TM suspension lift

chumley · Post by **chumley** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 7:45 am

Okay I've been having some issues with my front end. When I hit a bump going straight it seems like the suspension bottoms out and the front tires make a squawk. If I hit a bump while turning it does the same-feels like it wants to wash out. I removed the bumpstops which were only 1/2 inch from the control arm and it's only slightly better. I don't think I can crank the t-bars up any more. Has anyone else w/ a susp. lift experienced this? It can be a little hairy sometimes. It feels like it runs out of suspension, does this make any sense? I know the shop that installed the lift for the previous owner and they're very reputable. Maybe I need to go visit them but I thought I'd check here first. Is this a characteristic for a lifted IFS that I just gotta deal with?

All my previous lifted trucks have had solid front axles. TIA Tim

bubaloo1983 · Post by **bubaloo1983** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 11:07 am

I had many problems with my ifs lift and i will tell you its not just the tm. Its the ifs.
its not ment for lifts at all. It literally starts to fall apart after a few months. especially with something like a 33 12 50 tire.

if i were you i would uncrank the t bars totally to stock. That could be helping the problem aswell.

i know its hard to go down in lift but the longer you have it like this the worse it is going to get...then you go sfa like me

good luck

chumley · Post by **chumley** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 1:13 pm

I did back off the t-bars and the tires are toed out at the bottom. It feels like the suspension is super soft. I guess its a good thing I don't drive it all the time or I'd be doing the sfa REAL soon!

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 1:26 pm

chumley wrote:I did back off the t-bars and the tires are toed out at the bottom. It feels like the suspension is super soft. I guess its a good thing I don't drive it all the time or I'd be doing the sfa REAL soon!

One more SL looking at a SFA

This is definitely more than a rare occurence

Post by **HenryJ** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 1:35 pm

chumley wrote:I did back off the t-bars and the tires are toed out at the bottom. It feels like the suspension is super soft. I guess its a good thing I don't drive it all the time or I'd be doing the sfa REAL soon!

Some things about that statement are confused.

"Toe" refers to the aspect of the front of the tires. "Toe in" is fronts closer together than the backs. The toes point together.
"Toe out" is the opposite. The fronts pointing apart, or toes pointing out.

Camber is what I believe what you are referring to. This is the top and bottom of the tire.

Positive camber has the tops further apart than the bottom. Top out.

Negative camber is the bottoms further apart. Bottom out.
Now you can varying degrees of each toe and camber.

A little bit of toe in holds a line, or drives good at higher speeds. Too much and tire wear is an issue.
Toe out tends to wander or grab the ruts and is dangerous, as the frontend tends to feel "floaty"
Camber will affect handling in the corners and during the suspension travel.

If you have negative camber then either your ball joints are shot and that is creating the problem, or the bars are cranked higher than the upper a-arm will correct.

Either way it may be time to visit your local alignment shop. While you can probably use a tape measure to get the toe close, they can adjust the camber and adjust your ride height to the maximum height while still maintaining the camber.

Now you will probably argue that you "Just had an alignment" ...sorry they are not a permanent adjustment. Ideally you should have the alignment checked at least every third tire rotation. That would be about annually for most.
The suspension lifts seem to be a little "soft" , and flex, so you may need to check things even more often.

Any changes you make in vehicle weight, or adjustment to the suspension, need to be checked for alignment too. Get friendly with your local shop. You need a good friend

bubaloo1983 · Post by **bubaloo1983** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 2:32 pm

Good points HJ

also, just a note, it seems that your alignment goes out alot more with the lift and large tires. I found everytime i got it aligned it would only take on hard hit or bumb and it was out. Also like Henry says your ball joints will probably be gone, aswell as other suspension parts are probably showing alot of wear.

There are fixes: smaller tires, less t bar crank, sfa, but if you leave it as is your front end will fall apart

Steve2003 · Post by **Steve2003** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 4:26 pm

Ball Joints! Ball Joints! Ball Joints! The stock Ball Joints SUCK!!!! I have had Zero! problems since replacing mine.

Steve

malkavian · Post by **malkavian** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 6:09 pm

anyone running the moog joints on a lifted truck with the 6 inch sl ?

Post by **HenryJ** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 6:14 pm

malkavian wrote:anyone running the moog joints on a lifted truck with the 6 inch sl ?

Might try asking in a ball joint , or Superlift thread?

chumley · Post by **chumley** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 2:43 am

Yes I meant camber, sorry HJ. I did get the Moog BJ's but haven't gotten them in yet. Better get them in soon by the sounds of things. No I haven't had an alignment recently but after I close the deal for the " new" scooter I can afford to do the BJ's and alignment. Just right now money and time are a little tight. Bubbaloo- that might work to my advantage, with the CFO. If its broke, well sheesh I gotta fix it, right?

bubaloo1983 · Post by **bubaloo1983** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 8:57 am

chum,

good luck bud

malkavian · Post by **malkavian** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 6:03 pm

I have heard the moogs where better so I was kinda posting that as a option for the lifted ifs crews on here. Thought it might be ok for the thread since all the faliures so far in this thread are pointing towards ball joints.

Steve2003 · Post by **Steve2003** » Mon Sep 26, 2005 3:44 pm

malkavian wrote:I have heard the moogs where better so I was kinda posting that as a option for the lifted ifs crews on here. Thought it might be ok for the thread since all the faliures so far in this thread are pointing towards ball joints.

I am running moogs. I think anyone going with a IFS lift should also replace the ball joints.

Steve

chumley · Post by **chumley** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 11:15 am

UPDATE: dropped off the Blazer at my buddy's shop with the Moog ball joints( the same one who did the lift for the P.O.) Saturday since the wife & I went away for an anniversary get-away weekend. Figured it would be a good opportunity to get things taken care of since I haven't had the time. He calls me today and tells me the ball joints are tight but it needs both wheel bearing/ hub assemblies and the idler arm has "alot" of play. So I ask how much, he says $368/hub assy. @98 for the idler arm. Looking at about $1000. OUCH!!! So I ask him if it would be cheaper to do SAS, he says no. Now I trust him since I went to H.S. with him so I tell him might as well get it done. No X-mas presents for me this year

CRAP!!!

a2b · Post by **a2b** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 12:18 am

chumley, i paid about 40 bucks for an idler arm at NAPA. and 1000k will get you close to a sfa (if you do it yourself)

Post by **HenryJ** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 3:32 am

a2b wrote:... and 1000k will get you close to a sfa (if you do it yourself)

I think there would be plenty of people who would do it for that price, myself included.

chumley · Post by **chumley** » Thu Oct 20, 2005 1:12 am

Well its too late to do it this time, unfortunately. I can't be without it , the next couple weeks are shaping up to be hectic with soccer practices, games andmake-up games not to mention all the other crap. I need it back tonight, didn't hear from him yesterday. But you can bet I won't put another 10 cents into the IFS after this is done.

SONOMA915 · Post by **SONOMA915** » Thu Oct 20, 2005 2:42 pm

Hey chumley if you wanna sell me your TM lift let me be the first to know.

chumley · Post by **chumley** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 11:11 am

Gotcha! But I'm hoping it won't give me anymore grief, I only put 1500 mi. on it since I bought it in March

Blaze One · Post by **Blaze One** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 8:53 pm

so hows the lift and Moog balljoints workin out for ya ?

chumley · Post by **chumley** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 1:20 pm

Haven't had any problems since but like I said I don't drive it that much since I have a company truck. Probably only 3 or 4 tanks of gas since October. Still haven't needed to put in the Moog BJ's but I've got them for WHEN I need them.