Bodymount Chop

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Bodymount Chop

Postby Hilux Max on Tue, 21 Sep 2010 2:28 +0000

Thought I'd post this short video up of an FJ Cruiser owner performing a well documented step by step process of the bodymount chop mod for fitting larger tyres. This would help explain the process to some people aswell give them a good visual of the process -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmV74BZbGYk&feature=player_embedded

I'll add pictures of various bodymount chops later on but this should get things rollin. 8-)

Edit: Sorry, I should mention aswell for those that might not know, this mod is done to give you more clearance for larger/wider tyres. As the bodymount can get in the way when you turn the wheel and compress the suspension.

Disclaimer - Newhilux is not responsible for any modifications members undertake themselves that they may have seen on this forum
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Re: Bodymount Chop

Postby Hilux Max on Tue, 21 Sep 2010 2:58 +0000

Heres a couple other pics of people that have done similar but with different methods -

On a previous shape 4 runner -
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Make a piece and tack it in -
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Weld it in good -
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Grind it smooth -
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Paint it up -
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Re: Bodymount Chop

Postby Hilux Max on Tue, 21 Sep 2010 3:04 +0000

Heres one more on another 4 runner thats slightly different again......

First, the sawzall -
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Few pics have gone missing in between, basically cut off and grinded smooth, then get a small piece and bend it to shape and weld it in

Welding in new piece -
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Completed Job -
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Not the prettiest but functional -
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I know some members off here have done this...Bull from memory and I think Marshwa.

If you done it, please post your pics of it here and we'll have one thread dedicated to it for reference.
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Re: Bodymount Chop

Postby Marshwa on Tue, 21 Sep 2010 4:03 +0000

Max that link takes us to a lux build up? Sick lux mind you but i don''t see an fj or "trimmed" bodymounts :lol: .

I'll try get some pics up later with wat i did.
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Re: Bodymount Chop

Postby Hilux Max on Tue, 21 Sep 2010 8:08 +0000

Thanks Marshwa, link has been fixed, I didnt realise, was doing too many things at once and messed up...check out the video in the original post now guys. :oops:
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Re: Bodymount Chop

Postby Bull on Tue, 21 Sep 2010 9:29 +0000

ImageImage
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Re: Bodymount Chop

Postby Hilux Max on Wed, 22 Sep 2010 7:10 +0000

Thanks Bull for adding in.....interesting to see that you've totally removed that pinchweld.

Is it just me or does it look like that mount is still sitting way forward of the back of the guard? might just be the camera angle...
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Re: Bodymount Chop

Postby Hilux Max on Mon, 27 Sep 2010 7:43 +0000

Another well documented one I found -

Here below I have documented how you can do the bodymount chop c/o the US FJ Cruiser Forum which has exactly the same problem with the mount.

Pic of the mount - you can see the polished section where the tyre has been rubbing against.
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And when the wheel was turned it was easy to see the contact
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After pulling the tire it was easier to see where the tire was contacting the mount.
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Here's a shot from below of how huge the body mount is from the factory, you can see how much area the tire was rubbing along the bottom of the mount

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and from the top... these are obvoiusly the "before" shots
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Now we cut.... I look at where the most forward edge of the bushing is and mark the mount about 1/4" in closer to the frame (this is more than you would need to fit a 33x12.5 or "305" tire, but this allows adding a 35" tire later if desired.) Then remove the bushing and cut up, over & down the back, following the radius of the bushing cup. DON'T CUT INTO THE BUSHING CUP, CUT AROUND IT! The bushing cup is the dipped part that the top bushing sits in. If you run a 35" tire then the bottom lip of the mount will rub the tire, so I trim the bottom lip further and knock off the edge with a 45" slice, and round all corners with the grinder. This is the reason I use thicker material than needed. The red line is where I will put a 2" slice in to bend the face in a bit farther - this is the different step I thought about mid job.
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Here's the cut mount with edges ground & cleaned and slice in the top radius
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After installing the bushing over the stud, I hammered the flat face under the slice to about 1/4" from the bushing and ground the area to be welded. Make sure to get plenty of penetration, you dont want cracks!
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From this point, you can do 2 things: make a cardboard or paper template of the plate to cover the cut, or what I do is weld the plate to the face of the mount on the vertical section, and about 1/2" along the top. Then hammer and stitch it around the radius of the mount until it meets the back of the mount, and finish weld it along the back. I prefer the smooth factory look, so I add material where needed and smooth with a sanding disc - It will look like this
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From the top you can see how close it follows the raduis of the body bushing
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From the bottom, you can see the upper bushing cup. The crucial clearance areas for the tire are the front to end (9 to 12 o'clock position). Once it wraps past the edge of the bushing farthest from the frame the clearance is inconsequential because if it would hit there, it would be hiting on your firewall too and thats another tech article
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Making sure the bushing clears the new mount face
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Here's the finished mount with the bushing installed. If there's a way to get more clearance I'd love to see it.
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And here it is, finished and painted mount with the 285's installed back on, and no lift
Note: This is on a FJ Cruiser, even thou the mount may be the same the guards are slightly different so it doesn't mean you will fit 285's on a hilux with no lift with this mod
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and with the wheel turned - this is the closest the tire will ever get to the mount
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With the extra step of the slice cut the total job took 4 hours. But, now the FJ has plenty of clearance at the body mount to run bigger tires even with no lift. It's not that difficult and keeps those expensive tires form getting torn up every time they rub
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Re: Bodymount Chop

