CV angles

[Falls]

Mike,
This is meant with no offense intended as well...

I have adjusted what the shop did, and it is now about the same as the 3/2 I had on it before, which lasted through many rough offroading trips, and I really beat the hell out of it at times since the spacers cannot handle whoops in the desert going anything faster than 5mph. (meaning I nosed it a few times because of crappy suspension parts making me bottom out.)

Can one of you explain how it is different to have a better suspension set to roughly 3/2 than is it to have a chunk of metal on top of my stock coils (spacer lift) providing the same 3/2 of lift? If I get the same clearance, same lift, same everything, with the only changed factor being superior ride quality, then what makes this a "death trap" as you and Thai have suggested?

CJ3Flyr,
Thanks, I was pushed into it by my step father because he juggles about 9 of these $50k minimum, and $100k minimum accounts which have all tripled or more, so he just works at the ER now to make spending cash while he sits comfortably on his assets. He always laughs about how many millions he would have if he started at 19-20 like I am now, instead of waiting until he was in his 40's. :bigok:

It's not a bad thing that you went with a different suspension . If my Xreas blew out I would def. do an OME set up vs fixing the xreas. Just because you nose drive doing whoops does not mean the suspension is crap , I have hit some absolutely horrible stuff and traveled off road faster than I should have and have never bottomed out. Maybe with the spacers it has been amplified with limited travel.

I'm just saying I like the 2/1 look better and for most it functions just fine off road. I'm not into off road driving fast so its hard for me to imagine that. It sounds like you are building a good off road truck that can handle higher speed off road.

I have not called it a "death trap" to my knowledge , although I'm not going to waste my time searching through either. Seems you jump a little on the defensive , which was not my intent to make you do so.

 

[Uneek]

Just wondering, but how do folks like AlexJet and ChaosEdition, who have 6 inch+ lifts, I believe, not have constantly torn CV boots?

ChaosEdition (Good Times) has different front axles because of his long travel setup.

 

[808BMW]

To clear it up a bit, Alex HAD a fabtech 6" lift with coilovers and custom upper mounts for about 7" of lift.
Fabtech kits are basically 4" diff drops with 2" of crank (whether it be spacers, coilovers, whatever, I just call it crank) pushed up another bit to 3", exact same CV angle as a 3" spacer lift or coilover adjusted to 3" with no diff drop.
Lance has a Total Chaos long travel kit, which use custom (meaning $575 + s/h) axles.

A $35 diff drop does almost nothing, it's more like 1/8" - 1/4" diff drop and angled down a couple more degrees.
The worst problem with the CV boots are the clamps, put tighter clamps, and try not to turn the wheel too far and just mash the gas.

As far as order of mods goes, yes a locker will keep you from getting stuck a bit more than a lift. However, you definately need skids and your just basically pushing a big metal sled over the rocks.

I'd rather rely on ATRAC and maybe a tug from a friend (always wheel with buddies!) instead of dragging my undercarriage on every rock I see. Those few inches of clearance make a world of difference.

 

[Falls]

I was pushed into it by my step father because he juggles about 9 of these $50k minimum, and $100k minimum accounts which have all tripled or more, so he just works at the ER now to make spending cash while he sits comfortably on his assets. He always laughs about how many millions he would have if he started at 19-20 like I am now, instead of waiting until he was in his 40's. :bigok:

Josh , Thats great thinking on your part. You will be so glad you did it. Hey I'm 45 y/o semi-ret. and able to do what I want and work part time doing things I'm passionate about.

 

[Thai]

then what makes this a "death trap" as you and Thai have suggested?

Missed this part in your post, Josh.

When did i suggest that what you did was a "death trap"?? Are you quoting me or Falls??

I think that you cranked up your 4runner too much initially...what you have done since is based on your words...so, good for you if you have solved the issue(s).

What i have been trying to tell you is that you are going at this thing the wrong way IF you are truly trying to make your rig off-road capable, rather than having just off-road "look."

(After reading the "other" forum today, it looks like some people there are telling the same thing.)

 

[HB 4X4]

Missed this part in your post, Josh.

When did i suggest that what you did was a "death trap"?? Are you quoting me or Falls??

I think that you cranked up your 4runner too much initially...what you have done since is based on your words...so, good for you if you have solved the issue(s).

What i have been trying to tell you is that you are going at this thing the wrong way IF you are truly trying to make your rig off-road capable, rather than having just off-road "look."

(After reading the "other" forum today, it looks like some people there are telling the same thing.)

Yeah, I have been in the process of adjusting them, however, other complications have risen as you mentioned from the "other" forum as you call it. The mere fact that I made an attempt to adjust it within the next day after installation is all that is needed to assume that I do not want the highest "looking" 4Runner.

Also, I didn't mean you said "death trap" exactly. I was exaggerating your exaggeration.

 

[BlairB]

Missed this part in your post, Josh.

When did i suggest that what you did was a "death trap"?? Are you quoting me or Falls??

I think that you cranked up your 4runner too much initially...what you have done since is based on your words...so, good for you if you have solved the issue(s).

What i have been trying to tell you is that you are going at this thing the wrong way IF you are truly trying to make your rig off-road capable, rather than having just off-road "look."

(After reading the "other" forum today, it looks like some people there are telling the same thing.)

I would not put the blame on Josh for this, the shop is the one who put his rig at such a high height initially. As soon as he really inspected everything he lowered the coilovers to a setting that looked to put less strain on the CV's. When I talked to Josh he was waiting for everything to settle more after our trip to lower them to their final point, not just keeping it jacked up for looks.

When we hit the trails in big bear this weekend, we soon saw how stiff his rig was and as soon we got to a place that would lend us their floor jack we adjusted his front coilovers to the lowest setting that it would allow.

I don't see how upgrading ones coilovers and then putting them to their lowest height level is, as you say, the wrong way to make a capable trail rig. If that was the case, why would all the others on the "other" forum be running similar set-ups with such success?

 

[Thai]

I don't see how upgrading ones coilovers and then putting them to their lowest height level is, as you say, the wrong way to make a capable trail rig. If that was the case, why would all the others on the "other" forum be running similar set-ups with such success?

I am not really criticizing the lift itself. Please see my previous posts in this thread.