FZJ80 Suspension Lifts
by Scott C. Simmons

This is the approach I took in mounting 35x12.5x16 SSR's. I currently run 850, 863 with 15 mm of OME spacers. This is probably one of the lowest "lifts" on the list that is running a true 35. The Swampers in this size and on a factory 8" steel rim measured a little over 34 1/2 on the truck. This is the very loaded front tire with 34lbs of air and maybe 3000 miles on the tires. I have dual batteries, second a/c compressor for on board air, R&M shower, ARB bar, M12000 winch and more stuff than I can remember stuffed under the hood.

I wheel on the east coast where height and a wagon can be a real problem. Trees, off camber trails and tight washes all present negatives to a taller truck. Some trails I have been on with 80s and roof racks have needed trail grooming with chain saws just to get the vehicles roof rack though due to the camber of the trail.

I do not claim to be an expert and many people out there may feel differently but I am interested in creating more droop. As Christo mentioned the shocks are the main concern and then sway bars. If you can increase droop on the unloaded side then the side that is being forced to the bump stop will do it at a later point. As long as the "light" side is taking some weight then the "heavy" side will not have as great of an amount. This does not say that there will be times that all 4 tires will be on the ground and the truck will be stuffed on a corner or two. It will happen. It just will not happen to as great an extent if the "light" side can continue to carry weight. I have wheeled with some unbelievable trucks that have very little or no compression. These trucks performed so well on some obstacles that I just stood in disbelief. Think of all the magazine photos you see.

The rear flare clearance can be resolved with a very small amount of Dremil tool. You can make a tapered line along the offending area. We took it out on the trail stuffed the wheel until it touched, marked the area needed and trimmed it off. Then went back and did it again to determine how long the bump stops must be. I extended the stop 2" in the rear. A 10 min job with the correct material on hand. This has allowed my truck to run some great trails without any clearance issues in the rear. The front had been fine on most trails, at the shop a trail presented a ravine crossing that caused the front to compress to the 2" extended front stops and it tore a flare. This was at full lock to the side that was compressed. Still need to address this but removal of all the flares has helped.

Let's think about the 80 suspension. If we only raise the height of the truck and do not address all the issues that Christo mentioned we have only changed the static beginning position of the vehicle. The suspension travel is governed by the shocks, mostly, on droop and by the position of the bump stops on compression. I suppose it is possible to compress the springs until the coils touch and still not hit the bump stops but I think that this would require more than just 1.5 inches of spacer. Others may be able to address this point better. So if we do not change the bump stop, and we do not change the shock, the amount of travel will remain the same from vehicle to vehicle regardless of the height of the lift.

If we add height to the vehicle to allow for static clearance this is great. For 99% of the time it will work fine. It is the 1-2% that it will tear you truck or tires apart. From my experience I try to build to the 1-2 % because then the other 98-99% will take care of itself. It is a lot of trial and error but seems to be working.

The other issue you need to address it that actual tire height is not the only issue in tire selection that will need to be addressed in clearance. Tread width is probably the most important. Section width has not presented a problem for me at all with the 12.5 on factory rims. The SSR has a wider and more pronounced tread width than say an MTR of the same size. This is not to say one is better than another just different. It is also important to remember that lower air pressures will deform the side wall. Mostly on the bottom but I have seen changes in the tire shape also in the upper portion during extreme wheeling.

Scott C. Simmons
Lobster Fabrication
President Capital Land Cruisers
93 fzj80.