Long travel rear on the cheap

[wfo9]

Thought I would post up about my long travel rear on the cheap setup.

I got most of my motivation and info for it from a great thread on the FJ cruiser forum

superflexy on the cheap, or more expensive if you're into that :bigthumb: - Toyota FJ Cruiser Forum

Here is what I ended up with.

Springs:MT med long travel
Free length:19.25 Supported shock range length: 15.5 - 29.5

Extended Brake lines:MT

Shocks:
ProComp es9000 #926514 Full length:26.79 Compresssed:15.56 Travel:11.23
MT Icon LT (for comparison purposes) Full length 28.5 Compressed:17
Travel:11.5

What I did is probably not an ideal setup for someone who does not like to experiment and doing their own wrenching... The Procomp shocks are cheap (as in$80 for the pair) and the quality is very questionable. With that said, they offer nearly the perfect length and travel for a nice LT trail setup on a 5th gen. No bump stop extensions are required (like the 3" extensions required for the Icons). so you lose no up travel and gain some decent down.

Also, shocks are probably the easiest thing to change on these trucks, so I figured I would try this out before dropping major cash on the ICONs. I think I have ~300 total in this setup so far. Since the procomps were a whopping $80 shipped, I did not care if I ended up throwing them away.

So far, it actually drives pretty nice on the road. and the flex is downright amazing. I had planned to wheel it today, but I ended up having problems with my rear diff coupler hitting my gas tank skid under heavy flex. I got that mostly resolved, but need to notch the skid a bit.

I'll probably eventually go with the MT Icons, but I think this may be the best value. I hope to have some off road impressions next weekend.

There were a few tricks to the install of the shocks (they are not exactly drop in on a 5th gen), so if anyone wants to do this I can provide pics and more details. The same info is basically in the Fj thread.

 

[hotsteel41]

I did about the same setup on my 2008 fj. I went with the pro comp es1000 shocks the application was for a 1977 c 7 4.5 inch lift. It had the same specs as your shocks. For springs I went with the allpro offroad 3.5 inch lift springs. I checked the travel out with out swaybar and the springs were loose in the bucket put on the sway bar and it was ok. I ran this setup for a few years great flex no trouble. I also extended my bump stops 2 inches. Got some crap from a guy with the Mt 3 link as not being a true 11 inch travel. It worked great and I plan on doing the same to my 2014 te but with better shocks. I just am not tired of the new yet!

 

[mikey's2010SR5]

Thought I would post up about my long travel rear on the cheap setup.

I got most of my motivation and info for it from a great thread on the FJ cruiser forum

superflexy on the cheap, or more expensive if you're into that :bigthumb: - Toyota FJ Cruiser Forum

Here is what I ended up with.

Springs:MT med long travel
Free length:19.25 Supported shock range length: 15.5 - 29.5

Extended Brake lines:MT

Shocks:
ProComp es9000 #926514 Full length:26.79 Compresssed:15.56 Travel:11.23
MT Icon LT (for comparison purposes) Full length 28.5 Compressed:17
Travel:11.5

What I did is probably not an ideal setup for someone who does not like to experiment and doing their own wrenching... The Procomp shocks are cheap (as in$80 for the pair) and the quality is very questionable. With that said, they offer nearly the perfect length and travel for a nice LT trail setup on a 5th gen. No bump stop extensions are required (like the 3" extensions required for the Icons). so you lose no up travel and gain some decent down.

Also, shocks are probably the easiest thing to change on these trucks, so I figured I would try this out before dropping major cash on the ICONs. I think I have ~300 total in this setup so far. Since the procomps were a whopping $80 shipped, I did not care if I ended up throwing them away.

So far, it actually drives pretty nice on the road. and the flex is downright amazing. I had planned to wheel it today, but I ended up having problems with my rear diff coupler hitting my gas tank skid under heavy flex. I got that mostly resolved, but need to notch the skid a bit.

I'll probably eventually go with the MT Icons, but I think this may be the best value. I hope to have some off road impressions next weekend.

There were a few tricks to the install of the shocks (they are not exactly drop in on a 5th gen), so if anyone wants to do this I can provide pics and more details. The same info is basically in the Fj thread.

So let us see some photos of the flex!

:worthless

 

[wfo9]

So let us see some photos of the flex!

:worthless

I'll get some. I had planned to get some off-road shots yesterday, then on the way to the trails I heard the drive-shaft flange bolts and the gas tank skid bolts slamming each other (happen on a turn into an off camber driveway at speed). It took me a while to figure out what it was, but it sounded horrible. I thought my entire drive line was coming apart. I was very happy to discover it was just something simple. I had the nut on the outside of the gas tank skid mount, but it had never hit before with my previous setup.

I put the rear swaybar back on for now. I like it much better like that on the road. It's just too loose without it for daily driving, IMHO. I feel it is tolerable like that for a trip to the trails, but not great for a daily driver.

