NorCal FJs

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I was going to buy the daystar leveling kit...adding 2.5 inch to the front and 1.5 inch in the rear....as i was going to order them the counter guy recommended that i replace the rear shocks too.....so my question is: do i need to replace rear shocks or no?.....if i need rear shocks im going to just save up and get a complete suspension upgrade...but if no rear shocks needed...i would buy it just as a quick and easy lift for now.......any and all advice/information will be appreciated.....

thanks

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What are your plans for the truck, meaning do you intend to wheel it?

If so, I'd save up for a complete lift kit that includes extended rear shocks to give you more articulation.
If you don't plan on wheeling very much then I would not worry about replacing the rear shocks and the pucks can save you money.

I ran the Toyota/Bilstein off road package shocks with Old Man Emu springs for 15K miles or so and they worked fine.
I do plan on wheeling as much as possible, so I would rather go with a entire setup than the spacers but my finances are tight at the moment. I just don't like how the front sits low and would like to some how lift it to be even for the time being. But your right, I'll just wait to get a complete set...probably the complete OME setup. Appreciate the input.
The FJC is very capable in stock config. Tater wheeled his on some pretty difficult trails for two years with stock suspension. Alot of people will tell you to run it stock and you'll become a much better driver since you will have to pick your lines wisely.

I'd save and do the lift once but I know how hard it can be to control the impulse to mod your truck.

Keep an eye on craigslist or the blueroom and see if you can find a used spacer kit for real cheap.
Hey Spoon,
I too ran my truck stock for a while and hit some pretty difficult trails. I guess my advise would be to do some trails with us this summer at stock hieght, then decide if you can wait to lift it. In my experience with this group, stock trucks are always more than welcome and never discouraged from participating. In fact, everyone was always very encouraging when I was stock. You will get some great spotting with this group that will keep you out of trouble. And there is some satisfaction in making it through a trail with a stock rig. Like PB, I understand how difficult it can be to wait to mod!
Spacers are a good solution in the mean time while you save some money to get a full kit. Try and buy one used so you don't spend too much. You don't need longer shocks to run in the rear either. There are some downfalls though to spacers which is why I'd only recommend them as a temporary lift. If you do go spacer route, try and stay away from top-out spacers, and go with a pre-load spacer. Pre-load spacers are harder to install but will have less wear/tear on CV's and ball joints. Top-out spacers basically push the shock down 2.5", basically extending the droop past tollerable limits on the CV. Pre-load spacers don't do this, but the ride will be much harsher since you're compressing the spring 2.5". I ran a spacer lift on my 4runner that I had before the FJ and it was a rough ride. On the FJ I ran Icons, and they were a world apart from the spacers. Of course though, Icons are 5x the cost of spacers, so thats a huge factor. If you're going to be adding bumpers and skids in the future, i may be worth saving up for adjustable coilovers (Radflo, Icon, SAWS, etc.) I'm bored at work....you can probably tell by my long winded answer.
I appreciate all the info and advice from you all....i will just stay stock for the moment and prob wait a little longer for a lift kit. Just hard sometimes to fight the urge to start modding. Thanks again to everyone for your input.

-Cha

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