Review of OME 880/906 Lift for 3rd Gen 4Runner

When I bought my 2000 Toyota 4Runner, the shocks definitely needed replacing (160k miles, probably still original shocks!). So I decided to replace the springs while at it too. I wanted a small lift, <2". I thought about buying the Toyota '99 coils for a 1" lift, but OME was cheaper so might as well go close to 2"

Parts ordered:

• OME 880 Front Springs
• OME 906 Rear Springs
• OME 90004 Front Shocks
• OME 60028 Rear Shocks
• OME 95PF5 Front Trim Packer (wasn't installed)
• OME 80PF10 Rear Trim Packer (wasn't installed) (but 3 years hindsight says I should have put them in)

I did not get a diff drop or the stainless steel brake line. I got KYB strut mounts since might as well replace the strut mounts while in there.

Pics after install
I didn't get any good before pictures, so all I have is after. Here's the two side pictures...

(whoops hosting for these photos went down, I'll see if I can find them some time)


And a pic of the vehicle fully loaded with camping gear for 5 people and petrified wood...




Measurements
I measured the height from the ground to the edge of the black trim around the wheel wells. Truck was unloaded other than the stock hitch, spare tire, and just over half a tank of gas. Measurements taken about 100 miles after install. These pics and measurements are with the stock 265/70r16 tires (31", or precisely something like 30.6").

• Front driver: 35 3/4"
• Front passenger: 35 3/4"
• Rear driver: 36 3/4"
• Rear passenger: 36 1/2"

The driver side in the rear was actually a little HIGHER!

So I originally thought that my shop installed both the front and rear driver side trim packers, but apparently they didn't... I looked in the box with my old springs, and there were the trim packers in their original bag!

(Old info): Thus, my advice is: do NOT use the trim packers! The measurements above don't have the trim packers, and clearly the truck sits perfectly! With a full tank of gas, it seems like the driver side might be a bit lower (I quickly measured it again). That's as perfect as you can get.

After like 5,000 miles, the truck is still sitting wonderfully level. Trim packers definitely not needed.

CORRECTION 7/2017: Trim packers NEEDED! 3 years later, my driver side is lower. I started noticing it being lower after 1 or 2 years. I haven't tried putting them in yet though.

Comfort of ride
I was pleasantly surprised by the ride quality. I was afraid it'd be too rough after hearing some people talk about the suspension. It's probably not as soft as stock Toyota springs and shocks (never got to experience a good stock suspension), but it isn't unpleasant or awful either! And that's coming from someone who always drove cars before this, so I still am more used to things riding like a car than "riding like a truck".

The only harsh experience about the suspension is when going a bit faster over some speedbumps... it feels like the rear jumps up off the ground when hitting the speedbump! Maybe if I went even faster (I was only going about 10 mph tops) it would actually absorb the bump.

I was wondering how Bilstein's would feel instead of the OME Nitrocharger shocks. But I'm quite happy with the full OME package.

Off road ride
I still haven't had a chance to go off roading with the new suspension. I've hopped a few curbs just to see how it feels, and it feels much more solid and strong. I'll try to update this after I go wheeling!

Update: OFF ROADING!
I finally did some wheeling. There's definitely different types of off road, so I'll break it down by the type...

Washboard dirt roads
If you're on a dirt road with tons of washboard but otherwise no bumps, the OME setup is quite rough. It doesn't do well absorbing washboard. When I rode in my friend's stock Ford Explorer, I was like "Whoa, your vehicle actually absorbs washboard" haha.

Dirt roads with potholes, big bumps
As long as you go fast, the OME suspension loves absorbing big bumps/potholes. Go slow, and it won't absorb. I like to go faster on dirt roads (where it's safe and can see ahead for oncoming cars), so the setup works well. I love that you won't feel any extra rebound when going over big bumps, it controls the bump perfectly.

Rock crawling
The OME suspension feels perfectly controlled on slower low-range obstacles. It handles drops off rocks perfectly, feels sturdy, etc. Definite improvement over stock. The extra lift has definitely helped clear some obstacles. I scratch the hitch less, and feel less worried about scratching the underside.

I'm happy with my OME lift on a 3rd gen. Seems like your post ended early, like there's so much more to say. Lol

Looking nice. I am going with the same setup on my 97. Thanks for the review.

I have the same springs, although I went with N91S front and N86 rear comfort shocks with a single trim packer on the front/driver side (Wheelers recommended this to account for extra driver/fuel tank weight). Interestingly, all corners on mine are the same except the front driver side is 1/8" lower. Go figure. I can definitely tell it was designed for off road use and I'm really happy with it.

One question: why trim packers front and rear if all you are trying to do is make it level? Or did you want it a bit higher overall?

Are those 265/70s?

Bilsteins in the back will smooth out the unloaded bumpiness/harshness, it was a night and day improvement in ride quality from my experience.

madbomber08 said:

Are those 265/70s?

