[pkelly72]

I would not recommend anyone try this by themselves. It's really a job for 2 people. Especially the front. You need to push down on the lower control arm while pushing the new coil over into position. While in position, you must hold it in place and insert the bolt. It sounds easy but it kicked my but.

It's done. Front and rear complete. I'll test drive it tomorrow and report back.

Thanks for all of the help.:habbobuggs:

 

[FJCcrawler]

Any pics??

Seems like an easy installation!!:cheers:

 

[Layonnn]

Yeah, getting that coilover in place is the hardest part of the job. Everything else can be done by one person. Congrats on doing it yourself and saving some money for other mods.

 

[pkelly72]

pics tomorrow.

 

[1911]

A big pry bar applied to the lower A-arm will turn it back into a one-man job.

 

[pkelly72]

A big pry bar applied to the lower A-arm will turn it back into a one-man job.

Perhaps but it still would be easier with 2.

 

[FloJo]

installing the coilovers was not that bad...changing out the UCAs by myself was a pain in the stinkhole. with the new urethane bushings, i had to muscle the new UCAs in place while keeping the washers in place and while reaching up and over into the hood area with my long azz arms to push the pivot bolt through, all while keeping the UCA from sliding off due to the copious amount of grease on the urethane.

 

[pkelly72]

installing the coilovers was not that bad...changing out the UCAs by myself was a pain in the stinkhole. with the new urethane bushings, i had to muscle the new UCAs in place while keeping the washers in place and while reaching up and over into the hood area with my long azz arms to push the pivot bolt through, all while keeping the UCA from sliding off due to the copious amount of grease on the urethane.

That sucks. I feel your pain. It's almost funny it sounds so bad.

 

[jschmitt]

Hey FloJo, I have no idea how you were able to replace the UCA's by yourself. This last weekend, I did the TC UCA's and it really seemed like a 2 man job! No way anybody could do it by themself. Props to you!
Any pics yet pkelly72?

 

[Gottagetone]

The real question is How does it ride?

 

[FloJo]

Hey FloJo, I have no idea how you were able to replace the UCA's by yourself. This last weekend, I did the TC UCA's and it really seemed like a 2 man job! No way anybody could do it by themself. Props to you!
Any pics yet pkelly72?

it was a pain in the butt! if you saw me struggling, you would think i was humping the corner of my bumper. i was basically bear-hugging the fenders. long and skinny arms helps, i guess.

 

[pkelly72]

The real question is How does it ride?

Good question.

I have not had it aligned yet because I'm getting 285/75/16's this weekend. With that said, it doesn't ride well! Here's my observations:

1. You feel every little bump. My wife hates it. She noticed it and doesn't even read this site.
2. It's hard to handle...when I hit a bump at speed the fj gets thrown around and if I were to correct it I think I would crash. Today I passed a car at about 65 and the acceleration combined with quick passing and bumpy road really made me uncomfortable.

Is this normal? Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[FloJo]

Good question.

I have not had it aligned yet because I'm getting 285/75/16's this weekend. With that said, it doesn't ride well! Here's my observations:

1. You feel every little bump. My wife hates it. She noticed it and doesn't even read this site.
2. It's hard to handle...when I hit a bump at speed the fj gets thrown around and if I were to correct it I think I would crash. Today I passed a car at about 65 and the acceleration combined with quick passing and bumpy road really made me uncomfortable.

Is this normal? Any advice would be appreciated.

without any additional weight on your FJ, these coilovers will lift the front end probably a full 3" if not more. this will affect the alignment and you will feel it. in the very beginning, my SAWs were pretty stiff and i felt all the bumps in the road too. it got better over time and even better after i added a bumper.

did you adjust the collar at all or did you leave it preset?

 

[pkelly72]

without any additional weight on your FJ, these coilovers will lift the front end probably a full 3" if not more. this will affect the alignment and you will feel it. in the very beginning, my SAWs were pretty stiff and i felt all the bumps in the road too. it got better over time and even better after i added a bumper.

did you adjust the collar at all or did you leave it preset?

I moved the collar down about 30mm or 2+ inches.

I would love to add a bumper but my wife would KILL me right now.

I'm hoping with the alignment it makes things better. I'll find out this weekend.

 

[FloJo]

I moved the collar down about 30mm or 2+ inches.

I would love to add a bumper but my wife would KILL me right now.

I'm hoping with the alignment it makes things better. I'll find out this weekend.

2"!!!??? check your coils! if they say 650lbs/in, then you are probably ok. however, if you have the 700lbs/in coils, then you have the FJ specific coilovers and you should bring them back up to the top until you add weight to the FJ.

 

[DC Cruiser]

Who did you buy them from? Mark from Metal Tech set mine up for the weight of my ARB bumper and winch. Mine rides great!!!!! If you cranked them down 2" and they are the FJ 700 lb springs and not the Taco 650 lb springs than you are way too stiff!!!!!!!!

 

[Gottagetone]

Who did you buy them from? Mark from Metal Tech set mine up for the weight of my ARB bumper and winch. Mine rides great!!!!! If you cranked them down 2" and they are the FJ 700 lb springs and not the Taco 650 lb springs than you are way too stiff!!!!!!!!

Agreed, the alignment wont make you feel every bump, the c/o will. It sounds like you did a lot of unnecessarry cranking and stiffend up the ride. Try re-adjusting them before you get the alignment and see what you think.

 

[pkelly72]

Agreed, the alignment wont make you feel every bump, the c/o will. It sounds like you did a lot of unnecessarry cranking and stiffend up the ride. Try re-adjusting them before you get the alignment and see what you think.

I readjusted them last night. I brought them almost all of the way up (that was fun). I just have 1 thread showing now. I'll report back tonight on how it rides.

Thanks for the help.

 

[jschmitt]

I am still running with the stock bumper and I have my collar spaced down about 1/2 an inch and it still feels ok. I can see how cranking it down 2 inches might make it stiff. The main reason I did crank my coilovers down was to level out the front end with the back. I am still a little higher in the back but not by much. Does anyone have pics of where the collar on their coilover sits now and also pics of how level their rig is. Also, it might be handy to know what added weight is on the front end. Thx

 

[DC Cruiser]

Hows it riding now that you adjusted the collars???

:cheers: