I am also looking to lower my 4x4 '97 4Runner SR5 a couple of inches.
It is a "Pavement Princess" - NEVER going off-road - not even on gravel roads!
My old '92 GMC one-ton (crew cab, long box) rides much better and has WAY better brakes, as well as getting better highway mileage (I'm looking at the Tundra brake upgrade for the 4R as we speak) but the one-ton is not 4X4, and is too big & clumsy for the (mostly) urban driving I do.
The 4R sits too high to make it convenient to jump in and out of, esp for my 5 foot tall wife.
I need 4X4 to go up the mountain hiways for skiing
I was looking for a SUV of about THAT size but maybe buying a 4R was a mistake. I wanted Toyota build quality, reliability and creature comforts, but this thing rides like the shox are welded up, it sits too high and, in general, it is NOT the vehicle I thot it was when I got it.
Are there any softer (and lower) springs & shox out there, or should I just "take it out & shoot it", and replace with a Blazer or similar?