Suspension lift ?

[toyrun]

Hello Forum,

I will be purchasing an 08-09 4 Runner (V6, 4.0, 2WD, no XREAS) by the end of the year. I would like to lift the entire vehicle about 2"'s. It could be 2.5 front & 1.5 rear but I do not want to level the vehicle completely. I just want the whole vehicle lifted. Also, I need for the rear springs to have less sag than the factory ones when towing. Are there any springs that are slightly stiffer than OEM but not cause a bone jarring ride?

Example: My friends '07 4 Runners rear end sags more pulling his 21' boat than my previous vehicle did pulling his same boat. BTW, my previous vehicle was an '07 Saturn Vue V6 2WD which was pulling at its max weight, but it did it flawlessly & if I hadn't totalled it I would still have it.


Thanks for any advice & info.

 

[ARK_SWAMP_RIDER]

Most coils that are stiffer will also provide lift. This gives you the lift you want, but you'll need new shocks with those coils. A setup that's been gaining popularity is Bilstein 5100 shocks with OME front coils and Toytec Super Flex rear coils. You can use OME rear coils, but several have complained about the ride being too stiff, the Toytec's are softer (but still stiffer than stock). You'd want the OME 884 front coils, that setup would provide about 2.5" lift front, 2" rear.

 

[toyrun]

Hello ARK_SWAMP_RIDER,

With the setup that you mentioned I do not have to buy spacers, correct? I had initially thought of buying spacers all around & stiffer springs for the back but the setup you mentioned sounds good.

 

[ARK_SWAMP_RIDER]

Correct, you wouldn't need spacers. You can use spacers if you wanted more lift than what the coils provide. If you do quite a bit of towing, I'd add rear air bags as well. The problem with stiffer coils is that to get them stiff enough that they won't sag, your ride quality will suffer when not towing. The combination of a slightly stiffer coil (Toytec) with the airbags should suit your needs perfectly.

 

[toyrun]

If the coils provide lift then why do I need to replace the shocks/struts? Also, why Bilstein? I've seen some bilsteins on line & they are not expensive but they are all adjustable & I don't want adjustables. Forgive my noobness but I want to make sure before i make the suspension purchase. Thanks again.

 

[empty403]

Hello Forum,

I will be purchasing an 08-09 4 Runner (V6, 4.0, 2WD, no XREAS) by the end of the year. I would like to lift the entire vehicle about 2"'s. It could be 2.5 front & 1.5 rear but I do not want to level the vehicle completely. I just want the whole vehicle lifted. Also, I need for the rear springs to have less sag than the factory ones when towing. Are there any springs that are slightly stiffer than OEM but not cause a bone jarring ride?

Example: My friends '07 4 Runners rear end sags more pulling his 21' boat than my previous vehicle did pulling his same boat. BTW, my previous vehicle was an '07 Saturn Vue V6 2WD which was pulling at its max weight, but it did it flawlessly & if I hadn't totalled it I would still have it.


Thanks for any advice & info.

As for a towing spring I recommend just installing a airbags - Airlift 1000s or Firestone Ride Rites - lifetime warranty on both bags. This is so you have the best of both worlds - air to the minimum when not towing and it rides like normal. As I would assume you'll only be towing only on weekends a few times a year.

 

[ARK_SWAMP_RIDER]

All coils that are stiffer than stock are designed to also provide lift (at least the ones I'm aware of). If you combine these with stock shocks, the shocks aren't designed to handle the stiffer springs and ride quality will suffer. Another issue is that the coils will make the shocks stay at an extended state (due to the lift). It's very possible you'll cause issues with the shocks by running lift coils on them.

Some aftermarket shocks, such as the 5100's, are designed for lifted applications. They are longer than stock, so no issues due to the lift coils. The 5100 front shocks can be adjusted to provide different amounts of lift. When combined with lift coils, you just use the 0" lift setting, so the shocks don't provide any lift, but the coils do. There are plenty of shocks out there designed to work with lift coils, 5100's are just one of the more popular choices.

I'm not good at explaining the technical aspects of this, hope that is somewhat clear.

If you're not looking to replace the shocks, you do have an alternative. Using the stock shocks, you can add a set of OEM coils off of an FJ Cruiser. These are slightly stiffer than the stock 4runner and improve ride quality somewhat. They aren't anything compared to OME or the Toytec coils in terms of stiffness, but will help some with the sagging. In addition, you can do the air bags which will take care of sagging under heavy loads. This will work great with the stock shocks. I'd expect you to be able to find a used set of FJ coils for $100 or less, and the airbag kit will run about $100.

And, nothing says you have to upgrade the coils. You can add air bags to the stock coils and get the same leveling affect.

Since you want lift, if you opt for keeping the stock shocks you can run a spacer lift. For what you're wanting, you can use the Daystar Budget Boost front (~2" lift) and Daystar 1.5" rear spacer. This setup can be had for well under $100.

You've got tons of options, all depends on how extreme you want to go and your budget. With a 2wd, I don't expect you to be into off roading, in which case the latter setup (just adding airbags or FJ coils with airbags and a spacer lift) will satisfy your needs and keep cost low.

 

[empty403]

If the coils provide lift then why do I need to replace the shocks/struts? Also, why Bilstein? I've seen some bilsteins on line & they are not expensive but they are all adjustable & I don't want adjustables. Forgive my noobness but I want to make sure before i make the suspension purchase. Thanks again.

They are adjustable (4 levels - 0", 0.85". 1.75" & 2.5") by preloading/squeezing the spring to lift the vehicle - somewhat the same as installing a spacer. At least you have the adjustability to find the height you want. The front shock is revalved to compensate for the extra preload you end up putting on the spring - gives you a better ride than stock, IMO.