What else to do while putting in a lift?

[klinetime574]

Yeah I'm on paved surfaces all the time. So locking the hubs is never high on my list haha

It's good to drive around with the hubs locked. Just not 100% of the time.

 

[TS888]

I learned to drive in a '60 Ford 2wd pickup on gravel country roads. I got your do-rift-oh right here, Skyline-san!

 

[freepowder]

Yeah I'm on paved surfaces all the time. So locking the hubs is never high on my list haha

It's good to drive around with the hubs locked. Just not 100% of the time.

Even if it never sees dirt or snow, you need to lock 'em in and run 'em for a couple hundred miles every so often just to keep everything all lubed up, don't run it in 4wd, just lock the hubs.

I live at 7000' so the 4wd is useful in the winter. And then there's the San Juans. . .

 

[klinetime574]

Even if it never sees dirt or snow, you need to lock 'em in and run 'em for a couple hundred miles every so often just to keep everything all lubed up, don't run it in 4wd, just lock the hubs.

I live at 7000' so the 4wd is useful in the winter. And then there's the San Juans. . .

I agree with ya

 

[Heckraiser]

I put 4* caster shims in the front and they helped the sloppy steering immensely. I would also check out your tie-rod ends while you're down there and check the knuckles for leaking truck juice. I have not found the need for shims in the rear.

 

[yotagurl]

It's going to be the 2-3" OME heavy lift. So let me see if I got everything:

New SS brake lines (pads and rotors are new)
Check the knuckles
Tie rods
Sway bar
Degunk the chassis
Shims (not too clear yet on what that's meant to correct)

Did I miss anything? And another thing, thank you guys so much! You have no idea how much this site and your advice has helped me fix things I would have never figured out on my own..

 

[Heckraiser]

It's going to be the 2-3" OME heavy lift. So let me see if I got everything:

New SS brake lines (pads and rotors are new)
Check the knuckles
Tie rods
Sway bar
Degunk the chassis
Shims (not too clear yet on what that's meant to correct)

Did I miss anything? And another thing, thank you guys so much! You have no idea how much this site and your advice has helped me fix things I would have never figured out on my own..

Shims: when you lift the front end, especially with longer shackles, but also with more arched springs, it causes negative caster. Basically, the turning axis of your knuckles is angled downward a little bit. This causes the truck to wander on the road (which can actually be pretty scary at highway speeds) and the steering does not return to center when you let go of the wheel after a turn, you actually have to physically turn the wheel straight again. The shims angle the axle back to create positive caster, which is what any vehicle should have.

 

[bapmia]

What lift are you installing? 2.5" or 4" ?

You will not need shims if installed correctly.

You will need new brake lines, as advised. Recommend Stainless braided lines all around.

If your front knuckles are leaking or have not been serviced in a loooong time, now would be a good time to do it, but it will add another two days to the job if you've never done it before. Might be best left for another time so not to overwhelm you.

Good time to paint and otherwise refurbish the axle housings and undercarriage and rid it of mud and other rust-promoting detritus.

And as mentioned, brakes, rotors, drums, etc, if needed.

Bleed brake lines.

You may need extended sway bar links if 4" lift is going in.

Good luck

For what it's worth, I just completed the installation of an OME kit from Kurt on my FJ62, 2-3" kit. I'm not a professional mechanic, but I come from a musclecar/Corvette background and have been around the block on cars. In my case, all springs installed were installed correctly. The truck was almost undrivable when the job was done. It wandered with bump steer so bad you thought you were going to crash into a tree. Also, it vibrated like crazy--I mean real bad. I had the caster measured at -1, which explained the steering issues. I put a 5 degree (positive) shim in and it cured 90% of the steering issues. A dual cardan driveshaft is in the works to solve the vibration. The truck has both stink bug and cruiser lean, but I'm going to wait for it to settle out. I also needed extended sway bar links and rear brake line (stock brake hose was 2 inches short) The point is, every truck is different and apparently ARB's manufacturing tolerances leave something to be desired.

 

[freepowder]

It's going to be the 2-3" OME heavy lift. So let me see if I got everything:

New SS brake lines (pads and rotors are new)
Check the knuckles
Tie rods
Sway bar
Degunk the chassis
Shims (not too clear yet on what that's meant to correct)

Did I miss anything? And another thing, thank you guys so much! You have no idea how much this site and your advice has helped me fix things I would have never figured out on my own..

