Yeller Gold (1 Viewer)

[J Mack]

I’m ordering ruffstuff bits...certainly not a need.

Chicks dig armor, if it's in the budget and you have time to weld it then why not?

 

[Ol Yeller]

Spent the afternoon with the parts washer, cleaned the nasty front diff and looks really good, so I’ll carry on with the 55 rear in the front 62 housing.

 

[Ol Yeller]

Front shock mounting, planning to go with the F towers (need to search the actual application)

The 62 housing has no tabs like the 55 has, I see @J Mack did a nice gusset \ lower mount in the original 55 location, but if longer shocks are the goal why not use the stock location of a 62 on the spring plate?

Actually if using the 62 lower mount position would it even be necessary to change the towers out?

Thanks for your comments as I stumble along gents.

 

[RUSH55]

I’m still wondering why you’re putting 62 axles on

 

[Ol Yeller]

I’m still wondering why you’re putting 62 axles on

Wider width, better splines and disk brakes...about 20 years newer too.

 

[RUSH55]

But you’re not gonna wheel it? Stock tire size etc..?
Have you started on the conversion?

 

[Ol Yeller]

Perhaps I misrepresented my goals, I do plan on this being a wheeling rig, just don’t plan on dragging it through the trees and some of the more abusive spots I used to wheel. (The kind of trips where the wife & kids get out and hike to the destination because we aren’t making progress)

Right now I’m “wheeling” the ‘14 GX460 for our getaways but that’s proving to be spendy proposition in the terrain around here.

33” tires on stock rims is where I’m starting, I like the look of the tires filling out the fenders a bit more and when I got into this forum I quickly decided the 60 width axles were for me.

 

[Ol Yeller]

Shocks and bumps look like they will work up front, I need to change the fittings on the reservoir and make some spacers for the bottom mount but other than that I believe I’m good to go.

Is this shock setup working out for you still Jim? (Took me looking through 2 years of posts to find it)
This is where my head is at right now.

 

[Ol Yeller]

Expedition Portal

Largest and Oldest Overland Forum

expeditionportal.com

I used to post up trip reports (with the dodge) on the now defunct OLC website, the whipsaw trail is a good example of the more remote spots I’d like to be able to enjoy with the 55. Not my trip report but we were up the same month as these guys.

 

[RUSH55]

Sorry man, I’m just trying to get clear on your build. @scrapdaddy put 60 axles under his with outboarded hangers and widened stock wheels (IIRC) and I think 3” OME springs. It looks like it has a heck of a lot more than 3” of lift, but looks super tough. Can’t remember if he threw in some body spacers as well?
Are you planning on moving perches on axle housings or outboarding spring hangers or both? The rear is the easiest to move spring perches on since there’s plenty of room before pumpkin interferences. The front seems to run into pumpkin interference pretty quickly (couple different routes to deal with that). A few guys are running the perches with captured nuts on the inside face to avoid running a u-bolt. Not exactly sure how that pans outing an SUA. I’m looking into doing both to a degree. I’d like for my spring perches to be as low-profile as feasible (nearly a 1/2” gap in there that can be reduced quite a bit). There’s also a touch of height to be gained by lowering the spring hangers when plating the frame for outboarding. Probably not super important for you, but just some things I’ve been pondering when doing mine. I did read that @J Mack had some issues with hitting his fenders at full stuff on the rear. But he’s also running 35x12.5’s.

 

[scrapdaddy]

I'm using a 1" body lift, it helped tuck that 55 gal. tank up there where I wanted it and let me raise the motor a tad to get some clearance at the front pumpkin.

 

[RUSH55]

Okay, cool, been meaning to ask you about that. So you’re running about 4” of total lift between the body spacers and suspension?
Any rubbing issues with your tires at stuff or did you lower your bumpstops?

 

[scrapdaddy]

No rubbing problem, but my problem area is the exhaust hitting the front u joint flange. I had to reduce upward travel to stop it, not a lot of room with a 5.3. The 60 width axle does help move everything out a little.

 

[J Mack]

Is this shock setup working out for you still Jim?

I couldn't be happier, the shock spring combo on my pig works very well for the roads I drive at the speed I drive them.

I did read that @J Mack had some issues with hitting his fenders at full stuff on the rear. But he’s also running 35x12.5’s.

J Mack's tires slightly rubbed on the inner fender wells so when I built the new rear housing I made it 1.25" wider overall.
As you noted I run 35"x12.5" tires with a 3.5" backspace wheel.

 

[wngrog]

@nvrlose54 put 62 axles under his Pig. He’s got some current info somewhere on it.

 

[RUSH55]

I know you said you weren’t too interested in the u-bolt flip kits, but I thought I’d post a link to the ones I picked up about 17 - 18 years ago and have never had an issue with. Love having the nuts and threads up out of the way.

4 Plus Front Axle U-Bolt Flip Kit for 1958-1984 Toyota Land Cruisers - Landcruiser Parts

4 Plus Front Axle U-Bolt Flip Kit for 1958-1984 Toyota Land Cruisers. Helps to protect your U-Bolts and increase clearance when off-roading.

manafrelv.com

 

[nvrlose54]

62 axles front/rear
It feels a lot more stable with the added width and it actually stops!

 

[Ol Yeller]

Always a ton of great info flowing in here, great!

I’m planning to outboard the front hangers and just do new perches inboard on the rear axle (once I get one)

 

[nvrlose54]

 

[Ol Yeller]

View attachment 2014024

Thanks!

Got another view showing the sway bar & rear mount?