Old Man Emu lift done finally!! After pictures included.

Yaaaay! I love having new suspension. I tell you what, no way would I ever go back to stock. I love being 3" higher up, and I've noticed no difference what so ever in handling capability. If anything, Ruffian drives even better. The ride is just as comfortable, just as stable, and I like having a level body and begone to that derned bunny stance!
I will tell you that this took me about 5 months to not only save for, but also to complete my research. However, once I found the coils on ebay, it was calling Doug at Toytec Lifts in Colorado that sealed the deal. Doug was AWESOME! He completely did everything he could do to keep me within what I had to spend, without of course giving them to me for free. So make the phone call to Doug, tell him I sent you or that you heard about the shop here. He will give you a percentage off.
http://toyteclifts.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=72&Itemid=53
So the details:
Rear:
OME 895 coils, medium duty, found new on ebay, $75
OME N141 shocks, from Toytec Lifts, list $169

Front:
OME 884 coils, light duty, found new on ebay, $100
OME N140S shocks, from Toytec Lifts, list $289
Front Top Plate Spacer kit, approx. 3/4 lift, ToyTec Lifts, list $59
Front Differential Drop Kit, ToyTec Lifts, List $30

Mechanic: $400 for install of all the above and removal of X-REAS, which in all by himself with just me as his acting "Vanna White", took us about 7 hours total but not all in the same day. We both had to work at our "real" jobs too. Oh, and the X-REAS was (pun intended) a shock. I had no idea Ruffian had this system. Yet another "thing" the dealer failed to notice on her when I bought her.
Alignment shop: $50, with a "family" discount.

So, total spent on parts about $720, total spent on install $450, the size of my grin and how beautiful I think my Ruffian looks now...Priceless.

There are enough photos already on this site of the X-REAS system. And I do have my system for sale, go to classifieds. There are also enough photos of the parts and the install. But since I know I'm going to be asked for photos of before and after, here you go.

Next on my list, entire underbody skid plates/rock sliders.

Before & After:













And for the mechanics in the house, CV Joint & drive shaft angles.

Looks incredible, nice job!

Wow, looks great. Is it 3" front and rear?

It does look very nice after the lift. Not that it didnt before, but now it looks supurb :bigok:

J.A. said:

Wow, looks great. Is it 3" front and rear?

Click to expand...

Yes, total is 3" (2 1/2" rear and 3" front) which is maximum for those CV Joints. As you can tell from my picture, they are almost entirely level now. Any more lift, and they'd be perfectly level or more and thus subject for damage. As it is, my passenger side one is leaking lube from where the clamp is. It's NOT damage, it's just normal leakage. Something to keep an eye on, and start saving up for a rebuild kit. I got the top plate spacers to make her level. Look at the fence behind her, that will really give you a good focal point for the height and level. That's why I parked her there so you guys could really get a feel for the change. I'm also glad I spent the wee extra for the diff. drop. :biggrin2:
Next time I head back to my friends house, we will re-install the skid plates. They, um...had some slight rock remodifications done to them, so they need to be hammered back into shape. We'll also do the rear diff. breather mod.
I have huge plans for Ruffian. She has a date with a welding fabrication shop in the future to start moving her frame braces to better her clearance.:driving:

So, lets go get it dirty!

or get both of them DIRTY!!

great job Mel

j

Re: So, lets go get it dirty!

magnumfan said:

or get both of them DIRTY!!

great job Mel

j

Click to expand...

Thank you very much, getting dirty sounds intriguing. Name the time and place, Shovel Man-Magnumfan. :gun: Just try to keep up, eh! lmao j/k

M.

P.S. Which reminds me, now I can order my "Dirty Girl" sticker!:cheers:

Melinda,
Got your e-mail. It looks great!

Go get it dirty now. Blair and I went up to Gorman today in the rain. I've got some serious mud to blast off tomorrow.

Ruffian said:

As it is, my passenger side one is leaking lube from where the clamp is. It's NOT damage, it's just normal leakage. Something to keep an eye on, and start saving up for a rebuild kit. :driving:

Click to expand...

Wow! That looks great! 3" and the diff drop left your CV's at a pretty near ideal place IMHO.

Many people have had good luck reclamping those boots which will extend the time to overhaul dramatically. Tell you're mechanic a few people here have had good luck reclamping and you'd like him to try it.

:cheers:

CJ3Flyr said:

Wow! That looks great! 3" and the diff drop left your CV's at a pretty near ideal place IMHO.

Many people have had good luck reclamping those boots which will extend the time to overhaul dramatically. Tell you're mechanic a few people here have had good luck reclamping and you'd like him to try it.

:cheers:

Click to expand...

Thank you Chris! Yeah that was our idea right off the bat. He wanted me to go just buy the clamp, visit our "offical" Toyota mechanic who works at Toyota. They don't sell the clamps by themselves, only the whole rebuild kit. He said just to leave it alone for now, what grease is coming out now is normal. I asked about a thick zip tie, and he said no and to just power wash it, keep an eye on it, drive it, and have the rebuild kit on hand. As long as it doesn't take any hits, it will last for years.

