Don't be fooled! Front lift spacers, diff drop kit, rear coils no easy task!!!

Slippery24

Slippery24

New member
Just installed lift kit on my 99 Limited Runner 4wd that I got on eBay for a reasonable $200 bucks but was not the simple job claimed in many forums. I may have not done this before but between me and buddy that did it, we have plenty of experience on vehicles and ATV's to pull this job off without the many hitches we ran into. Removing rear coils not bad, replacing with longer FJ80 coils, an immpossible task without spring compressor loaned to me from AutoZone that I read I didn't need. The aluminum spacers in the front that were supposed to take 30mins. were a nightmare taking several hours. Again, easy to take strut out and put spacers on but the re-install (even with the factory bottle jack trick in wheel well) was aggravating to say the least. As far as the diff drop kit, I read it wasn't completely neccessary, but good cheap insurance. I got as far as getting the skid plate off and gave up on trying to loosen the nec. bolts, so it is without the diff drop kit for now. Anyway, getting front end aligned and putting on Nitto Terra Grapplers 285 75 16 in day or two. Got em for total $728 Discount Tire.

99 Silver 4Runner Limited, prev. 96, 97, 98 Runners, 95 & 96 T-100's, 91 & 99Tacomas, 92 Camry
 
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Seems like it was alot of "fun."
Looking back... would you recommend it? Was kind of looking for a "cheap" way to give my T4R a lift...
 
Yes, I would recommend it but don't do it yourself unless you are prepared and do good research. I actually posted a help wanted ad on craigslist.org to install kit and got a certified Toyota tech respond and offered to install kit for $150. Not too bad if you don't want to do yourself. Ended up doing with a friends help and we both learned a lot from it and figure would be much easier next time. It definetely gave it a noticable lift and will look awesome with the bigger tires. I have before, after, and with soon with new tires pics that I will post in few days.
 
you do no you need a wrench on top of diff bolt id highly recommend a impact gun if your air compressor is small leave it running i did a lift by my self in about 6hrs wasn't to bad
 
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not sure what issues you had, Ive done a few on 3rd Gens, in the garage, at most has taken 4 hours, that with lunch in there, lol, YES air tools help..
My 4th gen took about 2 hours, next time we will wait till we are done for the beer, lol

I know the new FJs are stupid easy, lol
 
ric said:
next time we will wait till we are done for the beer, lol
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I keep telling people wait until AFTER you finish before you supply the help with Beers..otherwise you end up with loose bolts and sometimes the dreaded extra parts..."must not be important if we didnt put it back on" lol

OP--- I can't remember a single thread on here or other Yota sites that say you do not need a spring compressor. All the ones i have read specifically state to borrow one from local auto store.
 
i have to agree on the spring compressors though, every vehicle i have ever put a lift on everyone always says you don't need them, and thier right you don't NEED them, but having them makes the job 150% easier and goes way more quickly...


explain why you couldn't get the bolts off? did you use a tq wrench or a normal wrench with a cheater bar?

i don't get why removing stock bolts would suck, unless they're rusted or something......

also the loaners @ autozone or any FLAPS are scary as shit, if you lift all of your trucks when you get 'em do yourself a favor and go to harbour freight and buy one of these, their $40, way more stout that the conventional design and a whole lot safer imo, as if the spring does pop out from the compressor you can at least tell which direction it's going to unload in.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=43753

i've had mine for about 5 years now and have gotten wwwaaayyy more use out of it than i ever thought i would, from loaning it to friends and from trying different styles of lifts on my old trucks.

the only drawback is the unit is kind of big so it may take a little playing around to get it to fit back in with the spring in there, but i've NEVER not had it be able to fit in the wheel well
 
i still don't understand the reason for front coil spacers.

my SS1.2 lift was done in 4 hours by Lance and Sean on the UT forum, totally 4 hours in my friend's empty warehouse on the floor.

front coil and shocks, completely tear down and re-assemble because i have to use the stock top hats. front diff. drop, stock skid plate cut and weld, rear sway bar bracket, panhard bar, brake line, drive shaft grease fitting, rear bump stops, rear coils and shocks.

i rented 2 pairs of coil compressors from Autozone and i didn't even have a factory bottle jack. i had 2 floor jacks and 4 jack stands, prybars and wrenches plus a big F* hammer. the air impact i had only lasted for 30 seconds because it was on a weekend, the air compressor was turned off.
 
I think too many beers in the process probably didn't help. It was 1st time for us and I think next time will be much easier. I still am not sure how to make the installation of the front strut any easier after putting spacer in??? Any ideas from anyone or pics would be helpful as friend is thinking of putting lift on his. What's your thought on the diff drop kit??? Need it or not?
 
did you guys undo these 4 bolts it makes it much easier to get the shock out
strut4.jpg
 
Not sure where read it other than for sure from seller on eBay-go figure. Was it necessary on the front spacer install?
 
Funny you mentioned Harbor Freight as mechanic buddy at work said same thing. Anyway the AutoZone loaner worked. I just wish that I knew exactly how to do the easy spacer install on the front? As far as the bolts not loosening-I really was tired and wanted to be done and only tried it once with rachet and figured, ah most said I don't need diff drop anyway, so ended project and continued with a few beers. I'm sure could have got it with air tool, no big deal.
 
Slippery24 said:
Funny you mentioned Harbor Freight as mechanic buddy at work said same thing. Anyway the AutoZone loaner worked. I just wish that I knew exactly how to do the easy spacer install on the front? As far as the bolts not loosening-I really was tired and wanted to be done and only tried it once with rachet and figured, ah most said I don't need diff drop anyway, so ended project and continued with a few beers. I'm sure could have got it with air tool, no big deal.
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you should have gone ahead and installed it if you already had it, that was like 2.5 cases of beer you could have had....:beer:

lol, just check your cv angles once your done with everything to make sure your REALLY don't need it,

which bring a question to mind does anyone have tech info on the correct cv angle and the tolerance? from what i've gathered people just eye ball it and if some of the flanges on the cv boot are touching say that's too much.....

i'd like something a little more accurate if you guys know where i can find this info?
 
first install i did took some time, with 3 guys and lots of mountain dew, i was the experienced vet, but had only lifted a solid axle runner. the other two were newbs and didnt use wrenchs ever. lots of frustration but we got it, i then did my runner a few weeks later in a few hours probably around 5 with me and a different friend. that ifs stuff sure is tricky.
 
Hummm....I only needed the use a spring compressor on one of my struts. The rest of the job took me (by myself) about 4 hours. If I had a helper, I wouldn't have needed the compressor. This was my first IFS lift to install.....
 
JeremyH said:
Hummm....I only needed the use a spring compressor on one of my struts. The rest of the job took me (by myself) about 4 hours. If I had a helper, I wouldn't have needed the compressor. This was my first IFS lift to install.....
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i dont believe it. you compressed a strut by hand, by yourself, then crammed a spacer in there too with your other hand?? i dont get it. to compress the struts i had to apply atleast 150+ lbs to a ratchet...

you wouldnt happen to be confusing your self for being on a suzuki fourm?
 
Well, believe it or not....no skin off my back. It doesn't matter to me what some guy on the internet thinks I didn't do...
 
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