Sway Away Suspension lift installation

So I got my suspension lift in the mail on thursday from www.wheelersoffroad.com and put in on yesterday. I had my roommate help me with the install as I helped him put Koni Adjustable shocks,struts, and springs on his Saab Viggen last weekend pain in the ass those Euro cars. Total time for mine was about 4.5 hours for the install and wasn't too bad at all. I have an 03 limited with xreas which wasn't too hard to take out either, and to take it out properly so it didn't leak of get damaged. I would rate this project a 5 out of 10 for difficulty. You don't need any special tools, just basic metric box wrenches and sockets.

Lets start with step 1, removing the XREAS: First after your rig is on Jack stands, use 4 it makes this much easier. Locate the xreas hub on the frame rail and disconnect the bolt on the end of it.
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There is a check valve in the fittings that stop the oil from leaking.
Next disconnect the the brackets that hold the xreas lines to the frame, I sprayed a little pb blaster on the bolts to get them off, some were stuck in there pretty good with road grime.
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Then disconnect the rear shock from it's mounts keeping the bottom stud to reuse on the new shocks. Do this on both sides first as it will make it easier to get the new ones in. Remove the xreas hub from the frame, you can pull the shock out with the lines still attached. Get the bottle jack out of the compartment on the left of the trunk as this little guy really helps out. After you remove the shocks put the bottle jack inbetween the bump stop and the axle housing and extend it so it will push the axle down and remove the stock springs. Here is a pic of the new springs and the stock one.
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and one of the rear fully removed.
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Then put in the new spring using the bottle jack to give you clearance, no pry bar necessary.
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Then attach the rear shocks. The angle of the bottom shock mount was a little too much so put the bottom end on as well as possible then get the floor jack out and use it to raise the axle while pounding on the end of shock mount with a rubber mallet till it slides on and bolt it on.
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Do not tighten the top mount yet as you need to torque it down while under weight of the vehicle. The bottom mount can be torqued however. See the instructions for torque specs. A pic with spacers installed
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Now time for the fronts. remove the cotter pin and castle nut from the tie rod, save the cotter pin.
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Flip the castle nut upside down and screw it on till the bottom of it is just above the top of the tie rod stud.
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Get out a mallet and bang the crap out of it till it comes out, be careful not to hit it too hard or you will screw up the castle nut and need a new one or worse screw up the tie rod stud.
After that comes out remove the sway bar mounting nut and disconnect the sway bar.
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Take off the front skid plate and remove the mounting brackets that hold the sway bar to the frame. Get the sway bar relocation blocks and bolt them on to the frame using the original bolts from the factory brackets. Put those in the large holes in the relocation blocks.

remove the front shocks and get the bottle jack out and put in inbetween the upper control arm and the top of the wheel well. Use a small piece of wood or something to put in between the top of the jack and the top of the wheel well as it will slip and fall out if you don't. Install the new coilover and torque it as per instructions.
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Here is a pic of the new coilover and the sway bar relocation block on the frame.
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Mount the sway bar back on the blocks with the hardware provided and reattach it to the factory mounting place by the wheel. Attach the tie rods back and put the castle nut back on and the cotter pin back in. Voila, new suspension just like that. Here is a final pic after completion.
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Let me say the ride with these is awesome, I hit some speed bumps in an empty parking lot at about 30 mph and could barely even feel them, can't wait to hit up the desert. Now I just need some 285/70's for it. Also, this project was much easier than the Saab, rebuilding a strut is a pain in the ass.
If anyone is in Socal and wants to do this but needs help let me know and I'll come help you out. Saved me a few hundred bucks doing it my self.

Nice write-up! Thanks! So I take it you don't miss the XREAS on the street? How is it around corners etc?

Looks really good man, how much did that set up cost?

Yes I'm curious to hear how it is without Xreas , but I guess its hard to tell since the suspension is different now.

Be nice to drive an SR5 and a Sport one after another to really feel how it works.

Any chance you can post a pic of the profile?

Looks great by the way :bigok:

TIA

I have to go get an alignment this week, and I need to adjust the front's up a bit higher as it is still a little wedged. Then I will take some more pics of the final.

Total cost was $1300 from wheelers off road, ask for Jason, the retail price was 1489 for the whole thing, but they were willing to work out a deal since I was buying the fronts and rear.

Going around corners is almost the same as with xreas and way better if there are bumps/rough road. I just went down a pretty long street with lots of drainage dips that I would always slow down when going over them before, and now I found myself speeding up and it was so soft. The body doesn't move nearly as much as before, the wheels extend and rebound and the body stays put. I like it better than xreas.

Nice write-up! Why is it that i am attracted to nice shiny shocks?!! Are the shocks monotube or twin-tubes?? Are they adjustable?

fully adjustable, I believe they are monotube but don't quote me. I got the 2.5" version. They are awesome. Check this link for a little more info.

http://www.wheelersoffroad.com/03up4runnersaw.htm

And I forgot to mention, it's pretty sweet that you can see them on, cause I haven't upsized my tires yet. Hopefully that will change soon though. Thai, how do you like the firestone's?

Run'n'Gun said:

Thai, how do you like the firestone's?

Click to expand...

I like it. It does make some noise on the highway, but i believe that they are one of the quieter M/Ts on the road. Off-road, it's been truly flawless. From my last off-road trip, it cleans mud as well as BFG MT, better than Toyo Open Country M/T, and far better than Goodyear MT/R. It claws it's way up rockledges without much issue and can withstand sharp rocks on it's sidewall without puncture.

Awesome write up Run'n'Gun!! You definitely sold me on Sway Aways versus Donahoe. You are still running the stock UCAs in the truck right? Any plans to replace these or just see how they perform?

still running the stock uca's there isn't really a reason to replace them until they have a problem. The aftermarket uca's squeek also. In addition, when I was researching between sway away and donahoe, saw makes their rear shocks where donahoe has edelbrock make theirs. There has been an issue with the rears leaking, and slow turnaround on repairs due to high volume. They both use the same quality shafts and tubes and the saw's are cheaper.

here are some pics after the alignment, of the profile.
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Also, I finally got everything perfectly level, it was about a quarter inch higher on the passenger side in the photo.

What made you pick the sway away lift.

Your truck is in need of BIG tires.

Looks sweet man! But I agree with Thai.....time for tire-upgrade!

Tires are coming soon. That is my next upgrade, just gotta come to terms with spending another grand or so. I am thinking about the firestone m/t, bfg at ko which I have previously owned on a truck, and the big o xt, which are a cross between a full on mt and an aggressive at, which are made by goodyear. Either a 285 or 275. I don't want to trim that much.

I went with sway away because they make a fully adjustable front coilover, and are a race proven brand like donahoe. They were less money than donahoe and make their rear parts as well. Donahoe has their rear set up made by edlebrock which people have had leak. When I was on the phone with wheelers, I was told that should a problem arise, sway away has a faster turnaround on repairs as DR is pretty overloaded and takes a long time for turnaround. I also live in socal and like to go wheel in the desert which is what this setup is primarily designed for.

Nice setup! I'd look into adding some Slee Brake lines due to the extra travel in the rear. Change your brake fluid while your at it (if it has not been done).

Are extended brake lines really needed when adding a 3"/2" lift with 285's? I was getting the DR total chaos package with the DR 2" rears and was wondering if I needed new brake lines.

I don't have them and it is ok. I checked them when it was up on jack stands and there was still plenty of slack at full extension.