eatpasta
New member
*** Update ***
So all said and done, I spent $40 on springs (got the rear FJ's free) and spent $340 on shocks - so $380 total for ~3 inch lift. It also has been a dramatic improvement over whatever was down there which I would assume was stock springs/shocks.
*** update complete ***
So after much reading and researching on here, I decided to try and replace my shocks and springs on my 3rd gen.
A buddy of mine has an '07 FJ 4x4 and he had rear springs lying in his garage, so I already had the rear springs taken care of for free which was awesome.
I found a pair of 4Runner 'tall' springs on here for $40, all I needed were the 5100's.
So I ordered the fronts here for $100 apiece (#24261425) and I ordered the rears here for $69 apiece (#24-100144)
The rig in question is a 1997 2WD 3RZ, 5 Speed.
Love the truck but with 200k on it, the suspension and brakes were toast. I already did the rotors and pads but the bouncey-ness of the suspension was terrible.
The top of the rear wheel well was sitting right around 34"
I did all my homework and got started early on Saturday
The FJ springs are a perfect replacement: slightly higher and a little beefier
The springs went in super easy with the anti-sway disconnected.
The springs brought the backend up to 37", giving me a solid 3" lift with the stock shocks.
I went to install the rear shocks and noticed that the eyelet on the bottom was wayyyyy too small. There was just no way they were going on without modification.
Gunna have to return the rear Bilsteins.
As any of you that have kids totally understand, you have very little free time for yourself. I really wanted to get this knocked out as this is my wife's daily drivers - wanted it to be done and done well - done safe.
So I was starting to really get frustrated.
At the exact moment the mail guy delivered my front springs!
:girl:
anyways, here is what it looked like with the FJ rear springs and stock shocks.
Here's the Moog 'tall' spring comparison with the stockers
Here's where I get pissed off at myself. I thought that I understood the process behind getting the new springs back into the front end. I wasted about three hours scratching my head about how to get the spring compressors to fit up inside the bloody fender.
I finally sat down in frustration and realized that you need to compress the spring and get it under tension, get the top threaded on, THEN get it back in the truck.
Now the problem I'm having is that my spring compressors are too 'fat' and when the spring is under compression, I can't wiggle the spring compressors out!
:dammit:
My frustration is boiling over by this point!
SO, I did however get the stock fronts to fit with the Bilsteins....
SO, Now I have 4x4 FJ springs in the back with stock shocks and in the front I have stock springs with the Bilstien shocks.
The Bilsteins alone gave me a ton of lift though - here is before and after
You can see the difference in height when I finished one side
So all said and done, here is the result
...and before....
All in all, the ride is a 200% improvement. No more bouncy bouncy in the back - its nice a supple now.
Same with the front. Im very happy with the ride.
It it a higher than I wanted to go as my wife is only 5 feet tall, but I'm sure it will settle.
I still need to get the rear Bilsteins installed and the front Moog springs.
I enjoy learning, but this one was just a PITA
...and I'm only half way done....
*** Edit & and more update ***
for those that are looking for info and don't want to sift the thread, I ended up putting the spring perches on upside down which; a) is dangerous as I found out b) gives you about 2-3 inches too much lift!
so if your shock and spring look like this,
you need to take it apart and invert the perch so that the cone part of the perch goes up into the spring
like this
Long story longer, last night I took the fronts off and inverted the perch so that it was correct.
* copy and paste from last page below *
it was sitting at 37.5" with the perches in incorrectly and now it's sitting at 36 - 36.5" - also im sure it will settle a bit.
Which, honestly is perfect as it was just too high at ~37". Wife was complainin' and the camber was slightly off.
It's good now.
All in all the 2007 FJ springs in the back and Moog 'tall' springs was just right. Sits nice and level and yielded about three inches of lift. ride is SSOOOOOO much better.
So all said and done, I spent $40 on springs (got the rear FJ's free) and spent $340 on shocks - so $380 total for ~3 inch lift. It also has been a dramatic improvement over whatever was down there which I would assume was stock springs/shocks.
*** update complete ***
So after much reading and researching on here, I decided to try and replace my shocks and springs on my 3rd gen.
A buddy of mine has an '07 FJ 4x4 and he had rear springs lying in his garage, so I already had the rear springs taken care of for free which was awesome.
I found a pair of 4Runner 'tall' springs on here for $40, all I needed were the 5100's.
So I ordered the fronts here for $100 apiece (#24261425) and I ordered the rears here for $69 apiece (#24-100144)
The rig in question is a 1997 2WD 3RZ, 5 Speed.
Love the truck but with 200k on it, the suspension and brakes were toast. I already did the rotors and pads but the bouncey-ness of the suspension was terrible.
The top of the rear wheel well was sitting right around 34"
I did all my homework and got started early on Saturday
The FJ springs are a perfect replacement: slightly higher and a little beefier
The springs went in super easy with the anti-sway disconnected.
The springs brought the backend up to 37", giving me a solid 3" lift with the stock shocks.
I went to install the rear shocks and noticed that the eyelet on the bottom was wayyyyy too small. There was just no way they were going on without modification.
Gunna have to return the rear Bilsteins.
As any of you that have kids totally understand, you have very little free time for yourself. I really wanted to get this knocked out as this is my wife's daily drivers - wanted it to be done and done well - done safe.
So I was starting to really get frustrated.
At the exact moment the mail guy delivered my front springs!
:girl:
anyways, here is what it looked like with the FJ rear springs and stock shocks.
Here's the Moog 'tall' spring comparison with the stockers
Here's where I get pissed off at myself. I thought that I understood the process behind getting the new springs back into the front end. I wasted about three hours scratching my head about how to get the spring compressors to fit up inside the bloody fender.
I finally sat down in frustration and realized that you need to compress the spring and get it under tension, get the top threaded on, THEN get it back in the truck.
Now the problem I'm having is that my spring compressors are too 'fat' and when the spring is under compression, I can't wiggle the spring compressors out!
:dammit:
My frustration is boiling over by this point!
SO, I did however get the stock fronts to fit with the Bilsteins....
SO, Now I have 4x4 FJ springs in the back with stock shocks and in the front I have stock springs with the Bilstien shocks.
The Bilsteins alone gave me a ton of lift though - here is before and after
You can see the difference in height when I finished one side
So all said and done, here is the result
...and before....
All in all, the ride is a 200% improvement. No more bouncy bouncy in the back - its nice a supple now.
Same with the front. Im very happy with the ride.
It it a higher than I wanted to go as my wife is only 5 feet tall, but I'm sure it will settle.
I still need to get the rear Bilsteins installed and the front Moog springs.
I enjoy learning, but this one was just a PITA
...and I'm only half way done....
*** Edit & and more update ***
for those that are looking for info and don't want to sift the thread, I ended up putting the spring perches on upside down which; a) is dangerous as I found out b) gives you about 2-3 inches too much lift!
so if your shock and spring look like this,
you need to take it apart and invert the perch so that the cone part of the perch goes up into the spring
like this
Long story longer, last night I took the fronts off and inverted the perch so that it was correct.
* copy and paste from last page below *
it was sitting at 37.5" with the perches in incorrectly and now it's sitting at 36 - 36.5" - also im sure it will settle a bit.
Which, honestly is perfect as it was just too high at ~37". Wife was complainin' and the camber was slightly off.
It's good now.
All in all the 2007 FJ springs in the back and Moog 'tall' springs was just right. Sits nice and level and yielded about three inches of lift. ride is SSOOOOOO much better.
Last edited:
