Help! Rear air suspension conversion

[Baral1979]

Hi!

I went though almost every thread on the forum with no luck.

I have a 2006 4runner limited V8. It has a rear air bag suspension. The suspension air compressor is dead. Toyota can sell a new one for about 2000$: not an option. When it died, it broke a airbag:500$. Last year, one of the suspension sensor broke... I managed to repair it otherwise it would have cost about 600$ to get a brand new one. I am pissed of this system. It is not made to survive where I live: winter 8 months per year. It eats all the calcium they put on our icy winter road...

I bougth coil springs to get rid of all that air suspension but I now have an issue... My axle doest not have a place where the spring can sit and stay it place. I think it is called coil spring isolator but I am not sure. Toyota do not sell this. I know there are conversion kit but I just dont figure how the coil spring will stay in place without this. All looked at all the parts that comes with the different kit and nothing seems to be made for my truck..

So.. To summurize... How can I make the coil spring to stay in place ? I removed the suspension air bags... My car is not drivable .. Too bumpy!

Hope some of you can help!

 

[ARK_SWAMP_RIDER]

I did the same swap, highly suggest the conversion kit from Metal Tech. They sell it with and without the upper isolator. I found a used set of isolators which saved quite a bit.
Lexus GX470 Rear Coil Conversion Kit
Lexus GX470 Rear Coil Conversion Kit Complete

I've actually swapped mine twice. First time I made my own retaining bracket, but the MT kit is a much better solution. Here's a thread showing the initial setup I used.
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/120196-how-convert-ras-coils.html

 

[Bossman]

I'm with you on the havoc road salt plays on our Canadian 4Runners.

In my situation, first it was one of the height control sensors failing due to corrosion - too expensive for me to repair, so my mechanic bypassed the sensor and fixed the height of the air bags. I no longer had any in-cabin control over the system.

Eventually the on-board air compressor also failed. My creative mechanic disconnected the RAS air bags from the compressor, and rigged a manual fill system. Now I can adjust my rear height as easy as I fill my tires with air.

Swapping out the RAS for a standard suspension is a little tricky and will require some modification, as the mount the RAS air bags rest on is different than what the standard coil would rest on.

ARK_SWAMP_RIDER is your best forum resource for info on this.

 

[Baral1979]

Thanks guys! ARK_SWAMP_RIDER, why did you swap a second time? Did the first try broke? Did you put the first try to the test? I could order a MT kit but would like to fix the coil temporarly and securly pretty soon. Cannot afford not having a car for long time... Gotta gonto work, kids gotta to school... We need our ride back and safe asap.

Many thanks again for your help!

 

[ARK_SWAMP_RIDER]

Thanks guys! ARK_SWAMP_RIDER, why did you swap a second time? Did the first try broke? Did you put the first try to the test? I could order a MT kit but would like to fix the coil temporarly and securly pretty soon. Cannot afford not having a car for long time... Gotta gonto work, kids gotta to school... We need our ride back and safe asap.

Many thanks again for your help!

Once I swapped the toggle bolt for a nyloc nut, no issues with the first setup. Long story short, I was unhappy with the aftermarket shocks/coils so I swapped back to air bags while I figured out what direction I wanted to go. The MT kit is a better solution IMO and well worth the $70. Either way you'll need the upper isolators which are the most costly part. The MT kit wasn't available when I did the initial swap, hence the reason for the homemade brackets.

 

[Baral1979]

What was Toyota using with stock coil spring to stay in place? If I am right, this 4Runner model could come with either coil springs or air spring bag? Any risk just putting the coil spring onto the lower mount without any brackets?

 

[ARunner]

The trucks that came with coils have perches for the coils. Those with airbags do not. That's why you need the metal tech kit. Yes, there is a risk installing without a spring perch. When the rear suspension unloads, such as when swerving, dropping off a curb, or launching over lesser vehicles, your rear coil could become dislodged and cause damage to your vehicle or others in the vicinity if it somehow worked its way completely loose.

 

[ARK_SWAMP_RIDER]

That's the reason I'm promoting the MT kit...it very closely resembles the OEM spring perch for coil spring equipped 4runners. As mentioned above, you HAVE to have something to keep the coil spring in place on the lower mount.

