|
coyote 10-15-2002, 09:59 AM Ok..I've got the LC4WD version that gives you unwanted lift after SOA and have heard of people using the stock hangers but what else are folks doing to not be so hi in the air and keep wheelbase...I don't want to extend the frame horns but need to loose some height to reduce my CG...was thinking about using the stock rear mount but wanted advice.... Thanks, Matt JackA 10-15-2002, 10:04 AM Maybe you should focus your energy on that cooling issue.:flipoff2: wngrog 10-15-2002, 10:41 AM I have the stock hangers and did not extend my frame.... Why would you do anything different? Of course, you have to do a cut/turn on this method...that is why "towers" are there, to keep the caster right. coyote 10-15-2002, 10:51 AM Yes...Jack I know...I figure if you can't fix one item might as well work on something else.... Nolen, so your saying that I would have to cut and turn my axles if I lower the front height? I've already gone SO just want to loose the front height....for Jack...hot air rises so this must be my problem...:flipoff2: :p now if I can just get it to overheat in the driveway....ran the dam thing for an hour in low range and was 180 all day, no matter the revs.... Medusa 10-15-2002, 12:55 PM IFyou want to reatin the original axle position (not shorten the wheelbase) and IF you don't want to flip your springs, then you need to lengthen the frame rails by 1.5" and mount the OEM spring hangers flush with the bottom of the frame horns. If you flip the springs, you get less movement of the axle forward than if than if the springs are in their original position relative to the frame. You do need to cut and turn the knuckles. And yes, Nolen, there are a few of us who actually want to do it this way. Jason M 10-15-2002, 01:20 PM Originally posted by Medusa IFyou want to reatin the original axle position (not shorten the wheelbase) and IF you don't want to flip your springs, then you need to lengthen the frame rails by 1.5" and mount the OEM spring hangers flush with the bottom of the frame horns. If you flip the springs, you get less movement of the axle forward than if than if the springs are in their original position relative to the frame. You do need to cut and turn the knuckles. And yes, Nolen, there are a few of us who actually want to do it this way. I always wondered why you did not want to add to your wheelbase. What was your reasoning Jack? Medusa 10-15-2002, 04:06 PM For a hard-core rock rig, I agree that the longer the wheelbase the better. But if the desire is to not build it for the hard-core stuff, but more of a general purpose Cruiser, the extra few inches does not matter that much. And, for such a rig, some, inlcuding me, prefer to keep the front tires more or less centered in the wheel well instead of pushing them so far forward. As always, everything is a compromise, and one rig usually cannot serve all masters equally well. For me, the 45 truggy will be my hard-core trail rig and I wanted to keep the FJ40 as more of a general purpose rig. Mr McGee 10-15-2002, 04:36 PM Originally posted by Medusa For a hard-core rock rig, I agree that the longer the wheelbase the better. But if the desire is to not build it for the hard-core stuff, but more of a general purpose Cruiser, the extra few inches does not matter that much. And, for such a rig, some, inlcuding me, prefer to keep the front tires more or less centered in the wheel well instead of pushing them so far forward. As always, everything is a compromise, and one rig usually cannot serve all masters equally well. For me, the 45 truggy will be my hard-core trail rig and I wanted to keep the FJ40 as more of a general purpose rig. hey jack, any updates on project Truggy?? -Max Medusa 10-16-2002, 01:47 PM any updates on project Truggy?? Yeah, BODY WORK SUCKS:D DCruiser138 10-16-2002, 02:30 PM Originally posted by Medusa Yeah, BODY WORK SUCKS:D thats why i dont do it!! just cover it up w/ some spray paint so it wont rust. :flipoff2: cruiserbrett 10-16-2002, 02:54 PM I built my spring over to keep the lift to a minimum, but still be stonger than the stock hangers. I also incorporated FJ55 springs, and extended the frame rails about 2.5"and pushed the hangers as far forward as possible. I made the front spring hangers out of narrowed 4" Square .25" wall tubing, they are recessed at an angle in the frame rail that tapers down and back. The rear shackle pivot is a machined sleeve to fit the larger FJ55 bushing for longer life and better resistance to crushing the lip of the bushing. .375" x 1.5" plate rounds out the shackles (with a center to center of 5") Grade 8 9/16" bolts for front hangers and shackles. Uses relatively inexpensive FJ55 poly bushings(for 9/16 inners) throughout the suspension in the front(and soon to be the rear) .25" plates are welded to the outside of the frame rail from the very front of the frame to the are by the fender mounts to increase strength. The area for the scout box is boxed with .25" plate and custom machined .875" od x . sleeves... For a spring over housing, I used the Mopar spring perches but took a bit more time and ground out as much material as I could to keep the perch height from the axle tube as small as possible without compromising the inner passenger side perch weld.