New shocks, Now what?

C

chillaxing

New member
So, I decided to change out my shocks about 4 months back cause my t4r didn't handle like it used to, plus it was showing odd tire wear. Well, I installed a set of bilstein 5100 and its still riding and handling kind of loose. So now I'm thinking of changing all bushing. My girl has 220k on her, so its time for all the changes. I need advice on which parts to purchase. I'm also thinking of changing out the ball joints, and doing all the wheel bearings. But I've read that the ball joint is a whole assembly, is this true? If it makes any difference, I have a 06 2x4 sport edition.
 
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I think there is a test in the service manual. With the front end lifted off the ground, grab a wheel and try to shake it has hard as you can. Up/down, forward/back, toe in/out, camber in/out, etc. There is a spec for how much it can move, but it shouldn't move much or at all (as long as the steering isn't moving).

The body mounts could also be loose or worn.

Sway bar links and bushings are easy to replace, so maybe try that first. Do the rear, too, if you have a rear sway bar.
 
"handling kinda loose" is a little general but since you have higher mileage I'd recommend the following

poly front and rear greasable sway bar bushings
poly rear endlink bushings and front bushings
grease the driveshaft
replace the LCA bushings with poly (8-3128R or G bushings)
Replace your inner, outer tie rods and lower ball joints
grease/ lube your steering column u-joint
replace your upper control arm bushings
do a power steering flush

finally, get an alignment

if you do this work yourself you're looking at 250 or so in parts.... plus the alignment.
 
NuclearN8 said:
"handling kinda loose" is a little general but since you have higher mileage I'd recommend the following

poly front and rear greasable sway bar bushings
poly rear endlink bushings and front bushings
grease the driveshaft
replace the LCA bushings with poly (8-3128R or G bushings)
Replace your inner, outer tie rods and lower ball joints
grease/ lube your steering column u-joint
replace your upper control arm bushings
do a power steering flush

finally, get an alignment

if you do this work yourself you're looking at 250 or so in parts.... plus the alignment.
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This what I'm talking about. I know I need to change a lot of the parts but just didn't know where to start.

Where can I get all the parts for a good price, and is that all the parts that I should be worried about. I'm asking, since I'm pretty much gonna have everything off, so mind as well just do it. I'll be doing all the work myself.

What are body bushing? Never heard that before.

What I mean by loose, I hit a bump, it sways, when I'm on the highway and I run on on uneven roads, it kind takes the vehicle, but not like i'm loosing control. Its just my Runner isn't driving as smooth as it used to. I know its time to change a lot of things.
 
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I have 208,000 on mine:

replacing upper and lower ball joints
Front sway bar bushings and end links
Front shocks/struts
Front springs
Rear shocks

I might still pickup the upper a arm bushings, will inspect when Everything is
All apart. Anything else that I find suspect will be replaced as well.

After all that is completed, taking to friends work to install new Cooper Discoverer AT/3 tires in 255/75 R17 size and an alignment.
 
[MENTION=117294]chillaxing[/MENTION]
lots of places sell this stuff...

rockauto for new moog coils and ball joints (they also a greasable alignment kit I'd recommend if you're gonna get an alignment)
jegs (good for bushings, no minimum for free shipping)
(measure your sway bars twice before ordering)
for oem parts
any local auto parts store will have a grease gun and grease for your driveshaft
poly rear end links lots of links for DIY options on this forum, just google it

good luck
 
I would be surprised if new springs do anything, but if you try it and it helps, let us know!

Also, check your tire pressure.
 
m85476585 said:
I would be surprised if new springs do anything, but if you try it and it helps, let us know!

Also, check your tire pressure.
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If he's still running the original coil springs with 220,000 miles on them, then he'll absolutely notice a difference.

good call on making sure the tires have proper tread and are properly inflated.
 
I have the lifetime alignment from Firestone Mastercare for all of my vehicles and it pays for itself on the second alignment!

I just picked up a '03 Sport with 288xxx miles on it so I'll be doing similar PM work.
 
NuclearN8 said:
If he's still running the original coil springs with 220,000 miles on them, then he'll absolutely notice a difference.

good call on making sure the tires have proper tread and are properly inflated.
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I haven't seen anything definitive that says that springs wear out, but I also can't find anything that says for sure that they don't. I'm skeptical that they would wear enough to change noticeably, and I think other parts wearing are more of a problem. If you do replace the springs, it would be interesting to compare them to some newer ones. This forum suggests that springs should get harder with time, not softer, but they might sag:
https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/what-causes-springs-to-wear-out.519055/

Also, I bet age makes more of a difference than miles. When the vehicle is just sitting, the springs are partly compressed. Driving around they get some vibration, but only a few cycles to full compression/extension most of the time. And the huge bump stops in the front of our 4runners will keep them from going too far, anyway. With 220,000 miles on an 06, that must be mostly highway miles, and that should be a lot easier on the springs than what mine has been through: an 07 with 78,000 miles where the previous owners lived at the end of a dirt road.

220k miles is about 3600 hours at highway speed. If the truck is 8 years old, that's about 70,000 hours of sitting on the springs, so only about 5% of the time is driving. If you hit a big pothole or speedbump every hour, that's not that many full cycles on the springs.

If the springs are rusted or corroded that could certainly make them softer.
 
alia176 said:
I have the lifetime alignment from Firestone Mastercare for all of my vehicles and it pays for itself on the second alignment!

I just picked up a '03 Sport with 288xxx miles on it so I'll be doing similar PM work.
Click to expand...

Ash my man! Welcome to the dark side. Nice score on the '03.

Miss ya brother.
 
[MENTION=113611]m85476585[/MENTION]. I had a 3" spacer lift for 4yrs, changed out to 3" taller coils to match my lift, I gained 1.25" by doing that.
Our springs are weaker and sag over time due to the weight.
 
having fun said:
[MENTION=113611]m85476585[/MENTION]. I had a 3" spacer lift for 4yrs, changed out to 3" taller coils to match my lift, I gained 1.25" by doing that.
Our springs are weaker and sag over time due to the weight.
Click to expand...

The new springs were probably always stiffer than the stock ones. Most aftermarket springs are a bit stiffer than (brand new) stock, and some are a lot stiffer. I can't think of any that are softer. Plus, not every lift ends up giving you how much they advertise for whatever reason. On the front there is a ratio between how much you extend the spring and how much lift you get, since the springs work part way up on the LCA. For the rear, I think it's nearly 1:1 since the pivot point is on the other side of the axle.
 
I can measure the height of my springs when I pull them out this weekend, my 2003 with 208,000 sure looks like the front end is lower than it should be plus the front is in worse shape than what the op described with his vehicle.

Went with Moog factory replacement springs, bought the rest of the items I mentioned from rockauto as well.
 
Usually with spings on trucks and suv, I look for sag ( not the best way). I didn't notice it when I changed to the the Bilstein shocks, but I do notice a little from my rear now. When I installed the 5100s, I went full height on the ring. My runner still had a little dip in the front after that. Now that i look at it, its evening out.

Yeah, the 220k is mostly highway, I take a lot of trips. But living in Los Angeles, driving on these f'uped streets, its like living in the country side driving on dirt roads.

Alignment is gonna come after I fix everything, and purchase a new set of tires.
 
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