Need help with swap bar end links

[hdoggie24]

Hey forum. Quick question. I just swapped out my old springs and shocks which were on there 20 years. I went with front 99 tall coils(used) and 5th gen rear coils with new tokico shocks. Everything went well. I was really sagged in the rear. After the install, my stock swap bar end links were trashed and ripped and bushings were terrible. Does anybody know what I should replace them with? I don't do offroading, its my daily driver with my kids just around town. Since it lifted a little, lifted it about 2.5 inches in rear and almost 2 inches in front. Do I need longer ones or no? I was able to bolt down the existing ones but they are in bad shape. Can anybody help with what I should get? I want to replace them. I drive a 97 2wd 4runner.

Thanks,

 

[RandyBobandy]

I just run the cheap rock auto sway bar links with poly bushings that I swap over to new ones if i break an end link. I think I'm using 2nd gen 4runner links on the front and front 3rd gen links in the rear since I am lifted a decent amount but you should be fine with stock length ones, I don't think the 99s that came with the taller coils used a different length link but I could be wrong

 

[gamefreakgc]

Fronts will be fine, he's right about 1999 years using the same end links. There's some pretty beefy ones on Rockauto.com, that's where I got mine as well. They were AC Delco parts that are twice the thickness of the flimsy Toyota ones and have a zerk fitting to use with a grease gun in case the grease were to come out. Very pleased with them and they were half the price of OEM parts! The rears should be fine with stock as well, especially if you were able to bolt down the old ones.

Now if you are still getting too much body roll on turns I do recommend switching to poly sway bar end link bushings and sway bar bushings. Energy Suspension sells a great kit that's very easy to install. Makes a huge difference with control and steering feel since the body doesn't flop around nearly as much.

 

[hdoggie24]

Fronts will be fine, he's right about 1999 years using the same end links. There's some pretty beefy ones on Rockauto.com, that's where I got mine as well. They were AC Delco parts that are twice the thickness of the flimsy Toyota ones and have a zerk fitting to use with a grease gun in case the grease were to come out. Very pleased with them and they were half the price of OEM parts! The rears should be fine with stock as well, especially if you were able to bolt down the old ones.

Now if you are still getting too much body roll on turns I do recommend switching to poly sway bar end link bushings and sway bar bushings. Energy Suspension sells a great kit that's very easy to install. Makes a huge difference with control and steering feel since the body doesn't flop around nearly as much.

Thanks for the info. Do you have any links to point me in the right direction of the links and energy suspension kit? Thanks. Appreciate it

 

[HiLife]

One of the tricks I've learned on here is when lifted a little, running 2nd gen endlinks gives you a little more length than the 3nd gen ones. With a little more length it bring the sway bar a little more level at the ends, putting less strain on the rubber bushings.

 

[hdoggie24]

One of the tricks I've learned on here is when lifted a little, running 2nd gen endlinks gives you a little more length than the 3nd gen ones. With a little more length it bring the sway bar a little more level at the ends, putting less strain on the rubber bushings.

I read somewhere that the front end links from a 2nd gen fit the rear 3rd Gen? there a little longer? So should I just get stock size end links from a 99 4runner for the front ones? im a little lost

 

[HiLife]

This is a good read.
Went to the recycle yard and noticed a 2nd gen had nearly new sway bar links. Didn know exactly what year it was. 2nd gen sway bar link been on my rig now for 10k miles. No issues.

 

[Timjtitus]

Mstudt is a member here and makes custom heavy duty extended links. I just put them on my truck and they’re great so far. Way more stout than oem.

 

[HiLife]

Agreed. He is mentioned on a link, in the thread above.

 

[Kanoe]

OP didn't lift much, I don't think he has to worry about longer length links. In fact one member recently mentioned that the longer links caused clearance issues on a similar lift. Stock will be fine.

I also don't think you need anything fancy for your 2wd. I have moogs, the price is right and the quality seems good after several years of use. Choose something from rock auto. These are not a critical part and are easily replaced.

Where did you find new Tokico shocks? I remember people saying they were no longer available for the 4runner except for the OEM Toyota black tokicos?

 

[hdoggie24]

OP didn't lift much, I don't think he has to worry about longer length links. In fact one member recently mentioned that the longer links caused clearance issues on a similar lift. Stock will be fine.