Postby Bull on Mon, 27 Sep 2010 8:58 +0000

My tyres will still rub on full compression (which is quite often) so I'd like to cut mine back further. Either that or move the hubs forward but I don't really want to open the steering geometry can of worms.
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Re: Bodymount Chop

Postby Hilux Max on Mon, 27 Sep 2010 9:24 +0000

you could take a bit more meat of the mount Bull......or run less offset will, but then again with your height you wouldnt want to.....
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Re: Bodymount Chop

Postby Marshwa on Mon, 27 Sep 2010 2:33 +0000

Well heres what i did with my mount, my 285/75's were only just touching under full lock whilst driving normally and would rub pretty bad when 4wdriving.

I pretty much followed the first procedure Max posted up, as i didn't want to go as drastic as the others and wanted to try keep it as factory looking as possible.

It took me around an hour each side once the car was on stands and the wheels removed. I first marked off the area i wanted to cut, and threw some duct tape around the outline and over the bush (i didn't even remove the rubber bush, but would recomend it). I then cut the section out using a 4" grinder with a cut off wheel.

Using some scrap 2-3mm plate steel i had sitting around i cut it down to a rough rectangle size that i would weld in. I then shaped the metal with a hammer and the grinder in the vice so it sat flush against the cut edge of the mount. I then tacked it off keeping the top edge of the plate level with the top edge of the mount, then beat it more into shap using a hammer. FInally i welded it up, ground it smooth and then hit it with a coat of kill rust matt black.

Top View:
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Side view - Full lock with tire:
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Bottom View:
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Side View - Full lock, compressed:
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Side View - closest point, compressed (lifting rear wheel), sorry bout the leaf
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It now clears the body mount heaps! but that also because i found a place that does a good wheel allignment too. I've had all 4 wheels off the ground and have not yet hit the body mount. The top of the guards are a different story though and still need a little bit more trimming.
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Re: Bodymount Chop

Postby Jack S on Mon, 27 Sep 2010 4:56 +0000

mmmmmm, looks like ill have to do some trimming and shit when i get my 285.75R16 in the near future.....
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Re: Bodymount Chop

Postby Hilux Max on Mon, 27 Sep 2010 5:52 +0000

not always needed jack...my tyres are 12" wide and i just miss the mount.
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Re: Bodymount Chop

Postby Jack S on Mon, 27 Sep 2010 6:00 +0000

mmaaxx wrote:not always needed jack...my tyres are 12" wide and i just miss the mount.


Have you qrinded anything off it just for that little extra clearance?
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Re: Bodymount Chop

Postby Marshwa on Mon, 27 Sep 2010 6:03 +0000

i don't think its needed if you can find a place that knows how to do a wheel allignment properly, just trim the gurads a little bit and you should be right jack.
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Re: Bodymount Chop

Postby Jack S on Mon, 27 Sep 2010 6:20 +0000

Marshwa wrote:i don't think its needed if you can find a place that knows how to do a wheel allignment properly, just trim the gurads a little bit and you should be right jack.


Thanks mate! hopefully they arent too close! But saying that i dont have a problem using a grinder anyway :twisted:
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Re: Bodymount Chop

Postby amitch888 on Tue, 12 Oct 2010 8:15 +0000

Back on friday night I got to and cut back my body mounts, done it slightly different to how its been shown on here, hard to explain but the pictures should help. I cut a V out of in of the mount so I could bash the front of the mount back and weld it up again without having to make a new plate to cover what I would have cut out. Welded it up, smoothed it off and painted it, still looks factory.

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Re: Bodymount Chop

Postby Jack S on Tue, 12 Oct 2010 8:18 +0000

Lovely work and great thinking!
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Re: Bodymount Chop

Postby amitch888 on Tue, 12 Oct 2010 8:25 +0000

Thanks Jack, seemed simpler at the time to do it this way. Although its a tight sqeeze to get the grinder in there to cut the V out
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Re: Bodymount Chop

Postby Marshwa on Tue, 12 Oct 2010 8:29 +0000

that looks tops man, wish i'd tought of that haha. cheers for sharing
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