When you installed your lift what would you tell the next guy to do/not to do?

[kapp_badbloodz]

Curious to see what people's experiences have been like. Myself and a friend and maybe a member or two from here are going to tackle my suspension install this weekend and I wanted to see what other people have experienced. I am not new to suspensions but am new to truck suspensions. Here is what we are installing.

Icon Stage 1
-fronts
-rears with 3" overland springs

Total Chaos UCAs

Toytec Diff Drop

Not a terrible list to tackle but enough to make the casual mechanic overthink a little. What would you recommend someone do or to make sure to do? What did you get caught up on? What did you realize half way through that gave you an epiphany?

We will have a plethora of tools and access to a lift as well (which helps).


My main question: is it absolutely necessary to disconnect the front sway bar? Can't you just apply downward pressure to the LCA to give you enough room to remove the coilover and install the new one?

My second question: Is it better to adjust for height before installing the coilover or after (install from factory then adjust while on the ground)?

Last Question: measure center of hub to fender while stock for initial height then remeasure the same after the install to check for correct height. Is this the correct procedure to properly ensure correct height was achieved?



Dont care if you answer the three questions. I just think it would be nice to have a resource for members to see what got the best of people and check recommendations for when they are about to install their own lift.

Thank you for your time,

Corey

 

[rossgoldie]

Get an extended brake line if you plan on having the truck flex on rocks. The stock one will break when flexing. Also to press down the lca to fit in the coil overs, I stuck a bottle jack in between the uca and wheel well and used that to push T down enough for it to fit. I would take off the sway bar links though, much easier

 

[yotaflame]

Lift it once. Don't be like me and say I'll lift a little now and once I get bigger tires, lift it more. Not going to happen. Lol.

 

[BLACK-FL4RUNNER]

After you adjust the coil overs, be sure to drive it a short distance to "un-bind" the suspension and make it settle to true static height. Then you can measure to see if it's the desired height.

 

[Jetboy]

Get an extended brake line if you plan on having the truck flex on rocks. The stock one will break when flexing. Also to press down the lca to fit in the coil overs, I stuck a bottle jack in between the uca and wheel well and used that to push T down enough for it to fit. I would take off the sway bar links though, much easier

?

Where have you seen this happen? As far as I'm aware, the stock brake line is long enough for the full range of travel possible with the stock LCA. I don't see any reason you'd want to replace the stock brake lines on a 5th gen.

The LCA should be very easy to drop down when you unbolt it from the spindle. It might take some force with a pry bar, but it's nothing like the 3rd gen setup where I also used a bottle jack.

If the OP's never removed a ball joint or steering TRE - google how to do it. DO NOT EVER USE A PICKLE FORK!!! They will ruin your joints and are a huge PITA. There's a much better way with a hammer.

It took me about 1hr per side to swap the coilovers and setup the height. It's only 11 fasteners total on each side - and 6 of those are the lug nuts. Good luck.

 

[Jeremy556]

Undo the 3 bolts and 1 clip for the ABS sensor wire as soon as you take the wheel off, and tuck it up inside the engine bay. Very easy to stretch/break that wire. I find it much easier to remove the entire ABS sensor than to try to unplug it (1 10mm bolt).

Skip the diff drop - it is not needed.

Pickup a lock nut for the UCA long bolt. I forget the thread pitch, but it was a common enough one they had a lock nut at my local (tiny) hardware store.

 

[lowcel]

Do NOT hit the ball joint bolt with a hammer. It will screw up the threads.

 

[Jetboy]

This is how to loosen the tie rod end if you choose to do so. I do. I prefer to hold a 2.5lb sledge behind the spindle casting on the back side while I hit the other side with a smaller ball peen hammer. Easy as it gets.

<iframe width="854" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LDsci-izhhc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[lowcel]

This is how to loosen the tie rod end if you choose to do so. I do. I prefer to hold a 2.5lb sledge behind the spindle casting on the back side while I hit the other side with a smaller ball peen hammer. Easy as it gets.

