Radflo vs Icon vs Toytec BOSS

[Burnzy]

Well guys it's been a while since I posted in this thread. I've pretty much decided on the BOSS kit because I think it'll be just fine for what I'm planning to do, which is to fit 33's and take my 4runner out to the hunting property or on an occasional off road trip. I can't justify paying for the Radflo or Icon's when I don't think I'll see a whole lot of benefit for the type of wheeling I'll do.

Any tips for install? Mainly concerned about getting the existing front strut out. Of the three bolts on top the one nut is kind of hidden and hard to get to nearest to the engine. Any advice?

I just got my Boss kit last week. You will probably get yours installed before me (spine surgery 6weeks ago). Anyways,post any and all picks and any install tips. I am already sick of staring at my beautiful Toytec boxes laying on my living room floor.

 

[LTDSC]

Well guys it's been a while since I posted in this thread. I've pretty much decided on the BOSS kit because I think it'll be just fine for what I'm planning to do, which is to fit 33's and take my 4runner out to the hunting property or on an occasional off road trip. I can't justify paying for the Radflo or Icon's when I don't think I'll see a whole lot of benefit for the type of wheeling I'll do.

Any tips for install? Mainly concerned about getting the existing front strut out. Of the three bolts on top the one nut is kind of hidden and hard to get to nearest to the engine. Any advice?

I used a ratchet wrench. Works good. Otherwise its pretty easy.

 

[redbull9944]

I just got my Boss kit last week. You will probably get yours installed before me (spine surgery 6weeks ago). Anyways,post any and all picks and any install tips. I am already sick of staring at my beautiful Toytec boxes laying on my living room floor.

I never updated the thread but I got it installed last week. It took me a while, about 20 hours in total over 5 days, mostly because I was sick.

I first want to say how amazing this thing rides compared to the 885's, Superflex, and Bilstien 5100s I had in my 2004. This kit just soaks up bumps on the road like I couldn't believe. My old rig, now sold to my father, rode like a truck. This rides like a luxury car... with a little more body roll (attributed to my lack of a front swaybar.)

As far as install tips go...

Disconnect all swaybars at the endlinks, front and rear. Otherwise you'll never have enough "down travel" to fit the lift in.

For the front I had some trouble taking off my original coilover. It was stuck on the top mounting plate. After trying with all my strength to pull it out, it wouldn't budge. If this happens to you, take a torch to the plate after you take the 3 top nuts off, and reinstall the bolt and nut connecting the coilover to the lower control arm. Take a bottle jack and put it upside down between the UCA and the fender well and crank it up. The top of the coilover will pop off.

I still had to use this bottle jack method to install the Toytec BOSS Coilover, and also had to remove the front swaybar to make enough room to get it in there.

For the rear I had to get a spring compressor from Advance. You pay 60 bucks to borrow it and return it when you're done to get your money back. Anyways jack up the rear as far as you can. Remove the tires and disconnect the swaybar, obviously. Take off the original shocks, you'll need a rubber mallet to knock them off of the lower mount. The stock springs should come out easily now as taking off the shocks allows the rear axle to drop even more. Now you'll need to compress the Superflex springs to at least the size of the stock ones you took off, all the while making sure that when you seat the spring you'll be able to take the compressor off without any problems with your wrench coming in contact with the rear axle, brake lines, fuel tank, etc. This may take a while to get right. Then, as you install each side, have a friend stand on the hub to get it down as far as possible so you can seat the spring. After the springs are seated, install the rear shocks, put on the tires, and you're done.

Any more questions just ask on this thread or send me a PM. Good luck with the install.

 

[rja4z3]

I never updated the thread but I got it installed last week. It took me a while, about 20 hours in total over 5 days, mostly because I was sick.

I first want to say how amazing this thing rides compared to the 885's, Superflex, and Bilstien 5100s I had in my 2004. This kit just soaks up bumps on the road like I couldn't believe. My old rig, now sold to my father, rode like a truck. This rides like a luxury car... with a little more body roll (attributed to my lack of a front swaybar.)

As far as install tips go...

Disconnect all swaybars at the endlinks, front and rear. Otherwise you'll never have enough "down travel" to fit the lift in.

For the front I had some trouble taking off my original coilover. It was stuck on the top mounting plate. After trying with all my strength to pull it out, it wouldn't budge. If this happens to you, take a torch to the plate after you take the 3 top nuts off, and reinstall the bolt and nut connecting the coilover to the lower control arm. Take a bottle jack and put it upside down between the UCA and the fender well and crank it up. The top of the coilover will pop off.

I still had to use this bottle jack method to install the Toytec BOSS Coilover, and also had to remove the front swaybar to make enough room to get it in there.

