ive been to sams offroad and talked to one of thier sales persons and they recomended the soa, but if i wanted the sua i should put a small body lift on my cruiser as well.I'm leaning towards the soa, but i wanted your guy's opinion. one of the guys in my club has a kit with superlift 2.5 in springs and 3 in shackels and all the hardware for 300. Im hoping my dad will get that for me for christmas and ill use that for a while till i can afford the soa. what do you guys think?

I love my SOA. However, they are not cheap if done correctly. Personally I would wheel the thing for a while with the SUA. I am a firm believer in learning how to drive without lockers and with limited suspensions. I believe that it makes you a better driver. Learn how things handle. Then do the mods that make it an ultimate whatever you want...

Learn to Walk before you fly grasshoppa.....



;)

Originally posted by Jason M
Learn to Walk before you fly grasshoppa.....;)

I believe the term is "Learn to walk before you crawl......"

:D:D:D

If you can get that setup for so cheap. Run the piss outta it. Why not?? SOA is a good setup but I agree it's not cheap when done the correct way. I had no idea there would be so many damn things to fix, modify, repair.......the list goes on and on......

Originally posted by Jason M
I love my SOA. However, they are not cheap if done correctly. Personally I would wheel the thing for a while with the SUA. I am a firm believer in learning how to drive without lockers and with limited suspensions. I believe that it makes you a better driver. Learn how things handle. Then do the mods that make it an ultimate whatever you want...

Learn to Walk before you fly grasshoppa.....



I gotta agree with Jason. Stay SUA for now.

A 2.5 with shackles should clear 33x12.5s with no probs if you have your rear fenders already cut out. If not then cut and flare 'em.
I would not do the body lift.
Wheel for a while like this and then, if still feel like you want to go SOA, take it to Sam's.
My 0.02 from a former Tulsan.

whelin sua will teach you a lot. a lot about line choice, a lot about teqnuique, a lot about wheelin in general and a looott about fender bashin/trimmin :D. lol..but really...you gotta learn somehow...just live w/ it and do soa when you get sik of sua.

Listen to these guys, what they're recommending is the most sensible approach. I know it's easy to get carried away, but LEARNING to wheel with your rig and its limitations is very important, you develop a feel for the trail, the obstacles, the right lines, and how to work with your vehicle's limitations to approach them.

I've wheeled the same Land Cruiser for more than 10 years now, starting with 31's and moving up an inch at a time to the 35's I'm running now. I went from a mild lift to a bigger lift to OME to a spring-over, and I'm glad I did it progressively, I'm a much better wheeler for it.

I just realized this sounds like I'm a grizzled old veteran, which is not true. I'm 31, just started with this obsession earlier than most.

Don't know what size tires you have now but keep the sua and wheel it a bit. Skip buying the springs now. Invest in a locker for the rear first. Learn to drive the thing on and off road and you will figure out what you want in the future. Your stock cruiser with a rear locker and small tires will take you lots of places. Have fun and let us know when you get your license.

i just got some p285 75 interco trux mt because my dad needed tires for his new suburban and so he bought me those and i gave him my old 255 firestone wilderness at. they rub some on the inner fender in the back because im running rims with the wrong offset. my dad wont let me cut the fenders out because he doesnt want me to do anything to take away some of the resale value. Im saving up for a locker in the rear right now. i wouldnt be considering the lift but im trying to talk my dad into getting it for me for christmas. i get my license next december. it seems like forever thought. im going to try and post a pic of my cruiser pretty soon.

Oh Man, nothing to take away from the resale value? thats hurting man, hes not gonna let you trim anything?? I'd say your DEFINATLY gonn ahve to learn to wheel VERY carefully, or your gonna crush a panel and he's gonna freak:( i'd even say you might wanna learn how to wheel in his sub' so your used to a bigger, longer vehicle and how to avoid body damage:D take it easy, Matt:rasta:

I would do what everyone has been saying. Hower here is what i have learned and what i wish i had done.

I have had my cruiser for two years + now and it is still spu with no lift. However i have a 350 and H55F (NEW). Both of those were installed before i went to college. What i have learned is that unless you go to college close to were you live, you don't go to college or you dad does all your work for you. You won't get shit done in college (automotively)

So if you have plans make sure they are done BEFORE you go to college and while you still live at home!!!!

other than that stay sprung under for a while so you can get use to doing a lot with a little (not that sprung under is a little). You will appreciate the years of being spring under when you are a better driver and mechanic than someone who just went striaight for the whole shebang at once.

Another thing. You are DAMN lucky your parents (dad) appreciate 4x4. My dad is a a muscle car guy and that is how i started out and he has no passion for my truck and he bitches about it amd my friends trucks all the time.

Have fun and wheel the shit out of it.

Gotta agree with keeping it simple for now....I ran stock springs and SUA for 6 years with 31"-33" tires and open diffs...did a lot of things with that setup and learned a ton.

IMO, you want at LEAST 2 years on a stock suspension to learn your driving skills, then you can decide where to go from there. Just cause so many are SOA now doesn't mean that suspension is right for you. Took me nearly 10 years to go SOA and the only reason I did was my choice of difficulty was constantly increasing, to the point that even my wife said it might be time!

That being said, there is nothing more irritating to your friends when your "little" cruiser with stock springs, 31" tires, and open diffs makes something look easy where their more modified trucks fought the same area....

Oh, and :flipoff2: welcome! (Hope you've spent a day-two on my site as well....save you lots of jabs in the future!)

