New Shocks

jrs2 said:

QSVeilside - The Bils are definitely more road sensitive, give a firmer feeling, more controllable. I never liked that mushy 'Cadillac' feel. I'll take the bumps anyday. I've read where some people call it 'harsh', but I don't think so, even my wife thought the Bils felt better. Now, my MR2 with KYBs, that's slightly harsh, but I like it, OK I'm weird.

I don't think any shock will do much for body roll. Do you have the Addco sway bars? How much were they? Carbon graphite bushings? Never heard of that.
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Depends on where you get them. I got mine off a clearance at performance products. $99.

I have the energy suspension carbon graphite bushings. They are regreasable and squeak every 2500 miles or so. Here is an alternative:

http://www.yotatech.com/f2/addco-anti-swaybar-bushing-solution-117834/
 
You'd kind of have to be a meat head to mess up the front shocks. although I guess anything is posible. However, I highley recomend having a shop do your rears. Let them deal with that ass pain.

I agree sway bars are what you want for body roll. OME has a poly bushing kit, that would stiffen it up a bit for a budget.

I replaced my shocks cuz the stockers, after 206K miles were dead.
 
great ideas guys pardon me for rerouting this topic but has anyone with stock suspension replaced just the bushings??? If so what body roll improvements were in return??? Has anyone replaced the bushings and sways, if so how much body roll was eliminated?? I'm trying to be as money efficient as possible without spending extra on something that will not do much in return. Its all about that dolla right guys.
 
NITO97Limited said:
great ideas guys pardon me for rerouting this topic but has anyone with stock suspension replaced just the bushings??? If so what body roll improvements were in return??? Has anyone replaced the bushings and sways, if so how much body roll was eliminated?? I'm trying to be as money efficient as possible without spending extra on something that will not do much in return. Its all about that dolla right guys.
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Replacing just the bushings? Some folks "claim" tighter cornering with Energy suspension polyurethane bushings. I'm going to call BS on that - minimal benefit if any at all. How exactly are a couple of 3" rubber bushings going to moderate a 4000 + lb vehicle in a 90 deg turn? Body roll has very little to do with the type of bushings used. It has everything to do with the transfer of weight while taking turns - and therefore, the connection between the two sides of the vehicle. Think of it this way... Less stiff bar = More play between the two wheels in a turn = More weight transfer to outer wheel = More body roll. Stiffer bar = Less play between the two wheels in a turn = Less weight transfer to outer wheel = Less body roll. Read Jalaber's review on the Addco bars in the previous link I posted. It compares stock and Addco stiffness.

If you're looking to save money, just get the front bar and call it a day. The rear bar makes little difference. Go with the Tacoma bushings and brackets to avoid squeaking and warping.

For what it's worth, when I take 90 deg turns at any sane speed, the truck stays mostly flat with minimum body roll. Any 90 deg turn over 30 mph in a stock 4runner gets scary fast.
 
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That front swaybar is really tempting. It feels like my steering has become more prone to being knocked off course when just one wheel hits a bump. Should this get more pronounced with mileage?
 
I did the fronts on today. Who ever said shocks will not effect body roll was wrong. The ride is great, I love the Bil's, Compression is firm and the rebound seems instant.

Doing the fronts was easy. 3 14mm bolts on top of the strut and 1 20mm on bottum. I prob could have finished in 1.5 hrs but I was inspecting the brakes. more on that.

However this would have been a major PITA without a good spring compressor. The one I used was a wall mounted type.

Now back to the brakes, looking at the pads, the outer pad needs replacement but the inner pad looks new. That's on the pass side, on the drivers side, it's the same but the outter pad dosen't seem as worn.

These are the 4 pot fixed cals. My thoughts is that maybe some of the pistons are stuck/siezed and mybe I need a rebuild.

Does anyone else have this prob with thier brakes?
 
TopRunner said:
Who ever said shocks will not effect body roll was wrong.
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Yes. You will feel more bumps in the road.

Yes. The rebound is quicker.

Yes. You can corner a little better.

No. It will not eliminate body roll. Your truck will still sway significantly going into any corner. It takes more than gas shocks to reduce weight transfer in a TOP heavy 4000+ lb vehicle.

Once again, I have the Bilsteins and like them for what they are. For reducing body roll go with the sway bars. Readers will not be misled by my comments.
 
TopRunner had 206K miles on original factory shocks. The new shocks made so much difference that they probably seem to help body roll too.

I have 200K miles and changed shocks three times already.

I see in the yotatech link how they say how polyurethane bushings squeak so much. I put polyurethane bushings in my MR2 last year (greased them real good) and haven't had any squeaking. Plus they did help make it feel tighter. Now I realize there's a big difference between a truck and a sports car suspension but it sounds like the rubber bushings are preferred for the 4Runner?