<iframe width="854" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LDsci-izhhc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I saw another video showing that method after I spent 20 or 30 minutes trying to get each side to separate.

 

[rossgoldie]

?



Where have you seen this happen? As far as I'm aware, the stock brake line is long enough for the full range of travel possible with the stock LCA. I don't see any reason you'd want to replace the stock brake lines on a 5th gen.



The LCA should be very easy to drop down when you unbolt it from the spindle. It might take some force with a pry bar, but it's nothing like the 3rd gen setup where I also used a bottle jack.



If the OP's never removed a ball joint or steering TRE - google how to do it. DO NOT EVER USE A PICKLE FORK!!! They will ruin your joints and are a huge PITA. There's a much better way with a hammer.



It took me about 1hr per side to swap the coilovers and setup the height. It's only 11 fasteners total on each side - and 6 of those are the lug nuts. Good luck.

Oh I should have been more specific, I'm mentioning the rear brake line, you're completely right though

 

[4RnR Grl]

Undo the 3 bolts and 1 clip for the ABS sensor wire as soon as you take the wheel off, and tuck it up inside the engine bay. Very easy to stretch/break that wire. I find it much easier to remove the entire ABS sensor than to try to unplug it (1 10mm bolt).

Skip the diff drop - it is not needed.

Pickup a lock nut for the UCA long bolt. I forget the thread pitch, but it was a common enough one they had a lock nut at my local (tiny) hardware store.

+1 on the ABS sensor wire. We stretched mine on install. It easy fairly easy to replace... however... you will need the dealer or a mechanic with Techstream to figure out which one you stretched.

:yo:

 

[kapp_badbloodz]

Thank you all for the valuable posts so far. I am feeling more and more confident this will be a fun install (especially if a couple forum members decide to come hang out).

I got the diff drop because its relatively cheap for a little CYA so why not. And I have it in my possession so I might as well install it.

I think the most technical portion of the install will be the UCAs. There is actually a pretty good video on TC's YouTube where they install their UCAs in a Tacoma... which is essentially the same IFS setup at the 4R. I am just going to follow that and pray to the gods of jelly that nothing happens.

 

[kapp_badbloodz]

Would like to see a couple more replies. Hopefully a thread like this will help someone else down the road too ^_______^

 

[mfregeau20]

I would say definitely unbolt the front sway bar, I tried at first without and ended up just taking it out after it became more of a pita with it in place.

The one thing that helped me was reading on here to do the rear one side at a time, essential flexing the side you are working on by lifting it up and pushing down on the axle to create space to remove the spring and install the new. Just be careful not to over stretch the brake lines.

 

[kapp_badbloodz]

I would say definitely unbolt the front sway bar, I tried at first without and ended up just taking it out after it became more of a pita with it in place.

The one thing that helped me was reading on here to do the rear one side at a time, essential flexing the side you are working on by lifting it up and pushing down on the axle to create space to remove the spring and install the new. Just be careful not to over stretch the brake lines.

I've seen some busted lines on other installs so I'll assess the lined and probably unbolt them just in case.

 

[MountainClimber78]

Not to difficult

I followed this thread:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/154230-how-lift-installation-kdss-equipped-vehicles.html

There are a couple of things that I would do different, or sooner, now that I've gone through it.

FYI, I installed Bilstein 6112s up front and Icon remote reservoirs out back
KDSS:
Take off the sway bar but tie it in place prior to jacking the vehicle up. I used 550 cord to lash the piston/sway bar in place. When I jacked the truck up and disconnected the sway bar ends the KDSS piston had no room to move and during re-install I actually used the 550 cord to slowly lower the piston to install the ends. I used a ratchet strap connected to the sway bar end and to the frame, diagonally, to pull the sway bar in place. Doing this it only took me ~30 minutes to attach both ends. Out back I had no issues what so ever.

