Lifting my samurai?

[Josh-holden]

Hi, I want to lift my samurai, I'm on a budget on can not find some lift springs cheap. I'm looking at 1/2" bigger shackles or the 2" add a leaf kit. What do you guys think?

[ScottieJ]

What size tyres do you want to run? Slightly longer shackles (100mm between bolt centres) are ok as long as you also adjust the bumpstop height to stop over flexing the springs.

I wouldn't put add-a-leafs near an SJ of mine, all they do is increase the spring rate and make the ride harsh and uncomfortable. They aren't actually designed to add lift, the original intention for them was to increase the load carrying capacity to good springs. Then someone started selling them as a "cheap" lift to put life back into old springs, something they aren't designed for as the old spring just ends up bending around the ends off the add-a-leaf.

[Josh-holden]

Currently got 195/80 15. So 28/29"? What are standard shackle size? Do you know where I could find lift springs cheap?

[d_r_1989]

Llama 4x4. Stay away from add a leafs as they are only good for extra weight and your springs will bend around them. But there is one good thing add a leafs do, I run them on the back of mine to help prevent axle wrap and its working so far!

[ScottieJ]

Cheap and good suspension lifts are two things that don't really go together. But you can run up to around 29" tyres with no lift and have a very capable little SJ.

If you want lift its best to save and buy some good springs, you'll also need to lower the bumpstops, fit longer shocks and longer brakelines to get the most out of any suspension lift. 2" lift springs are more than enough.

Or you can fit 2" lift springs to the rear and with a small amount of fabrication do a rear springs up front conversion.

[Josh-holden]

Ok, when I meant cheaper I meant second hand. What fabrication do you need to put rears up front?

[d_r_1989]

2nd hand suspension is probably gunna be same as your suspension. Best thing you can do is as Scottie says fit 29"tyres and then your axle gets the same lift as the chassis and keeps centre of gravity down.

Scotties the suspension guru!

[ScottieJ]

Scotties the suspension guru!

Not sure I would go that far but I do believe it's best to keep the suspension simple and you often don't need loads of lift to build a capable Sj, there's not many occasions that I think loads of lift is an advantage.

The best way to do a rears up front (RUF) conversion is to make a new shackle hanger on the front around 40mm further forwards than the original, I plan to make some bolt on extensions on my Lwb. Many in Australia weld a small extension on to the front of the chassis and relocate the original shackle hanger.

[Anton]

The best way to do a rears up front (RUF) conversion is to make a new shackle hanger on the front around 40mm further forwards than the original, I plan to make some bolt on extensions on my Lwb. Many in Australia weld a small extension on to the front of the chassis and relocate the original shackle hanger.

Your bolt on idea is best for legal reasons - weld them on and VOSA rules require you to put the vehicle through a kit car IVA test. Which apparently a factory spec, zero miles, perfectly mint condition SJ would fail.

Bolt on for the win.

[ScottieJ]

The best way to do a rears up front (RUF) conversion is to make a new shackle hanger on the front around 40mm further forwards than the original, I plan to make some bolt on extensions on my Lwb. Many in Australia weld a small extension on to the front of the chassis and relocate the original shackle hanger.

Your bolt on idea is best for legal reasons - weld them on and VOSA rules require you to put the vehicle through a kit car IVA test. Which apparently a factory spec, zero miles, perfectly mint condition SJ would fail.

Bolt on for the win.

What would it apparently fail on in standard form? If you put a modified Sj through an IVA it would go through as a basic IVA and age related emissions. I'm sure if you can get a mini through an IVA then you can easily get an SJ through one, tbh you can do a weld on RUF converison is such a way that it would be hard to tell it has been done unless you really know your SJs.