5th Gen LImited x-reas delete for road use

[patrickdotryan]

[MENTION=385748]patrickdotryan[/MENTION]

Hello,...I was curious how your XREAS delete went, and if the option you chose rides fairly closely to the XREAS did...

Hi Saba and everyone else. Sorry for being a bad forum member, the emails ended up in spam.

Update - I completed the x-reas delete over a weekend by myself with the occasional assist from a kid for things like dropping the skid plate. If you're mechanically inclined it is very easy, really just labor. If you keep your springs, you will need to loan a spring compressor from your local auto store, but it's no big deal.

I opted for the Bilstein 5100 shocks all round, and kept the existing springs. 4WD shops want you to get much beefier shocks (like 6112s up front), but Bilstein recommends the 4600s as an option, so the 5100s are already a high quality step up from those for a mostly road-going truck. There is ride height adjustment on the fronts, but I opted for the stock position, since my daughter is short! I thought I posted a how-to, but clearly not!

Ride-wise, the 5100s are fantastic. The truck feels like it rides better than it did before, and my x-reas was only weeping a bit, so I'm assuming I had close to the original ride feel before the swap out. I was worried about "brake dive", but there doesn't seem to be any of that. Likewise body roll, that seems about the same. Overall, I'm extremely happy, it feels like a new truck.

A few notes:
[MENTION=62416]Scuba6[/MENTION] you should get new spring mounts as the rubber part that the spring sits in up top will have a deep spring impression. They're cheap and contribute to ride feel.

The top nut on the rear shocks cannot be reached by a torque wrench, so you'll have to guesstimate that one. Everything else can though.

Removing all the old pipes etc is a lot of the labor, but for me, I didn't want to leave all that old junk on the truck. I wanted it to feel crispy new like it cam from the factory with SR5 suspension.

Overall?
Very happy I did it. Replacing x-reas at the dealer with new x-reas is like a $6,000 ding. Getting a 4WD center to replace with 6112 front / 5100 rear was about $2,500. This whole deal was about $600 in parts and a pretty easy weekend job for a whole "new truck feel".

 

[patrickdotryan]

[MENTION=385748]patrickdotryan[/MENTION]

Hello, my 2016 limited has the same issues as your daughters 4Runner did and I was curious how your XREAS delete went, and if the option you chose rides fairly closely to the XREAS did...

(sorry if you posted updates already, I didn't see them if so...)

Sorry [MENTION=791462]saba1418[/MENTION] - I messed up the quote above so you may not get the notification. Hopefully this fixes it.

Another thing I thought of. While I had it all apart I replaced the sway bar end links and a ton of little plastic plugs in the plastic skid plate splash guard and some missing rubber fender splash guards too. Not needed, just worth spend a small amount more while doing all that labor.

 

[patrickdotryan]

OK, hopefully this works, here are some of my photos, including the spring compression and the difficult to reach (with a torque wrench) rear top nut.

 

[rdruss]

My only suggestion, after have done it 2 or 3 times, is to forget about a spring compressor and use the floor jack under the lower control arm to compress the spring, remove the single top nut securing the front shock and the spring and shock come out disassembled. Reassembly is just the reverse procedure. Saves a lot of time with spring compressor and possible danger.

 

[patrickdotryan]

My only suggestion, after have done it 2 or 3 times, is to forget about a spring compressor and use the floor jack under the lower control arm to compress the spring, remove the single top nut securing the front shock and the spring and shock come out disassembled. Reassembly is just the reverse procedure. Saves a lot of time with spring compressor and possible danger.

Great tip, thanks [MENTION=101325]rdruss[/MENTION]. That would for sure be faster. I took the springs out for the following reasons:

• I wanted to replace the upper rubber spring mounts as they wear out and replacing them really helps ride quality.
  
• I also wanted to see if the springs were worn out, and if not, to fully degrease them and the surrounding area because leaking x-reas creates a mess.
  
• Using a good spring compressor is pretty simple and safe as long as the right precautions are taken. I used a ratchet strap (not shown in photo!) to my workbench so if it slipped, it had limited scope to travel.

