My search all started because, my T4R has 130k on it, I felt like it was time to replace the shocks and struts, plus I hated the factory rake I had going on. So I started reading up on different lifts, coils, spacers etc. In hopes of killing two birds with one stone, I was set on Bilstein 5100's and FJ springs. Although it seemed as though everyone had a different opinion and or experience with the .85 vs 1.75. In my search for a definitive answer I stumbled upon the Tacoma coils. I found some locally and decided to go forward with it, which brings us here.
First off I used coils, struts, and Shocks from a 2014 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off road. I used FJ coils in the rear from a 2014 FJ TRD. The main reason I went this route was it was all available to me locally, I figured it was worth a shot. If I found I needed spacers to level it out later, I would deal with that when and if the time came.
I had a hard time figuring out which coil was driver and which was Passenger. I searched for hours on this, and it seems there really isn't a color pattern like there is with the FJ's. Standing them side by side, one isn't noticeably taller than the other. I found this, which helped tremendously.
Now that was out of the way, I wasn't sure which way the struts go in as there are two ways they can. I found that the two dots on each of the coils need to face the rear of the vehicle.
The rear was a little more straight forward. Although you do have to press out the factory Tacoma bushings as they are too small. I used
Energy bushings (Part# 9.8108G) to replace the factory bushings.
I removed and replaced them using a 26mm socket on one side and a 19mm on the other in a bench vise. The 19mm pushes the bushing into the 26mm on the other side. This took some elbow grease to get them out. I used this same method to press in the new bushings as well.
Unbolting the upper rear shock mount proved to be a little challenging as the nut was turning the entire upper half of the shock. So I drilled a hole large enough to fit a screw driver into it to hold against the perch not allowing it to turn as I loosened the nut. Then I unbolted the rear sway bar @ the end links. That allowed me to lower down the axle to swap out the rear coils. They can only go in one way and line up with the perch.
Then it was simple reverse installation from there. The bottom shock mount was a little tough to slide onto it's perch with the Energy bushings. I used some grease and a big C-clamp and they were easily persuaded on, I was not able to get them to slide on with just my bare hands.
Then I was done, and this is what the final outcome looks like.
Hopefully this helps others looking for another option to level their 4runners. I sourced some of this information from various other threads, I am sure there are other ways to go about it, this was just the way I went about it using information I gathered from other threads, and my improvises I had to make along the way.
All said and done, I achieved exactly what I was after for a little more than a front pair of 5100's.
$100 For TRD Shocks, Struts and Coils.
$100 For the FJ coils (I had to buy front and rear, the guy wouldn't sell just the rear)
$6 For the rear shock bushings.
All in all it took 206 dollars and about 3 hours of time to achieve exactly what I was after. Before selling the front FJ coils, I have no use for.
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