New to the T4R *Rear Suspension problems*

[4daRUNNER]

well first things first, hello to thee fellow RUNNERS, lol. i bought a 97 SR5 2WD 3.4 AUTO it looked and performed nicely. until not even a month later the tranny went out. replaced it. then rear shocks were out (so i thought). both rear shocks replaced with Rancho RS5000. i noticed they were shorter than the OEM set-up. drove on them for a month and they comfort about 25% better but still having that feel like the springs are worn. plus it has this sagging stance in the rear. anyone know of any helpful advise? this pic shows the same day when installed, now it sags alot. the bumps feel very hard when driving.

 

[shootmymime]

i belive there is a toyota recall on 3rd gen rear springs.

 

[shuly]

The sagging on the 4runners is a common problem with it seems with every model...but it is easily fixed. If the springs on the 97 are original...just change them. Rear springs aren't that expensive. If you are going this route though and the vehicle isn't lifted then you may want to consider one the lift kits out there and just change everything at the same time. Downey makes a kit, Cornfed, OME there are many available if lifting is an option you want. If you search the forums a bit you will find that the sagging problem is common with all of the older runners. Just wear and tear on the suspension eventually takes its toll.

 

[4daRUNNER]

i am wanting to lift it a few but not to much. my wife drives it with our two lil' boyz still. can't get her away from this TOY. what can i do about the recall on the rear springs? is it better just to go with aftermarket springs anyway?

 

[Ron Helmuth]

good looking ride

see if the recall for the springs was done on your ride. If not get Toyota to replace them for free.

Old Man Emu is preferred by a lot of folks. With or without lift. Possibilities are endless.

 

[4daRUNNER]

i bought these wheels and tire combo off of a 2006 Toyota Tundra. let me know what you guys/girls think of them. :roadkill:

 

[Clemsonfan15]

Where is the picture?

Oh you mean the one you already posted?

They are alright. How much did you pay for them?

I think I would have gotten the FJ wheels or the 2007 Tacoma wheels if I was staying in the 16" range.

 

[4daRUNNER]

the full picture should be up a few column's. 97 blk 4runner

 

[pat161]

I think those rims look great on the 3rd gen.

 

[4daRUNNER]

i payed $225 for the combo on craigslist.com they were better looking then the enkei's that were on there when i bought it. 30x9.50x15 i'll post a picture later. dont have one yet.

 

[Clemsonfan15]

For $225 I would pick those up too. Nice buy.

 

[AF808fighter]

I have a set of rear springs from my 97 4wd sr5 which had already been replaced by the dealer. I got new springs so you can have the whole set for $20 plus shipping. They have around 50,000 miles on them.

 

[4daRUNNER]

waiting on Toyota to give me a call back. its been two days now. they said they have to find out where my 4runner was built. they only can recall the U.S. Suv's. not canada, mexico, or germany. i dont know what their talking about. lol. i'll keep posting.

 

[Wombatsaw]

Aren't all 4runner built in Japan and shipped over. Sound's like the dealership isn't helping.

 

[4daRUNNER]

i dont know this is my first 4runner. i called the dealer again and they said only 4wd runners springs were recalled (96-98). 2wd runners were the bumper stops (?) also the 96-98. im gonna call another dealer in the morning. let me know if someone knows any different. thanks in advance.

 

[4daRUNNER]

hey guys its me again. well i called Reb McCombs TOYOTA in beautiful San Antonio, TX and they told me that North Park TOYOTA in Boerne, TX were full of B.S. 3rd gen and most/all newer 4runners are still made in Japan and shipped over to U.S. all 3rd gen 4runners (4wd/2wd) have recalls on rear SPRINGS. they even gave me the birth date, original equipment, and proper tire size of my vehicle. lol. i'll keep posting on how my experience was at the dealer. -4daRunner

 

[jspagna1]

i belive there is a toyota recall on 3rd gen rear springs.

Yes there was a recall and I had my truck done. They said the recall was for the 2WD Runners, but that they were going to honor it for 4WD customers as well. I think the recall was in 02, so I figured I would get some newer parts for free for my 97.
I did find the recall:
NHTSA Safety Recalls:
Important: The following recalls were issued for the 1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER/SR5 by the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA). To find out if a specific 1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER/SR5 still has open recalls that require repair, CARFAX recommends contacting an authorized dealership for more information.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recall date: 01-25-2002
Units potentially affected: 273,743
NHTSA campaign number: 02V021000
Defective part or component: SUSPENSION

Description: On certain 2-wheel-drive (2WD) and 4-wheel-drive (4WD) 4Runner sport utility vehicles, a combination of heavy loading (simultaneous loading to rear gross axle weight rating and gross vehicle weight rating) and severe steering maneuvers could cause the 2WD 4Runner to lose directional stability. This may result in a loss of control and could increase the risk of a crash. Dealers will replace rear suspension parts. Although the 4WD 4Runners do not exhibit the handling condition, Toyota will recall these vehicles to avoid any public confusion as to which vehicles should receive the replacement parts. Owner notification began February 28, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

 

[4daRUNNER]

yup thats it. thanks for the reply. i got my Recall done yesterday and WOW what a difference. im pretty happy with the results. the friendly staff at Reb McCombs Toyota were helpful. thank you everyone for your quick reponses. now i wanna do the deckplate mod. wish me luck. lol.