QUestion about Bil 4600s with 99 coils

A

AZHellfish

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I am installing bilstein 4600 shocks with 99 coils expecting to be about 1" taller.

I installed the passenger side, no problem. Lower the truck to the ground, and side with the bilstein and new coild is about 2"s taller than the side with stock spring and regulal shock!

I am pretty sure the black metal spring base is not upside down on the shock. is there something else that could be wrong?

Is the height on the passenger side just exageratted because the sides are uneven and it will even out at 1" if I do the second side?
 
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Well I think there's going to be a little bit of a difference because weight is shifted towards one side but it shouldn't be that big of a deal... Your current coils also may have developed some sag possibly. What year is your 4runner? There is definitely a difference in coil heights over the 3rd gen years.

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Try driving the car around and/or waiting a week and remeasuring. Suspension may need to settle. Also how's the condition of the lower rubber mount on the old strut?
 
The measurement from the ground to the bottom of the fender wes 33.75". I did one side, and now its 37."

With the new shocks and 99 coils I was thinking maybe 35".

I even emailed tech support from the seller to make sure the spring mounts weren't upside down, they are correct (per TireRack.com). I mounted the spring cups with the body "inside" the coil, just like the previous shock. It seems like reversing it would be even taller?

I will install the other and see if it levels.

No frigging way it should come up 3.25". I was hoping for 1.25 and expecting .75" or 1".

Its a 96 4x4 V6 E-Locker SR5.
 
I know you probably did this, but make sure the driver side coil is on the driver side to account for the weight of the gas tank. Check the bushings like idlingmike said because if the old one was bad it could've lowered your car a little bit without you knowing.
 
You do have pink/blue on driver's side and and blue/yellow on passenger side, right? Because I would think if you put the pink/blue on the passenger side you would get an excess lift on that side.
 
AZHellfish said:
I am installing bilstein 4600 shocks with 99 coils expecting to be about 1" taller.

I installed the passenger side, no problem. Lower the truck to the ground, and side with the bilstein and new coild is about 2"s taller than the side with stock spring and regulal shock!

I am pretty sure the black metal spring base is not upside down on the shock. is there something else that could be wrong?

Is the height on the passenger side just exageratted because the sides are uneven and it will even out at 1" if I do the second side?
Click to expand...

Unknown what suspension and measurements you replaced. if you want true comparable the only measurement you can use is center of hub to bottom of fender. Too many variables otherwise.

Based on my just finished (literally days of research) of research and 880/5100 install. OEM measurements easily vary up to 1" from vehicle to vehicle. I would expect you to be sitting at 22-22.5" and maybe even 23" center of hub to fender depending on where you started.
 
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TheDurk said:
You do have pink/blue on driver's side and and blue/yellow on passenger side, right? Because I would think if you put the pink/blue on the passenger side you would get an excess lift on that side.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I have the shocks on the right side by color code.
 
reelamin said:
Unknown what suspension and measurements you replaced. if you want true comparable the only measurement you can use is center of hub to bottom of fender. Too many variables otherwise.

Based on my just finished (literally days of research) of research and 880/5100 install. OEM measurements easily vary up to 1" from vehicle to vehicle. I would expect you to be sitting at 22-22.5" and maybe even 23" center of hub to fender depending on where you started.
Click to expand...

I went ground to fender because I was originally only going to compare this truck to this truck. Hub to fender lets you compare different trucks, but its a little harder to do. I'll go get a measurement right now.

I'm at 23", hub center to fender.

The springs, front and rear, actually came off a wrecked/parted out truck. That truck had a level stance.

I'm now 1" higher in the front than the rear.
 
Well it sounds like your a little taller than the average but not out of the variance. The Toyota's as said do require the proper spring on the correct side. The seat position on the shock as far as the coil end location has nothing to do with height only what slot the retainer is in. I would guess they will settle maybe .5".

Rear...where did you start out and end up for measurements? Everything as far as mounts/spacer/springs etc. is exactly the same on the donor vehicle and yours.
 
AZHellfish said:
Hopefully this works for pictures on this forum.


The spring base cup isn't backwards?
Click to expand...

Looks correct....how old are those shocks....I just returned some 4600's and they were not the yellow. They were the brushed aluminum. Take some measurements of the shock/spring set up and I will measure mine tomorrow just for comparison.

Maybe that will help you.
 
Your experience sounds much like mine. I gained 2.75 inches in the front with this same set up. I was 1 inch lower in the rear unloaded all said and done. That's with 99 tall coils all around.

I ended up getting OME 906s to put in the rear and now it sits dead level. I have over 50,000 km on this set up.

I blame the drastic gain in the front on the fact that I have a very light base model 4cyl. 5spd., no A/C, no fat lip bumper, no added weight etc.. Most of the height info you see on here is based heavier trucks as far as I can see. I was not happy to see how much lift I got out of this set up but what can you do??? I'm still trying to find a way to drop the front down 1" but have not figured out how best to do this yet.
 
reelamin said:
Looks correct....how old are those shocks....I just returned some 4600's and they were not the yellow. They were the brushed aluminum. Take some measurements of the shock/spring set up and I will measure mine tomorrow just for comparison.

Maybe that will help you.
Click to expand...

I think the 5100 is the aluminum with adjustable height, the 4600 is yellow and non-adjustable.

They are brand new. When I was shopping around all the 4600s I saw were yellow/blue.
 
So much for that theory. Well I don't know why we both gained a bunch more than expected. I'll watch to see if you figure it out. Good luck.
 
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