How hard is replacing the front sway bar?
 
jrs2 said:
TopRunner had 206K miles on original factory shocks. The new shocks made so much difference that they probably seem to help body roll too.

How hard is replacing the front sway bar?
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At 200k the stock shocks, (as well as the springs), are completely dead.

Iceman's before and after pics of installing Bilsteins and 1" Performance Products lift springs. Clearly more than a 1" lift due to the sagging of the stock springs. Bilsteins installed correctly should not produce a lift in ride height.

Before:

before.jpg~original


After:

after.jpg~original


The following link lists all the materials you need in addition to the bars. It also gives the torque specs.

http://www.top4runners.com/ja/addco.html

Quick blurb:

"Installation is straight forward. The job can be completed by one person working alone.

Before starting spray all nuts to be removed with a penetrating lubricant such as WD-40. Park the vehicle on flat ground. The use of a lift or supporting the vehicle by the frame and allowing the wheels to hang can cause bar misalignment and installation difficulties. The 4Runner is high enough to work on without using ramps, or other means that support the vehicle by the wheels."
 
TopRunner said:


Does anyone else have this prob with thier brakes?
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I just replaced my brake pads and rotors a couple of months ago and saw the same thing with my pads. The insides had a ways to go and the outsides were done. Can't say if it's normal though

BTW Iceman's color scheme is nice. . . never seen that before
 
004Gunner said:
I just replaced my brake pads and rotors a couple of months ago and saw the same thing with my pads. The insides had a ways to go and the outsides were done. Can't say if it's normal though

BTW Iceman's color scheme is nice. . . never seen that before
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OK, How many miles do you have?
I am considering replacing the calipers but if the new ones are going to do the same thing then I don't see the piont.

I've also considered getting new pads but only replacing the one that is worn and leaving the other one on until it needs replacing. I would hate to junk a pad that still has lots of meat on it.

The wear on the rotor is uniform. I would think that if the pads are not wearing evenly then it would have some effect on the rotor, but thats not the case. The rotors look fine.
 
Back to the shocks though, you really feel the capability of the HD's when you take them off the pavement. With big bumps and thick roots, the constant banging back and forth, the Bilstiens handle this heavy truck with ease. If had driven these trails befor the bils I would have been concerned about braking something.

To sum up, I'm really happy and I would recomend them to just about anyone.
 
Now I have 108k. I bought my truck with 38k and I didn't replace the front pads for the first time until 105k. I was told one side wearing more than the other is normal so I haven't stressed it. I would check to see if you can just replace the one pad without any negative effects. If you can it's a good idea
 
QSVeilside


Good posts I'm going to be safe and replace sways along with bushings. I don't have any problems with sagging of yet and I appreciate the softness that my shocks produce now so I'll reside from replacing them at this point.
I was actually considering KYB gas shocks if/when I replace my shocks. Anyone ever consider these?
 
I was considering the KYB Monomax before I got the Bils. What I read at the time, people were saying they were probably as good as the Bils, but a little stiffer. I think they were just slightly cheaper. Too bad shocks aren't like shoes, you can try them on first.

This thread's gonna cost me $$. I'm thinking about Moog springs and maybe the Addco bars. Reading about stiffer sway bars, it seems that they may not be as good for off-roading. I don't do that much now but plan to in the near future. Any thoughts about that?
 
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I still want to add an aftermarket front sway bar. I trust QSVeilside's advice on the rear not making much of a difference and that is the one where you supposedly lose some off road ability in the form of lesser articulation.
 
I know jeep's do the detachable sway bar, maybe that would be a nice option for a nice solid ride on the road. Then when you want to hit the trails just pop the sway bar open and have independant modulation between L and R wheels.

I just havent seen this for our truck, I havn't really looked either.

Although, one would only have to remove one 12mm nut on either side to detach the sway bar. just a thought.
 
This thread's gonna cost me $$. jrs2
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But its money well spent, cause you know what works and what's a waste of money for what its worth. I had KYB's on my sports car and they were rough, but adjustable. I'm not looking into replacing the shocks right now though. BTW- anyone know why the back end on 4Runners starts to sag?? I'm betting on the shocks holding the back up but thought I'd ask anyway.
I flipped over to Yotatech. com and many members were advicing the Addaco sways to, along with replacing the bushings. Seems like the thing to do first.
 
NITO97Limited:
I would think the rear end sags on 4Runners because they have more weight in back, as compared to a pickup truck.

I'm going to do my springs next, I guess the Moogs, unless someone here has a better suggestion.

Sway(s) next. Yeah, if you're replacing the sways, you might as well do the bushings too, especially if they have couple hundred K on them.

TopRunner:
Interesting idea. I'll remember that for when the time comes.
 
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