Shocks and UCAs:
Up front don't bother removing the three nuts or top compression bolt above the rubber washers, the shock will drop out just fine with them attached. I did have to use a ratchet strap to compress the LCA in order to attach the LBJ, the shock was to stiff to compress with a floor jack. For the UCA take your time and get a pry bar to spread the hoop enough to get the washers in. This part took me the longest, by far, because of the tight fit and work space. Also the UCAs will be much easier with two people. for the UBJ, thread the castle nut past the end of the threads and use a small sledge to pop the BJ loose, you won't damage the threads this way and its much easier than using a pickle fork witch will ruin the BJ.

Out back is fairly straight forward but I would use spring compressors instead of messing around with a jack to lower the axel, much safer and easier.

MISC.:
Take your time, plan on one long day or spread it over two days. Get a set of good torque wrenches, you'll need them for a lot of the fasteners that you'll be taking apart. Get a good set of tools and lay them out in a clean working area, not that you need an immaculate shop, I did mine in the driveway, but you want to know where everything is when you take it off so it can go back on where it came off.

 

[kapp_badbloodz]

Thank you [MENTION=79154]MountainClimber78[/MENTION] that was very informative. Much appreciated!

 

[Antman]

1. Loosen the LCA bolts (mark the locations first) and the LCA will EASILY swing down and make installing the strut so easy you will want to mail me a beer (just PM me for my address). They will need to adjust those bolts for the alignment anyway.

2. To separate the UCA from the upright loosen the nut (don't remove it all the way) and hit the flat spot on the upright HARD with a 5 lb hammer. Done.

3. As stated- ABS line- be careful! I was careful, I moved it out of the way, I broke the wire.
The UCA will spring UPWARD when you remove the balljoint from the upright. If the ABS wire is anywhere near the UCA it will inadvertantly get hooked on it and stretch and cost you a new wire.

4. Unhook the wire loom under the battery (just move it out of the way) and the A/C line from it's clip on the pass side before you put the truck on jackstands. You need these outta the way to get the UCA bolts out and it's easier to do it before it's up in the air.

5. Remember to torque the UCA bolts last, when the truck is on the ground/wheels back on.

6. There is ABSOLUTELY NO NEED for a spring compressor in the rear (or the front for that matter). Remove the shocks. Put a jack under the pumpkin- and jack under the lower shock mount on 1 side. The axle will articulate and the spring will FALL out. The new, longer spring will slide in with room to spare.


Don't forget to send me that beer, lol.:snacker:

 

[kapp_badbloodz]

1. Loosen the LCA bolts (mark the locations first) and the LCA will EASILY swing down and make installing the strut so easy you will want to mail me a beer (just PM me for my address). They will need to adjust those bolts for the alignment anyway.

2. To separate the UCA from the upright loosen the nut (don't remove it all the way) and hit the flat spot on the upright HARD with a 5 lb hammer. Done.

3. As stated- ABS line- be careful! I was careful, I moved it out of the way, I broke the wire.
The UCA will spring UPWARD when you remove the balljoint from the upright. If the ABS wire is anywhere near the UCA it will inadvertantly get hooked on it and stretch and cost you a new wire.

4. Unhook the wire loom under the battery (just move it out of the way) and the A/C line from it's clip on the pass side before you put the truck on jackstands. You need these outta the way to get the UCA bolts out and it's easier to do it before it's up in the air.

5. Remember to torque the UCA bolts last, when the truck is on the ground/wheels back on.

6. There is ABSOLUTELY NO NEED for a spring compressor in the rear (or the front for that matter). Remove the shocks. Put a jack under the pumpkin- and jack under the lower shock mount on 1 side. The axle will articulate and the spring will FALL out. The new, longer spring will slide in with room to spare.


Don't forget to send me that beer, lol.:snacker:

Sorry dude... Scott beat you to it. He told me all this last night

dont think I dont appreciate you though. I'll send you a beer for being a standup dude how about that?

 

[samsung]

OP make sure to post pictures of the install. i have a stage 5 sitting in the garage right now getting ready to go in the truck.