Speedy
Member
A month or so back I asked about doing a mild lift on my 2002 4Runner and got a lot of good advice here: 2" Lift on 3rd Gen? - Toyota 4Runner Forum - Largest 4Runner Forum
That thread has meandered a bit, and now that the lift is installed I wanted to start a fresh one with the information I obtained and the "How To" video I put together for the install process.
I had a few requirements for my lift. I didn't want more than 2" of lift. I wanted to use as many factory parts as possible since I knew they'd have a higher chance of availability down the road, and I didn't want to spend a fortune on the setup. I also needed a NICE highway ride and absolutely did NOT want anything harsh at all. The 02' 4Runner had almost 100K miles on it so the suspension needed some freshening up and this was a good opportunity to upgrade.
After advice from folks here, THANKS!, I went with Tundra TRD Coils from a 2000 - 2006 model Tundra, Bilstein Tundra 5100 shocks that are 5 way adjustable up front, and OME 906 coils for the rear also with Tundra 5100 shocks. Wheeler's advertises the rear shocks as 4Runner specific, but the actual part number is from a 2000 - 2006 Tundra like the front.
The Tundra TRD coils you want are marked with a Yellow/Yellow paint mark on one coil and Yellow/Blue paint mark on the other. You can find these in salvage yards, but the ones I found in my area weren't much cheaper than brand new so I just got new ones from an online dealer. Google search and you'll find some deals as the prices change quite often it seems. If you wanna try the salvage yard route you can search Car-Part.com--Used Auto Parts Market.
Here's the parts you'll need:
Tundra TRD Coils:
Left Coil Part Number: 48131-AF100 Y/Y
Right Coil Part Number: 48131-AF090 Y/B
Tundra TRD Bilstein 5100 Shocks:
Front Part Number: 24-188265
Rear Part Number: 24-100144 (Wheeler's lists these as BIL 4R5100)
Old Man Emu 906 springs
Tundra Coil Spring Isolators Monroe P/N 907926
Everything else can be re-used and there is no need for a diff drop or adjustable pan hard bar for 2" of lift. If you go more than that then you should look in to those additions.
The ride is fantastic. It's firm but compliant and I would describe it as better than stock. The suspension soaks up bumps with just a faint thump that you barely feel in the cabin. The 5100 shocks are awesome. I got exactly 2" of lift as you'll see in the video as I took measurements before and after to show exactly how much was gained. The install wasn't too bad, but I got lucky with the rear top shock bolts so YMMV.
Hopefully this video helps some folks out there with the install. I tried to cover everything. You can watch it in HD on Youtube if your internet connection supports it.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/m9-0hMzv_RU" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Here's some pics along the upgrade process:
Before new tires and wheels. Stock suspension IS TRD wheels and stock tires.
After 265/75R15 Bridgestone Dueller A/T Revo 2 tires and Level 8 MK6 wheels. To me, the larger tires upset the lines of the vehicle at stock height. I was getting just a bit of rubbing on the driver side inner fender only.
After 2" lift. For me this is perfect. Not too high and gives nice body lines and proportions for the tire/wheel combo.
That thread has meandered a bit, and now that the lift is installed I wanted to start a fresh one with the information I obtained and the "How To" video I put together for the install process.
I had a few requirements for my lift. I didn't want more than 2" of lift. I wanted to use as many factory parts as possible since I knew they'd have a higher chance of availability down the road, and I didn't want to spend a fortune on the setup. I also needed a NICE highway ride and absolutely did NOT want anything harsh at all. The 02' 4Runner had almost 100K miles on it so the suspension needed some freshening up and this was a good opportunity to upgrade.
After advice from folks here, THANKS!, I went with Tundra TRD Coils from a 2000 - 2006 model Tundra, Bilstein Tundra 5100 shocks that are 5 way adjustable up front, and OME 906 coils for the rear also with Tundra 5100 shocks. Wheeler's advertises the rear shocks as 4Runner specific, but the actual part number is from a 2000 - 2006 Tundra like the front.
The Tundra TRD coils you want are marked with a Yellow/Yellow paint mark on one coil and Yellow/Blue paint mark on the other. You can find these in salvage yards, but the ones I found in my area weren't much cheaper than brand new so I just got new ones from an online dealer. Google search and you'll find some deals as the prices change quite often it seems. If you wanna try the salvage yard route you can search Car-Part.com--Used Auto Parts Market.
Here's the parts you'll need:
Tundra TRD Coils:
Left Coil Part Number: 48131-AF100 Y/Y
Right Coil Part Number: 48131-AF090 Y/B
Tundra TRD Bilstein 5100 Shocks:
Front Part Number: 24-188265
Rear Part Number: 24-100144 (Wheeler's lists these as BIL 4R5100)
Old Man Emu 906 springs
Tundra Coil Spring Isolators Monroe P/N 907926
Everything else can be re-used and there is no need for a diff drop or adjustable pan hard bar for 2" of lift. If you go more than that then you should look in to those additions.
The ride is fantastic. It's firm but compliant and I would describe it as better than stock. The suspension soaks up bumps with just a faint thump that you barely feel in the cabin. The 5100 shocks are awesome. I got exactly 2" of lift as you'll see in the video as I took measurements before and after to show exactly how much was gained. The install wasn't too bad, but I got lucky with the rear top shock bolts so YMMV.
Hopefully this video helps some folks out there with the install. I tried to cover everything. You can watch it in HD on Youtube if your internet connection supports it.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/m9-0hMzv_RU" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Here's some pics along the upgrade process:
Before new tires and wheels. Stock suspension IS TRD wheels and stock tires.
After 265/75R15 Bridgestone Dueller A/T Revo 2 tires and Level 8 MK6 wheels. To me, the larger tires upset the lines of the vehicle at stock height. I was getting just a bit of rubbing on the driver side inner fender only.
After 2" lift. For me this is perfect. Not too high and gives nice body lines and proportions for the tire/wheel combo.
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