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Can you describe your rear spring setup a bit more? Did you have to move shackle mounts? What vehicle are the springs out of? Is it possible to install them without moving the axle back?
 
cruisermatt said:
Can you describe your rear spring setup a bit more? Did you have to move shackle mounts? What vehicle are the springs out of? Is it possible to install them without moving the axle back?
Click to expand...

Yes you have to cut both front and rear shackle mounts off frame, I used the kit from Sky Manufatcturing

http://www.sky-manufacturing.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=TOY-CSP-001

And bought some 5 leaf camper special rear levels and pulled the overloads (my stock bumpstops top out when spring is flat). I used a plumb bob off the frame and positioned my axle 1" back from stock to clear the 37s from the door (after maximum body trimming). The slip yoke has accommodated the move but since I'm still only 3" off my stock bumps the geometry has not changed that much but you could build a long slip with an 80 DS if you wanted, although I took this setup through the Rubicon (with 33s) and had no driveline issues while a couple 6" lifted 40s dropped yokes and had Marlin bail them out.

I'd run 4-5 leaves since out rigs are heavy and in retrospect if I'd had known 5100s came in stiffer calving I'd have opted for it. I got the 14" travel rears and cut them through my floorboards and mounted on F150 shock mounts, but 12" might do the trick if you angled them (yet reduces their dampening further).

Yes you could install them in the stock location but if you're going 35s plus I would move it back as it is a limiting factor in compression meaning you'll have to extend your bumpstops and reduce travel. The real reason 60s "need an SOA" to properly clear 35s is the front of the rear fenderwell/door area that doesn't allow us to trim to stuff, unless you tub it out like Baxter did. Speaking of... Where the hell is that rig?

At the end of the day, you could probably just get 6" shackles and move the rear mounts forward to give you a 45 degree angle, adjust shock mounts for 12" travel shocks, extend breathers and brake lines and get close to what I have. The rear springs are close to the F150 53" springs a lot of minis use, and a lot of FJ40s use our springs to increase articulation. I'd say good geometry is more important than exactly what spring you use. Our rigs are so large assed though the 63" swap doesn't have any negatives, I'm happy with it.
 
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Your FJ62 is in my opinion by far the most interesting suspension wise (among other things) and I'm going to try to replicate as much as possibly but with a more street able approach. My plans are:

35's max
No more suspension lift (I have a 15 year old 2" lift kit now and it clears 33's no problem so I'm not sure how sagged it is at the moment)
1" body lift (not sure how necessary this is with current lift)
Cutting to a minimum or not at all
Not running shocks through the floor

Am I asking for too much?

One of my life goals is to drive it cross country (I'm in Florida) and run the Rubicon and drive it back.
 
Look at Mace's build of Bob, he's running 35s SUA and gave me a ton of great advice during my build (ongoing). There's another 60 on Chevy 63s in Florida (FL60 or something here on mud?).

I bet you could add 1" BL, trim your front inner fenders and run about 3" backspacing to clear 35s, you could re drill your rear perches to move your axle back (search Pirate for this mod) then angle your rear shocks /\ and run 10-12" travel Bilsteins without pushing them through floor. You'll still need to trim some fender and maybe the body mount behind rear tire. I'd run the 6" shackles in the rear but move the rear mounts forward to increase downtravel. Keep the front stock IMO for driveability on the street (mine wanders).
 
Rear locker, sliders and stout rear bumper required for Rubicon IMO. With 35s it'd be a good idea to get some RCV front axles for piece of mind. Fantastic trip and certainly fortified my love for Cruisers and wheeling.

Being low will serve you well in the big wagon, I watched a lot of tall 60s struggle with much bigger tires than mine as they leaned and heaved their rigs into boulders and trees.
 
Didn't you use your rear springs up front at some point?? I just looked through this damn thread trying to find info on it but apparently I missed it...
 
BlueCruiser84 said:
Didn't you use your rear springs up front at some point?? I just looked through this damn thread trying to find info on it but apparently I missed it...
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I did, they were too long for stock shackle mounts and 6" shackles but I'm giving it another try and moving the mounts with some ballistic joints frenched into the frame. Also plan for longer U-bolts!

Bought a nicer winch (excuse the mockup pic), also found a pic I giggled at which was the night before Rubithon 2014 got the fxxxer back in there by 5 AM the morning of.

image.jpg

image.jpg
 
Any new progress?
 
90FJ said:
I did, they were too long for stock shackle mounts and 6" shackles but I'm giving it another try and moving the mounts with some ballistic joints frenched into the frame. Also plan for longer U-bolts!

Bought a nicer winch (excuse the mockup pic), also found a pic I giggled at which was the night before Rubithon 2014 got the fxxxer back in there by 5 AM the morning of.

View attachment 1141746

View attachment 1141747
Click to expand...

Hmm. I have lift springs in the rear which may be shorter than the original springs. Maybe once I get all the fab done and drive this thing a bit I can play around with front springs.
 
Thanks, I was turning into one of those Snickers commercials -

"You're not yourself when you haven't had some Battlewagon pictures"
 
Your headlights might need adjustment..
 
details details...

This probably also belongs here. Buddy and I built a truck for a local cheap car rally last summer, Gambler 500. Rig was bought for $600 with 300k miles on it, we got a little carried away with the paint but came in first out of a 31 car field.

image.jpg
 
That's bad ass..
 
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