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Move front axle forward

8K views 36 replies 18 participants last post by  budget76 
#1 · (Edited)
Here's my dillema: My 35's rub like crazy, to the point I swear I'm tearin off rubber everytime I rub (thats wat she said:laughing:). I've clearanced my wheel well best as I can, but that's just not doin it. I have no idea what kinda springs I have up front, got em with the truck, like a 3 inch lift or so. But I the pin is just too far back.

Since I plan on 3-linking it I really don't want to drop money on whole new springs, forward spring hangers, etc. Unfortunately that won't be for a while. Ive read up on drilling a new pin hole. Drilling a new one that puts the old one outside of the plate is spring suicide.
I'd like to get your opinion on just how far i could SAFELY drill a new one, or at all? Even 1 inch would help a lot!

I'm runnin marlin's u-bolt flip kit up front and stock spring perches on an 84 front.
 
#3 ·
Yup--what the man who lives in a van by the river said :D

You can go farther by welding a plate to the perch but at that point you will loose flex due to the weight being aplied to the springs is a lil messed up...
 
#6 ·
Here's my dillema: My 35's rub like crazy, to the point I swear I'm tearin off rubber everytime I rub (thats wat she said:laughing:). I've clearanced my wheel well best as I can, but that's just not doin it. I have no idea what kinda springs I have up front, got em with the truck, like a 3 inch lift or so. But I the pin is just too far back.

Since I plan on 3-linking it I really don't want to drop money on whole new springs, forward spring hangers, etc. Unfortunately that won't be for a while. Ive read up on drilling a new pin hole. Drilling a new one that puts the old one outside of the plate is spring suicide.
I'd like to get your opinion on just how far i could SAFELY drill a new one, or at all? Even 1 inch would help a lot!

I'm runnin marlin's u-bolt flip kit up front and stock spring perches on an 84 front.
Dammit crash, can't ya read:flipoff2:
 
#8 ·
Mine's moved back on the perch 1 3/8 " and worked out pretty good. Don't forget to match that distance on the u-bolt plate. Simple-easy-done!


Crash is probably seeing double, so it's easy for him to miss some stuff. :laughing:
My bad--going 10 ways at once some times :D If I remember correctly the 84 housing should have one hole already there on the drivers side(85 housings do) so all you have to do is match the passenger side. Then all you have to do is redrill the spring plates for the center pin ;)
 
#7 ·
Mine's moved back on the perch 1 3/8 " and worked out pretty good. Don't forget to match that distance on the u-bolt plate. Simple-easy-done!


Crash is probably seeing double, so it's easy for him to miss some stuff. :laughing:
 
#12 · (Edited)
FWIW:

I'm currently running the stock push pull and moved it fwd 1.75" using plates......and from the fit, it looks like that's about as much as possible without reworking other things.

Made plates, angle saw'd the steering rod. Sleeved it. Rosette welded it and welded the ends up. Reinstalled. Done and back driving in 2 hours.

My 35 BFG M/T's on 9" wheels barely rub the pinchweld at full stuff and at lock whylst still at stock height.
If I could of gone 2", I think the 35's would clear even the pinchweld.
 
#37 ·
bumping this. I'm currently running the push/pull steering, stock suspension, and 35's on my 84. I'm rubbing by the seam when turning, gonna be worse when I'm wheeling this friday. I'm getting the sledge back out tomorrow to do more massaging, but I'm wondering if anyone else has experience with redrilling and the push/pull.

I don't have the time/$$ now to do crossover, and really don't want to cut the body up. Got no skillz with sheetmetal:(
 
#18 ·
Well I started this thread thinkin i was gonna drill the spring, then i realized i was being stupid:homer:

Is it just me, or does any one else think that with 3 inch lift springs and 35in tires, that it should not be rubing that bad. Are you sure you dont have your springs on the wrong way? Moving your axle back 1 inch insted of forward 1 inch. just a thought
You know what that is VERY possible, this truck was beyond ******* when i got it. I've never even checked. I'm gonna go check that right now.
 
#15 ·
I was in a similar situation, although I am not going to be linking this anytime soon, so my fix is permanent. I did not notice when I bought the yota the front suspension was not set up right at all. The SAS spring hanger holes for the leaf springs were not directly under the body bushing bolt hole like I have seen on here since I have been searching. I took out my rear packs and put in chevy's. I used a couple of the front leafs and added them to the rears to bring the axle forward two inches.

The springs are longer so it gave me 35 degree shackle angle and the hole for the front bolt is only 14mm instead of 18mm. So I made some plates drilled to 14mm to weld onto the front hanger. Once I did this i was able to cycle the suspension. The pitman arm kissed the tie rod on compression and the shackle end bottomed out on the frame.

Make sure you dont do all this work just to have to do it right down the road. I have since ordered a marlin crawler front hanger and 5 inch leaves. Grinding off the front hanger was a bitch but in the end it was the right thing to do. I have to move my steering box forward also.
 
#20 ·
Cut the eye's off the lift springs and toss them under some first gen rears (replacable bushings just like the fronts) with some 5" center to center shackles. Then re-drill the perches 1 3/8" and you'll gain about 3 1/2" of clearance at the back of the wheelwell. It'll only raise your rig about 1" over where it is now and it'll work much better.
 
#22 ·
I'm running about four inches of lift and 42's. I have a dana 60 and when I made my crossmember I notched the original crossmember and mounted the new crossmember as high as possible. I have the spring mount hole 1 1/2" forward from stock and 1 inch down. The shackle is six inches center to center and I run the rears up front, upper two leaves with three lowers from a junk trooper we had laying around. I spent a few hours with a sledge on the body mount/pinch seam. I ended up moving the axle forward 4". I didn't have to worry about steering though, cause mine's hydraulic. I don't have bump stops and the tire will rub just a little at full lock/full stuff, but not enough to tear up the tire. It rubs more at the battery box area than anywhere else.....but I did cut a lot of the fender......The 36's I ran on the yota axles cleared with stock springs and two inch longer shackles with some pinch seam mods with the sledge...and very little trimming......hope this helps...
 
#28 ·
Yea fortunately i had the brains to mount my steering box as far forward as possible when I installed it even though I wasn't sure I wanted to move the axle up back then. Figured it couldn't hurt.

Welp, tomorrow I'ma move it forward, I'll letcha know how it went. Thanks for all the advice etc. everyone:flipoff2:
 
#30 ·
Too late, already moved it and forgot to take pictures! I can already tell it helped because I can turn my wheel ALL the way until it hits the springs with no rub at all. Unfortunately I don't have anything here to stuff on, and I don't have a rear driveshaft, so I don't think I can make it up the nearest big rock. I'll put up some pics when I stuff it tho

Crash, ur a gentlemen and a scholar:laughing:, you were right about the hole on the drivers side of the axle, just matched it on the other side.
 
#32 ·
im about to do a sas swap. is the rubbing an issue with the factory spring mounts? you didnt state in your first post. i have drilled 1 3/8 forward hole alreaty and am about to make my front spring hangers and need to know if its even worth making them an inch forward as well?
 
#33 · (Edited)
How big of tires you plan to run? 35's at least im guessing?
Also depends greatly on what springs you're using, where is the center pin located on the springs? Mine was right in the middle. How long are the springs?

Unfortunately I've only ever dealt with one set of toyota front springs, my own, so hopefully someone with a little experience will set ya right
 
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