LC2013`s build thread

[LC2013]

So Im just at about wits end with a rear end rattle.

It only occurs when the rear end drops out on potholes or when I hit jarring bumps. The rattle almost sound like a loose bracket of some sort.

I've removed the spare, muted my license plate, changed out my rear sway bar links. changed shocks, ensured all the brackets and heat-shields were secured and bushings but nothing. It seems to be coming from somewhere under the rear but I can't place it. -_-

 

[t-man]

So Im just at about wits end with a rear end rattle.

It only occurs when the rear end drops out on potholes or when I hit jarring bumps. The rattle almost sound like a loose bracket of some sort.

I've removed the spare, muted my license plate, changed out my rear sway bar links. changed shocks, ensured all the brackets and heat-shields were secured and bushings but nothing. It seems to be coming from somewhere under the rear but I can't place it. -_-

Trailing arm bushings maybe? Exhaust hitting the crossover that the panhard bar is connected to?

Sent from the drivers seat of my 05 4runner.

 

[LC2013]

Trailing arm bushings maybe? Exhaust hitting the crossover that the panhard bar is connected to?

Sent from the drivers seat of my 05 4runner.

Hey t-man,

Thanks for getting back to me. It looks to be about 3-4 inches of clearance between the exhaust and axle/panhard. I was thinking it might be some bushings in the back and wondering if I should just start trying to upgrade the rear links anyways.....

I will be able to check it all out this weekend and hopefully find something.

What I found interesting is I have the 4runner loaded down with ALOT of weight for our snack area at work and it seems once it was loaded down there was no random sound from the back. I'm almost wondering if the springs are moving when it hits holes/bumps, but it is not loose enough to move it by hand.

 

[t-man]

Hey t-man,

Thanks for getting back to me. It looks to be about 3-4 inches of clearance between the exhaust and axle/panhard. I was thinking it might be some bushings in the back and wondering if I should just start trying to upgrade the rear links anyways.....

I will be able to check it all out this weekend and hopefully find something.

What I found interesting is I have the 4runner loaded down with ALOT of weight for our snack area at work and it seems once it was loaded down there was no random sound from the back. I'm almost wondering if the springs are moving when it hits holes/bumps, but it is not loose enough to move it by hand.

Is the spring isolator installed on top of the springs still? That cone shaped thing that comes down inside the coil?
I would look at your trailing arm bushings, then find a place to flex the suspension out and look at them again. Look for excessive movement in one or more of them. My uppers are getting pretty worn now and I really need to upgrade them. You can buy completely new trailing arms with bushings on rockauto for $200 iirc. Cheap replacement, upgrades are expensive but allow much better adjustability and strength. I guess it just depends on what you do with it and what you want to spend really.

Sent from the drivers seat of my 05 4runner.

 

[LC2013]

Is the spring isolator installed on top of the springs still? That cone shaped thing that comes down inside the coil?
I would look at your trailing arm bushings, then find a place to flex the suspension out and look at them again. Look for excessive movement in one or more of them. My uppers are getting pretty worn now and I really need to upgrade them. You can buy completely new trailing arms with bushings on rockauto for $200 iirc. Cheap replacement, upgrades are expensive but allow much better adjustability and strength. I guess it just depends on what you do with it and what you want to spend really.

Sent from the drivers seat of my 05 4runner.

Im pretty sure that they are both on (atleast what I remember from intall).

Ill check those for play as well.....the purchase Im trying to decide between right now is either:

1. RCI engine and Transmissions skid

or

2. MetalTech Rear lower control arms


Right now the budget will only allow either or.

 

[t-man]

Im pretty sure that they are both on (atleast what I remember from intall).

Ill check those for play as well.....the purchase Im trying to decide between right now is either:

1. RCI engine and Transmissions skid

or

2. MetalTech Rear lower control arms


Right now the budget will only allow either or.

I'd check bushings first. If they don't look good then grab the nice metal tech ones. Otherwise the skid!

Sent from the drivers seat of my 05 4runner.

 

[LC2013]

I'd check bushings first. If they don't look good then grab the nice metal tech ones. Otherwise the skid!

Sent from the drivers seat of my 05 4runner.

So I think you may have been right about the exhaust in the first place.

I went under and started looking at the control arms and decided to swack it and found where the exhaust hits the frame.....just gotta figure out how to fix it. :usa2:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY7TmfvjkCU

 

[t-man]

So I think you may have been right about the exhaust in the first place.

I went under and started looking at the control arms and decided to swack it and found where the exhaust hits the frame.....just gotta figure out how to fix it. :usa2:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY7TmfvjkCU

Lmao! Some shop didn't bend it in right location and didn't check for rattles!

Sent from the drivers seat of my 05 4runner.

 

[LC2013]

Lmao! Some shop didn't bend it in right location and didn't check for rattles!

Sent from the drivers seat of my 05 4runner.

Yea....now Im hoping a different shop wont charge me much to fix it. -_-


On another note......just put an order in for the skids.......wooo the only ones left will be the transfercase and gas tank skids but those can wait.

 

[Mytoy4]

I'm not sure how I've missed your build thread! Might have even seen you around town before. Your truck looks great!

 

[603runner]

That is so frustrating about the exhaust! Still love the truck though! I envy your creativity

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

 

[LC2013]

I'm not sure how I've missed your build thread! Might have even seen you around town before. Your truck looks great!

Well not to worry, I have been following your new and old thread! I have been on the lookout for ya haha. If yall ever want to grab a beer or go have fun in the snow or offroad, let me know.

