XREAS Uh-Oh!

[mjack777]

Hey there, need some help!

Today I finally had my Daystar 2.5 spacer lift installed along with new tires. I used a local shop who lifts 5th Gen 4Runners, FJ's, Tundras for our new car department. I told them all about XREAS and explained how much I like my suspension the way it is, yada yada. By the way I have a 03 Limited V8, with XREAS!

I get home and everything is cool, love the lift, love the new ride. I see a small pool of fluid leaking from the RF strut. Panic mode sets in. I called the shop and got the "ya it was leaking, they didnt tell you?" No they didnt! Jeez.

How screwed am I and what are my options?

 

[zopperman]

pretty screwed. How much leaked out? its a closed system you cannot refill

 

[mjack777]

There is a 3-4 inch pool on the ground, I can see it dripping every few seconds.

 

[asahi4runner]

Get some heavy duty blistens 5100

 

[zopperman]

yeah probably time for an upgrade. I would be furious with the shop and ask them for free labor to install your new billies

 

[mjack777]

It was definitely not leaking prior, and I understand it has 100k miles on it and
stuff happens....but..ya know.

 

[zopperman]

It was definitely not leaking prior, and I understand it has 100k miles on it and
stuff happens....but..ya know.

I totally get it - I had a similar situation with a shop, hopefully they will man up.

 

[WXman]

I'm wondering why they unbolted the lines to begin with. It's definitely not necessary if all you're doing is spacers and/or springs.

But yeah, I'd go Bilstein 5100. I have mine set to the 1.75" setting with factory coils and it rides exactly like it did with XREAS. Still very soft and cushy and bounces over bumps.

 

[mjack777]

I dont think they unbolted them, I'm guessing a seal let go or something...
I am at a total loss, this sucks!

If I go with 5100's I dont need the Daystar lift?? Can I still use the factory springs?

 

[BlackWorksInc]

I dont think they unbolted them, I'm guessing a seal let go or something...
I am at a total loss, this sucks!

If I go with 5100's I dont need the Daystar lift?? Can I still use the factory springs?

While the system is usually under quite a lot of pressure when loaded; most XREAS failures occur gradually and do not leave a pool of liquid, the strut will usually start to get a light film of oil as it drips and such (this is also true of most struts in general as modern shocks are gas charged and the majority of the failures are a result of gas escaping vs. a complete hydraulic loss.) For a such a large leak to have occurred would mean that the seal around the shaft of the strut has failed pretty drastically which is a very strange thing to do when all you're doing is adding a spacer ontop of the existing coilover assembly.

 

[mjack777]

Being the nice guy I am, I spray lubed the day before and PB Blasted all the nuts involved and there was no leak at all prior. Weird....

 

[Lineman]

Sabotaged.. So they could take more of your money.

 

[earthrealm]

awww...that sucks!!!

 

[mjack777]

Update!

So now, the shop and I agreed on a price for 4 Billstein 5100's

Parts ordered,to be installed next week. On the drive in to work today, I did have a little slight knock every now and then that wasn't there before. I'll have to chock that up to that RF AND LR fluid being low.

I have the Daystar rear spring lift,with the Billsteins, should the fronts be set to 1.75 or 2.5?

(I think 2.5 is the max?)
Would 1.75 sit more like the factory rake? I would like to get the "FEEL" of the XREAS back as close as possible.
By the way, I had 265/70/17 Duratracs installed!

Second opinion, should I be driving this until then?:frusty:

 

[HokieRunner]

So now, the shop and I agreed on a price for 4 Billstein 5100's

Parts ordered,to be installed next week. On the drive in to work today, I did have a little slight knock every now and then that wasn't there before. I'll have to chock that up to that RF AND LR fluid being low.

I have the Daystar rear spring lift,with the Billsteins, should the fronts be set to 1.75 or 2.5?

(I think 2.5 is the max?)
Would 1.75 sit more like the factory rake? I would like to get the "FEEL" of the XREAS back as close as possible.
By the way, I had 265/70/17 Duratracs installed!

Second opinion, should I be driving this until then?:frusty:

You're fine to drive it, just won't be the cushiest ride. I hope they're giving you a really good price; if I knew the shop had jacked up the x-reas I'd be pissed and they'd definitely be footing the bill for some new shocks.

Good luck!

 

[1fast_e]

If you have high mileage it was probably a short matter of time before they eventually gave out.
I much prefer my current ride with the 5100's opposed to the xreas. But I didnt like the plushness. Im glad the shop is working with you

Good luck

 

[mjack777]

Thanks for all the replies!

This is not fun, and I would normally do this stuff myself, but some bad apples at work spoiled any after hours shop time. This is the first real time I've let anyone else work on my truck but you have time or money, and I couldnt have my truck down for a day or two in my own garage!

That being said, I would recommend to DIY..... I have since found a broken speed sensor wire bracket (zip tied back, loosely) and even though I included the Daystar instructions, the rear spring spacers were installed without the factory cone bump stops.

I need a drink.

 

[awdjunkies]

Thanks for all the replies!

This is not fun, and I would normally do this stuff myself, but some bad apples at work spoiled any after hours shop time. This is the first real time I've let anyone else work on my truck but you have time or money, and I couldnt have my truck down for a day or two in my own garage!

That being said, I would recommend to DIY..... I have since found a broken speed sensor wire bracket (zip tied back, loosely) and even though I included the Daystar instructions, the rear spring spacers were installed without the factory cone bump stops.

I need a drink.

See! that's just pure carelessness on their part.. :frusty:

 

[DEUCE]

Man, you guys are scaring me. I am finally talking my BOSS into letting me do a ToyTec ultimate lift on our 4runner replacing the XREAS. I'm worried if I try the replacement my self it may be above my skill level, and I am worried if I pay a shop to do it, it will be screwed up. If anything happens to the 4runner the BOSS will not be happy. If the BOSS ain't happy ain't no one happy.

 

[mjack777]

Ok the 5100's are here. Since then my CV boots have started to leak so I'm just going to this myself.

Would the highest setting on the the 5100's be equal to my DS 2.5 spacer lift?

Everything looks great the way it sits now, I want to keep the same height
as close as possible.