Tacoma Suspension Swap

[jrm]

pics of your 4runner

My setup is FJ rear springs with 0.5in trim spacers for something like 1in actual lift - I'm happy with the ride. But now I'm thinking about actual 2in lift springs. Do you think the shocks can take that?

As of this weekend ill have the same set up but running 255/75/17s instead.

 

[Elan750]

Ok so I got the shocks/struts/springs in.

Front: 2014 Taco TRD (yellow) struts and coils. 25k miles on them
Back : 2014 Taco TRD (yellow shocks, MOOG FJ coils. 200 miles on the shocks., coils new.


I didn't take before measurments (sorry!) but my back is 1.625" higher than the front. I'm thinking ill put in a 1" net spacer in the front.

Hub to fender:
Front: 20.625
Rear: 22.25


THe big problem is they are waaay soft. Its consistent slow motion bouncing up and down and side to side. When braking I watch the nose dive a few inches. If feels the same as my old shot xreas with 125k.

Maybe the front struts are shot, I don't know. I know many here are happy with them, but Im riding a roller coaster over here.

What are my cheapest options to get stiff? haa haa. I was thinking the 1" spacer in the front might shift some weight to the back and even it out, but that might be wishfull thinking.

Maybe I have to bite the bullet and get the 5100's up front? and If I do, do I go with Taco 5100's since I have the Taco springs? Or are they softer than the 4runner 5100's?

Any help is appreciated!

 

[wtcnbrwndo4u]

Ok so I got the shocks/struts/springs in.

Front: 2014 Taco TRD (yellow) struts and coils. 25k miles on them
Back : 2014 Taco TRD (yellow shocks, MOOG FJ coils. 200 miles on the shocks., coils new.


I didn't take before measurments (sorry!) but my back is 1.625" higher than the front. I'm thinking ill put in a 1" net spacer in the front.

Hub to fender:
Front: 20.625
Rear: 22.25


THe big problem is they are waaay soft. Its consistent slow motion bouncing up and down and side to side. When braking I watch the nose dive a few inches. If feels the same as my old shot xreas with 125k.

Maybe the front struts are shot, I don't know. I know many here are happy with them, but Im riding a roller coaster over here.

What are my cheapest options to get stiff? haa haa. I was thinking the 1" spacer in the front might shift some weight to the back and even it out, but that might be wishfull thinking.

Maybe I have to bite the bullet and get the 5100's up front? and If I do, do I go with Taco 5100's since I have the Taco springs? Or are they softer than the 4runner 5100's?

Any help is appreciated!

Get the 4Runner 5100s. I'm pretty sure the front strut should be the same either way, though I could be wrong. I think it comes down to a bushing.

I would imagine a stiffer spring would do more to get the suspension more firm. I have OME885s with 5100s in the front, and it rides phenomenal. Improved cornering, almost no body roll compared to stock, every bump on the road is felt but comfortably.

Do you know how many miles were on those Taco suspensions?

 

[t-man]

Ok so I got the shocks/struts/springs in.

Front: 2014 Taco TRD (yellow) struts and coils. 25k miles on them
Back : 2014 Taco TRD (yellow shocks, MOOG FJ coils. 200 miles on the shocks., coils new.


I didn't take before measurments (sorry!) but my back is 1.625" higher than the front. I'm thinking ill put in a 1" net spacer in the front.

Hub to fender:
Front: 20.625
Rear: 22.25


THe big problem is they are waaay soft. Its consistent slow motion bouncing up and down and side to side. When braking I watch the nose dive a few inches. If feels the same as my old shot xreas with 125k.

Maybe the front struts are shot, I don't know. I know many here are happy with them, but Im riding a roller coaster over here.

What are my cheapest options to get stiff? haa haa. I was thinking the 1" spacer in the front might shift some weight to the back and even it out, but that might be wishfull thinking.

Maybe I have to bite the bullet and get the 5100's up front? and If I do, do I go with Taco 5100's since I have the Taco springs? Or are they softer than the 4runner 5100's?

Any help is appreciated!

Got to the front of your truck, push down, make it bounce, then let go. If the shocks are bad it'll bounce like an old caddy, if good it will stop immediately.

Sent from the drivers seat of my 05 4runner.

