Suspension overhaul from stock after 186k miles - no more RAS and XREAS

[MSRP.]

Howdy,

I have done my research, and thank you to all those brave souls before me that have tackled the swap from RAS/XREAS to coils:
Link here: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/120196-how-convert-ras-coils.html
Upper control arm instructions: http://www.toyota120.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3381
No spring compressor install: http://www.toyota120.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3358

What bushings I should consider replacing since I'm going to have everything apart, and not bother reusing any of the now 14 year old/300,000km rubber components.

I understand that I will need the following parts to do a 3" lift properly:
- Metaltech4x4's gx470 kit for coil retainer bracket and bumpstops
- Set of front and rear coils and shocks (Dobinson, feel free to let me know if I should consider something else, but I reckon no coilovers to minimize rust and seizing)
- diff drop (dobinson)
- swaybar relocates
- swaybar endlinks, any other suggestions since this member is no longer producing them for the short-term?
- UCA's (maybe) I'm running 32" 255/75/17 and am hoping that I'll be able to cope with less than optimal caster alignment settings. May just spring for JBA's as I like their BJ and high caster adjustment

My question is not that of which suspension is "best suited for Canadian winters", but rather what bushings I should consider replacing since I'm going to have everything apart, and not bother reusing any of the now 14 year old/300,000km rubber components.


Quite honestly, this is my first suspension job of any car, but I'm handy and am sure I'll get it done properly with all the guides and help from a local fella with all the tools.

Thank you for your thoughts! Please let me know if I'm forgetting anything, going to start online shopping soon.

Main use is for fully loaded trips for snowboarding and camping, and roadtrips.

Typically 5 people, 750lbs in passengers + another 1-200 in gear
Infrequent solo trips with a 430lbs sportbike + 70lbs versahaul
Will plan to install helper bags in place of the old RAS in the future, and maybe wire up the old switch to on/off with the old compressor

TLDR: Rear air suspension height sensors are all corroded, and forced the rear airbags to full pressure. This led the rear to become a pogo stick over any undulations, resulting in spine-shattering rides for everyone, but especially those riding in the second row. After some coaxing, some on/off of the ignition, I was able to eventually get the center controls to work, specifically in the low mode and get the ride back to stock height. Once close, I turned the truck off quickly, and yanked a fuse under the hood. Rides okay now without much weight, but a bit worse with 400lbs in the trunk. Interestingly enough, the rear has not sagged one bit with 400lbs of rims and tires spread out across the trunk and second row. Admittedly, most of the weight is forward of the rear axle.

 

[Billynath1988]

Howdy,

I have done my research, and thank you to all those brave souls before me that have tackled the swap from RAS/XREAS to coils:
Link here: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/120196-how-convert-ras-coils.html
Upper control arm instructions: Front Upper Control Arm Installation - Toyota 120 Platforms Forum
No spring compressor install: OME Install - no spring compressor - Toyota 120 Platforms Forum

What bushings I should consider replacing since I'm going to have everything apart, and not bother reusing any of the now 14 year old/300,000km rubber components.

I understand that I will need the following parts to do a 3" lift properly:
- Metaltech4x4's gx470 kit for coil retainer bracket and bumpstops
- Set of front and rear coils and shocks (Dobinson, feel free to let me know if I should consider something else, but I reckon no coilovers to minimize rust and seizing)
- diff drop (dobinson)
- swaybar relocates
- swaybar endlinks, any other suggestions since this member is no longer producing them for the short-term?
- UCA's (maybe) I'm running 32" 255/75/17 and am hoping that I'll be able to cope with less than optimal caster alignment settings. May just spring for JBA's as I like their BJ and high caster adjustment

My question is not that of which suspension is "best suited for Canadian winters", but rather what bushings I should consider replacing since I'm going to have everything apart, and not bother reusing any of the now 14 year old/300,000km rubber components.


Quite honestly, this is my first suspension job of any car, but I'm handy and am sure I'll get it done properly with all the guides and help from a local fella with all the tools.

Thank you for your thoughts! Please let me know if I'm forgetting anything, going to start online shopping soon.

Main use is for fully loaded trips for snowboarding and camping, and roadtrips.

Typically 5 people, 750lbs in passengers + another 1-200 in gear
Infrequent solo trips with a 430lbs sportbike + 70lbs versahaul
Will plan to install helper bags in place of the old RAS in the future, and maybe wire up the old switch to on/off with the old compressor

TLDR: Rear air suspension height sensors are all corroded, and forced the rear airbags to full pressure. This led the rear to become a pogo stick over any undulations, resulting in spine-shattering rides for everyone, but especially those riding in the second row. After some coaxing, some on/off of the ignition, I was able to eventually get the center controls to work, specifically in the low mode and get the ride back to stock height. Once close, I turned the truck off quickly, and yanked a fuse under the hood. Rides okay now without much weight, but a bit worse with 400lbs in the trunk. Interestingly enough, the rear has not sagged one bit with 400lbs of rims and tires spread out across the trunk and second row. Admittedly, most of the weight is forward of the rear axle.

as long as nothing breaks or strips its really not that hard.. go slow take your time.. stay organized.. everything is just bolts for the most parts. any name brand suspension will fit your needs just fine.. OME you can play with rear spring rate to compensate for weight. the front end can go from fancy to functional and everything in between. It will all do what you need from the way you described.


-JBA control arms are excellent. I have them and they are great in everyway. no need for the HD if your not hardcore offroading. I have standard and wheel mine all the time with no issue. Use good synthetic grease on the balljoints.

-Stay HD rubber bushings for anything you do.. stock OEM is good

Icon Stage 1
OME kits
Radflo stage 1



if you go too cheap it wont hold up in the long term with the winters..keep that in mind.

 

[flipflopnfly]

Why not put airbags in at the same time? They're only $100 and you'll have the suspension disassembled already. If you're putting in longer rear coils, use longer rear airbags.

I use Firestone 4107. They're 9.0" tall compared to stock 7.5" so they fill 2" lift coils nicely (same width as stock). The 4107 kit comes with a plastic puck you can put on top of the bag, that's another 1/2". Going oversize you cut off all four cones of the bumpstop inside the spring.

Kroil the bolts/nuts ahead of time, use antiseize on the bolts when installing, have fun!

An impact driver and sockets will make the removal job easier.

 

[MSRP.]

With the 6112 and 5160 (2" lift) combo on a v8, UCA's are optional, may get lucky with 255/75's, but are swaybar relocates, longer endlinks, and bump stop extensions required?

 

[flipflopnfly]

With the 6112 and 5160 (2" lift) combo on a v8, UCA's are optional, may get lucky with 255/75's, but are swaybar relocates, longer endlinks, and bump stop extensions required?

Front swaybar relocates I think are a given. Rear end longer endlinks I don't know because I remove the rear swaybar and use airbags to compensate for the removal and install 14" rear brakelines for the extra droop.

The Boss kits I've installed have a 2" aluminum bumpstop extender for the outer rear bumpstop to limit uptravel. I'm still trying to find out if removing the rear swaybar overextends the Boss rear shocks and they'll fail. So far, so good but I rarely drop them into big holes.

I have no clue what one would do to set up a 5160 rear. Probably like about 75% of people that try lifts you'll end up modifying it it one way or another.