(the one right on the diff.) -Brett Mr McGee 10-16-2002, 03:35 PM Originally posted by Medusa Yeah, BODY WORK SUCKS:D body work...i laugh! :D http://imagem.webphotos.iwon.com/1000035354/1000035354_8262002101228PM0.2762516 http://imagem.webphotos.iwon.com/1000035354/1000035354_8262002101228PM0.4787487 http://imagem.webphotos.iwon.com/1000035354/1000035354_8262002101214PM0.8269799 http://imagem.webphotos.iwon.com/1000035354/1000035354_8262002101215PM0.2891737 It aint no thang :D dieselcruiserhead 10-16-2002, 03:52 PM Looking good Mcgee, looks like the weight straightened out that rear shackle angle. <edit> opps, sprung under in that pict. Hopefully that weight'll do the trick for you. Once again, nice looking work.... Mr McGee 10-16-2002, 06:40 PM Originally posted by dieselcruiserhead Looking good Mcgee, looks like the weight straightened out that rear shackle angle. <edit> opps, sprung under in that pict. Hopefully that weight'll do the trick for you. Once again, nice looking work.... yep, we did the body then took it off and did the frame...we will end up moving the hangers forward anyways because it will suck regardless....and one of the springs was fawked up in back...like seven leaves and no clamps and i dunno i will get a different one from woody :D so ya the angle should be good when im done! btw, you should have seen the looks on our (dad and me) faces when we pulled off the rotten aluminum diamondplate! :eek: :eek: -Max EDIT: i officially think that everybody should go diamondplate in the back...we did both sides for 110 bucks when the ccot *steel* replacements were 180 per side! :eek: arndog 10-16-2002, 07:08 PM cruiserbrett Id love to see a picture of your front spring hangers thanks, arndog cruiserbrett 10-16-2002, 09:27 PM arndog, I will post one(or a few) tomorrow -Brett wngrog 10-17-2002, 03:54 AM Originally posted by wngrog Why would you do anything different? Jack, No sarcasm there, just wondering if there is a reason WHY he would not use the stock hangers (not strong, broken) If his were missing, I was going to offer to find him some is all.... As for an SOA while keeping the tires in the wheelwell, I still don't understand why you need to lengthen the frame? I did, but I was looking for wheelbase. Medusa 10-17-2002, 07:30 AM As for an SOA while keeping the tires in the wheelwell, I still don't understand why you need to lengthen the frame? Nolen... go out and look at Wilbur's front springs and imagine trying to keep the springs in the same position fore and aft, but raise the entire spring up to the bottom of the frame. In the stock configuration, the shackle at the front of the spring is not vertical but tilted forward (bottom of shackle forward). Because of the angle of the shackle, the spring eye is positioned in front of the spring hanger by about 1.5". If you do a shackle reversal using the OEM spring hangers, you need to lengthen the frame by about 1.5" in order to keep the front spring eye in the same vertical plane. This make sense? wngrog 10-17-2002, 07:59 AM That makes perfect sence now that I think about it. Thanks.... cruiserbrett 10-17-2002, 07:59 AM Here is a shot of the front spring hanger. The blue line is where it will be trimmed once I get a chance and the red line is the location of the 2"x4" .25" wall bumper... You can see the frame rail reinforcing plates which run to the area where the fender arm bolts on. the frame rails were extended about 2.5" and the wheel base with FJ55 rears in front and back is just about 99" elf_cruiser 10-18-2002, 04:31 PM Maybe you should focus your energy on that cooling issue. baaahahahaha! yeah matt... or maybe you should swap in that rockwell laying in front of the cruiser right now... coyote 10-18-2002, 04:37 PM That will go as well as Jack letting me drive the waterfall or should I say a rockwell operator that says I can do it open....full width baby elf_cruiser 10-18-2002, 04:41 PM That will go as well as Jack letting me drive the waterfall or should I say a rockwell operator that says I can do it open....full width baby what exactly are you trying to say here?? I am not familiar with this coyote grammar... OK, i read the thread now, and you just wanna lower the COG, huh?? We'll check it out on Sunday, cool? coyote 10-18-2002, 04:58 PM Hey 4wd that's what were talking about...Jack still won't let me drive but then again I wouldn't either....beer don't make a better driver.... jratt 10-19-2002, 01:39 PM Brett... Are those your welds on the Extended Box Section???? Damn, you gettin good with that thing.. Can't wait to do a trip to the desert, its finally under a hundred deg...... Give me a call,, l8er Jarett:blender: | |