OME 880s on front... 960 mm (37.8 ") arch height??

[eurasiaoverland]

Hi guys

1996 2.7 5 speed JDM Hilux Surf

Front: Bilstein 4600s / OME 880s

Rear: Bilstein 4600s / OME 906s

Tyres: 265/70 R16

I've put the engine back in my truck and although the above set up seems to have worked for people on here, it definitely isn't working for me!

My front arches are 960 mm (37.8 ") from the ground which looks a bit high for my liking, I'm worried that the droop on the CV joints is too high.

My rear arches are 910 mm (35.8 ") from the ground, which looks stock to me. Not the 2 " lift I was expecting.

Can anyone with a similar set up tell me what the problem is?

Am I unusually high at the front, or unusually low at the back? Or both??

Thanks!

 

[zig553]

I have the same lift and the front's dropped a little more than the rear. I do have an ARB bumper though. It could be due to having the 4 cylinder engine as I believe it weighs less than the V6

 

[Kanoe]

I have had a similar problem with mine when I upgraded suspension. I have front 99 tall springs on 4600s, rear 2906s and 4600s. Essentially the same as you except for the front spring.

It seems most of the lift info and numbers out there are based on a v6 auto, A/C, bumpers etc. I was expecting the rear to end up a little higher than the front. In actuality I have a front that is 1/2 inch higher than the rear after 2 years of use. I was upset to see how much lift I got from the 99 tall springs too. Too much for my liking but no CV issues as of yet...

What is the reason? I can only guess it is because I have a base model '96. So 4 cyl, 5 spd, no fat lip bumper, no A/C system, no cruise makes just about the lightest 3rd gen you could ask for. Sitting on the front drops it noticeably so I am guessing that an extra 150 to 200lbs (whatever the difference would be) of machinery would make the difference in height.

I have been contemplating getting a lower groove milled in the 4600s to move the clip down a bit but have not done so yet. I have tried in vain to find a set of spring seats that would sit a little lower. Bilstien says they make no such thing. I would like to know if going back to the stock struts would make any difference. I doubt it but who knows? Mine are long gone.

Please send me a PM if you find any solution, I want to address mine somehow.

Edit: I found the 99 talls on 4600s to be punishingly stiff in the front, but the 2906s and 4600s to be fine in the rear. I am curious to get your impression of the same set up but with the 880s in front. Now after 50,000 km the front has softened up to the point where I am OK with it.

 

[Kanoe]

Of course there is also the possibility you have the spring seats in upside down. This will cause a couple inches of unintended lift! I believe it has happened a time or two.

 

[eurasiaoverland]

Hi

Yup, must be pretty light up front, pretty much the same as yours since I've taken the A?C off my truck for the time being.

Today I put the battery in the truck, and the hood, cracked the UBJ and LBJ bolts and bumped it up and down, and the front arches are now down to 935 mm which suits me fine and looks just right. I expect this will come down a little further once I've driven the truck a bit, and got the back higher.

The rear however still looks saggy at 905 mm. Once I add a full tank of fuel and two spares, I guess this will go down further still. So I'm ordering the rubber cones (not standard on JDM vehicles) and some OME 891s to hopefully level the truck. If that doesn't do it, I'm not sure what to do!

 

[HeshBen]

I'm interested to know what you find out as well. I have the 3RZ and am about ready to order 880/906 combo and don't want reverse rake. I have AT, AC, CC and the fat lip bumper, so I'll be a little heavier up front.