That is so frustrating about the exhaust! Still love the truck though! I envy your creativity

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

It is......I took it in and its much better but there is still something that is bugging me......I will find it though! Thank you very much!arty:

 

[LC2013]

So I installed new lower control arms which wasn't bad as the work was done in under three hours. The only hiccup was that one of the bolts was seized badly.....nothing a little sawzall action cant fix!


I also got some more goodies in the mail today! Once I own up and replace the CV axle, Ill put on the wheel bearing. The bodylift might have to wait until next weekend.


The new skids plates should be here on Tuesday.:dancin:

 

[LC2013]

I decided to paint the racks black.....now I need to find a better way to secure the tool box.....

 

[LC2013]

Found out its going to cost $230 to rebuild the rear shocks. -_-

Also painting the skids tonight.....should go on tomorrow....pics to come!

 

[LC2013]

I got the skids on today and I found a little place to lift the front end up. I didn't want to flex out the rear too much since the ICONs are still being rebuilt.

 

[LC2013]

Anyone know if the king 16 inch smooth bodys would work with the MetalTech rear springs? I can measure thr Icons becsuse they are being sent back to me.

Also are there any negatives to using a stem to eyelet sock adapter?

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk

 

[t-man]

Anyone know if the king 16 inch smooth bodys would work with the MetalTech rear springs? I can measure thr Icons becsuse they are being sent back to me.

Also are there any negatives to using a stem to eyelet sock adapter?

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk

You would need limit straps as the rear upper links will hit the gas tank before your shocks max out. You'd have all the available travel you can get though! Lol
Not sure on the eyelet thing though, sorry.
You could move the upper mount to maximize droop and up travel without interference.

Sent from the drivers seat of my 05 4runner.

 

[Inv4drZm]

Anyone know if the king 16 inch smooth bodys would work with the MetalTech rear springs? I can measure thr Icons becsuse they are being sent back to me.

Shock-wise, you should be more concerned about the compressed lengths. For perspective Metaltech LT is 11.5" of travel, 17" compressed length. Icon standard travels are 9.5" travel, 14.85" compressed length. So at 15" compressed length stock bump stops are fine. At 17" compressed length you need the 3" bump stop extensions to run the Metaltech LT shocks.

If suspension travel is important and you're not limited by your tire size (34-35s) so you can keep the stock bumps without rubbing and get Metaltech LT droop, 13.5" of travel would be ideal. Does anybody make a 13-13.5" shock with 15" compressed length? No. The closest ones are around 18-19" compressed so you would need to run a ~6" bump stop extension (bad idea) or cut off the shock mount brackets and weld on your own up roughly 3" higher. A body lift would make this easier. A few FJ'ers have done this from what I've seen online. I've done a good bit of research on this until I found a good deal on my Icons. Maybe for my next setup I'll do something crazy...

Also are there any negatives to using a stem to eyelet sock adapter?

The one that I can think of is that it would push your shock mount location down .5-1" so you would run the risk of bottoming out your shocks easier unless you ran a short bumpstop extension, limiting your tire-stuffing ability.

 

[LC2013]

You would need limit straps as the rear upper links will hit the gas tank before your shocks max out. You'd have all the available travel you can get though! Lol
Not sure on the eyelet thing though, sorry.
You could move the upper mount to maximize droop and up travel without interference.

Sent from the drivers seat of my 05 4runner.

Hey tt-man,

From what it looks like limiting straps might be a good idea as it seems more than a few have snapped off their shock bolts. I do want all of the travel but my two reasons for moving to these shocks would be the CDC and the progressive valving. I'm with you on the adapter.....I haven't seen anything against it and I have seen some rigs running them.

Shock-wise, you should be more concerned about the compressed lengths. For perspective Metaltech LT is 11.5" of travel, 17" compressed length. Icon standard travels are 9.5" travel, 14.85" compressed length. So at 15" compressed length stock bump stops are fine. At 17" compressed length you need the 3" bump stop extensions to run the Metaltech LT shocks.

If suspension travel is important and you're not limited by your tire size (34-35s) so you can keep the stock bumps without rubbing and get Metaltech LT droop, 13.5" of travel would be ideal. Does anybody make a 13-13.5" shock with 15" compressed length? No. The closest ones are around 18-19" compressed so you would need to run a ~6" bump stop extension (bad idea) or cut off the shock mount brackets and weld on your own up roughly 3" higher. A body lift would make this easier. A few FJ'ers have done this from what I've seen online. I've done a good bit of research on this until I found a good deal on my Icons. Maybe for my next setup I'll do something crazy...


The one that I can think of is that it would push your shock mount location down .5-1" so you would run the risk of bottoming out your shocks easier unless you ran a short bumpstop extension, limiting your tire-stuffing ability.

Hey Inv4drZm,

This is the current setup I am running:
MT-GSJ-4052 - New Metal Tech 4x4 long travel springs
MT-GSJ-2200 - Metal Tech 4x4 3" bump stop extensions
CRWN-FJC - Stainless steel extended brake lines (still need to install)
ICON-5-6550 - Icon 2.0 VS series long travel shocks

So please correct me if Im wrong but fromt he measurements you mentioned of the MT/Icon LT shocks it seems the king 10" are pretty similar in measurement:
Extended Length: 28.375"
Collapsed Length: 18.375"
King 2.5 Smoothie Shock Remote Reservoir 10 Inch Travel: Off Road Shocks

I also have a 1.5 inch bodylift that I will be installing here soon so that should help out a little bit. This is also the adapter type that I had in mind:
https://www.amazon.com/Explorer-Pro-Comp-690001-Adapter/dp/B002SJBXPC