For the rear I had to get a spring compressor from Advance. You pay 60 bucks to borrow it and return it when you're done to get your money back. Anyways jack up the rear as far as you can. Remove the tires and disconnect the swaybar, obviously. Take off the original shocks, you'll need a rubber mallet to knock them off of the lower mount. The stock springs should come out easily now as taking off the shocks allows the rear axle to drop even more. Now you'll need to compress the Superflex springs to at least the size of the stock ones you took off, all the while making sure that when you seat the spring you'll be able to take the compressor off without any problems with your wrench coming in contact with the rear axle, brake lines, fuel tank, etc. This may take a while to get right. Then, as you install each side, have a friend stand on the hub to get it down as far as possible so you can seat the spring. After the springs are seated, install the rear shocks, put on the tires, and you're done.

Any more questions just ask on this thread or send me a PM. Good luck with the install.

Did you install the front diff drop kit?

 

[redbull9944]

Did you install the front diff drop kit?

No. I'm not going to either.

 

[MORK]

Strange that it gave you that much trouble. For me just a little pressure on the LCA and I could pull the fronts right out. Going in was just as easy.

The rear was even easier and we just used a couple ratchet straps to compress the coils a little. We didn't have a problem putting on the drivers spacer on top of the spring either. It sounds like you might not have pulled the lower pan hard bolt. That pretty severely limits droop when popping the coils in.

You are right about the ride though. I have had mine all summer and they ride great. We shall see what they are like with the new addicted bumper and winch. I will be curious to see how much I have to crank them up to maintain ride height.

 

[redbull9944]

Strange that it gave you that much trouble. For me just a little pressure on the LCA and I could pull the fronts right out. Going in was just as easy.

The rear was even easier and we just used a couple ratchet straps to compress the coils a little. We didn't have a problem putting on the drivers spacer on top of the spring either. It sounds like you might not have pulled the lower pan hard bolt. That pretty severely limits droop when popping the coils in.

You are right about the ride though. I have had mine all summer and they ride great. We shall see what they are like with the new addicted bumper and winch. I will be curious to see how much I have to crank them up to maintain ride height.

The difference is Pennsylvania vs. Colorado. The amount of salt they put on the roads up here is unbelievable. I just bought the car, and even getting the wheels off for the first time was a challenge. After I took all of the lugs off I had to give each wheel a couple solid kicks to knock them loose from the hub. That's why my OEM coilover was stuck to the top mount.

 

[mliebal]

Another Boss owner here. I just installed a couple of weeks ago. Also a Pa vehicle, now relocated to NC. Wow, all the same rusting/corrosion issues. But able to cleanup and treat. The Boss went on fine with the dif drop kit, added 285's and FJ wheels. Got more than 7 inches of height difference combined. In the job I did new upper and lower ca's. Big job in the garage!
At first I thought the Boss was way stiff, but after a couple of weeks it has come in very nicely.
05 Ltd

 

[Hayden_]

Another Boss owner here. I just installed a couple of weeks ago. Also a Pa vehicle, now relocated to NC. Wow, all the same rusting/corrosion issues. But able to cleanup and treat. The Boss went on fine with the dif drop kit, added 285's and FJ wheels. Got more than 7 inches of height difference combined. In the job I did new upper and lower ca's. Big job in the garage!

At first I thought the Boss was way stiff, but after a couple of weeks it has come in very nicely.

05 Ltd

Any issues with rubbing? Do you have an offroad bumper at all?

 

[mliebal]

Haydon
Yep, was rubbing. I just did the heat gun thing to mod the front of tire plastic and wired the mud flaps back. All good now.
No aftermarket bumper, just the 80 lb Curt front receiver.

If I had to do over, I probably would have gone a size down on the tires. More confidence of no rubbing in all situations and no need for regearing. Not that it "needs" to be regeared, I will not like the extra shifting that is happening.

 

[WildWest]

V8 2004 4R Ltd suspension upgrade

I just upgraded my shot XREAS to the following ( running stock 17" wheels w Cooper AT3 tires 265/65/17) and almost all driving on dirt roads and BAD county roads in Northern Cal.
Icon 2.5 front coilovers Icon 2.0 rear shocks and Icon 2 in coils with Camburg engineering UCA's with moog ball joints.
So I got 3 3/8" lift on the fronts and 2 5/8in on the rear it definitely soaks up lumps and does not try to spit me off the road like it used to on washboarded corners so thats good.
BUT it is suffering now from in my opinion too much body roll in corners and has a boaty feel to it.
Has anyone done this and found the same.
I spoke w/ ICON and their advice was the springs had nothing to do with this but that the 2.5 rear shocks with external res and CDVC valving would stiffen it up.
It stiffened me up to hear they were $1300 on top of the $2300 I already spent to get a boat ride.
In hind sight I would have not replaced the stock springs and kept the front coilovers on their lowest possible setting which would have given me a level vehicle without the lift and probably a firmer more responsive but still capable off road ride.