NiT4R's build

[NiT4R]

Completed Upgrades:
Suspension:
Toytec UL-FJ210-96504 4Runner Ultimate 3' Lift Package

Front - ToyTec/Bilstein adjustable red coilover with Bilstein 5100 shocks, SPC LR Upper Control Arm and front differential drop
Rear - ToyTec "Superflex" rear 2" lift coils with Toytec 2.0 Aluma Series IFP shocks and Toytec rear bump stop drop kit
Tires: - Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx 255/80R17

Exterior:
Baja Utility Rack
Tinted Windows
Bumper Fascia - Painted Black
AVS Bug Deflector, Part #: 25053
Cooper S/T Maxx 255/80R17 Spare Tire in stock location

Interior:
Radar Detector - Passport Max2
BlendMount Radar Detector, BMX-2000
superbrightled LED swap - Map, Vanity, Dome, Rear door

Base
The base of my build is a 2015 T4R Trail Edition (TE) I bought it in September 2015. It came with the tinted windows from the dealership otherwise everything is the stock TE package.

 

[C4 Fabrication]

Looks like a great list to start with! Love the 5th gens in white, especially with the scoop!

 

[NiT4R]

Hide your women and children's eyes, these things are scarry

:dancin:
Man I'm all jazzed up! I got my tires today and the Ultimate lift kit is to arrive tomorrow. Here's some pictures of the tires. I'm thinking about bringing one of them in to use as a pillow tonight.

Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx
285/70R17

Please excuse the poor lighting in the garage.

:cheers:

 

[NiT4R]

Lift Kit Parts

I got my lift kit today. I'm pleasantly surprised by the build quality of the components. Top notch! I'm also surprised by the size and mass of them. They were package well and everything looks sparkling clean. Its a shame the parts go underneath the truck where nobody can see'm.

I've got this weekend and next week off so I can take my time installing the kit and tires.

:cheers:

 

[NiT4R]

Coilover installation

I installed my SPC LR upper control arms, coilovers, front diffie drop, roll bar brackets and the skid plate spacers today. Tomorrow's the rear springs, shocks and bump stops.

:cheers:

 

[rnb754]

nice!!

 

[jkenn6]

what is roll bar brackets?

 

[NiT4R]

what is roll bar brackets?

These are the anti-sway bar spacers provided by Toytec to shift the position of the anti-sway bar (roll bar) to prevent it from contacting the coilovers.

 

[Diesel_Dog]

I installed my SPC LR upper control arms, coilovers, front diffie drop, roll bar brackets and the skid plate spacers today. Tomorrow's the rear springs, shocks and bump stops.

:cheers:

What position did you set the UCA at? Any reason why you didn't use the "D" position?

I installed the same lift and UCA a couple of weeks ago.

 

[NiT4R]

Lift Kit installed

I finished installing the Ultimate Lift Kit by Toytec today. I took ~16 hours to install all the pieces and to set the front ride height.

I was freaked out yesterday after installing the front end pieces and measuring a new ride height gain of 3 3/4 inches! So this morning I went to work on lowering the front. I first tried to get to the spring perches with the wheels on, but it didn't take long to figure out that wasn't going to work. Next, I took the wheels off. Still a no go. Finally by removing the roll bar link to the spindle and moving the roll bar out of the way I was able to get to the perch adjustments. I lowered both coils by a 1/2 a turn, 180 degrees clockwise looking from the top. This is suppose to give you a 1" drop. What a pain. Put everything back together and moved on.

The rear work went on easier except for the shocks. The springs went in pretty easy. I had to use a spring compressor to get the new springs in. The new travel limiter went in no problems. The shocks were a puzzle. The Toytec instructions didn't give any information except " install shocks". The box the Bilstein shocks came in didn't have any instructions either. I started off trying to mount the top shaft of the shock onto the mounting bracket, but when I put all the piece on it there was no way to get the nut on the end of the shaft. So it was of to the internet to find out what others had done.

The trick is to mount the lower shock eye on its post, install the lower washer and the rubber piece on the top shaft and guide the shaft through the upper shock mounting bracket while jacking up the axle. It takes considerable effort to pull the shock shaft towards the mounting bracket whilst jacking the axle. Once the shaft is in the bracket hole keep jacking up the axle until the installed rubber piece is firmly pressed against the mounting bracket. Now you can install the remaining rubber and the washer on the top half of the shaft. Check to make sure the shaft is centered in the bracket. Continue to jack the axle up and compress the lower rubber piece. Once you have enough threads showing on the end of the shaft you can screw on the nut and tighten it down until two threads are visible.

