fj cruiser 6" install on a 4th gen.
- Thread starter slowteg97
- Start date
05T4Rsport
New member
6" FJ Lift Kit
Sweet 4runner! I have 05 T4R Limited 4wd, Really interested in doing this lift 6" lift, want try and install myself but just want clarify, I've heard the Fabtech FJ 6" lift needs modification to fit, so with the Rough Country 6" lift kit #770S is it a straight up bolt on kit? I noticed the Fabtech is like $1k more than the Rough Country kit, what's the difference?
Any cutting/welding needed, or cutting of the crossmember to fit the drop brackets? The parts to lift the rear is straight bolt on as well?
How would this kit work with X-reas, do you have to remove the x-reas?
Are aftermarket upper control arms required to get alignment within specs or stock UCA will still be able to align?
So this kit only comes with rear shock absorbers? What kind front struts do i need to use for this kit?
Sweet 4runner! I have 05 T4R Limited 4wd, Really interested in doing this lift 6" lift, want try and install myself but just want clarify, I've heard the Fabtech FJ 6" lift needs modification to fit, so with the Rough Country 6" lift kit #770S is it a straight up bolt on kit? I noticed the Fabtech is like $1k more than the Rough Country kit, what's the difference?
Any cutting/welding needed, or cutting of the crossmember to fit the drop brackets? The parts to lift the rear is straight bolt on as well?
How would this kit work with X-reas, do you have to remove the x-reas?
Are aftermarket upper control arms required to get alignment within specs or stock UCA will still be able to align?
So this kit only comes with rear shock absorbers? What kind front struts do i need to use for this kit?
slowteg97
New member
The rough country is a bolt in kit, the pro comp and fab tech I think require some modding. There's a guy on here with the pro comp he would know better. The X-reas will need to be removed which is pretty simple. My best advice is get a set of fj springs and struts for the front and the truck will sit close to level, this will help with clearance for the tires. You'll fit 35's depending how far your wheels stick out. The further your wheel and tire combo stick out the more clearance issue you will have. If you choose to run the stock 4Runner springs you'll end up with a ground sniffer so you really should get yourself a set of fj springs and struts. My last bit of advice is the rough country rear shocks that come with the kit pretty much suck so be ready to upgrade those.
I've looked at both kits extensively and the only thing I believe fabtech has over rough country is the shocks. I don't like that the fabtech kit uses a spacer for the rear coils, where rough country has 6" lift coils. I also don't like that fabtech makes you cut out the crossmember, where rough country is bolt in. Those two alone make me choose rough country which I have plans for. Front and rear rough country is completely bolt on, which means you can remove if ever you wanted too.
As was stated, you cannot keep XREAS because you need longer rear shocks. FJ shocks or Bilsteins will work fine. Icon and camburg make coilovers and shocks made for this kit that are 6" longer. The coilovers are also extended travel, which you would need aftermarket uca's for, but not for normal shocks. It will align with no issue's as it's a drop bracket lift and keeps stock geometry. Also, if you have adjustable shocks or coilovers you can adjust more lift just like if you added them to your current suspension.
Rough country is by far the best bang for your buck. Fabtech is wanting more money for their name, which isn't all that good in the first place.
To run 35's even with this lift, you will need to move the fender liner and do the body mount chop. I have 5.5" of lift in the front and still had to trim a ton.
You should consider regearing soon after the tires as the stock crush sleeve will flex easily and break the ring & pinion. Go with a solid spacer for the pinion. 4.56 gears for more street ability, 4.88 for more power and offroad ability.
Also don't listen to the naysayers. I've seen every damn big full size truck on the market with these lifts and barring user install error there have been no issues for strength and reliability. If you beat it hard enough to hurt the kit, you would hurt any setup!
I believe so. Rough country comes with new upper control arms to compensate for the lift. Another aspect I liked.
05T4Rsport
New member
Ok thanks guys for great info. Would i need to regear or body mount chop if i run some 33x12.5 on some 20x9 w/4.5 backspace? Or would 33"s would look to small for this amount if lift?
You don't have to regear, it helps. The harder you go offroad the more important that solid pinion spacer becomes.
I think 33's would look teeny with that lift. 35's aren't that hard, just takes some time is all. Several of us are running them.
slowteg97
New member
[MENTION=130499]05T4Rsport[/MENTION] you won't need a body chop with anything smaller then 34's but you must use the fj cruiser springs to achieve the proper amount of lift. I had Tacoma Trd springs when I first did my 6"rc and it seemed to be to harsh on the front end. Really wears on the tie rods. I swapped those out for the fj springs and struts and things seem to be a lot better. I'm currently on 325/65r18 I can easily fit bigger if I took out my wheel spacers. I'm running 18x9 wheels with 5" back spacing and a 1" spacer and I have no rubbing at all. Once these tires wear out I'll go back up closer to a 35 again and take out my wheel spacers.
05T4Rsport
New member
Rough Country 6" FJ Lift Kit front/rear shocks combo recommendations for 4th gen 4runner?
Ordering this kit soon but I've been hearing about the stiff ride from the rear shocks that are included, if I were to upgrade, what shocks would fit the RC 6" Kit and give a more softer factory ride in the rear?
I will also need front struts, I'm kinda looking for budget friendly options, so I was thinking maybe just getting aftermarket oem style front struts that already come assembled, how's the ride w/factory front struts on this kit?
Would Bilsteins 5100 front and rear shocks be a better ride?...will the Rear Bilsteins 5100 shocks even work with this 6" Lift Kit?
Will the rear shocks that come with Procomp or Fabtechs FJ 6" Lift Kit give a better ride or any other brand I should be considering?...again looking for budget friendly options. Thanks.
Ordering this kit soon but I've been hearing about the stiff ride from the rear shocks that are included, if I were to upgrade, what shocks would fit the RC 6" Kit and give a more softer factory ride in the rear?
I will also need front struts, I'm kinda looking for budget friendly options, so I was thinking maybe just getting aftermarket oem style front struts that already come assembled, how's the ride w/factory front struts on this kit?
Would Bilsteins 5100 front and rear shocks be a better ride?...will the Rear Bilsteins 5100 shocks even work with this 6" Lift Kit?
Will the rear shocks that come with Procomp or Fabtechs FJ 6" Lift Kit give a better ride or any other brand I should be considering?...again looking for budget friendly options. Thanks.
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I can't answer everything, but from my research which includes talking to several with this kit:
I have heard the same about the rear shocks. You can order shocks, front and/or rear from icon and camburg that are 6" extended for that lift. Regular shocks in the rear are not long enough. You could run stock replacement or Bilsteins in the front and the extended ones in the rear to save money.
If you are going with this kit I would get stiffer front coils, at the least FJ cruiser coils, because it's enough lift that the stock springs just can't deal with leaning in corners as well.
A big bonus to the rough country lift is it's completely bolt on and reversible if wanted/needed, unlike the other kits. Also the other kits use a spacer for the rear coils instead of a longer coil like RC uses.
Hope this helps a little.
slowteg97
New member
I'm running bilstein trail team struts up front off an fj and I made extensions similar to the ones they make for the tacomas for my 5100's in the rear. I had the rough country shocks they ended up in the garbage that week, I have a set of fab tech which weren't bad, but going to a fab tech shock from a bilstein was really noticeable so that's why I had to fab something up. I've had the set up I'm running for about a year now and I love it, the rear feels just as stable as it did when I had 3.5" rear springs.
Extension? I need to look this up.
Oh, so it's just an extension for the threads up top. Makes sense, and I could keep my Bilsteins! Until I can afford the nice camburg ones anyways. thanks!
