2001TR4runner
New member
Any write ups on how to assemble coilovers with your stock top plates? I will need a coil compressor but read somewhere that I might as well buy the pre assembled ones. On a budget though lol
DIY toytec coilover
- Thread starter 2001TR4runner
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snivilous
Senior Member
Screw buying the preassembled ones. Pull the wheel and let the double wish bones sag. If you disconnect the sway bar, and then loosen the top A-arm bolt (that it rotates about and bolts to the frame) it will let it droop a lot further then so you don't have to compress the springs as much to install/pull. I read somewhere that you should do this anyways, and then retorque the upper bolt when the truck is sitting level because there are sleeve bushings that get clamped and this will relieve the torque on them when the truck is level, though take that with a grain of salt.
I use two spring compressors, you won't be able to get them opposite each side of the spring, more like 120 degrees to each other. Once they are compressed a bit you can pull the lower mounting bolt for the shock to the lower A arm. If the coilover is still putting some force on it, then you can use a screw driver and hammer or something else to tap it out then yank out the screw driver. Of course you can always just compress the springs enough so it slides right out.
Then there are three bolts for the top hat, 14mm as I recall, and the entire assembly will slide out. Now there is a center bolt that you will need an open end wrench and (what I used) some lock jaws. This will pull the top hat away. Again, the more compressed the springs are the easier it is. But it's not as crucial here because once the nut slides to the end of the threads it will pop a bit and will just fall off. I actually found it was considerably harder to pull the stock springs than the Toytec Eibachs I installed (I don't know why....)
The top hat is just a rubber assembly with three studs integrated into it. Take the new shocks, compress the new coils, slide them on, slide the top hat on and torque it back down. As I said, the Eibachs were easy to put on (I was also using Bilstein 5100s which are obviously longer and helps and probably explains why...). The main issue actually during reassembling was squishing the top hat assembly down far enough onto the shock spindle (?) to get the nut to engage (the shock spindle only has part of it threaded, so everything on the top of the shock had to be compressed into that length for the nut to engage). It's kind of hard to explain, but you'll see what I mean probably. I ended up using a clamp on one side of the top hat and then pulling down on the other side (only an 1/8" or so) so I could get one thread going.
At this point leave the coils compressed still, and slide it in. You may have to uncompress them and recompress them if the spring compressors aren't in the right spots to fit nicely under the truck. With all that done it bolted right up, with the top first. Just get each bolt engaged as much as possible (on the top hat into the upper A-arm) and then get the bottom in. Some people use the spare tire jack to press down on the top of the wheel well onto the upper A-arm to force it to droop, but after loosening the upper A-arm mounting bolt and disconnecting the sway bar I didn't have to do that. I actually had to jack up the lower A-arm because the IFS had sagged so far on it's own.
It's pretty straight forward and you'll see everything you need to do, the main pain is just compressing the springs and pulling it from the truck initially (remove the three top hat nuts, then the bottom bolt for the coilovers and that is all that is needed to remove it from the truck). Hope that helps.
I use two spring compressors, you won't be able to get them opposite each side of the spring, more like 120 degrees to each other. Once they are compressed a bit you can pull the lower mounting bolt for the shock to the lower A arm. If the coilover is still putting some force on it, then you can use a screw driver and hammer or something else to tap it out then yank out the screw driver. Of course you can always just compress the springs enough so it slides right out.
Then there are three bolts for the top hat, 14mm as I recall, and the entire assembly will slide out. Now there is a center bolt that you will need an open end wrench and (what I used) some lock jaws. This will pull the top hat away. Again, the more compressed the springs are the easier it is. But it's not as crucial here because once the nut slides to the end of the threads it will pop a bit and will just fall off. I actually found it was considerably harder to pull the stock springs than the Toytec Eibachs I installed (I don't know why....)
The top hat is just a rubber assembly with three studs integrated into it. Take the new shocks, compress the new coils, slide them on, slide the top hat on and torque it back down. As I said, the Eibachs were easy to put on (I was also using Bilstein 5100s which are obviously longer and helps and probably explains why...). The main issue actually during reassembling was squishing the top hat assembly down far enough onto the shock spindle (?) to get the nut to engage (the shock spindle only has part of it threaded, so everything on the top of the shock had to be compressed into that length for the nut to engage). It's kind of hard to explain, but you'll see what I mean probably. I ended up using a clamp on one side of the top hat and then pulling down on the other side (only an 1/8" or so) so I could get one thread going.
At this point leave the coils compressed still, and slide it in. You may have to uncompress them and recompress them if the spring compressors aren't in the right spots to fit nicely under the truck. With all that done it bolted right up, with the top first. Just get each bolt engaged as much as possible (on the top hat into the upper A-arm) and then get the bottom in. Some people use the spare tire jack to press down on the top of the wheel well onto the upper A-arm to force it to droop, but after loosening the upper A-arm mounting bolt and disconnecting the sway bar I didn't have to do that. I actually had to jack up the lower A-arm because the IFS had sagged so far on it's own.
It's pretty straight forward and you'll see everything you need to do, the main pain is just compressing the springs and pulling it from the truck initially (remove the three top hat nuts, then the bottom bolt for the coilovers and that is all that is needed to remove it from the truck). Hope that helps.
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snivilous
Senior Member
Also, make sure the end of the lower bolt is pointed forward so it doesn't contact the CV boot at any point. And another slight issue I had was actually getting the lower bolt and lower A-arm hole and shock hole aligned. It's a tight tolerance so needs to be pretty dead nuts. One side was a piece of cake, the other needed some fiddling with.
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2001TR4runner
New member
Wow thats really informational. I will Pm you if I have any questions. Thanks!
BrianSD_42
New member
Op,
Go rent a spring compressor.
I don't really get the post above.
Go rent a spring compressor.
I don't really get the post above.
white_n_slow
Senior Member
I don't know about the toytec springs, but with my tundra springs, I had a hell of a time getting the compressor arms to fit between the coils. I eventually got it done, but the compressors had some funky angle on them and probably not 100% safe.
The second time around I used the wall-mounted spring compressor at a DIY auto place for $20. Got both coilovers assembled in about 10 minutes
Also, FWIW, I never had to compress the spring to get the coilover on or off the truck. Just to get the thing assembled onto the shock.
The second time around I used the wall-mounted spring compressor at a DIY auto place for $20. Got both coilovers assembled in about 10 minutes
Also, FWIW, I never had to compress the spring to get the coilover on or off the truck. Just to get the thing assembled onto the shock.
ToyTec Lifts
New member
No the black spring seat is pictured correctly. If it is upside down from what is shown, it needs to be flipped otherwise the C clip will fail. And you would be getting wayyyyyy too much lift.
:thumb3:
Dylan
cj80cruiser
Senior Member
I don't know about the toytec springs, but with my tundra springs, I had a hell of a time getting the compressor arms to fit between the coils. I eventually got it done, but the compressors had some funky angle on them and probably not 100% safe.
The second time around I used the wall-mounted spring compressor at a DIY auto place for $20. Got both coilovers assembled in about 10 minutes
Also, FWIW, I never had to compress the spring to get the coilover on or off the truck. Just to get the thing assembled onto the shock.
x2 My tundra coils had the same issue. I did one myself but took the other one to a shop and paid the same price you did. Well worth the $20.
