ShooterMcGavin
New member
Before I ever became interested in the 4Runner as a vehicle to buy, I always noticed them as having a distinct sag to the rearend. I have a 1997 but, luckily, I don't have a noticeable sag in my rear. I believe that my suspension is all original, but I don't really know. I have some questions for the experts about the sag which seems notorious to the older 4Runners...
1. Why does it seem like the 4Runner is one of the only vehicles on the road with considerable suspension sag (in the rear, especially)? I'm sure there are other vehicles with suspension sag out there (older trucks, etc.), but it doesn't seem like that many from 1990 on. I've owned many cars at the age of 15-20 years old and none of them exhibited any real sag. Is there something specific to our trucks or the suspension design that makes them prone to sagging?
2. Don't suspension springs tend to "settle" and then stop sagging? I have installed suspensions in a couple cars (lowered cars)... They would ride just a little high for a month or so, then they would settle, and then there would be no further sag after that.
3. Is there any end to the sag??
I mean, do the 4Runner rear suspensions sag to a point and then hold steady at that height, or will they continue to sag until the spring coils are all touching?
4. On the theme of the last question... If I buy some used springs, LC coils for example, have they already been pre-sagged for me, or will they just continue to sag lower and lower?
5. Do new, non-OEM springs (Toytec, OME, etc.) have the same sag problems as the coils we see sagging on stock trucks out there? If not, why?
Sorry for all the questions. I guess this whole sag-epidemic is kinda new to me.
Thanks.
1. Why does it seem like the 4Runner is one of the only vehicles on the road with considerable suspension sag (in the rear, especially)? I'm sure there are other vehicles with suspension sag out there (older trucks, etc.), but it doesn't seem like that many from 1990 on. I've owned many cars at the age of 15-20 years old and none of them exhibited any real sag. Is there something specific to our trucks or the suspension design that makes them prone to sagging?
2. Don't suspension springs tend to "settle" and then stop sagging? I have installed suspensions in a couple cars (lowered cars)... They would ride just a little high for a month or so, then they would settle, and then there would be no further sag after that.
3. Is there any end to the sag??
I mean, do the 4Runner rear suspensions sag to a point and then hold steady at that height, or will they continue to sag until the spring coils are all touching?4. On the theme of the last question... If I buy some used springs, LC coils for example, have they already been pre-sagged for me, or will they just continue to sag lower and lower?
5. Do new, non-OEM springs (Toytec, OME, etc.) have the same sag problems as the coils we see sagging on stock trucks out there? If not, why?
Sorry for all the questions. I guess this whole sag-epidemic is kinda new to me.
Thanks.
