Itching to do some mods

Dark Ninja

Dark Ninja

New member
I've seen some badass builds here and need some help deciding where to start. I'd like to hear some thoughts from my fellow 4Runner lovers.

My goal is to have a rig that is trail worthy and still function as the family rig for trips to Disneyland. This build will be slow, as funds are limited when you have a newborn to feed. I'm really inspired by BlairB's, daPitbull's, eThernectar, and DawgRunner's builds.

Let the fun begin! I have about $1k-2k to change my 2006 4WD V8 from stock to NOT!
 
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Yeah defiantly lift kit first. Spacers are cheap but mess with geometry of truck since you've got the money Id go with coils and shocks in the front and rear. Then the extra money on some good tires.
 
Forgive me for being a noob. How easy is it to install coilovers myself?
I'm used to lowering cars and not lifting trucks! Hahahaha! I'm willing to learn, especially if I save the cost of labor.
 
Tucson4runner said:
Yeah defiantly lift kit first. Spacers are cheap but mess with geometry of truck since you've got the money Id go with coils and shocks in the front and rear. Then the extra money on some good tires.
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It looks like most kits will cost me almost $1800-$2000 for coilovers and springs. Then I'd still need upper arms too. Not sure how I'd afford new tires after that.
 
How much are you looking to lift? You can find used coils for an fj or tacoma for like 300 and I think toyoyech has a 1" lift that isn't to bad I know the 3" lift is like 2k but you don't have to replace the uca's right away
 
Tucson4runner said:
How much are you looking to lift? You can find used coils for an fj or tacoma for like 300 and I think toyoyech has a 1" lift that isn't to bad I know the 3" lift is like 2k but you don't have to replace the uca's right away
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I'd like to go with a 3" lift. I was actually looking at the Toytec Ultimate 3" lift package and OME setup. Those prices aren't bad. Not sure if a body lift is necessary at this point. There's quite a price difference on those two setups. I think I'll call them tomorrow for more info.

The ICON kits are money!!! Dang!! I need to make some serious dough before I go back to that website!! Toyota - 2003 - 2009 4Runner - Complete Suspension Systems - ICON Vehicle Dynamics
 
Yeah I stay away from that site. Just makes me envious of those with that kind of money. Toyotec has instructions on how to install the ultimate lift kit. Id recommend getting the diff drop done professionally its a pain in the ass unless you have a serious shop to work with
 
Thanks for the heads up on the diff drop. I think I could manage the shock and springs. I've done them on cars, just not on trucks.
 
those Icon susp. setups are nice--but unnecessarily expensive. You don't need billet UCA's, nor the lower rear arm trailing kit.

Honestly, depending on how tight your funds are, I'd throw on some Bilstein 5100's f/r w/ upgraded springs and call it a day. Then when you get more $, upgrade your tires to A/T (depending on the mileage on your truck, you may do tires before susp.).

I'd also look into the HID light upgrade--best ~$150 I've spent on my truck yet...
 
Dark Ninja said:
Forgive me for being a noob. How easy is it to install coilovers myself?
I'm used to lowering cars and not lifting trucks! Hahahaha! I'm willing to learn, especially if I save the cost of labor.
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not too hard--but you will need to get an alignment afterwards. With a coilover setup, the worst part is adjusting ride height--a true PITA
 
If you're on a budget like I am (and i also have a new addition to the fam, she's 7 months old now) then the FJC/Bilstein 5100 setup is a cheap way to upgrade your suspension. I don't do any heavy offroading so I'll never need ICON or King coilovers with resi's (althought they are sick!).

My setup cost me $430 ($80 for the FJ coils and $350 for the Billies) and me and a buddy installed it ourselves. The 5100's are adjustable and the FJ coils will give you a little firmer ride while also adding approximately .5" - 1" of lift. I absolutely love the setup.
 
krupnation said:
If you're on a budget like I am (and i also have a new addition to the fam, she's 7 months old now) then the FJC/Bilstein 5100 setup is a cheap way to upgrade your suspension. I don't do any heavy offroading so I'll never need ICON or King coilovers with resi's (althought they are sick!).

My setup cost me $430 ($80 for the FJ coils and $350 for the Billies) and me and a buddy installed it ourselves. The 5100's are adjustable and the FJ coils will give you a little firmer ride while also adding approximately .5" - 1" of lift. I absolutely love the setup.
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Can I achieve a 3" lift with that setup? The price is great!!

Congrats on the little one. My baby girl is also 7 months. Born 12/30/2010. :-)
 
Dark Ninja said:
Can I achieve a 3" lift with that setup? The price is great!!

Congrats on the little one. My baby girl is also 7 months. Born 12/30/2010. :-)
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I'm not sure, I think it would be 2.5" at the top setting. You could always do the FJC/5100's swap and then add a spacer lift later like some have done. From what I've researched anything over a 3" lift will possibly need a diff drop and UCA's. I'm not 100% on that so maybe someone will chime in. One thing I can tell you is that the ride is 100 times better than stock.

And congrats to you as well! My daughter was born 12/29/10! She's my little tax deduction :nerd:. What a life changer man, I'm loving being a father.
 
Don't overlook the spacer lifts if you are going to mostly roll on the road. My Cornfed 3/2 kit looks awesome and the ride is great. My off-roading consists of dirt roads, mud, ruts, and winter snow storms. I wanted a street truck and did not need to pump money into parts that I will never really need.

Moral of the story: build your Runner to truly serve your needs.
 
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