Thanks everyone for sharing - these tips can only make it easier for the next DIYer!

 

[fkheath]

Modern springs don't "wear out". In the old days (1950s to 1970s) springs would sag, but not now.

 

[Scuba6]

[MENTION=62416]Scuba6[/MENTION] you should get new spring mounts as the rubber part that the spring sits in up top will have a deep spring impression. They're cheap and contribute to ride feel.

The top nut on the rear shocks cannot be reached by a torque wrench, so you'll have to guesstimate that one. Everything else can though.

Removing all the old pipes etc is a lot of the labor, but for me, I didn't want to leave all that old junk on the truck. I wanted it to feel crispy new like it cam from the factory with SR5 suspension.

Overall?
Very happy I did it. Replacing x-reas at the dealer with new x-reas is like a $6,000 ding. Getting a 4WD center to replace with 6112 front / 5100 rear was about $2,500. This whole deal was about $600 in parts and a pretty easy weekend job for a whole "new truck feel".

Thank you, this is all very helpful!

I spent the morning driving to a few different mechanics in the area that neighbors recommended and should have some quotes back this afternoon. Although your description and the various youtube videos on the topic make me confident that I COULD do it...this may be one that I need to let the professionals do if the price is fair. Guess I'll know if anyone is "fair" this afternoon.

 

[patrickdotryan]

Thank you, this is all very helpful!

I spent the morning driving to a few different mechanics in the area that neighbors recommended and should have some quotes back this afternoon. Although your description and the various youtube videos on the topic make me confident that I COULD do it...this may be one that I need to let the professionals do if the price is fair. Guess I'll know if anyone is "fair" this afternoon.

Scuba6, did you ever get a mechanic to remove your X-REAS system and what new setup did you go with?

 

[Getbusylivin]

I’m planning on removing my Xreas and putting on 5100s. It doesn’t look too hard to remove it all(utube vid tutorial). I have all components already(5100 set, KYB mounts, bilstein B12(824s-1.5” lift for rear) and am trying to sort out what kind of springs to get for front and am lost. Done lots of reading and am confused on whether to go with stock spings and use a higher perch on 5100s to get desired lift OR get a longer spring(Dobs 1.75” lift stock weight) with bottom perch on 5100s. Any input would be greatly appreciated!!! I can’t post new threads yet on here, cuz I’m a NOOB I guess.

Steve

 

[shoota]

OK, hopefully this works, here are some of my photos, including the spring compression and the difficult to reach (with a torque wrench) rear top nut.

Thanks for taking the time to follow up. I am wanting to do the exact same thing as you (2015 Limited, no lift), but I can't find the exact answer to my question elsewhere. Which settings did you use on the front and rear adjustable 5100s? I want the stock height, AND probably the stock rake as I'm concerned about leveling the truck out and blinding oncoming drivers with the LED headlights. Any advice there?

 

[N6WRV]

Thanks for taking the time to follow up. I am wanting to do the exact same thing as you (2015 Limited, no lift), but I can't find the exact answer to my question elsewhere. Which settings did you use on the front and rear adjustable 5100s? I want the stock height, AND probably the stock rake as I'm concerned about leveling the truck out and blinding oncoming drivers with the LED headlights. Any advice there?

Anybody have any experience with the KYB complete strut and spring assemblies? KYB is OEM on many Asian vehicles.

KYB SR4528 Strut-Plus Complete Corner Unit Assembly -Strut, Mount and Spring, Black Front Right $137.78 at Amazon.

KYB SR4529 Strut-Plus Complete Corner Unit Assembly -Strut, Mount and Spring. Front Left $127.98 at Amazon

 

[Scuba6]

Scuba6, did you ever get a mechanic to remove your X-REAS system and what new setup did you go with?

Yes, I had it done just over a year ago now. I bought the Bilstein 4600s from ShockWarehouse and had a local shop put them on for me. I think I was just over $1700 all in. I've been very happy with them and wish I'd done it much sooner!

It was this shops' first time doing an xreas delete and they just did what I asked of them. But after seeing how happy I was, they have sense recommended and performed that service for a few other owners that have come in.