Brand-new owner with some questions

[Vivers]

Ah ok, then it's possible that the OME shocks are giving you a more stiff ride. Just assuming because not sure if which OME shock is on the truck. A 890 should give you 3" of rear lift. So with the 880 and 5mm up front that's about a difference of 1 inch or so. Def would have some rake.



We are pic whores around here so post up a few pics of your ride!!!

Thanks for the reply. I'm mostly going to be driving highway on the way to the Sierras and local mountains with a little bit of wheeling on dirt roads and minor wheeling.

Would you say that current set up is sufficient as currently I'm not liking the way it's riding or steering. I've been looking at this set up. http://www.sonoransteel.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_2_4&products_id=3

Thanks in advance


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[PWD4R]

So he just got back to me and told me that he actually has a panhard bar Sonoran steel as good as they get. And he texted me the complete set up here -

Suspension is for a 4Runner with stock bumpers etc....Springs are 880/w 5mm trim packed up front.
". " 890 in the rear. I had 906's but needed capacity so that's why the heavy rake. All OME


Thanks



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I have 881 in front and 890 rear. Definitely stiff but I like it.


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[ColtonAdkison]

1. Ball joints are an issue but that's not what you are feeling. You just need new sway bar bushings and sway bar end link bushings. Look into OEM ones or ones from Energy Suspension. Will get rid of the "sway", that's what the anti-sway bar is supposed to do and it's not doing it. There's one in front and one in the rear with 4 end links total.

You may very well be correct on this. But in my experience, I had original ball joints with one sway bar link broken when I purchased the vehicle. Everytime I hit a pot hole, or slight bump in the road it would throw me all over. I looked around and thought it was my sway bar link causing this, so I purchased a replacement along with Energy Suspension bushings for all four links. (Front and back) With all four links connected and with new bushings it still threw me around. I tried without sway bars attached and still did it. I replaced ball joints, attached sway bars again and it was planted to the ground.

 

[JBurt]

The sway bar controls body sway. If the car darts around or the steering wheel is unresponsive you have worn out steering components.

If you've got a 96 that has the older style rack guides, and replacing it with the newer tightens things up. You may also have worn out outer tie rod ends and inner tie rod ends. I'd start with changing the steering rack bushings.

The biggest thing that helped my steering on my 97 was getting a new rack and pinion. Easy to swap, but not cheap. Plus mine was leaking. It comes with new ITRE's.

Your lower control arm bushings are also a player here. Crawl under the truck while someone turns the wheels back and forth. Your LCA's shouldn't move, and if they do you need new bushings.

Sad to say but you've got a 20 year old truck with over 200k miles. Probably everything in the front end could be replaced (with the exception of your new shocks).

I had an OME suspension when I bought mine. I've now got Kings in front and Land cruiser shocks in the rear. The OME was very stiff (read harsh ride). The new setup is much softer.

 

[Vivers]

Believe we got the sloppy ride figured out as one lower control arm bushing was broken, "replacing both" ball joints are originals so all are being replaced and with the larger OME springs in the back the rake is also messing with the ride, so leveling out with 960's align and she'll be right as rain!


1996 4x4 SR5 3.4liter OME suspension, Sonoran steel panhard bar, nitto 265/70/16 rubber, and more to come

 

[BoomSticks]

Good place to start:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/197591-absaloms-cookie-cutter-4runner-builds.html

 

[Vivers]

Good place to start:



http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/197591-absaloms-cookie-cutter-4runner-builds.html

Thanks for that link and we pretty much have done all that except tie rod ends and sway bars which my mechanic says all look good but we've addressed everything else .

Truck did come with a 2 inch OME suspension so I'll live with that for now but I am going to change out the E rated Hankook tires he had on them to a D rated all-terrain


1996 3rd Gen 4x4 SR5 3.4liter OME suspension, Sonoran steel panhard bar, BFG 265/70/16 rubber, and more to come