Better Steering and Handling Questions

Matt Starr

Matt Starr

Banned
Suspension:
So I'm planning on upgrading some suspension components pretty soon. So far my list consists of Addco sway bars and tie rods, coils and shocks.
Essentially I would like to do some kind of air bag or maybe hydraulic spring system that would allow me to lower my 4runner 2" below stock and lift it 2" over stock and also be durable enough for offroading and hard cornering. I havent been able to find anything like this on the web so if anyone has any suggestions please let me know.
Also if anyone has any other suggestions of other suspention components that I should look into upgrading please share.

Steering:
I have no idea what I can do to upgrade my steering so someone please chime in. I want to try to get rid of all the play in my steering wheel and make it a lot more responsive.

Any suggestions, input or positive and negative feedback is greatly appreciated
Thanks
 
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i would offer some words of advice but i dont know shit from shine about steering and transforming suspension. it would be cool though.
 
You are going to have a hard time making a vehicle good at off roading and making it handle well on the street.

First issue will be the tires. Off road tires are made w/ deep tread to be able to dig in. While racers will often take a tire and shave them down because the big tread blocks of a new tire feel "squirmy."

Shocks, springs and sway bars.... off road set up will allow a lot of articulation, while a sport set up should be far stiffer. you could run a good set of sway and disconnect them for off road use, but anything else you are probably going to have to pick which direction you want to go in.

This is why i have the 4runner and a few cars to play w/. ;):
 
Stick Figure said:
This is why i have the 4runner and a few cars to play w/. ;):
Click to expand...
I think you're getting a little too deep on this. Im not trying to make an offroading or street machine with the suspension. I want to do what the did in the Land Rovers. all I want is to be able to lift it 2" for better ground clearance and lower it 2" for better handling not make it amazingly offroad capable. and dont worry about the tires, Ive got that taken care of.

What other play cars do you have? (besides the Lexus IS)
I have an Audi A6 2.7L Twin Turbo Quattro and thats it.
 
I can't think of anyway that you could achieve what you are looking for in a suspension. Airbags is the only thing I could think of and even at that rate I'm not sure that you would be able to lift and lower, and it would handle like shit. You can lower your truck 2" and it will still ride like shit if you don't do it right.

For the steering I would look at doing the Energy Suspension poly bushing steering rack kit. You need to get the one for 95.5-04 Tacomas.
 
The steering rack bushings would be good, as well as replacing all of the bushings w/ at least stock, if not better. The other problem w/ bags and raising and lowering the vehicle for the application is the alignment is going to be way out of adjustment. I remember when coil over gained popularity in the import scene, and everyone thought they could just change ride height at will... until the figured out they were eating tires left and right.

as far as my cars right now:

00 4runner

02 IS300 (some mild cams, full exhaust, lots of bracing, including some seam welding and many suspension mods, plus the comfort stuff like the stereo work. I do have nitrous for it, and partially in it, but have never had time to finish the install. This was the daily driver until i moved to CA and got tired of being pulled over, and w/ out a usable trunk it wasn't very practicle.

88 MR2 supercharged swapped, and currently w/ a blown headgasket. Trying to decide which motor to build for it.

89 Supra Turbo ... 100% dead right now and w/ no engine even for it and hidden away over 1600 miles from me waiting for me to get a chance to put it together. I've had this one for over 10 years, and built and blown it up a few times ..... i'm almost to a point where i can pick this project up again!
 
I like the idea of some HD disconnects in the front along with your Addco and some HD end links in the rear with your Addco. Then the steering rack bushing kit from Wheelers. Here are the links.
End links
Rack bushings

I agree that your idea of the leveling suspension is a good one. It woud be ideal to drop the 4runner to stock or lower for street driving and raise it if needed on difficult trails or when more travel was needed. I hope you come up with something.

Here is some details of the Range Rover system. They use special airbags made by Dunlop for lift. You can lower the car 2.5" or raise it 3" as compared to stock. I would say get one of these kits from a wreck and install it in the runner.
http://www.rangerovers.net/repairdetails/airsuspension/index.html
 
Last edited:
Stick Figure,


lol you do know its illegal to have nitrous and or just the components of the system. CHP would dog you on that one haha ooooh and i do like your IS300.
 
rdgt4r said:
Stick Figure,


lol you do know its illegal to have nitrous and or just the components of the system. CHP would dog you on that one haha ooooh and i do like your IS300.
Click to expand...

everything is illegal in California......
 
Stick Figure said:
88 MR2 supercharged swapped, and currently w/ a blown headgasket. Trying to decide which motor to build for it.
B]
Click to expand...

Ive seen this done a lot in mr2's it the same engine as your 4runner with a turbo http://www.driven2modify.com/showthread.php?t=16927

DavidAlexander said:
Here is some details of the Range Rover system. They use special airbags made by Dunlop for lift. You can lower the car 2.5" or raise it 3" as compared to stock. I would say get one of these kits from a wreck and install it in the runner.
Click to expand...
I was thinking of doing this cause I did a solid axle swap in my tacoma so I figured, the tacoma was swaping IFS for a solid axle, so swaping IFS for IFS should be pretty easy right!? Well the problem is, this works for the front suspension but what about the rear. Theres no way Im gonna do a rear IFS swap.

luigi123 said:
Matt,
I saw this a bit ago, might be what your looking for...
Click to expand...
Thank you so much I'm deffinately gonna look into this.

As for steering Ill deffinately do the Energy Suspension poly bushings but is there anything components I can upgrade? I literally know nothing about steering. Is possible or worth is to upgrade the power steering or maybe put in a steering system from like a supra or something?
 
rdgt4r: In regards to the nitrous, i'm very aware of the law. Way too familiar, I've been to court too many times in the last couple years for tint, no front plate, exhaust mods, out of state license, out of state plates, etc. on the IS. My nitrous set up is very well hidden on the car, so i've never been too worried about that. Out of all of my vehicles the 4runner is the only one that is street legal, which is why i daily drive that. CA is actually so damn over rated in so many ways that i'm often sorry i moved here, but for the modified car industry, i'm pretty stuck here for now.

Matt on the MR2 mine is actually a MKI, that is a MKII, but very nice car. I thought about a V6 swap for it since i have a spare 2.5 engine out of a 88-91 Camry (close to a bolt in), but i'm going to either stick w/ the 1.6 and go for the twin charged thing like the vintage HKS kit did back in the day. Or if i do a swap i will use the 2.2 5SFE block w/ the 3SGTE head and go all turbo. For right now, i've got to get the new garage in order so i can get started on this turbo set up for the 4runner ;):
 
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