The fluid you see, for the noobs, the white is from the boot, and the dark was the hydraulic fluid from the dismantled X-REAS that we made a mess with. Not the greatest photo, but here's your visual. Yes, that's yellow paint shavings where the shock is connected. We had a bit of a struggle getting that shock to play right. So I think we jostled that boot a bit. See the the 2nd photo of how he used the strap to hold things down.








And one of my future projects, quick disconnects for the front sway bar.

For the challenged, what is involved with the diff drop - specifically. I gather it's to make the CV Joints less drastic.

Also, how much$?

BurghRunner said:

For the challenged, what is involved with the diff drop - specifically. I gather it's to make the CV Joints less drastic.

Also, how much$?

Click to expand...

Yes, you are correct. Longer bolts.

Go to the ToyTec website I listed in my 1st posting. Scroll down the page that will come up. The diff drop is on the right side, I think he has them listed at $29.99. And it's completely worth it. Are you asking for a photo of what this looks like installed?

I'll check out toytec - thanks for the reply.

I had the OME on my '95.5 Tacoma and wished I had done it sooner. Nice 'Runner - Enjoy!!!

Congrats on a nice clean job.

Ruffian said:

... my passenger side one is leaking lube from where the clamp is. It's NOT damage, it's just normal leakage. Something to keep an eye on, and start saving up for a rebuild kit...

... I have huge plans for Ruffian. She has a date with a welding fabrication shop in the future to start moving her frame braces to better her clearance.:driving:

Click to expand...

Maybe lube coming out due to the clamp is tolerable in the short term but I wouldn't call it "normal". I redid an inner boot this past summer and so far the clamp I used is holding. Search for my thread to see a pic of what I used. You've obviously caught it early so why risk more future problems (read $$$) when you can fix it cheap now by replacing a clamp.

I don't think many on here have done frame work to get better clearance. Waiting to see your results.

Are you planning bigger tires as well to fill those wheel wells?

Hey , absolutely wonderful job !! It sure looks pretty high.

Congrats

How-to for the CV boot

Kmvreter's excellent CV boot post http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=37107

:cheers:

Kmvreter said:

Congrats on a nice clean job.



Maybe lube coming out due to the clamp is tolerable in the short term but I wouldn't call it "normal". I redid an inner boot this past summer and so far the clamp I used is holding. Search for my thread to see a pic of what I used. You've obviously caught it early so why risk more future problems (read $$$) when you can fix it cheap now by replacing a clamp.

I don't think many on here have done frame work to get better clearance. Waiting to see your results.

Are you planning bigger tires as well to fill those wheel wells?

Click to expand...

I 100% agree, and to me part of the reason I bought a Toyota is the reputation that they last so long. But to further that is the higher degree of the owner taking good care of them. I DON'T think the grease coming out of the boot is acceptable or normal, and I sure as heck don't want to leave it be. I read your write up (thanks Chris for the reference) on your own clamp issue. I too have heard an odd squeaky sound when I hit a bump on that passenger side, so now I too am expecting maybe a muddy milkshake when I move the boot. However I've been told the sound the CV joint makes is not a squeak but a grinding sound. That I have not heard. With my simple knowledge of mechanics, I'm going to give this a try on my own. Where did you go to get the clamps, since Toyota does not offer them seperately. I'll check to see if I have the same pliers first. The ones you used remind me of the nippers the farrier uses to trim horses hooves, but obviously they are not sharpened tips! I'm thinking if I go to any auto supply store, I'll be able to find the clamps. Other than following along on your write up, any further suggestions?

This issue is further exasperated by the AWD. One of my future mods is to solve that, and I will make my own unique V8 that has the option of being taken out of 4Hi so that I'm not constantly using the front diff. This of course will be on the back burner when Ruffian will no longer be within warranty for those parts anyway.

RE: larger tires. Yes, hell yes! But for now, I'm going to wear out those Nittos, and their replacement will be different. Those Nittos have not let me down. I was concerned when I had to air down and rock crawl with them, but so far I haven't been able to damage them. I'm not planning on changeing the rims at this point. But yeah, taller tires will be awesome! :rocker:

Ruffian said:

I DON'T think the grease coming out of the boot is acceptable or normal, and I sure as heck don't want to leave it be. I read your write up (thanks Chris for the reference) on your own clamp issue. I too have heard an odd squeaky sound when I hit a bump on that passenger side, so now I too am expecting maybe a muddy milkshake when I move the boot. However I've been told the sound the CV joint makes is not a squeak but a grinding sound. That I have not heard. With my simple knowledge of mechanics, I'm going to give this a try on my own. Where did you go to get the clamps, since Toyota does not offer them seperately. I'll check to see if I have the same pliers first. The ones you used remind me of the nippers the farrier uses to trim horses hooves, but obviously they are not sharpened tips! I'm thinking if I go to any auto supply store, I'll be able to find the clamps. Other than following along on your write up, any further suggestions? :rocker:

Click to expand...

I would expect a Napa or larger hydralic supply shop could hook you up with clamps and pliers. Napa's are typically pretty good for that stuff.


:cheers:

Nice lift. Did you have to use extended rear brake lines?