Ball Joint Spacer question...

[10ac]

My plan is i already purchased ball joint spacers. The kit says its a 2.5" lift. The spacer is 1.5" thick which i read that its not a 1:1 lift. My plan is to put the spacer in and turn the torsion bar adjustment down a little. I would like to only acheive about 1.5" at most over what i have or maybe just even 1" and ill be ok.

Is the ball joint spacer i have too thick? Should i have them machined down to 1"? So then i will get 2" of liift then adjust torsions from that point. I have access to have Machine work done easily.

The deal is that i also purchase OME/ ARB cs009r rear leaf springs. They claim 2". That may make my runner look funny with the tires i have which are 31x10.5x15. Eventually i want to go to 33" tires then the arb leafs i have would be ok as well as the 2.5" ball joint spacers. Hmmm, what to do? Lol

 

[KidVermicious]

I answered this in your other thread too, but a 1.5 inch ball joint spacer will give you 1.5 inches of lift.

In my experience, you'll get more like 2.5" inches out of the OME leafs after they settle, maybe a little more. To match that lift height with the ball joint spacers you'll need to crank up the torsion bars, and that will cause a rougher ride and limit front end flex. If you're committed to the OME springs, other possible solutions to level the truck are a shorter rear shackle or removing one of the leafs from the spring pack. Or just leave the rear a little high, a 1" difference won't look terrible and that way it won't sag when you're loaded for a trip.

 

[10ac]

I answered this in your other thread too, but a 1.5 inch ball joint spacer will give you 1.5 inches of lift.

In my experience, you'll get more like 2.5" inches out of the OME leafs after they settle, maybe a little more. To match that lift height with the ball joint spacers you'll need to crank up the torsion bars, and that will cause a rougher ride and limit front end flex. If you're committed to the OME springs, other possible solutions to level the truck are a shorter rear shackle or removing one of the leafs from the spring pack. Or just leave the rear a little high, a 1" difference won't look terrible and that way it won't sag when you're loaded for a trip.

Im not commited to the ARB leafs. I can return them. If i do, what are my options for the rear? I DO NOT wanna do blocks.

Thats weird about the ball joint spacers. I was confused. It clearly says the even though the spacers themselves measure 1.5" but the give you 2.5" of lift. Ill attach a link to the kit i bought where u can read it.

84-95 Toyota IFS 4Runner 2.5" Front Leveling Lift Kit w/ Diff Drop 4WD 4x4 | eBay

 

[KidVermicious]

therefore the advertised height is achieved after install, not the height of the spacer itself.

That's the fine print. By "achieved after install" they mean "after you crank the torsion bars", which is going to be a step in their installation instructions.

If you think about it you can see right through them. The torsion bar IFS doesn't have a coil spring against the lower A-arm mounted inboard of the spindle, like on later IFS setups. The upper A-arm mounts directly to the torsion bar, so any space introduced at the interface between the upper ball joint and the tip of the upper A-arm has to lift the truck in almost exactly a 1:1 ratio. Any retailer telling you that the amount of lift is greater than the height of the ball joint spacer is lying to you.

You've got lots of options besides a leaf spring block to lift the rear. You can install an add-a-leaf or build a bastard spring pack with extra leaves (increases the spring rate, not always ideal), you can put a longer shackle on the rear hanger, you can stuff a coil spring between the bump stops (the "Zukmod"). If you're up for the fab, you can install a set of longer leaf springs from a Chevy or Ford full size and get lift AND flex, but they take a bit of work to dial in.

Don't get me wrong, I like Old Man Emu springs and shocks, I run them on my '85. But there's lots of other options if you want to stay low. If you decide not to use the OME springs, I like the Zukmod for cost and ease of install.

 

[10ac]

That's the fine print. By "achieved after install" they mean "after you crank the torsion bars", which is going to be a step in their installation instructions.

If you think about it you can see right through them. The torsion bar IFS doesn't have a coil spring against the lower A-arm mounted inboard of the spindle, like on later IFS setups. The upper A-arm mounts directly to the torsion bar, so any space introduced at the interface between the upper ball joint and the tip of the upper A-arm has to lift the truck in almost exactly a 1:1 ratio. Any retailer telling you that the amount of lift is greater than the height of the ball joint spacer is lying to you.

You've got lots of options besides a leaf spring block to lift the rear. You can install an add-a-leaf or build a bastard spring pack with extra leaves (increases the spring rate, not always ideal), you can put a longer shackle on the rear hanger, you can stuff a coil spring between the bump stops (the "Zukmod"). If you're up for the fab, you can install a set of longer leaf springs from a Chevy or Ford full size and get lift AND flex, but they take a bit of work to dial in.

Don't get me wrong, I like Old Man Emu springs and shocks, I run them on my '85. But there's lots of other options if you want to stay low. If you decide not to use the OME springs, I like the Zukmod for cost and ease of install.

great! thanks for the info! then ill be safe then as far as the ball joint spacers. ill just put them in and ill be set. i was worried about the 2.5" which i figured would be too high up front.
as far as rear, i don't wanna rake too badly. 1" more or 1.5" more than front ill be ok with. but seems that the arb cs009r leafs may be too much rake.
maybe ill try the add a leaf to "spruce up" the rear leafs that are sagged badly and almost on my bump stops

 

[10ac]

to clarify...

just to mention, here is what ill be doing with my runner....

i have a 4 year old daughter. planning just to do some mild trail/offroading. nothing crazy or rock crawling and flexing.
want a decent ride as well, don't wanna be riding like a log wagon. i don't expect to ride like a cadillac but just don't wanna be beat up.