Best kit for sagging rear on a 2nd gen 4Runner?

[joshuabrady]

Dont go with stock. Thety will tell you that it will level out your 4 runner, but it wont really. I would go with one of the rear lift kits mentioned. The best that i have heard of so far is The Old Man Emu kit for the back. Just my opinion, i put the stock springs back on, and after about a month it was back to where it was before.

 

[skywalker1020]

Joshua,
I'm glad you mentioned this. I was planning on getting new stockers this friday after you're earlier posts. I'll definitely hold off on that now.

My mechanic suggested finding a spring of the same diameter but just slightly longer to replace the stock one. He said that it wouldn't be necessary to buy longer shocks or relocate the brake line like you have to do with the kits (OME, Downey, etc.) if the new spring is just barely longer than stock. This would keep the price down.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find anything.

Everyone out there, please post on this thread if you have any insight on this problem.

 

[skywalker1020]

I found a spring made by Moog that is described as "heavy duty". Apparently it is stiffer and slighly longer than stock.

Because they are only slightly longer than stock, it is not necessary to buy longer shocks or relocate the brake lines.

To top it off, they are only $69 for the pair.

This kind of sounds to good to be true to me, at that price. If anyone knows anything about these springs, please let me know.

I'll give a report if I decide to put 'em in.

 

[pyrodork]

where have you found these available?

 

[skywalker1020]

Looks like rockauto.com and autopartsgiant.com both sell them.

 

[le34ah56]

is it just natural for 1994's to do that? because my '94 has got quite a rear sag.
also are those spacers good for the truck? they won't hurt it will they? and if they are okay, why do most people not take this route, instead of paying 100's of dollars for an actual lift?:driving:

 

[le34ah56]

sorry, i didn't read through the entire thread before i replyed. i guess my questions were answered.

 

[doink]

i was at the auto parts store the other day and i saw what i can explain as "coil spring spacers". they're small pieces that you install by jacking the frame (to release tension) and inserting them between the coils. two for each side. there's also a twist-on version, but that doesnt seem too keen for me.


anybody know what i'm talking about or have any experience/knowledge about them? they run under $10/pair (one wheel).

if i were you, i wouldnt get those. instead, opt for the type of spacer that fits on top of the spring. those spacers you are refering do not sound too safe to me.

 

[skywalker1020]

I got the Moog heavy duty rear coil springs put in yesterday. $78 for the springs, $69 for the install. No new shocks or brake line reposition necessary. The truck now sits level (YES!!!) and the ride is a bit more lively, in a good way. I am very much enjoying the way my truck looks and drives right now.

I measured the lift at 1.5 inches over the old ride height.

An added bonus:
At 6'3" I could not see things far behind me in the rearview because of the slope of the car. Now I can see the horizon.

I highly recomend this mod. Very cheap and so far, very effective. Perhaps this is the answer to every 2nd gen owner's dilema?

I'll post again in a month or so to let everyone know if they've started to sag again.

 

[Hikerdaddy]

What damage can be done with sagging shocks if your not pulling a load?

Mine sags a bit and has new shocks. Will this lessen life of my shocks?

Hikerdaddy

 

[Bumpin' Yota]

I put in a set of 80 dollar air shocks and was done with sag forever in under an hour! And you want to talk about a butter smooth ride!

 

[skywalker1020]

Yota-
What brand of shocks?

 

[Bumpin' Yota]

Yota-
What brand of shocks?

I searched high and low and the ONLY brand I could find was made by CarQuest.

they supply 1000lbs of lift at 200psi. When all I had was air shocks back there, i'd typically have it around 125psi or so...

 

[TaubBaer]

Don't know if I need the springs or not. Yesterday, I went to Home Depot to get 12 pieces of hollow blocks, I noticed that the rear end had bottomed out while driving home from store.

Is that why the rear end is lower than front end as called "sagged"?

What's the best solution? I might plan to buy a trailer.

 

[skywalker1020]

Lots of 2nd gen 4runners sit lower in the back than the front. This is because the springs weaken and sag (compress).

I put in some heavy duty springs in the rear (see my earlier post) and they have raised the back of the truck up to stock level. I'm very happy with how it looks and drives.

If you are planning to tow the trailer a lot, maybe you'd be happier with one of the kits described in earlier posts that are much more expensive but probably lift the truck even higher in back, maybe stiffer, too. I don't know much about these kits, so I can only repeat what I've read here and in ads for the kits.

 

[snorunner]

Downey HD springs

I've been looking at these forums for what seems like half my life and I've even called Downey, but I can't seem to get this one question answered: Downey says that the HD rear springs life 1.5" over stock, but since my 4runner sags I don't know how high that is. Has anyone actually measured, say, the rim to fender distance after installing the rear Downey HD springs? I'm itching to know that, since I'm looking a little but not a lot of lift, and I like the idea of having a bit of stiffness in the suspension. If I can't find this out without buying and installing springs my second choice is to install 1.5" spacers, since they'll have predictable results.

Thanks!

 

[skywalker1020]

The Moog heavy duty coil springs I got lifted the truck 1.5 inches from the previous (sagging) height. Originally, it was 17 and 21/32 inches from the bottom of the chrome fender trim to the top of the raised circle on the wheel center cap.
My truck still sits level and rides well.
I highly recommend this mod.

 

[harmonkardon]

hey skywalker you know any other places where i can get the Moog's at? i looked at those 2 websites u posted earlier but i couldnt find them. thanks

 

[skywalker1020]

Try googling "moog chassis". I bought mine in town so I don't know where exactly to find them online.

 

[steronz4]

autopartsgiant.com still has them. select your vehicle and then search for "coil spring"... i just ordered mine yesterday. how hard are they to replace? do i need to use my spring compressor, or do they just fall out when the suspension is uncompressed?