Rear Suspension Upgrade

[Cheese]

Got it.

I would have understood, "The new mounting bolt is actually an inch HIGHER than stock."

I voted for you this month, that pic looks familiar.

Good work.

[BruceTS]

finished the right side pocket today


showing the spring pocket assembly set-up......


the lower shock mount


Tomorrow the fun begins..... laying underneath my rig cutting out the old spring pocket, then grinding it all clean. No fun having all them hot metal shaving dropping on ya, so I'll have to be covered up, a pain considering were in a heat wave.......

[MTL_4runner]

No fun having all them hot metal shaving dropping on ya, so I'll have to be covered up, a pain considering were in a heat wave.......

Awww c'mon Bruce, be a man and just rub some dirt on it. J/K
I almost got some hot solder in my eyes today so you can't be too careful on that stuff.

I like the double sliding spring pocket design. Are you going to put some rubber mat at the top of the perch to prevent the spring from going metal on metal every time the spring pocket comes out of the perch and then re-engages?

[BruceTS]

If you look at the earlier pictures posted, you'll see a urethane bumpstop to prevent metal to metal contact.

Finally got the other sided finished......well almost, I still need to make the brackets to retain the shock reservoirs, add the limit straps and I had to cut off part of the exhaust to fit the right side, so now I'll have to re-route it.

no pictures, too tired.............

[freejake3]

I still think the shock mount is getting hung up. It may be higher than stock but being inboard more makes it more of an anchor IMHO. Unless I'm missing something. I guess trail time will tell. Nice fab work by the way.

[BruceTS]

The shock is not mounted more inboard, it is mounted at the same angle as the stock. All I did was add a double shear mount to the factory mount. If you compare the picture above, there is very little difference. Unless my tire falls off a vertical edge, there is no way it will get hung up, rocks are usually rounded off, so factor in the tire contact point then project an angle off that, then you may understand. Even if it comes in contact, it will simply slide off.......

The last thing I'm worried about getting hung up would be that mount, there are plenty other things under a 3rd gen that will get you stuck. Want to talk about rock anchor, take a peek at the front mounts on the lower links.......

The whole reason behind going this route was to keep it handling as close to, if not better on the highway than the way it was. I could have mounted them higher and further out on the axle, but that puts more angle on the shocks, which reduces their effectivness. I like the ride of the OME 891 springs, that and the fact they don't sag out over time like most aftermarket ones.

I've been up trails with my rig that no other IFS 3rd gen 4Runner has yet to attempt. Ask MarcP about the trail Sledge Hammer, his response was "What Trail? all I see is rocks, but I know they went that way, because I see the tire marks"

This is Sledge Hammer, the guy standing by the 1st gen belonging to UGET IT on Pirate4x4, is Mike from Shaffer's Offroad, his Diablo buggy is further up the canyon, being tested out by a friend as we wait for Kevin's 4Runner to cool down after having an overheating issue.

[Lee]

bruce, how have you found your tjm to be? personally i am at my wits end with it, and cannot wait to throw it in the garbage can and make a new custom one.

it is tinfoil on rocks.

[MTL_4runner]

bruce, how have you found your tjm to be? personally i am at my wits end with it, and cannot wait to throw it in the garbage can and make a new custom one.

it is tinfoil on rocks.

Lee, Really?!
I thought those things were supoposed to be the cat's meow for offroad bumpers.

[Lee]

they are if you dont actually use them

at least thats what i have found. mine folds like a frenchman in combat.

its a good alternative to stock if you have 500 bucks and no fab skills i guess, but im on my 2nd one (i can tell the story of the 1st and why it was replaced free in a separate thread if anyone cares) and both are garbage on rocks.

proof: i came down softly on a rock i was climbing, everyone else did more or less the same and no one thought i had hit it particularly hard to warrant this.... anyway heres the damage, you can see it curled/folded like a blanket:





you can see the entire bracket bent at the bottom as well which is no biggie, you can bend it back easily.

[MTL_4runner]

mine folds like a frenchman in combat.

Hit it with a torch, maybe it's more like memory foam?!