lift + shocks + tires on 4WD, and how to install Mr. Gasket spacers

[ingmire]

Hello

I'm preparing to lift my van (87 4x4) with mr gasket spacers x4 and torsion bat adjustment.
Can someone link me to info on how to install the spacers to the coil springs? I did a search and didn't find what I was looking for.

Thank you!!

i also just ordered the General Grabbers 27 28.5 r14's to have mounted next week :)

[spacecruisers]

i actually would advise against the spacers - they PO of my van had them and they mushed outward and slipped pretty much out of the seating and dropped the van back down. they're useless IMHO. i installed tacoma bilstein shocks and aerostar springs (cut slightly shorter) and got a nice lift in the back plus the added travel of a longer shock and spring. i copied this method from a user here (coronan). here is the thread where he talks about this mod (http://www.toyotavantech.com/forum/showthread.php?1930-30-quot-tires-and-power).

[ingmire]

Thanks!

Ill consider that option. I definitely would prefer to do this 'right' the first time. If I go with the MR Gasket I will make a fastener to keep the spacer in place. (I'm thinking a hose clamp around the gasket screwed in place). But really the Aerostar springs method doesn't sound much more difficult.

I have the Blistein shocks on order, arriving in a few days

[spacecruisers]

Yeah the only thing about the aerostar springs was making sure you don't cut them too short. I borrowed a neighbor and his angle grinder for that part. It wasn't too bad. Hardest part was just wrestling the old springs off and new ones on, which you'll have to do either way. Really happy with the results so far

[ingmire]

How did you decide how short to cut them?
was it very difficult to remove off the Aerostar?

[spacecruisers]

I bought them new (MOOG CC845 springs) and cut off 1 maybe 2 coils? Can't remember for sure but you can check out the second page on that thread the posts by djshimon, I used his posts for reference when I did mine

[ingmire]

Recently got the van lifted with mr gasket spacers. 4 total one on top and one on bottom of each coil (rear). Also kept the original spacer that is on top of each coil.

upgraded to the Tacoma shocks recommended in the 'krusty' post.
And went with General Grabber AT2 27x8.5 ($450 + $50 for balancing etc)

unfortunately i I did the work last week so my recap will be as limited as my memory.

Before:

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old 'bushing' beneath the coil. I discarded this

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original upper spacer

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the Mr gasket spacers are too short in diameter for the top and too long for the bottom. So I used the piece I trimmed from the bottom to fill in the gap up top and then made a 'bracket' to hold it all in place. My bracket was a section of hose clamp screwed into the rubber mr gasket. I went with mr gasket on top and the original spacer beneath it.

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new shoes!!

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Spring compressor

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install complete

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adjusted torsion bars (tightened nut) to bring each side of the van (front) up. Torsion bolt is located near the front of the gas tank and opposite on the other side. These have a lock nut that needs to be broken free before you can adjust for height. It's a 22mm.

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all done :) for now

[fuquan]

Nice pics. Thanks for posting. Do you have any pics of exactly how you used the hose clamp to mend the Mr.Gasket?

I have a set of Bilsteins that I have been meaning to install for a long time, and intend to do so in the next couple of weeks. Just ordered the Mr.Gaskets.

Did you have any trouble turning the nuts to adjust the torsion bars? Mine look fine (not corroded or anything) but I can't turn them. Tried two regular wrenches (one on each nut), then a breaker bar with a crows foot wrench but it's hard to get leverage with the way the crows foot comes off the breaker at 90 deg. Is there another tool I should know about? Should the nuts turn while the van is on the ground, or do you need to jack it up first?

[ingmire]

I used PB blaster penetrating oil on the torsion bar nuts. They were tough to break free. I just used two wrenches. You'll want to push the nuts in opposite directions.

I don't have a pic of the hose clamp. If you had one long enough, could just run it all the way around and screw it in place (into the rubber Mr gasket.

for mine I cut off a section of hose clamp and screwed it into the MR gasket

[boogieman]

looks great! no rubbing/clearance issues with the tires?

[ingmire]

I trimmed the wheel well / door up front. And I've noticed a bit of rubbing if I hit a bump with the wheels cranked to one side. So far very happy with the tires / lift

[ShapeShifter]

Mr. Gasket spacers are split. I assume so they can be fit universally on many different vehicles. As others have mentioned here on TVT, you need to cut a piece off the bottom spacer so its the right size, then you can add the chunk you cut off to the top spacer to fill in the gap it leaves.

Once the van is safely up on jack-stands and the axle is supported by the jack, remove the two bolts for the sway bar, and the one bolt for the panhard bar on the axle, then lower the axle with the jack until the coils are just loose enough to get both gaskets on. Once at that point, I found it made it much easier to use zip ties to keep the new spacers in place while you reset the suspension back in place. Very simple. The zipties also keeps your fingers out of the way when raising the axle, so safety bonus! I have lifted a Cherokee, a Samurai, a Tracker, and a TJ. The rear end his van is by far the easiest thing I have ever lifted.

Now if I can just break loose the jam nuts on the front t-bars.....:(:

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q90/923/IOHF3E.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/pnIOHF3Ej)

[ShapeShifter]

I did the double Mr. Gasket spacer lift (top and bottom of coils) and torsion bar tweak. Without changing the tires, I get 1.8" of lift (measured at the xfer case skid plate).

The lifted pic looks like it's taller in front but that is an optical illusion. The bottoms of the rocker panels are equal height off the ground at front and rear, so the body is level.


https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q90/923/Ef0PRg.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/pnEf0PRgj)
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q90/923/lETK4A.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/pnlETK4Aj)

[Gambit]

Looks Great! :thmbup:

[ShapeShifter]

Looks Great! :thmbup:

Thanks. Im going to install 215/75R15 tires on Samurai rims. That should lift it another inch or so.

[ShapeShifter]

Ive noticed some people are using coil spring compressors to get the coils off. Those things are dangerous, hard to work with, and completely unnecessary to lift the rear end of a TV. The factory manual shows removing the two bolts that hold the sway bar rubber bushings, one on each side. Remove those and the axle can drop low enough that the coils just pull right out with no need to compress them. Very simple.

[ShapeShifter]

I installed Hankook Dynapro MT 225/75/15 tires on 15" Samurai wheels. The lift is the same as I mention above. Just a little rubbing on the front corners as others have reported. I like the looks.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q90/922/PEUN9H.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/pmPEUN9Hj)
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q90/923/M7EByl.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/pnM7EBylj)