I also don't think you need anything fancy for your 2wd. I have moogs, the price is right and the quality seems good after several years of use. Choose something from rock auto. These are not a critical part and are easily replaced.

Where did you find new Tokico shocks? I remember people saying they were no longer available for the 4runner except for the OEM Toyota black tokicos?

Thanks for the information. I was gonna use rockauto. Earlier someone said look at AC Delco ones. They definitely are a lot thicker than stock. And they are an OEM brand technically.

I had the shocks in my garage for over a year now. I believe I bought them from an online dealer in Arizona or somewhere. Yes they were black Tokico shocks for a 4wd 99 vehicle. Im surprised to hear they cannot be purchased. Seems weird. I got the black OEM Tokicos because they ride well for a daily driver. I don't do offroading so I wanted a nice comfortable ride. ALso the used set of 99s I put on are older but have the black Tokicos on them too. Its rides great. I may want to raise the rear another 1/2" to 1" though. I need it to settle first

 

[hdoggie24]

I watched this video. This seems like a good idea to go a little longer on the end links. This a good idea?
YouTube

 

[gamefreakgc]

Thanks for the info. Do you have any links to point me in the right direction of the links and energy suspension kit? Thanks. Appreciate it

Link for parts for your 97: Toyota 4runner 2wd 1997 | Energy Suspension Parts. Click Sway Bar Parts on the filter and it'll show three options. One is a kit for the rear, simple, but there's two different sizes of sway bars for the front. You'll need to measure yours or remove the old bushing to look for a marking of sorts. This is just one dealer though and they don't carry the red colors. You can find red on Amazon, but shipping's slow right now so didn't link them.

Here's the end links I used, it's the ACDELCO 46G0453A {#88876645} Advantage on the list for the rears. You'll never break them: 1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER 3.4L V6 Stabilizer Bar Link | RockAuto

I think I've just got the other AC DELCO's up front.

 

[hdoggie24]

Link for parts for your 97: Toyota 4runner 2wd 1997 | Energy Suspension Parts. Click Sway Bar Parts on the filter and it'll show three options. One is a kit for the rear, simple, but there's two different sizes of sway bars for the front. You'll need to measure yours or remove the old bushing to look for a marking of sorts. This is just one dealer though and they don't carry the red colors. You can find red on Amazon, but shipping's slow right now so didn't link them.

Here's the end links I used, it's the ACDELCO 46G0453A {#88876645} Advantage on the list for the rears. You'll never break them: 1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER 3.4L V6 Stabilizer Bar Link | RockAuto

I think I've just got the other AC DELCO's up front.

Thanks for the info. Yes , the Delco's looks pretty beefy. So I'm assuming you used the stock size 4runner links and not longer ones? Are you lifted at all?

 

[phattyduck]

If you don't off road, just get whatever you want. Flexing off road is what really wears out end links. Your ride height will still work with stock links, but you can go to the longer setups described above if you want and it might be slightly better geometry.

-Charlie

 

[gamefreakgc]

Thanks for the info. Yes , the Delco's looks pretty beefy. So I'm assuming you used the stock size 4runner links and not longer ones? Are you lifted at all?

A very mild lift, about 1/2". When I replaced my suspension parts 4 years ago it regained 2", 1 and 1/2" of that was due to sagging springs.

 

[Kanoe]

Didn't someone recently mention they had clearance issues with the longer links with 99 tall suspension? Was it [MENTION=148218]JZiggy[/MENTION]? Maybe I'm imagining it..

 

[JZiggy]

Didn't someone recently mention they had clearance issues with the longer links with 99 tall suspension? Was it [MENTION=148218]JZiggy[/MENTION]? Maybe I'm imagining it..

Yep, after installing 99 talls I put on longer rear end links and found they hit the control arm. The stockers were the right length still.

 

[hdoggie24]

Yep, after installing 99 talls I put on longer rear end links and found they hit the control arm. The stockers were the right length still.

How much longer did you go on the rear end links?? I was thinking of going only 1 inch longer for both front and rear. I would really doubt that would cause issues. Did you also do longer fronts?

 

[JZiggy]

1” longer in the back. I did something totally different in the front, check my build thread if you’re interested.