 

[Elan750]

Got to the front of your truck, push down, make it bounce, then let go. If the shocks are bad it'll bounce like an old caddy, if good it will stop immediately.

Sent from the drivers seat of my 05 4runner.

It has a little bit of a double bounce when I press as hard as I can, but not more than 2 inches of travel.
Mi can also rock the truck side to side just by rocking in the drivers seat and I weight 160.

 

[t-man]

It has a little bit of a double bounce when I press as hard as I can, but not more than 2 inches of travel.
Mi can also rock the truck side to side just by rocking in the drivers seat and I weight 160.

Rocking and moving is normal but if the shocks are dead it will bounce several times. Like if you climb on the rear bumper, get it bouncing and jump off, if the shocks are good it'll settle and stop almost immediately zip bad it'll bounce several times. It's hard to do on the bumpers of our vehicles as there really isn't much there that can hold any weight.
If the shocks are bad, Bilstein will work fine, although if you plan on something more offroad capable I'd definitely go ome or coilovers.

Sent from the drivers seat of my 05 4runner.

 

[Elan750]

Rocking and moving is normal but if the shocks are dead it will bounce several times. Like if you climb on the rear bumper, get it bouncing and jump off, if the shocks are good it'll settle and stop almost immediately zip bad it'll bounce several times. It's hard to do on the bumpers of our vehicles as there really isn't much there that can hold any weight.
If the shocks are bad, Bilstein will work fine, although if you plan on something more offroad capable I'd definitely go ome or coilovers.

Sent from the drivers seat of my 05 4runner.

Yeah they are definitely not bad. The rears bounce just like the fronts and were off a new Tacoma. It levels itself out but not quickly. They just feel like the 4Runner is too heavy for them to handle. Especially with a series of rolling bumps on the street, it struggles to level itself quickly. It feels like theres too much travel- dips dip further than it should.

Now how to tell my wife I'll be buying struts, again. Haha

I'll prob keep the back setup for now, and get the 5100 struts up front.

 

[t-man]

Yeah they are definitely not bad. The rears bounce just like the fronts and were off a new Tacoma. It levels itself out but not quickly. They just feel like the 4Runner is too heavy for them to handle. Especially with a series of rolling bumps on the street, it struggles to level itself quickly. It feels like theres too much travel- dips dip further than it should.

Now how to tell my wife I'll be buying struts, again. Haha

I'll prob keep the back setup for now, and get the 5100 struts up front.

I have the Tacoma TRD coils and my Bilsteins set on the top perch. I don't have any issue like that. Mine are tighter with the perch being up, so maybe that helped, but I haven't read about anyone having your issue. It's weird.

Sent from the drivers seat of my 05 4runner.

 

[behitert]

The rear shocks can work. I am running extended rear tacoma shocks(5100) on my 4r to have enough travel on 3.5 springs. All you have to do it change out the bushing in the eye.

 

[4Rnr4Evr]

They just feel like the 4Runner is too heavy for them to handle.

That's exactly how I feel and I have put some 20K miles on mine already. When I went to Rausch Creek it was very obvious they are having a hard time controlling the vehicle. However I'm not sure just slapping a stiffer shock is the solution. I think the bigger 6112s are what I need but I can't afford them right now.

 

[Elan750]

Just to confirm, the yellow bilsteins from the taco are essentially bilstein 4600's, and the only other Tacoma struts and shocks are the black ones which are not of interest. There's not any other options?


Here's the rears I got:

2014 Toyota Tacoma 4WD Pre Runner OE OEM Rear Bilstein Shocks | eBay

And here's the fronts: (16k miles)

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...tires-super-white-grill.433261/#post-12857098

 

[t-man]

That's exactly how I feel and I have put some 20K miles on mine already. When I went to Rausch Creek it was very obvious they are having a hard time controlling the vehicle. However I'm not sure just slapping a stiffer shock is the solution. I think the bigger 6112s are what I need but I can't afford them right now.

I wonder if the newer Tacoma has a softer spring rate. The older ones had a higher spring rate than a 4runner.

Sent from the drivers seat of my 05 4runner.

 

[wtcnbrwndo4u]

I have the Tacoma TRD coils and my Bilsteins set on the top perch. I don't have any issue like that. Mine are tighter with the perch being up, so maybe that helped, but I haven't read about anyone having your issue. It's weird.