U-bolt skid plates or flip plates.
Pull and toss cushions and cradles on rear springs.
Pull and toss block on rt front if present, its to level the rear end (Yeah, I know) and the OME springs do this for you.
Make sure you get the rear springs in the right place--there's a left and right OME spring.
Use steel shims in the front.
Check front driveshaft for # of u-joints, if you have three you're ok, if you have two you may have to add a CV joint to the shaft to fix vibration--orangefj45 on this site can help with this.
Instructions: MAF Technical Info
Have fun and let the technical advisors drink the beer when you're actually working on it, save yours for end of day.

 

[62LostInMn]

This really shows the variability of the situation when installing this kit on a 60 Series. I only have two u-joints up front and ran for a while with the rear drive shaft out while diagnosing vibration. Ran smooth as butter up thru 70mph with front drive only, and that was before the caster correction shims.

So to the OP, now that we've confused the bleep out of you, I guess you could install without any shims and see how it goes - being prepared to go back in if you have steering wander and/or vibration. Or start with moderate shims front and rear, say 3 degrees, and see how that goes. My shims are installed with the fat end facing the shackle - that seems to make sense to me, based on how I see things rotating with longer shackles.

BTW - I like the steel shims from 4Crawler 4Crawler Offroad Products - Custom Leaf Spring Shims

 

[LCDiesel60]

Thanks everyone for the input; I know this listing was about suggestions for his lift--but it helped me solve the high speed vibration--after tires were balanced, et' cetera--rear axle--I didn't shim it so off about 4 degrees. Have an order into 4Crawler--thanks again for the link/tips and ideas--hate spending more money but better to fix than trash the u-joints too soon!

LCDiesel60
Oregon

 

[freepowder]

Thanks everyone for the input; I know this listing was about suggestions for his lift--but it helped me solve the high speed vibration--after tires were balanced, et' cetera--rear axle--I didn't shim it so off about 4 degrees. Have an order into 4Crawler--thanks again for the link/tips and ideas--hate spending more money but better to fix than trash the u-joints too soon!

LCDiesel60
Oregon

When you put those shims in, you might consider these:
4+Plus U-Bolt Flip Kits Land Cruiser 40 and 60 Series

 

[Elbert]

If I don't go spring over I'm thinking about getting some of the skid plates for the ubolts....I've already damaged one or two u bolts pretty good with the rocks.

 

[freepowder]

If I don't go spring over I'm thinking about getting some of the skid plates for the ubolts....I've already damaged one or two u bolts pretty good with the rocks.

I had the skid plates on both my FJ55 and my CJ3a and they work well, but the U-bolt Flip Kit by 4+/Man-a-fre is a much cleaner setup and gives you an inch or two more ground clearance at the axle. The skid plates from SOR are $200 club price, the Flip Kits are $175. The choice is clear.

 

[TS888]

The rear flip kit would be perfect if they had just jinked the shock mount up an inch...

 

[freepowder]

The rear flip kit would be perfect if they had just jinked the shock mount up an inch...

Do you have 'em?
Thinking you're right on that not having seen any in person.
Still a better option than the skid plates, I"m thinking.

 

[TS888]

They're on my "want list". And then I'll have to do a bit of chop and weld to get the shock mounts up out of harm's way.

 

[yotagurl]

I know this listing was about suggestions for his lift-!

Actually, I'm a girl. Well maybe not technically young enough to be considered a girl anymore but I'm definitely of the female persuasion.

It wandered with bump steer so bad you thought you were going to crash into a tree. Also, it vibrated like crazy--I mean real bad.

I've got the same thing going on, only I haven't even put the lift in yet. The truck seriously handles like a wet noodle. It's not quite a death trap yet but it's pretty darn close. Before getting everyone's advice about the shims I was under the impression that the lift would solve the handling issues, so I'm glad to know that there's more to it than I initially thought.

And THANK YOU for the pictures!! If anyone has any more or knows of a link/thread that has everything suspension w/pictures that would be awesome.

 

[TS888]

If you have steering issues without the lift, then you should probably deal with those before you lift. You won't be able to sort the lift-related wobbles from the steering problems.

 

[klinetime574]

If you have steering issues without the lift, then you should probably deal with those before you lift. You won't be able to sort the lift-related wobbles from the steering problems.

x2. My money is on the tie rod ends.

I'll just leave this here....

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