and the air hammer, but the outside rear shackles required very careful angle grinding to be removed.

The u-bolt plate studs had to be sanded significantly to remove all of the rust in preparation for the shocks. The front sway bar needed longer 2 inch stabilizers as well which I got from MAF.

The bushings here had expanded from 40 years of being caked on and rusting. One of the problems we were running onto was the air hammer demolishing the nuts on the end of the studs, so finding a way to get them to slide was a big question. PB Blast wasn't working as well as I'd hoped. I had sawsalled the exposed rubber parts and then drilled holes in the rubber as a way to let it expand while using the air hammer. That ended up being the best method. The ubolts on the front axle weren't rusted enough to be a problem so I just took those out and pulled the ubolts off whole. The rubber pieces were intact on one side but not the other.

Here was the completely sheared leaf portion, removed from the shackle. And the shackle itself had a pin come off from the force of the air hammer.

Getting the leafs onto the shackle at the right angle was slightly difficult, and required some maneuvering. The key was to put the rear shackle on first, then tension the front leaf in just the right configuration and slap the s*** out of the shackle plate with a rubber mallet.

 

[subatomic]

One side done with sway bar links on. Now to do other side.

On this picture you can see where we were using the angle grinder to cut the bolt for the rear shackle. It was pretty tight and I shaved a bit off the bracket. Even with the pieces fully separated from the bolts, I often had to spend a couple minutes heating things with a torch to get them to expand enough to try and hammer out.

Not having a lift was pretty annoying in terms of work space flexibility. The 6 ton jack stands required a lot of neck craning and maneuvering. We also had some smaller 3-ton jack stands that were used as auxiliary holders for the axle, which was helpful when the axle needed to be aligned with both of the leaf springs.
Other side was same process, the ease of removal of the shackles was slightly more which gave me a false sense of security to turn around and do the rear the next day. this was definitely my mistake.