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So sorry for not replying sooner! Yes, they're the stock 265/70r16 tires, so 31" (or precisely something like 30.6")

I'm currently on the verge of purchasing some 265/75r16's, did you buy those at all? I'm researching for opinions about moving up to that size!


Toyota4life, good to hear Bilsteins in the back make the rear harshness go away. I've stuck with the OME shocks regardless, but others will probably find your advice useful!

andrewbares said:

So sorry for not replying sooner! Yes, they're the stock 265/70r16 tires, so 31" (or precisely something like 30.6")

I'm currently on the verge of purchasing some 265/75r16's, did you buy those at all? I'm researching for opinions about moving up to that size!


Toyota4life, good to hear Bilsteins in the back make the rear harshness go away. I've stuck with the OME shocks regardless, but others will probably find your advice useful!

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I am considering getting this same lift you have, only based on your review, I think I may go with the 60073 rear shocks as they are softer than the 60028's

Just a couple questions, How does the front handle and feel overall? Would you recommend softer shocks in the front as well?

Also, have you decided on getting 265/75/16's? I would also like to run that size and I'm just wondering how the fit and wheel well gap would be. Im thinking it would fit just right but not entirely sure.

Overall though that stance looks perfect, exactly what Im looking for, just a bit of lift to fit some nice tires and give a bit more clearance, but still wanting a stock-like ride and gas mileage.

foskco87 said:

I am considering getting this same lift you have, only based on your review, I think I may go with the 60073 rear shocks as they are softer than the 60028's

Just a couple questions, How does the front handle and feel overall? Would you recommend softer shocks in the front as well?

Also, have you decided on getting 265/75/16's? I would also like to run that size and I'm just wondering how the fit and wheel well gap would be. Im thinking it would fit just right but not entirely sure.

Overall though that stance looks perfect, exactly what Im looking for, just a bit of lift to fit some nice tires and give a bit more clearance, but still wanting a stock-like ride and gas mileage.

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The front doesn't feel as harsh as the rear. It's the rear that'll make you say "whoa" on some speed bumps. That said, it performs great when the truck is loaded with gear. I just got back from a backpacking trip with 5 people total, trunk filled full with gear and some petrified wood... It handled the weight so perfectly while off roading. Never once did it have any extra bounce back or anything, and I nearly jumped it in addition to doing slow articulation wheeling.

But yeah, the truck definitely rides stiffer than stock suspension would. Maybe those softer shocks will give you a ride more close to stock, I don't know. I still am happy with my purchase, since it is so controlled off road. However, it still does suck while on washboard, even when loaded.


I stuck with the stock 265/70/16's, because I'm going to be using snow chains in the future. Apparently the official word is that you might get some slight rub at full articulation with the 75's... so if I throw some chains on there, that would rub even more.... so I just opted for the regular size.

I bought Firestone Destination A/T's and love them! It had Michelin all-season tires before, so there's a HUGE increase in traction now. I can hardly drift it on the dirt anymore (which is kinda disappointing lol). They're dead silent on the road just like the Michelin's were. The loudest noise I hear is the slight hum of the manual transmission, when I push the clutch to stop that slight trans noise, I still don't hear the tires!

I just got new tires michelin 265-70-16 and am thinking about doing this exact coil setup with 5100s. What is your extended opinion on the height of the 4runner and ride. Did your alignment stay in spec?

ridefast said:

I just got new tires michelin 265-70-16 and am thinking about doing this exact coil setup with 5100s. What is your extended opinion on the height of the 4runner and ride. Did your alignment stay in spec?

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The ride is still the same as it was when first installed. When you have lots of weight in the vehicle (like when I moved to Washington), the back shocks feel much softer and actually absorb speed bumps (otherwise the back feels like it almost jumps since it's pretty stiff over speed bumps).

I'm completely happy with the setup though! I love the height, since it is capable off road but not ridiculously lifted. And i didn't notice any decrease in gas mileage. It seems like people say the Bilstein 5100's will give you a bit softer ride, hopefully that works out well for you!

I had the vehicle aligned after the shocks were installed, I forget if it was off by much. I bought the Firestone lifetime alignment since I'm planning on keeping the vehicle for a long time.

Awesome! I am going this rout! MPG is important to me too but I think this setup will give me what I am after! I am showin 166k on original everything! It's time!

Loving my OME lift, did the soft shocks in the rear 881/890 springs with diff drop. Rides great in the street and takes off road dirving like a Cadi. Has good flex as well in the rear. I also installed the front trim packer. Im running 265/75R16 tires with no rubbing b issues even with the stock suspension. Mpg did not change either.

ridefast said:

I just got new tires michelin 265-70-16 and am thinking about doing this exact coil setup with 5100s. What is your extended opinion on the height of the 4runner and ride. Did your alignment stay in spec?

