suspension refurb (1 Viewer)

[joecat66]

i am looking to do a bit of a budget refresh/lift on my truck. I was considering buying the dakar/emu leaf springs off amazon (free shipping!) cs004rb-cs003f

a bushing kit and new u-bolts. I was wondering if any has done this, if it all works w/the stock shackles, current stock sized shocks and what the ride is like w/this

light/medium duty setup-trying to save some money to upgrade my tires to a 33 diameter as well.

 

[3_puppies]

most likely the shackles and spring pins are in bad shape/condition and need replaced also.

IMHO get with cruiseroutfitters and they will set you up with what you need.
and the best part is you can talk to a real live human on the phone and they will answer any questions along the way

@cruiseroutfit

 

[cruisermatt]

If you are really on a budget. What I would do is add two add-a-leafs to your existing springs at each corner. Bilstein 5125 shocks at all corners, and buy new U-bolts and greasable shackles/pins. Really good result for about half the cost of a full new kit.

 

[OSS]

If you’re watching every dollar, its ok to not replace the U-bolts. I never did in 40 years and had the springs off 3 times in that span. The cruiser was heavily overloaded frequently and traveled thousands of miles on extremely rough dirt roads — and u-bolts were fine.
The general consensus on this forum is to replace u-bolts but that may just be a function of parroting. I’ve never read of an instance ever where a reused Toyota u-bolt has failed.

 

[cruisermatt]

If you’re watching every dollar, its ok to not replace the U-bolts. I never did in 40 years and had the springs off 3 times in that span. The cruiser was heavily overloaded frequently and traveled thousands of miles on extremely rough dirt roads — and u-bolts were fine.
The general consensus on this forum is to replace u-bolts but that may just be a function of parroting. I’ve never readof an instance ever where a u-bolt has failed.

This is fine for California but east of the Mississippi they usually need to get cut off

 

[cruiseroutfit]

We would love to help @ Cruiser Outfitters! We stock a wide assortment of 60 Series suspension goods, full kits and individual components from Old Man Emu and Dobinsons, stock height suspension kits featuring Japanese made factory spec leaf springs and every components or part you may need along the way. Hardware, 2/4/6 degree caster/pinion shims, ubolts, shackles, aftermarket and OEM rubber bushings, SuperPro, Energy Suspension, OME and Dobinsons polyurethane leaf spring bushings, etc. All in stock. We stock 6x suspension parts from OME, Dobinsons, SuperPro, Tokico, Bilstein, Suspension, Toyota and many more.

Our parts specialists can talk through your build and setup a complete suspension kit that will ship as soon as today. Give them a buzz: 801-563-1277 or info@cruiseroutfitters.com

Just need shackles, ubolts or spring pins? We can certainly assist there too!

Greaseable Anti-Inversion Shackles (Set of 4) - Fits 8/1980-1/1990 4x/6x/7x FRONT & REAR Applications (SH60050FRSET)

Land Cruiser Shackle

cruiserteq.com

 

[cruiseroutfit]

If you’re watching every dollar, its ok to not replace the U-bolts. I never did in 40 years and had the springs off 3 times in that span. The cruiser was heavily overloaded frequently and traveled thousands of miles on extremely rough dirt roads — and u-bolts were fine.
The general consensus on this forum is to replace u-bolts but that may just be a function of parroting. I’ve never read of an instance ever where a reused Toyota u-bolt has failed.

Fwiw, most factory ubolts are going to be too short to reuse them with an aftermarket lift spring. Aside from the ability or practicality of re-using them.

 

[g-man]

Soak them U bolts threads with PB blaster for a few days before you wrench on them. Also removing old bushing is not for the faint of heart. I took a torch to my bushings and melted them until I could pry the pins out with a pry bar. They really seize together. Others have just cut the pins since they aren't reusing. You need to put the frame on jack stands or a lift and support the axle weight too.

If yo go with cruisermatt's suggestion you'll need new bushings too. Might as well go all the way and do it right.

If you are using OME suspension lift, I doubt your old shocks will be useful. You're adding 1.5 to 2 inches. There is no stock height OME kit.

Another vote for Cruiser Outfitters.

 

[joecat66]

If you are really on a budget. What I would do is add two add-a-leafs to your existing springs at each corner. Bilstein 5125 shocks at all corners, and buy new U-bolts and greasable shackles/pins. Really good result for about half the cost of a full new kit.

there is an old school leaf spring shop not to far away from me (Palmer Spring)...I guess they heavy duty commercial stuff is keeping them going-I assume some new bushings as well? Will I get some lift w/the x

We would love to help @ Cruiser Outfitters! We stock a wide assortment of 60 Series suspension goods, full kits and individual components from Old Man Emu and Dobinsons, stock height suspension kits featuring Japanese made factory spec leaf springs and every components or part you may need along the way. Hardware, 2/4/6 degree caster/pinion shims, ubolts, shackles, aftermarket and OEM rubber bushings, SuperPro, Energy Suspension, OME and Dobinsons polyurethane leaf spring bushings, etc. All in stock. We stock 6x suspension parts from OME, Dobinsons, SuperPro, Tokico, Bilstein, Suspension, Toyota and many more.

Our parts specialists can talk through your build and setup a complete suspension kit that will ship as soon as today. Give them a buzz: 801-563-1277 or info@cruiseroutfitters.com

Just need shackles, ubolts or spring pins? We can certainly assist there too!

Greaseable Anti-Inversion Shackles (Set of 4) - Fits 8/1980-1/1990 4x/6x/7x FRONT & REAR Applications (SH60050FRSET)

Land Cruiser Shackle

cruiserteq.com

 

[OSS]

there is an old school leaf spring shop not to far away from me

My first set of “heavy duty” springs I purchased 35 years ago flattened out in a few months (not OME springs). I took them to an old school spring shop and the said they’d re-arch them. They heated them up to glowing red and re bent them with more arch.

I put them on and they definitely were higher and arched again …. but a month or so later they flattened out again.
So my experience with re-arching springs is — it doesn’t work.