Lifting an 86' 4 Runner

[erod]

Update

well i totally slacked on updating this thread but here is where we are at today...

downey, heavy duty spring shackles
downey 3" lift springs
edlebrock performance IAS shocks
black aluminum wheels

i added some pics, the first one is where its at today, the second is before we duralined the body and the last is where it was was my girlfriend bought it.

appearence wise it looks great, the leafs and shackles took care of the saggy rear end and the wheels are a big improvement (IMO).

haven't really had much time to wheel it though since the new modifications...got back from our trip and the starter was dead...so replaced that, put some new terminals in and a fresh oil change and she's, once again, ready to roll. on the road the handling and feel is much improved...

i'll post some pics and review of the suspension when we get out...thanks everyone for your input!

 

[erod]

New pics!

hey all, got a chance to get the runner out today...really impressed with the new suspension...i'll let the pics speak for themselves but i have to say that we have a new love for this rig...handled great, climbed everything in its way and even rallied some mud. anyway, thanks again to everyone, we are stoked...more pics and reports to follow...

 

[kcowyo]

Izzat snow? :jumping:

 

[erod]

Izzat snow? :jumping:

oh yea, check out the back ground...think it the first of the season around here...so much for fall...i hope !

 

[kcowyo]

It's 48 degrees here today but the peaks have been socked in all day. I bet we're getting a dusting up there.

I thought I'd seen all of the crazy Toyota paint schemes of the 80's but your Runner has a new one to me. Any idea if that's factory? I recall the blue but the rest is different.

Glad to hear the suspension is working out. Is the 4Runner the gf's DD? Get that Yak-box on the FWC!

 

[erod]

It's 48 degrees here today but the peaks have been socked in all day. I bet we're getting a dusting up there.

I thought I'd seen all of the crazy Toyota paint schemes of the 80's but your Runner has a new one to me. Any idea if that's factory? I recall the blue but the rest is different.

Glad to hear the suspension is working out. Is the 4Runner the gf's DD? Get that Yak-box on the FWC!

as far as i know the paint if factory...pretty funky. yea thats claire's DD, it kind of our town/trail rig since we rarely drive in town that much...i do need a yak box for the fwc...too bad its a thule, we'll make it work ...pray for snow!

 

[DaveInDenver]

It's 48 degrees here today but the peaks have been socked in all day. I bet we're getting a dusting up there.

I thought I'd seen all of the crazy Toyota paint schemes of the 80's but your Runner has a new one to me. Any idea if that's factory? I recall the blue but the rest is different.

Glad to hear the suspension is working out. Is the 4Runner the gf's DD? Get that Yak-box on the FWC!

It was cool this morning here in town, 54F at the house. But the front is moving in, probably the cold front you guys got yesterday then. Pin striping, yeah, I think there was some really funky, cool ones done in the 1980s and early 1990s. Down side is a lot of it seems to have been sort of random and just about none of it is available to replace the old stuff when you gotta do body work. :-(

 

[Scenic WonderRunner]

Check these out for the IFS front.

http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/ForSale/BallJointSpacer.shtml

 

[erod]

thanks for the heads up...i can see a a set of those in the near future. appreciate the link! cheers!

 

[4Rescue]

Skip the Downey's and the TJ coil garbage. Go with OME CS900R rear leafs adn the OME torsion bars up fornt. MY 89 was sagging like crazy and rode like crap. after the sus. install it feels alot more solid and rides like a dream. best part is after a few months and a few trips, there is literaly NO sag (can 't say the same about downey springs) the springs just feel better every day. Having run OME suspensions in all of the LC's I drove in Australia I can tell you they make the best products for Toyotas hands down. Combined with a set of BJ spacers up front you're looking at about 2-2.25in of lift and a superior ride.

Cheers and No Worries

Dave

Edit: Whoops see you've already bought the Downey's. Hope you have better luck than I did.

 

[kcowyo]

If you get the ball joint spacers, have Roger Brown machine them down from 1.5" to 1.0 inch.

ExPo member Seldom Seen (most appropriate member name ever...) did a ton of research including I believe visiting with Toyota engineers and he found out a 1" ball joint spacer is optimum.

 

[DaveInDenver]

If you get the ball joint spacers, have Roger Brown machine them down from 1.5" to 1.0 inch.

ExPo member Seldom Seen (most appropriate member name ever...) did a ton of research including I believe visiting with Toyota engineers and he found out a 1" ball joint spacer is optimum.

I talked to Seldom Seen after a Rising Sun meeting about this once. Trying to remember what his concern was, but it's not coming right now. I think it had to do with the ball joint angle, right? It does change the effective spindle length, but 1" or 1.5", neither keeps the A-arms parallel and so I don't know that it matters. I have regular SDORI 1.5" spacers and was planning to just go that way with the longer OME shocks. That's the other issue with milling them down, then ya gotta find a shock with the right travel. At least with the 1.5" ones a lot of people have already gone through the catalogs to narrow it down to a few Rancho, OME and KYB shocks that have the right length and stroke. Another good thing about 1.5" thickness is that you can relax the torsion bars just about completely to stock or even less than stock pre-load and still fit 33x9.50 tires.

 

[kcowyo]

I talked to Seldom Seen after a Rising Sun meeting about this once. Trying to remember what his concern was, but it's not coming right now. I think it had to do with the ball joint angle, right?

Honestly, I don't recall either. We talked about it last year but his exact reasoning escapes me.

All I know is, I bought his that he'd had Roger cut down and they're working out great for me so far. According to my Toyota Master Certified Tech pal, everything within my IFS is a-ok after a year of use.

*Oh, and I'm using Rancho 9K's designed for 2" lift with lo-profile bumpstops.

 

[DaveInDenver]

Honestly, I don't recall either. We talked about it last year but his exact reasoning escapes me.

All I know is, I bought his that he'd had Roger cut down and they're working out great for me so far. According to my Toyota Master Certified Tech pal, everything within my IFS is a-ok after a year of use.

*Oh, and I'm using Rancho 9K's designed for 2" lift with lo-profile bumpstops.

Must be slightly different geometry between the T100 IFS and the narrower 4Runner/Hilux IFS. You can't use low profile upper bump stops with ball joint spacers, over extends the CV joint. Stock upper bump stocks are the way to go.

 

[kcowyo]

Must be slightly different geometry between the T100 IFS ....You can't use low profile upper bump stops with ball joint spacers....

I meant the lower bumpstops. I have no idea if there is any difference between the T's and the Hilux IFS system.....?

You ever see Brian anymore? I never see him here or the other board where we first crossed paths. Heard maybe he was moving up near Rabbit Ears pass?