Dude if your dad won't let you cut out the fenders then you don't have a prayer of convincing him to let you do an SOA on it! :rolleyes:

Seriously, sounds to me like you need to be concentrating on finding a beater Cruiser that you can wheel and let your dad have his "show cruiser" for the driveway.

If you are like I was when I got my first 4x4 at 15, all I wanted to to was Get It and I tore some serious shit up.

Find a beater, learn to wheel.:smokin:

my dad will let me do anything i want to it after i have him payed off, but thats going to be about a year and a half. he says its harder to pay something off once youve damaged it and thats why he doesnt want me to wheel it or cut it till i have him payed off. i keep telling him that i dont care what condition it is in because im going to pay for it anyways, but he doesnt listen.

You, your dad and anybody watching will be amazed at what a stock 40 can do.
Take your time and learn the vehicle, how to handle it and what it will handle. Then like everyone says, improve the vehicle as your skills improve.
You and your dad should take your truck up to Lake Keystone, below the dam. Unless it is closed.( Sometimes closed due to Bald Eagles roosting / breeding but I don't remember what time of year.) Anyway, the lower part is great stuff for learning to wheel on and then after you are comfortable go into the trees and the high ground. Probably a good idea to wait until it hasn't rained for a few days. It can get pretty slimy in spots after a rain.

i am actually going back to SUA tommorow w/ 33's..instead of regearing to 4.88's, getting a new front shaft made, etc., im just going back to spring under so i can actually wheel it this winter in the snow..it will be back w/ a vengeance in the spring however, w/ 4.88's, 36's, lots of fender trimmage and some other little goodies :bounce: :bounce2:

I have a 2.5in. sua and am running 38inch super swampers,needles to say It took a lot of sawzall work but I love the setup because I am so stable, what Im tryin to say is ita all personal preference you really have no clue what you want to do to your truck until you actually go out and wheel it.

i'm gonna have to agree with most everybody else; get used to your rig and wheelin' with the sua and then there is only one thing to do: SOA! enough said!;)

When I got my cruiser I was like you young (17) and ready to upgrade I rode it twice then did a frame off restoration then rolled built it again... and the cycle continues now at 21 my advice is wheel it bone stock for a while with other cruisers taking note of what works and what you would like to have; then when you are ready build it do the upgades you have seen that will best suit your needs, while no project is ever finished skiping some of the backtracking will save you a ton of money. If I had to spend $300 though a locker would be a better choice

Originally posted by Jimyrigdfj
I have a 2.5in. sua and am running 38inch super swampers

Send me a picture of that rig and I will post the shot...

wngrog@aol.com

I ran stock, sprung under for a while with my pig (FJ-55 of course!).

I learned a LOT! I would suggest you get some good nerfs, a good front bumper, and some body protection mounted up.

You can cut/unbolt it if you don't like it later or need to resell.

I would suggest this because it teaches you a lot and minimizes the dmg you can do. I would suggest a mild SUA lift (I went for 4" to fit 33s with no rubbage).

Open diffs, 33s, a mild lift, and some protection for the body will make you a better driver in the long run. If you don't know the truck and go SOA and start wheeling, you will flip in short order.

Good luck man!

soa by far.It is a much nicer ride.Just ask DCruiser138.

i feel ya buddy! im just recently 17 years old..got my cruiser when 15. its gonna be expensive..but how many 15-16 yr olds have a toyota land cruiser?! COME AWN! lol..but really...you gotta get a feel for the sua cruiser. i juts got sik of being the little guy on the trail...im suffering thouhg...soa is NOT cheep. spend your $$ on a locker or sumthin else. really...:rasta:
--- and party awn buddy! welcome to the debt riden world of high school cruiser ownership...:flipoff2: :rasta:

i am 16 and have a 55.

Originally posted by Jason M
I am a firm believer in learning how to drive without lockers and with limited suspensions.

Ditto!

Still learning,

Morgan

For everone that says that you can't convince a dad to let you do a SOA instead of a SUA...your wrong:D...And if he won't let you bast the fenders in, just let him spot you and then its his fault when you bend some sheetmetal:flipoff2:

If your cruiser is going to mainly be in town driving and stuff and everyonce in a while off-road, do the SUA. It doesn't ride as good as a SOA, but mine leans alot in town on turns, so you might rather have a little more stable ride. I probably could fix the lean with some better shocks, but thats money I can use for something else...and probably some springs that aren't 33 years old:D

Joseph

Originally posted by 75CRUISER
my dad will let me do anything i want to it after i have him payed off, but thats going to be about a year and a half. he says its harder to pay something off once youve damaged it and thats why he doesnt want me to wheel it or cut it till i have him payed off. i keep telling him that i dont care what condition it is in because im going to pay for it anyways, but he doesnt listen.

Listen to your dad.

:)

Morgan

Originally posted by FIXXXXAH
Oh Man, nothing to take away from the resale value? thats hurting man, hes not gonna let you trim anything?? I'd say your DEFINATLY gonn ahve to learn to wheel VERY carefully, or your gonna crush a panel and he's gonna freak:( i'd even say you might wanna learn how to wheel in his sub' so your used to a bigger, longer vehicle and how to avoid body damage:D take it easy, Matt:rasta:

Fixxah! What's going on here, normal text???!!!
Sorry, still haven't made it to the post office yet....!

how many 15-16 yr olds have a toyota land cruiser?!
I do :flipoff2:

and party awn buddy! welcome to the debt riden world of high school cruiser ownership...
I thought it was just me...glad to hear its not:flipoff2:

Joseph