So I want to lower my FJ60....

I figured that would get your attention.;)

I bought my Cruiser approximatly a year ago and the slight forward rake has always bugged me. It looks like the previous owner had a thing for the pre-runner look but it isn't my cup of tea. My question for the collective is what would be the easiest way to lower the front of my 60 an inch or two. I suppose the easy answer is just to put a spacer block in the back to level it that way, but that is kind of redneckish.

Is it possible to just remove a leaf or will that drop it to much?

The truck is a 1981 model and it has an OME spring over lift. It is sitting on a set of 35's at the moment. I have a Warn 9000 Winch that is in my garage waiting to be installed but I don't think that will drop the front enough....

Is it possible the rears are sagging? Re-arch the rears perhaps? I'd hit the easy button and toss a block in the rear, but perhaps I'm a redneck and didn't realize it.

Bryce

Nashco wrote: Re-arch the rears perhaps?

That would work. You'll have to find a shop that still does that sort of work though.

Hard to tell from picture, but it appears you could replace front shackles with shorter ones. Make them where there is only about a 1/4 inch between bushing eyes. Should gain 1inch drop without affecting anything, it's a 4x4, not a racecar! Check the rear shackles, maybe PO switched them up?

I like the height that the rear of the truck is at now. Lowering the front would also help with the pinion angle for the front drive shaft which is a little more severe then I would like.

I have never messed with removing leaf springs before, all of my previous trucks had coils or torsion bars up front.

Are those brackets for the leaf spring origninal, or a lift kit? Lose those. Otherwise, find an original set of springs, or a shop that is capable of de-arching the ones you have.

Oh thank God, I was afraid I was going to come in here and someone was going to be "stancing" a Land Cruiser.

Its possible the rear leafs are sagging. Happens a lot with 1st gen 4Runners, too. Mine's got it.

Before you do anything, put the winch up there, or at least set it on the bumper. You'd be surprised how much a winch on the forward tip of the car can affect the "stance." Forward of the forward axle, it will not only bring the front down a bit, but also bring the rear end up a tad.....you may end up with an even "stance."

irish44j wrote: Before you do anything, put the winch up there, or at least set it on the bumper. You'd be surprised how much a winch on the forward tip of the car can affect the "stance." Forward of the forward axle, it will not only bring the front down a bit, but also bring the rear end up a tad.....you may end up with an even "stance."

Yeah the winch is pretty darn heavy. I also was planning on running a dual battery setup, with a deep cell powering the winch and a standard battery starting the car etc... I have all of the stuff sitting on my bench in the garage I just need to mock it up on the truck and see how it looks.

I'm in the same boat with my Wrangler. After I installed my frankenlift, the front is about 1.5-2" higher than the rear. I'm hoping it will level out after I put a winch on.

A Warn 8274 would look right at home on your FJ60

I'd look into different shackles first, but tossing a leaf would be pretty easy, too. Probably would get the front to the right height, post winch. With the number of leafs up front, I don't think the front would come down another 2" with just the weight of the winch.

stanger_missle wrote: I'm in the same boat with my Wrangler. After I installed my frankenlift, the front is about 1.5-2" higher than the rear. I'm hoping it will level out after I put a winch on. A Warn 8274 would look right at home on your FJ60

I actually bought a broken XD9000i for the truck that I did a little restoration to. I will make a mini build thread for it when I get around to painting it.

Does a LS motor weigh more that the current one?

Add your winch, battery, etc. Even if you're still a bit high in the front, the extra travel may help the ride. I vote slipping out a leaf if it needs to come down still.

Unberkeley what the PO did. Go back to a SUA vs SOA

irish44j wrote: Before you do anything, put the winch up there, or at least set it on the bumper. You'd be surprised how much a winch on the forward tip of the car can affect the "stance." Forward of the forward axle, it will not only bring the front down a bit, but also bring the rear end up a tad.....you may end up with an even "stance."

Dang, really?

How much does the average winch weigh? (I have no idea about off-road stuff.)

My Warn XD9000i weighs approximately 85 pounds. You figure a winch plate is 15 to 20 pounds and the roller fairlead weighs another 10. All in the winch is 100 to 110. Add in an extra deep cycle battery to power the thing and you are looking at 150 to 160 lbs