So fed up with my 4Runner... Please help.

[Seymore Butts]

Based on your previous comments, OEM stock might be the way to go, too.

 

[gm350reratliff]

Alright if I go with new springs and 5100's I would definitely get rid of the spacer lift, so I've got a few questions...

-Any 5th gen springs will fit fine on the 4th gen?

Yes, 5th gen springs will fit fine.

-Do I just keep an eye out on Craigslist, FB Market, and here for take-off 5th gen springs?

Yes. Should be able to find springs on one of those. You can also buy new FJ or 5th gen springs as well.

-What setting would I need to put the 5100's at? Anyone have amazon links to which shocks specifically I'd need for each side and back?

It depends if you still want it lifted or not. 5th gen springs will net you roughly an inch of lift over the OEM 4th gen springs so if that all you want then set the 5100’s at the lowest setting.

-Everyone says get FJ springs, but is everyone buying used worn out springs from used FJs?? Does everyone buy new FJ springs, and if so, from where? If I get FJ springs and gain 1" of lift, is that still going to cause me to need better control arms??(Trying to avoid!)

The taller you go, the greater chance you’ll need aftermarket UCAs to get the alignment in spec. If the LCA cams and bushings are frozen, you’ll need those regardless of your spring/shock selection.

**EDIT: The more research I do, the more my head starts to spin... If I'm reading right, 5th gen aren't a direct fit and really aren't much of an improvement...FJ may be the way to go..

The 5th gen and FJ springs are about the same. The lower bushings on the 5th gen and 2010+ FJ coilovers is slightly larger but you can take a little material off with a grinder and open up the LCA mount. The OEM 5th gen shocks are nothing special but you can sometimes find them cheap. However, you would probably be better off with some 5100’s. They do ride great on road, had them for roughly 100k on my 4th gen with FJ coils. They should ride good with your 4th gen springs as well.

 

[Rishi3]

I am thinking either upper lower control arms (or both), maybe bushings and most probably cam bolts coming loose. Could be frozen and the shops are just making temp fixes with what they got.

Sent from my ZTE B2017G using Tapatalk

 

[nayborbob]

I have had front end vibration from bad tires (new tires!) on other cars, and bad front wheel bearing on my 4R. I took my 4R in for alignment to 1 shop and they told me the bolts were frozen and I needed a bunch of new parts. Took it someone else and they sprayed it and adjusted it --> get a second opinion

 

[WVhillbilly]

 

[ecufishbowl]

Alright guys, I really appreciate all the responses! So I got my alignment check back yesterday and it is slightly out of alignment, but it doesn't look like it moved very much... So now my question is, does it really look like my alignment is falling out enough to be an issue or is this much movement pretty standard for 3 months of driving?

Here is the alignment check in December after getting all new steering rack with tie rods and then driving from NC to PA and back...
<a href="https://imgur.com/nJoC3bI"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/nJoC3bI.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

Then here is another check at a very reputable offroad shop a couple weeks later because I still felt like the tires were wearing poorly..
<a href="https://imgur.com/mWP9Se3"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/mWP9Se3.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

Here is the alignment check after about 3 months of driving on it (yesterday's check)
<a href="https://imgur.com/Yp3Gr5o"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Yp3Gr5o.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

Is this enough movement for me to think there is something wrong with cam bolts, control arms, bushings, ect? Or does this just point to needing new shocks because stiffness/bouncing is causing feathering on the tires?

**I know I should be using the same machine, the first image and the third image are both from the same alignment machine at the same Sears. The first time they just gave me a screenshot from the computer instead of the actual sheet like the third image.

 

[BackOff]

Somewhere along the way you lost your toe in setting.
Possibly after the rack install?
Not the cam bolts.
Tie Rods it would be.
If the Rack is moving around, that could cause some problems.
Some one else had a similar issue just lately.

Should have a slight positive setting on both sides, in, might help if it wanders.
You don't have much caster going either, that can contribute to a wandering effect.
UCAs for that.

As far as the tires go, you need to rotate them regularly, think, oil change/rotate tires/grease drive line zerks, might sound excessive but it seems like AT and Muddders need more frequent rotation on our Runners than say a Celica on street tires. At least that is how I have been doing it...but I like to wrench on the T4R myself.

RockAuto sells Moog FJC coils too by the way.

 

[ecufishbowl]

Alright so been thinking about things for a few days....

Based on hours of research...If I go with Bilstein 5100s and FJ coils, won't I get a 2" lift in front and like 1" in the back? Won't that still leave me the same issue as the spacer lift of the UCAs struggling to align properly??

 

[gm350reratliff]

Alright so been thinking about things for a few days....

Based on hours of research...If I go with Bilstein 5100s and FJ coils, won't I get a 2" lift in front and like 1" in the back? Won't that still leave me the same issue as the spacer lift of the UCAs struggling to align properly??

It depends on a couple things, what setting you set the 5100's at, if your 4runner is v6 or v8. Normally, with FJ coils set on the 0.85" setting would net you around 2". This could possibly be enough lift where you would run into the same problem getting your alignment into spec. Only one way to find out. If it doesn't work, you could always drop it down.