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I have heard if you plan to wheel the 906 springs will become a lil loose at full droop with the rear 5100 shocks kuz there a lil to tall for a 2 inch lift and found the 4600 accommodate the 906 better

Good to know. I am a bit confused quite honestly. My 4Runner is way past due for suspension, I still highly considering this setup I'll dig around for something similar to. Compare.

AZ4Running said:

Loving my OME lift, did the soft shocks in the rear 881/890 springs with diff drop. Rides great in the street and takes off road dirving like a Cadi. Has good flex as well in the rear. I also installed the front trim packer. Im running 265/75R16 tires with no rubbing b issues even with the stock suspension. Mpg did not change either.

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what are your center hub to fender measurements with that set up?

giovannie23 said:

I have heard if you plan to wheel the 906 springs will become a lil loose at full droop with the rear 5100 shocks kuz there a lil to tall for a 2 inch lift and found the 4600 accommodate the 906 better

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What about 5125s for the rears?

So, I'm resurrecting this thread because I'm really interested in how this set up is going now.

My mechanic just told me that my front Bilstein 5100s have developed a leak. I've only had them for maybe 3 years and never wheeled that hard at all. I've never been pumped about the quality of ride either, as it's felt harsh. These are actually the 5100s for the Tundra, which probably has more to do with that than the Eibach springs (see thread here). I'm open to that suggestion because I honestly don't know. I'm hoping they'll be warrantied with Bilstein's Lifetime Warranty.

Regardless, I'm thinking of replacing them with OME's and I want a softer ride. I noticed Slee has a new-ish lift kit that combines the 90004 OME strut with a 880 spring and it's a "low-lift: This 1.75" Suspension Kit delivers improved driveability and still be able to obtain proper alignment readings without any additional parts."

I still have the Bilstein 5125's in the rear with OME 890 springs. I get the same hop you describe, but I don't know if that's from still having the stock rear sway bar links installed. I keep forgetting that I need to just swap those for the simple duralast front links to get the full amount of travel out of my suspension, but it's so low on the priority list.

Thanks for the great thread, OP! It's really helped my research.

atalarico said:

So, I'm resurrecting this thread because I'm really interested in how this set up is going now.

My mechanic just told me that my front Bilstein 5100s have developed a leak. I've only had them for maybe 3 years and never wheeled that hard at all. I've never been pumped about the quality of ride either, as it's felt harsh. These are actually the 5100s for the Tundra, which probably has more to do with that than the Eibach springs (see thread here). I'm open to that suggestion because I honestly don't know. I'm hoping they'll be warrantied with Bilstein's Lifetime Warranty.

Regardless, I'm thinking of replacing them with OME's and I want a softer ride. I noticed Slee has a new-ish lift kit that combines the 90004 OME strut with a 880 spring and it's a "low-lift: This 1.75" Suspension Kit delivers improved driveability and still be able to obtain proper alignment readings without any additional parts."

I still have the Bilstein 5125's in the rear with OME 890 springs. I get the same hop you describe, but I don't know if that's from still having the stock rear sway bar links installed. I keep forgetting that I need to just swap those for the simple duralast front links to get the full amount of travel out of my suspension, but it's so low on the priority list.

Thanks for the great thread, OP! It's really helped my research.

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Sounds like it's probably those Eibach springs causing your front suspension to feel harsh, like you're thinking. Because the Bilstein struts are usually a bit softer than the OME's according to most people, so I doubt it's the Bilstein's.

Regardless, I like my OME 880 spring / OME 90004 strut combo for the front. It's probably harsher than stock, but I like it. My only real complaint is washboard as in my original post. But if you get the Bilstein's for free with the warranty, I'd say you might as well use those with the OME 880 springs.

That's good to know about the rear hop... maybe it's just by design. Like I did say in my original post, when the vehicle is fully loaded, it no longer hops. So maybe it's just by design since the vehicle needs to be capable of carrying more weight.

Thanks for making this thread too, it's exactly the info/pics I needed. I just replaced my clutch so I'm finally caught up on maintenance and now I'm planning out my lift.

I replaced the rear shocks with Bilstein 5100s about a month ago after I broke a shock while offroading. There's a lot less bounce in the rear with new shocks but they still sag like crazy since the original coils are there. I'm going to go with 906 springs in the rear -- the instructions for the Bilstein 5100's said the shocks are optimized for 3rd gen 4runners with a 2" lift, so those springs should be perfect.
For the front shocks, I'll do another set of Bilstein 5100s. I've heard mixed things about Bilstein 5100s but it's hard to figure out which version people are talking about and with how much lift (lots of older comments are about the Tundra version, whereas I'm buying the 4Runner-specific version). I was thinking of doing OEM tall coils up front since I like how they are driver/passenger side specific, but after pricing it out I think I'll save myself $100+ and go with the OME 880s, like you did.

I'm a little confused about your recommendations for using trim packers. Do you think you should have used both front and rear trim packers on the driver's side since day 1? Or just rear?
Also, if you had used them since day 1, wouldn't your driver's side have sat higher for a least the 1st year/5000 miles?