Hi all -
I did a lot of research here and over at Yota-Tech before replacing shocks and doing the airbox mod at my 90k service recently and thought I'd post an additional opinion:
Shocks
After deciding that my wife would not prefer a firmer setup day-to-day (and not wanting to buy the additional PP springs that reportedly "match" Bilstein valving), I went with Monroe Reflex struts and shocks. I also considered KYBs (feedback was poor) and OEM (plush, but my problem was always with nonexistent rebound damping on the OEM Tokicos and I wanted better control). Monroe Reflex are billed as a 'comfort' SUV shock and are largely based on their SensaTrac car shock design with some additional technology that supposedly keeps your SUV handling flatter when turning and greatly reduces nose dive and accel squat. Compared to the shot OEMs I can attest that the truck does indeed turn very flat now with little roll, and that dive and squat are very well managed (the dive used to drive me nuts). Also, while the shocks are a little firmer than OEM, they are still very comfortable traversing rutted, potholed city streets day to day and they offer fantastic stability on the highway and solid control in the twisties. No doubt the Bils offer better control and stability, but I think the Monroes come as close to the comfort / handling solution that I wanted w/o going really firm, to new springs, or to an OME setup (read: $$$$$). Cost for two struts and two shocks came to $250 shipped (shockwarehouse.com)
Airbox / Amsoil mod.
Well, I got one of the last Amsoil filters available as they've discontinued the product in order to shift over to some new technology (which won't be available in a 3rd gen fitment for they "don't know how long"). Had my tech do the mod and basically all he had to do was unbolt the snorkel from inside the wheel well, which - on my Runner - left a straight piece of pipe running into the protected cavity of the wheel well. He added some screen to that and we didn't have any need for cutting as there are no bends leading to the airbox. Decided the deckplate mod was overkill given Gadget's dyno test (sweet!) of various methods and I can report that the truck pulls through the 3000 - 5000rpm MUCH more willingingly, smoothly and easily than before (it used to sound seriously choked up and strained at 4000 rpms and always wanted to shift up at 3000 or so rpms). As far as I can tell, MPG is unaffected, as is overall power or throttle sensitivity. You can hear a bit of an intake suck when you're really into the throttle, which is kinda cool. But again my biggest observation is the expansion of the useable portion of the powerband. For instance, in some hilly, long-grade areas around my home where previously the truck might have faded "off the powerband" and dropped a gear it now has an easier time holding that gear (this could be indicative of a power increase I realize, but if there is one it's slight). Also, where I might be accelerating up those long grades and the truck would choke up - and shift up (at 3000rpms or so) only to stall and have to shift back down - it now holds the gear longer (and based on sound much easier) with the same throttle input before it upshifts. The Big Deal in all this is that the tranny doesn't 'hunt' anymore between 3rd and 4th on grades, constantly upshifting, downshifting or requiring me to use the OD lockout because the engine was always on the edge of the useable powerband versus being smack dab in the middle of it through gear changes. This is a big deal to me. And well worth the $50 I paid my tech to unbolt the elbow and affix some stainless screen with a hose clamp...
Thanks again for the (previous) inputs.
I did a lot of research here and over at Yota-Tech before replacing shocks and doing the airbox mod at my 90k service recently and thought I'd post an additional opinion:
Shocks
After deciding that my wife would not prefer a firmer setup day-to-day (and not wanting to buy the additional PP springs that reportedly "match" Bilstein valving), I went with Monroe Reflex struts and shocks. I also considered KYBs (feedback was poor) and OEM (plush, but my problem was always with nonexistent rebound damping on the OEM Tokicos and I wanted better control). Monroe Reflex are billed as a 'comfort' SUV shock and are largely based on their SensaTrac car shock design with some additional technology that supposedly keeps your SUV handling flatter when turning and greatly reduces nose dive and accel squat. Compared to the shot OEMs I can attest that the truck does indeed turn very flat now with little roll, and that dive and squat are very well managed (the dive used to drive me nuts). Also, while the shocks are a little firmer than OEM, they are still very comfortable traversing rutted, potholed city streets day to day and they offer fantastic stability on the highway and solid control in the twisties. No doubt the Bils offer better control and stability, but I think the Monroes come as close to the comfort / handling solution that I wanted w/o going really firm, to new springs, or to an OME setup (read: $$$$$). Cost for two struts and two shocks came to $250 shipped (shockwarehouse.com)
Airbox / Amsoil mod.
Well, I got one of the last Amsoil filters available as they've discontinued the product in order to shift over to some new technology (which won't be available in a 3rd gen fitment for they "don't know how long"). Had my tech do the mod and basically all he had to do was unbolt the snorkel from inside the wheel well, which - on my Runner - left a straight piece of pipe running into the protected cavity of the wheel well. He added some screen to that and we didn't have any need for cutting as there are no bends leading to the airbox. Decided the deckplate mod was overkill given Gadget's dyno test (sweet!) of various methods and I can report that the truck pulls through the 3000 - 5000rpm MUCH more willingingly, smoothly and easily than before (it used to sound seriously choked up and strained at 4000 rpms and always wanted to shift up at 3000 or so rpms). As far as I can tell, MPG is unaffected, as is overall power or throttle sensitivity. You can hear a bit of an intake suck when you're really into the throttle, which is kinda cool. But again my biggest observation is the expansion of the useable portion of the powerband. For instance, in some hilly, long-grade areas around my home where previously the truck might have faded "off the powerband" and dropped a gear it now has an easier time holding that gear (this could be indicative of a power increase I realize, but if there is one it's slight). Also, where I might be accelerating up those long grades and the truck would choke up - and shift up (at 3000rpms or so) only to stall and have to shift back down - it now holds the gear longer (and based on sound much easier) with the same throttle input before it upshifts. The Big Deal in all this is that the tranny doesn't 'hunt' anymore between 3rd and 4th on grades, constantly upshifting, downshifting or requiring me to use the OD lockout because the engine was always on the edge of the useable powerband versus being smack dab in the middle of it through gear changes. This is a big deal to me. And well worth the $50 I paid my tech to unbolt the elbow and affix some stainless screen with a hose clamp...
Thanks again for the (previous) inputs.
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