So I added another Toyota to my stable. 94 Xtra Cab with 77,000 miles! 2wds are tough to find here in Utah- everyone wants a 4x4 so I'm feeling pretty lucky! (the wheels are gonna have to go, though)

I'm looking to drop the truck 2-3" and have a civilized ride. Drive it year round, rain, snow. Something I can still haul things and not have to apologize to my wife for the ride quality.

I know there are tons of things written on front drops but wanted to get everyone's opinion on drop spindles vs bj flip/torsions. I've owned torsion minis before so I am familiar with the ride. I'm not opposed to buying spindles or LCAs if they are worth it. The tightwad in me wants to flip bjs, 2" of torsion adjusting and stiff shocks. Can the torsions be re-indexed? Are there dropped LCAs for our trucks or just spindles? Can the bj flip work with spindles too?

Thanks for the help.

 

I live in north dakota and dropped mine 3" who cares about the snow

 

I've driven lowered vehicles for years in the snow- its the ride quality I'm looking for. This one won't be as slammed as my other cars (famous last words )

 

I have Belltech 2" drop spindles, 3" blocks and Toxic drop shocks. The ride in the front is great! The back not so much. I haven't touched my torsions or leafs or anything else so I'm not sure how it would ride with a b/j flip. I have thought about getting Belltech's drop leafs cause I've heard the ride is much better, but they decrease your load capacity by 25%.

 

I did all three options, drop spindles, loosened t-bars and a bj flip.

If you JUST do the t-bars, you could get 3 in easy. But ride is definatly sacrificed. Figure a covered wagon ride. I just got uprated sway a way bars (which give that ride back) and LOOOVVVE em.

Figure a bj flip is worth an inch with no loss of ride quality. You could 'shim' them for more, but It doesnt look stong enough for my truck. (and houston potholes )

Spindles are probibly the best of the 3. Basically bolt on (+ alighnment) 2 in drop. Around 200~ bucks, and ride quality stays the same.

And yes t-bars are re-index-able.

 

bj flip, torsions til sitting on bumpstops, 3" blocks, i drive it year round.
Dry, Rain, Snow, 'nadoes, ya know, the usual


but i think b/j flip (1") and torsions (2") and NOT on bumpstops will ride alright, including 3" blocks in rear. will be pretty even

 

re indexing the torsions=fail... I tried it and theres a notch on the splines that lets the torsion bar only sit in one spot and one spot only. Loosening the torsions is about all you got. For a 2/3 drop just do a BJ flip a loosen the torsions and your ride shouldnt be all that bad. Blocks in the rear a fckit you're done

 

You can grind down that indexing spline to fit into a normal splines passage. My buddy used to to do this back in the day on all of his toyotas. He showed me pictures, and when I had a 92, he said he'd help. So, its possible. Just not a pull and rotate sort of thing.

 

yea i realized that notch on the splines was there AFTER i had alread turned the torsions a few splines and hammered em in..... Well i did one side then i tried doing the other and it just didnt wana cooperate. I thought about grinding it down but meh.. i got low enough by just turning down the torsions.

Thank god the splines dint get FUBAR-d with the lil mistake...

 

DJM lower arms give you a 2-3inch drop (pretty sure 3). And messing with the torsions is part of the installation. They are good for when your lower arms have holes in them due to rust.

 

simple enough man........ if you got the cash, suck it up and do arms and or spindles. do drop leafs for the rear and call it a day. honestly, if youre that worried about ride quality.

if you want it easy and rather spend the money elsewhere then do the basic poor (yet wise) man's 4/3 drop. the ball joint flip saves you torsion ridgidity since you drop it 1 inch plus on average. that extra inch you would have cranked out of the torsions is saved by flipping the ball joint. consider it half of a spindle drop without the in depth work or price.

 

Thanks guys- Love this forum!

This is a good way of thinking about it. The cost of that extra inch. And I would rather spend the money somewhere else. Thats what i like about minis-you can do a lot with minimal parts and expense.

I think I'll start with the flip, torsions and shocks and see where that gets me. It seems a little "too cushy" at the moment anyway compared to other minis I've owned. By the looks of the leafs, the shell has been on it most of its life so the front is the main concern. I'll start a little build thread and keep updates. Can't do too much to this, gotta get back to the Hilux!

 

After some choice words toward the torsion lock nuts, I was able to drop the front a good 3 inches, put on smaller bumpstops and it rides surprisingly well Drop shocks and ball joint flip coming this weekend and then I'll dial it all in and call it good. ...then get back to the other projects Pics soon.

 

pics!

 

x2!

 

DITTO-ish!

 

Okay, here you go. Not finished yet but this has 2" blocks in the back and 3" torsion twist in the front so far. And let me tell you, i have owned a Mazda and a Nissan and this is the best riding torsion drop I've had!

These will be my "winter" wheels and my only ones till I find a suitable set of something better. I do have the stock hubcaps and a set of Mercedes hubcaps to change things up. These are 195/75/14 tires.

 

very nice..

now drop it more...

 

How much torsion bolt do you have left? i got 2" left but im lower than that.

U riding bumpstops?

 

Believe me its tough to resist dropping it more. My 510 is 2.5" off the ground and I drive it that way. This truck needs to be utilitarian and still go up a dirt road to our cabin occasionally so I'm trying to find a happy medium. I don't want to spend too much time on this one--I want to get back to the '71

Exactly 2" left and i changed out the bumpstops for smaller ones so plenty of travel.