After I got the rear lift pieces on and the truck back together I backed it out of the garage into the street and crawled onto the curb with each tire to flex the new suspension and listened for any sounds of distress. Everything check out so I took her out for a test drive. When I got back I checked the front lift height and found they now measured 3" on the right and 2.87" on the left. That's close enough for now. Tomorrow its off to have the 285/70R17 Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx tires installed and get an alignment.

:cheers:

 

[NiT4R]

What position did you set the UCA at? Any reason why you didn't use the "D" position?

I installed the same lift and UCA a couple of weeks ago.

I set mine for max castor, position A. I'm trying to get the wheel as far forward as possible so I can keep the mud flaps without trimming or modifying them. I'm off to the Firestone tomorrow to have the tires put on and get this puppy aligned.

Were you able to keep your mud flaps on?

:cheers:

 

[Magnetic4R]

did you get the 2" or 3" rear bump stop?

 

[Diesel_Dog]

I set mine for max castor, position A. I'm trying to get the wheel as far forward as possible so I can keep the mud flaps without trimming or modifying them. I'm off to the Firestone tomorrow to have the tires put on and get this puppy aligned.

Were you able to keep your mud flaps on?

:cheers:

I set mine to D (extra 2*). Alignment shop was able to get it set to 4* and 3.5* without touching the adjustment in the UCA (me thinks they didn't know what the UCA did). No rubbing, but I'm running stock sized winter tires right now. I'm curious what your alignment specs are. If you could post them tomorrow?

 

[NiT4R]

did you get the 2" or 3" rear bump stop?

It looked like it was 2". I got the Ultimate kit, it's listed on the the Toytec site as 3/2 so I assume it's 2"

 

[NiT4R]

I set mine to D (extra 2*). Alignment shop was able to get it set to 4* and 3.5* without touching the adjustment in the UCA (me thinks they didn't know what the UCA did). No rubbing, but I'm running stock sized winter tires right now. I'm curious what your alignment specs are. If you could post them tomorrow?

Sure, I let you know how it turns out.

 

[NiT4R]

Alignment Update

...I'm curious what your alignment specs are. If you could post them tomorrow?

:dammit:
Bummer! The Firestone service manager wouldn't attempt to align it. They mounted my tires, but the button hole wouldn't do the alignment. No worries. There is a shop in Tulsa called Sam's OffRoad that do this kind of work all the time. I've got an appointment next Friday. I wanted to take it to them originally, but they couldn't get to it until next week. Anyhow I'll post the alignment specs after they finish it.

:cheers:

 

[NiT4R]

Spare Tire

I got my spare tire mounted and installed today. I got the tire from the local tire shop. They were able to provide it mounted and ready to go cheaper than I could buy it online. I decided to use the OEM spare rim and mount a Cooper S/T Maxx 255/80R17 tire on it. This is essentially the same tire I have on all four corners except not quite as wide.

The more I work on this truck the more it feels like the Toyota engineers designed the 5th gen 4Runners to utilize a 33 inch wheel. My speedometer is only off a couple miles at 70 MPH and I haven't notice any loss of power with taller wheels either. Even the spare tire space accepts the 33" wheel. So far I couldn't be happy with this truck.

:cheers:

 

[NiT4R]

Alignment Update

I got my alignment yesterday (see attached). I'm a little disappointed with the outcome. I talked to the service manager about how I wanted to maximize the tire clearance in the wheel well and explained to him the UCA instructions, but I don't think they did anything except use the LCA adjustments to get it to the factory specs. I didn't press the issue with them, but I do think I'm going to make some adjustments to the UCA and LCA to locate the wheel in the wheel well for maximum clearance. Then take it back to them to re-set the alignment. I don't have any clearance issue driving it on the street, but I suspect once the wheel is pushed into the wheel well and turned lock to lock their will be some rub'n.

The UCA ball joint position is in the D position. I moved it there from the A position because even in the maximum positive camber position the wheels still had negative camber and since I was going to be driving it a couple weeks I wanted to minimize adverse tire wear.

On a positive note the steering tighten up. It wasn't bad before. I didn't notice any change from the before and after the lift, but it definitely tracks better now. I've got a least two ski trips to Colorado that I'll be driving the 4Runner so I'm going to leave it as is for now. It'll probably be in the spring before I start working on it again.
:cheers: