4th Gen Suspension Options/FAQ

[stanleybb50]

Hey Ark, I trust your opinion greatly, and have been curious for quite awhile on something:

I've read and seen about a 50/50 split from folks on whether wheel spacers like Spidertrax wear out your wheel bearings faster or not.

What's your take on the subject? (Very sorry if this was addressed somewhere else in this thread.. I cant remember all the places I read up on the subject).


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[ARK_SWAMP_RIDER]

Hey Ark, I trust your opinion greatly, and have been curious for quite awhile on something:

I've read and seen about a 50/50 split from folks on whether wheel spacers like Spidertrax wear out your wheel bearings faster or not.

What's your take on the subject? (Very sorry if this was addressed somewhere else in this thread.. I cant remember all the places I read up on the subject).


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I do believe they add stress and increase wear, no reason to think it wouldn't. However, my personal opinion, opinion being the key word, is that the difference is negligible in the life of the part. It may be the difference of it failing at 145K miles instead of 150K miles. I don't believe the increased wear is enough to cause concern. Many folks have ran them for years without any issues.

 

[stanleybb50]

Hey Ark - I thought this would be as good of a place as any to ask this question...

I was about to start ordering some parts for this lift, and am trying to find a "one stop shop" for all the parts I want to acquire for my lift project. Or at least consolidate somewhat to save shipping costs/etc. Is there a place I can buy all of the below items?

- Sway Bar (Bushings) + rear end link bushings - polyurethane
- Front Sway Bar end links (because I'm worried the fronts will need cut off due to salt around PA....
- Bilstein 5100's (front).

It seemed JAUSA didnt have the front end links, nor did they have the rear end link bushings. Jegs has all the bushings, but no 5100's or end links... Summit may have all, but prices are higher... Rock Auto has the end links, but nothing else...

Any particular thoughts?

Thank you as always Sir!

 

[stanleybb50]

Additionally, the promo code on the home page of JAUSA didn't seem to want to work for the Billies. It seems they don't qualify for this particular discount.

Just trying to save on shipping if possible.


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[ARK_SWAMP_RIDER]

Hey Ark - I thought this would be as good of a place as any to ask this question...

I was about to start ordering some parts for this lift, and am trying to find a "one stop shop" for all the parts I want to acquire for my lift project. Or at least consolidate somewhat to save shipping costs/etc. Is there a place I can buy all of the below items?

- Sway Bar (Bushings) + rear end link bushings - polyurethane
- Front Sway Bar end links (because I'm worried the fronts will need cut off due to salt around PA....
- Bilstein 5100's (front).

It seemed JAUSA didnt have the front end links, nor did they have the rear end link bushings. Jegs has all the bushings, but no 5100's or end links... Summit may have all, but prices are higher... Rock Auto has the end links, but nothing else...

Any particular thoughts?

Thank you as always Sir!

I can't think of anywhere that you could get all that in one order. Shop around, find maybe two vendors that have good prices and order from both. The end links aren't cheap, roughly $120 IIRC. I would definitely pull the front wheels and try to remove the end links prior to ordering replacements.

Additionally, the promo code on the home page of JAUSA didn't seem to want to work for the Billies. It seems they don't qualify for this particular discount.

Just trying to save on shipping if possible.


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They change their sales up quite often. Typically if the promo code doesn't work, they are already discounted of their normal price. Every time I've looked at that site (20+), I've always seen the Bilsteins on sale, either automatically discounted or a valid promo code.

 

[stanleybb50]

Thanks much as always Ark.


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[Scouti]

Hello guys! Great Thread...thanks for gathering all the info! I just bought an 2005 SR5. I want to lift it slightly, but not sure what options are best for me. The truck is my wife's daily driver and our "family car". We take it on seasonal/farm roads and through the snow, but nothing hard core. I'd like to actually get the 9" of clearance that I thought I was getting, without altering the vehicle too much. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Scouti

 

[Srs054runner]

just a quick question,


on the front spring spacers, when it says 3" lift do the actual measure 3" to give it the 3" lift or do they measure smaller and still give the total of 3" lift?

Thanks again I quickly scan thru threads didnt quite see the answer

 

[ARK_SWAMP_RIDER]

just a quick question,


on the front spring spacers, when it says 3" lift do the actual measure 3" to give it the 3" lift or do they measure smaller and still give the total of 3" lift?

Thanks again I quickly scan thru threads didnt quite see the answer

There is a 2:1 ratio for front lift spacers. A 1" thick spacer will give you 2" of lift on the front.

 

[Srs054runner]

Thanks thats exactly what i needed to know.

 

[jaybird93000]

So i've already got the Daystar waiting to be put in and am trying to find some FJ coils to add to it. If i found Rear only, and installed that with the daystar, would it be safe? It'd be 2.5 in front and roughly the same in the back. The Stock coils would be in front and fjs in back. I know that's not typical, but i'm really having trouble finding a full set

 

[MT-4RUNNER]

Check out the fjcruiser forums, I found a set from a 2007 that had about 20,000 miles on it and got the strut and coil for $90 for all four corners! Pretty good deal, but grabbed them from someone local!

 

[ARK_SWAMP_RIDER]

So i've already got the Daystar waiting to be put in and am trying to find some FJ coils to add to it. If i found Rear only, and installed that with the daystar, would it be safe? It'd be 2.5 in front and roughly the same in the back. The Stock coils would be in front and fjs in back. I know that's not typical, but i'm really having trouble finding a full set

It's safe, yes. I would prefer to do a full set. I did front only (granted I have rear air bags and not coils) and it rode great, but seemed off balance since I didn't upgrade the rear as well. Also, will be easier to install everything at once vs having to go back and do front coils later. I'll keep an eye out for some at a reasonable price.

 

[jaybird93000]

yea, having the set installed all at once is kinda the thing holding me back from rear only... It's killing me having the daystar and having issues wit the fj stuff haha:repuke:

 

[ARK_SWAMP_RIDER]

hey all,

first off, this thread is wonderful.

maybe this is apparent but i wanted to inquire about the possibility of running stock shocks and struts with ome/toytec springs. i would assume this would nearly max out the capabilities of the springs/struts dampening but would like to do my lift as my 4runner budget (read as "student loans+grad school is expensive") provides. i have a spring compressor so adding 5100's later isn't going to cost me more by having to disassemble the strut again down the road.

thanks in advance

That can be done, but the ride won't be very good. That would really push the limits of the stock shocks and most likely the stock shocks wouldn't last. Why are you wanting to start with new coils? Another option would be doing the 5100s first, then adding coils later. You can set the front shocks to provide 2.5" lift and pick up a daystar 1.5" spacer for the rear. Total should be under $400. This would be a better approach IMO.

 

[STAYGOLD]

thats what i figured. i know they were replaced 15k ago so i wanted to get some life out of them, oh well. when you say "wont be very good"... bone jarring or just not smooth?

thanks for the response, ill continue to weigh my options.

 

[ARK_SWAMP_RIDER]

thats what i figured. i know they were replaced 15k ago so i wanted to get some life out of them, oh well. when you say "wont be very good"... bone jarring or just not smooth?

thanks for the response, ill continue to weigh my options.

Hard to say for sure. With those coils on stock shocks, there won't be much down travel left. My guess is it'd be fine over small stuff, but larger things like pot holes and speed bumps can bottom the shocks out easily.

Couple questions.
Why do you want a lift (looks, tire clearance, off road use)?
Any plans for added weight such as metal bumpers?
What is your budget? Don't forget to add in the cost of an alignment?
How soon are you looking to buy? There are a lot of deals that pop up on used stuff, just gotta bee patient.

 

[STAYGOLD]

right, that was my initial thought that i didn't want to be confirmed haha

i wheel a locked cherokee now but cant afford to keep 2 vehicles insured etc. so im gonna focus on my newly acquired 4runner now that my truck is gone and cherokee is on the market, so it will see some solid off-road use. i live where we get about 28 ft. of snow per year so i'm planning on going with pizza cutters, no need for 35's.

with 120k on her now, id have a hard time dropping 2 g's on bumpers, so no plans for that. budget is an interesting question. id like to stay around a grand, maybe a little less. as far as alignment goes, i get those for free so no worries with that. my dilemma is that the toytec ultimate is so close to that barrier...

i'd like to buy/start within the next couple months so i may just wait it out and keep checking around.

 

[ARK_SWAMP_RIDER]

The problem with this (and any modding I guess) is that for only a "little" bit more, you can get a lot better setup. In the $700 range, I'd go 5100's and OME/Toytec Superflex coils. Hard to be that setup. Any more than that, you need to look into the Overland Warehouse 2.0 kit. I just upgraded from 5100/OMEs to the OW 2.0 kit. Ride quality is much better and it's also fully adjustable so you can dial in your lift. The OW 2.0 shocks are monsters in comparison to the 5100's. The Toytec coilovers use the 5100's. For just a little more, the OW is a FAR better kit IMO. Downside is the OW will set you back almost $1400. Expensive up front, but cheaper in the end because the shocks are rebuildable/revalvable. All this depends on what budget you're working with.

 

[STAYGOLD]

well that just made it easy, thanks a ton. boom, decision made. ome/superflex/5100 it is. i had 5100's on my tacoma and loved them, so i was leaning towards that anyway. you the man ARK.