Sent from the drivers seat of my 05 4runner.

Shit, I have absolutely no give with OME coils and Bilsteins on the lowest perch. It barely moves when I push down on the front. But this is a very stiff setup.

 

[Elan750]

Just ordered 5100's for the front. :wink2:

I guess I will pair them with the Taco TRD coils. Any suggestions on what I should set them to if the back is at 22.25 hub-to-fender?

I'll keep the back setup for now(Tacoma shocks, FJ Moog coils) until I get some more disposable $$. Hopefully this improves things.

I'm sure I wil be able to change them out faster this time at least.

 

[84ability]

I'm not sure if this makes a difference but it looks like you bought the progressive rate Tacoma springs, I think most of us are running the plain black TRD Sport springs. Your front hub to fender measurement is .125-.25" lower than mine and your rear is .5" higher than my OEM FJ springs (w/ 5k used). Sometimes I think they are a little soft too, but the spring rate is something like <10% softer so I'm not sure. Good luck, I bet it might work out if you put the shocks on a higher perch than normal.

Just ordered 5100's for the front. :wink2:

I guess I will pair them with the Taco TRD coils. Any suggestions on what I should set them to if the back is at 22.25 hub-to-fender?

I'll keep the back setup for now(Tacoma shocks, FJ Moog coils) until I get some more disposable $$. Hopefully this improves things.

I'm sure I wil be able to change them out faster this time at least.

 

[Elan750]

I'm not sure if this makes a difference but it looks like you bought the progressive rate Tacoma springs, I think most of us are running the plain black TRD Sport springs. Your front hub to fender measurement is .125-.25" lower than mine and your rear is .5" higher than my OEM FJ springs (w/ 5k used). Sometimes I think they are a little soft too, but the spring rate is something like <10% softer so I'm not sure. Good luck, I bet it might work out if you put the shocks on a higher perch than normal.

I Think you are right, the progressive spring is a big factor. Its designed to be squishy on small stuff and get firm in big bumps. I think they are designed more closely to the Taco characteristics. This even has an effect on the sway bar, as the sway bar will feel two different spring rates sometimes! Here is a great write up to understand progressive rate:
Linear vs progressive rate springs | Automotive Thinker - Discussing the finer points of automobiles

So, either the preload of the 5100s will compress the squishy side of the progressive to be more like a linear spring, or I just use my oldt4r OEM springs.... I'll probably try to calculate whichever will be closest to the rear height (about 1.75").

 

[jrm]

Im not sure..but

There's not any other options?

I wonder if tundra TRD coils and/or tundra 5100s of 6112s would work. I had this set up on my 3rd gen and loved it.

One thing ive noticed after installing the tacoma trd coils and 5100s was that aftermarket UCAs made a huge improvement in the ride, tracking and handling.

 

[anerezcy]

The rear shocks can work. I am running extended rear tacoma shocks(5100) on my 4r to have enough travel on 3.5 springs. All you have to do it change out the bushing in the eye.

 

[Elan750]

a Little update on the soft ride, ended up pulling out the front tacoma trd offroad strut/springs (progressive spring) and put in the 5100's at 2.5" with the OEM 4runner coil. Bigger improvement but still something to be desired. Can't complain too much as the coils have 125k on them.

I think I'm going to pull them out and use the 5100 @.85" with the taco progressive coil. With the preload, I'm hoping it will stiffen up a bit, at least more than the OEM coil. Anyone have this setup?

I know, some would say just get some OME coils but thats not in my zero budget..

 

[t-man]

a Little update on the soft ride, ended up pulling out the front tacoma trd offroad strut/springs (progressive spring) and put in the 5100's at 2.5" with the OEM 4runner coil. Bigger improvement but still something to be desired. Can't complain too much as the coils have 125k on them.

I think I'm going to pull them out and use the 5100 @.85" with the taco progressive coil. With the preload, I'm hoping it will stiffen up a bit, at least more than the OEM coil. Anyone have this setup?

I know, some would say just get some OME coils but thats not in my zero budget..

I'd try adding preload to the Tacoma coils personally. Either 85 or 1.75 and see what it's like after compressing the cushy part. I have the non progressive coils set at 2.5 and like them a lot. At least as well as I can with the Bilstein.

Sent from the drivers seat of my 05 4runner.