Suspension Review Before I Order

[Maddog1337]

Hello - Happy Friday All.

I recently bought a 2000 T4R that has spent it's entire life in Michigan. The suspension is original, and it's crusty. The truck came with a 2" spacer kit. I have 150K on the clock. I am a bit green to working on suspension, so bear with me.

I'm going to have the following work done, and I will be supplying parts:
•Cardone CV Axles
•Toyota OEM LBJs
•Energy Front Sway Bar Bushings
•Random end links that came with sale
•Monroe Quickstruts
•5th Gen rear shocks
•5th Gen rear springs

Does anyone see any problems or have any other recommendations to replace while all of this is taken apart?

A few other considerations. I have no idea what the ride height will be like intermixing spacers, 5th gen parts, and aftermarket stuff.

Should I maybe spend a bit more to get Bilstein 4600 or 5100? Would just doing the front be OK? I'd really like to utilize the 5th gen suspension in the rear.

If I have a spacer already, I don't necessarily need the Bilstein 5100 which also provides an adjustable lift? I should just get the 4100 and combo with the spacer?

What coils do people combo with the Bilsteins?

Lastly, my steering rack is leaking from the boots. Is it worth replacing tie rods or is that temporary bandaid and not worth it? I really don't want to invest in a new rack if I can help it.

Thanks in advance

 

[Maddog1337]

I should add that once I get the work done I will report back with some pictures to hopefully contribute down the road for someone else. I am planning on intermixing a couple of parts.

 

[phattyduck]

Avoid quick struts like the plague... KYB's up front are cheap, though you may need other parts (top plates, depending on rust situation). Spacer kits in the front don't work with most of the 'performance' aftermarket front shocks, as they are longer and won't fit with the spacer. If you want to stay lifted, you'll need springs and/or adjustable height front shocks.

5th gen rear shocks will be too long for the 5th gen rear springs (springs will fall out at full droop). 5th gen shocks are probably too long also and may bottom out before you hit the bump stops (though I guess will be fine with the 2" spacer and you'll end up over 3" lift?).

-Charlie

 

[APhelps]

More than likely you'll rip those cardone boots, they're junk. Just go to a junkyard and reboot OEM axles.

Edit: If you're doing all this work I think you should be replacing the lower control arm bushings as well. Removing the struts, axles and so forth is a good portion of the work besides moving the steering rack.

 

[Jeckolame]

Avoid quick struts like the plague... KYB's up front are cheap, though you may need other parts (top plates, depending on rust situation). Spacer kits in the front don't work with most of the 'performance' aftermarket front shocks, as they are longer and won't fit with the spacer. If you want to stay lifted, you'll need springs and/or adjustable height front shocks.

5th gen rear shocks will be too long for the 5th gen rear springs (springs will fall out at full droop). 5th gen shocks are probably too long also and may bottom out before you hit the bump stops (though I guess will be fine with the 2" spacer and you'll end up over 3" lift?).

-Charlie

+1

 

[Maddog1337]

Avoid quick struts like the plague... KYB's up front are cheap, though you may need other parts (top plates, depending on rust situation). Spacer kits in the front don't work with most of the 'performance' aftermarket front shocks, as they are longer and won't fit with the spacer. If you want to stay lifted, you'll need springs and/or adjustable height front shocks.

5th gen rear shocks will be too long for the 5th gen rear springs (springs will fall out at full droop). 5th gen shocks are probably too long also and may bottom out before you hit the bump stops (though I guess will be fine with the 2" spacer and you'll end up over 3" lift?).

-Charlie

Thanks for the comprehensive reply. I hope this doesn't come off as 'lazy' like I can't do the research myself but I have very limited working knowledge of proper suspension setups, and hence why I'm taking this to a shop.

Two things. I'd hate to waste money by not re-using the spacers, and I'd hate to not utilize take-off 5th gen suspension I received for free. Is there any conceivable setup to reuse some of the parts that I have on hand?

I'm not against buying Bilstein or something more premium. I want to do it as 'right' as I can, but within reason.

This is my winter beater. No off-roading or anything like that. Are you saying the Monroe quick struts are really that terrible? I'm not sure what a good strut/coil combination would be on Rockauto to pair with the spacer...

Thanks again

 

[APhelps]

Thanks for the comprehensive reply. I hope this doesn't come off as 'lazy' like I can't do the research myself but I have very limited working knowledge of proper suspension setups, and hence why I'm taking this to a shop.

Two things. I'd hate to waste money by not re-using the spacers, and I'd hate to not utilize take-off 5th gen suspension I received for free. Is there any conceivable setup to reuse some of the parts that I have on hand?

I'm not against buying Bilstein or something more premium. I want to do it as 'right' as I can, but within reason.

This is my winter beater. No off-roading or anything like that. Are you saying the Monroe quick struts are really that terrible? I'm not sure what a good strut/coil combination would be on Rockauto to pair with the spacer...

Thanks again

If you're not offroading I'd lose the lift. I had the Monroe quick strut on my 4R when it was stock. I thought it rode decently fine.

 

[Maddog1337]

If you're not offroading I'd lose the lift. I had the Monroe quick strut on my 4R when it was stock. I thought it rode decently fine.

I've come to enjoy the slight lift. Truck came with practically brand new ~32" Goodyear Wranglers. Thanks though, inspires some confidence in the Monroes.

 

[Bad Luck]

I've come to enjoy the slight lift. Truck came with practically brand new ~32" Goodyear Wranglers. Thanks though, inspires some confidence in the Monroes.

Don't forget new LBJ bolts. I'd look at getting MOOG springs instead of using the 5th gen stuff, but why replace the springs at all if it's at the height that you want?

 

[Kanoe]

Be very wary of anything Monroe.

I’ve fallen for that pap two times and both times I took it off within a year due to clunking noises in the shock. Absolute garbage for the money. Kyb seems to be pretty well spoken of for similar coin.

Just my opinion. It’s your truck but expect to be doing it again shortly.

 

[PatrickStapler]

I recently had a lower ball joint failure that caused a catastrophic failure...I wish I could have afforded to go back OEM Toyota everything. 315K miles on every single part I removed front and rear speaks volumes to me. Obviously they engineered some decent parts. However, it would have cost over double to do that. So I chose MOOG for everything except shocks which I chose Bilstein. I run all MOOG parts and Bilstein shocks on my track car, so I felt like these parts would be acceptable on my DD.

Upper and lower ball joints, outer tie rods, front and rear coil springs, front and rear sway bar end links, front sway bar bushings, brake pads and shoes, struts and shocks, one front ABS sensor cable, CV joint boots, One rear axle seal, rotors and drums turned, soft brake lines, and some tools I needed for the job was less than $1000.

Now will this group of parts last 300K miles? Probably not, but I doubt the rest of the truck will either...or me for that matter.