 

[T4RCanada]

weird, my Canadian truck had RAS from the factory and it has a tiny little spring perch on the axle. I got the top isolators with my FJ springs and installed them carefully, just feeling and looking around to make sure everything seated right. In the end it looks and feels like the springs were always there - the weight of the rear of the car keeps the springs in place..

The MT kit is pictured herehttp://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/180083-470sncs-gx470-build.html#post1828486 for your reference (I didn't use one and I know others have done without it).

 

[paraordnance]

Swapping out the RAS for a standard suspension is a little tricky and will require some modification

I have to disagree with this statement. Just did complete RAS/XREAS swap for Toytec Ultimate and with MetalTech kit ($250) mentioned by ARK it was direct fit, could not be easier. Zero modifications required, direct bolt-on.

 

[CPT2nr88]

Speaking of RAS failing... Has anybody ever re-purposed the air compressor to be used for inflating tires or to storage tank for air tools or anything of that nature?

 

[Bossman]

I have to disagree with this statement. Just did complete RAS/XREAS swap for Toytec Ultimate and with MetalTech kit ($250) mentioned by ARK it was direct fit, could not be easier. Zero modifications required, direct bolt-on.

Modification (noun) - the making of a limited change in something.

By adding the MT kit, you have modified the existing state of the original 4Runner with RAS.

Good to know that there is a kit available to facilitate a modification from RAS to a regular rear suspension.

 

[Marfy]

I hate to say it, but I kind of wish my RAS and/or XREAS would give up the ghost... Then lift kit!

 

[T4RCanada]

Speaking of RAS failing... Has anybody ever re-purposed the air compressor to be used for inflating tires or to storage tank for air tools or anything of that nature?

I was going to experiment with mine eventually despite not-so-encouraging information in TIS and from other members.

The onboard electronics pretty much run the show with regards to the RAS pump... Not sure if control can be overridden or if the pump can cope with high pressure.

 

[ARunner]

Overriding the pump isn't that hard. The output of the compressor is very low.

 

[Ruthven13]

Bringing back an old thread again, is there an aftermarket kit or way to replace a factory rear air spring without having to give up a vital body part for the cost? I am assuming not since I have not been able to find any info about itno matter where I looked. I have no reason for it now, just planning for the future. I am not planning on lifting it so that is not going to be an issue. Hopefully i will have a pot count high enough to actually start my own threads soon!

 

[MSRP.]

Silly question, but the RAS and XREAS systems are independent of each other right?
I can use the metaltech conversion kit to replace RAS without touching or swapping out XREAS without issue?

Don't offroad the v8, just trips across the province for camping and skiing.

 

[Morphyne]

Silly question, but the RAS and XREAS systems are independent of each other right?
I can use the metaltech conversion kit to replace RAS without touching or swapping out XREAS without issue?

Don't offroad the v8, just trips across the province for camping and skiing.

Yes. That is correct. You can swap out the RAS without touching the xreas.

 

[Keros]

Silly question, but the RAS and XREAS systems are independent of each other right?
I can use the metaltech conversion kit to replace RAS without touching or swapping out XREAS without issue?

Don't offroad the v8, just trips across the province for camping and skiing.

"Independent" as in not interconnected systems.

The bumpstops of the RAS system are much longer than the coil bump stops. I did the metaltech kit install and, with MOOG springs, ended up with 0.5" of clear space to the REAS bump stops. I installed wheelers super bumps and that fixed the problem.

I consequently have a RAS in a box if someone wants any parts.

 

[Ruthven13]

"Independent" as in not interconnected systems.

The bumpstops of the RAS system are much longer than the coil bump stops. I did the metaltech kit install and, with MOOG springs, ended up with 0.5" of clear space to the REAS bump stops. I installed wheelers super bumps and that fixed the problem.

I consequently have a RAS in a box if someone wants any parts.

Not sure if mine is ready to be fixed soon but do you have any idea how much you would want and how much it would cost to ship to NJ? I am so scared to have it go out and have to buy Toyota parts and go broke... You can PM me if this is not appropriate for this forum. Like I sai I am not ready to buy but just want to have an idea on price...