To make the thread not worthless:
Attached is a pic of the drive shaft issue when flexed. And then one of the vertical down travel (no flex ).

 

[adam2562]

are we able to do that with a custom bilstein 5100 shock? curious if i could use that vs the procomp.

 

[hotsteel41]

http://rs910.pbsrc.com/albums/ac303/hotsteel41/IMG_1555.jpg~320x480 here is a link to my fj cruiser with the longer shocks flexed out. This picture has the 33s I added bump stop extensions when I put on my 315s. I was looking at a long travel fox shock to replace the pro comp shocks.

 

[wfo9]

are we able to do that with a custom bilstein 5100 shock? curious if i could use that vs the procomp.

I don't think bilstein makes one with that much travel that would fit in that configuration. They do have some remote res shocks that might work with some different bushings installed.

Bilstein Part 25-177435 - 5160 Series Reservoir Shock Absorber - 4 Wheel Parts

If you are going to spend that much, might as well just go with Icons or Radflo... and get something more proven for the application.

The proComps are riding surprisingly well so far.

I tried to flex on a loading dock near my work today, but it was not steep enough to push it. I had the swaybar on anyway, but it was worth a pic. Need to figure out how to get my back wheel on the other side without rubbing.... First time to try this and was just going to lunch.

 

[adam2562]

do you plan on replacing the lower links and or the panhard bar?

 

[wfo9]

Not at the moment. Might replace the lowers for strength as the stock ones bend pretty easy... was going to go with the MT offset ones, but I hear the bracket skids no longer fit, so will need to check into that first. For now I'm sticking with the stock ones.

Just ordered some ICON extended travel coil overs for the front, so need to slow down on my spending for a bit.

 

[wfo9]

Quick update on this. Went out and hit the trails last weekend, but still had problems with the drive shaft grinding on the gas tank skid.

I did another flex test, so I thought I would post a pic.

 

[adam2562]

Not at the moment. Might replace the lowers for strength as the stock ones bend pretty easy... was going to go with the MT offset ones, but I hear the bracket skids no longer fit, so will need to check into that first. For now I'm sticking with the stock ones.

Just ordered some ICON extended travel coil overs for the front, so need to slow down on my spending for a bit.

Sonoran Steel also makes a lower rear link

4Runner/FJ Crusier Extreme Duty DOM Lower Links - $310.00 : Sonoran Steel, Sonoran Steel Custom Metal Fabrication L.L.C. Custom Toyota Truck Parts

 

[GU4runner]

Still holding up good? Any issues or concerns since you installed?

 

[wfo9]

Still holding up good? Any issues or concerns since you installed?

It worked pretty well overall, but I was dragging my bumper a bit off-road since I could get so much wheel tuck and articulation... I also had an issue with the drive shaft hitting my gas tank skid, but I eventually resolved that with some trimming.

The bumper dragging was the only problem (and literally a drag), so I decided to put on bump stop extensions and the MT ICON shocks. I also did the MT lower links while I was at it along with ICON coil overs. I actually get a little less articulation in the rear now, but more down travel. The bumper no longer drags in hard attack angles and the truck feels absolutely fantastic on the trails.

I grabbed one picture on Sunday... It's not even really flexed, but it shows a little of the down travel.

 

[RG79]

quick question???

On all those pics are you running a rear sway bar?? thanks

 

[wfo9]

No sway bars, but I have had the sway bar on at times. It looses about 2-3" of articulated down travel. It can still get about what the pic above shows with a sway bar (and extended links). The max I have gotten out of it is shown in the pic below. It puts the top of the tire about even with my slider.

 

[RG79]

still substantial even with sway bars on. So when your not running the sway bars your shock is the limiting factor?? I like the idea of those mt springs just not sure I want 2" of lift and also not sure how far my Icon omega rear shocks would allow the rear to droop. I wanna try and get as much droop possible while still using the factory bumps........ looks good tho

 

[ManhstuhT4R]

On a side note, how are you liking your gears?

 

[adam2562]

@wfo do you have a panhard bar? I'm wondering if that'll help once you center the rear, to keep the drive shaft from hitting the gas tank skid?

 

[wfo9]

@wfo do you have a panhard bar? I'm wondering if that'll help once you center the rear, to keep the drive shaft from hitting the gas tank skid?

Yes I have a panhard bar. It would be crazy not to.

The skid grinding issue is 100% resolved. I had it resolved before adding the bump stops by trimming the skid quite a bit, but its not even close to grinding now with the 3" bump stops in place.

The gears are great. Could never go back. Only downside is MPG and a little more noise at hwy speeds.

 

[adam2562]

Yes I have a panhard bar. It would be crazy not to.

The skid grinding issue is 100% resolved. I had it resolved before adding the bump stops by trimming the skid quite a bit, but its not even close to grinding now with the 3" bump stops in place.

The gears are great. Could never go back. Only downside is MPG and a little more noise at hwy speeds.

Sorry lol.. I meant an adjustable panhard bar of course we all have one lol