shawkins 1997 4Runner Build: Poor, Starving College Student Edition

[Cambo]

This is the "poor, starving college student edition"?! Damn!! I need to stop working and go back to school! J/K the build is great and I need a friend like yours so I can try out those coilovers. My suspension lift is all OME and the ride really sucks. I too want to upgrade from OME shocks and see how the ride is. Again, the rig looks good and this thread gives a ton of great ideas!! Bad for me! :Wow1:

 

[shawkins]

This is the "poor, starving college student edition"?! Damn!! I need to stop working and go back to school! J/K the build is great and I need a friend like yours so I can try out those coilovers. My suspension lift is all OME and the ride really sucks. I too want to upgrade from OME shocks and see how the ride is. Again, the rig looks good and this thread gives a ton of great ideas!! Bad for me! :Wow1:

Well I do have a part time job (full time in the summer) and my 4Runner is pretty much the only thing I sink my money into. That and my friends have really hooked me up! :wings: Thanks for the compliment!

Today I ordered new lower ball joints and outer TRE's from Toyota. Toyota wanted $130 for new inners! No way! Napa wants $70 each for Dana units so I'll most likely end up with those unless I can find Moogs locally.

I'll most likely convert the inner TRE to a clevis/heim setup when I get Total Chaos UCA's. I can replace the heims for $50 or less per side, so I would save money in the long run I'm thinking.

 

[MillerPKA]

Well I do have a part time job (full time in the summer) and my 4Runner is pretty much the only thing I sink my money into. That and my friends have really hooked me up! :wings: Thanks for the compliment!

Today I ordered new lower ball joints and outer TRE's from Toyota. Toyota wanted $130 for new inners! No way! Napa wants $70 each for Dana units so I'll most likely end up with those unless I can find Moogs locally.

I'll most likely convert the inner TRE to a clevis/heim setup when I get Total Chaos UCA's. I can replace the heims for $50 or less per side, so I would save money in the long run I'm thinking.

Sounds interesting. Looking good man

 

[RusM]

The new OME Nitrocharger Sports are #60027. Most likely I'll end up with the Fox Shox for the rear of a FJ Cruiser, and make new bump stops.

980-99-417-A is the part number for the Fox rear FJ Cruiser shocks. ORW says the collapsed length is 14.85". OME 60027 are 338mm collapsed which is 13.3". So theoretically I need to space down my bump stops around 1.5" or build new ones. I think 1.75" or 2" would probably be smarter, to allow for some margin of error.

FJ Cruiser Fox Shox: www.offroadwarehouse.com/products/manufacturerID/2/sfID1/12/sfID2/730/sfID3/735
OME Catalog: www.4x4extreme.be/amortisseurs/ome-cat-24-export.pdf
60027 specs are on page #96
N86 specs are on page #98

Eventually I want to do something like this: www.tacomaterritory.com/forum/showthread.php?t=88480

So, after further research the FJ Fox Shox would probably be too long for our application, not only would there need to be an extended bumpstop but a limit strap as well.
There is good news on the rear shock front though. Today I talked to Radflo and they are willing to custom make rear shocks for the 3rd Gen 4Runners, for $185 a shock in their 2.0 emulsion shocks. The problem I am having is getting a compressed and extended measurement to give him for the shock. I do not have my rear coils yet and I imagine this would have some effect on the measurement! I think the OME shock dimensions could be copied and would most likely match well when using the OME 890 rear coils.
Shawkins, you don't mind clogging up your thread with all of this shock talk? We could start up another if you feel it detracts from your build thread. I am sure a mod could be persuaded to split off the off topic (from your build) stuff to its own thread.

 

[shawkins]

So, after further research the FJ Fox Shox would probably be too long for our application, not only would there need to be an extended bumpstop but a limit strap as well.
There is good news on the rear shock front though. Today I talked to Radflo and they are willing to custom make rear shocks for the 3rd Gen 4Runners, for $185 a shock in their 2.0 emulsion shocks. The problem I am having is getting a compressed and extended measurement to give him for the shock. I do not have my rear coils yet and I imagine this would have some effect on the measurement! I think the OME shock dimensions could be copied and would most likely match well when using the OME 890 rear coils.
Shawkins, you don't mind clogging up your thread with all of this shock talk? We could start up another if you feel it detracts from your build thread. I am sure a mod could be persuaded to split off the off topic (from your build) stuff to its own thread.

Nah, I don't mind. It helps me keep all of the options Im looking at together.

I like the fact that the Fox's are really long because if I'm going to be carrying a lot of gear, I could easily swap in heavier duty springs. Just unbolt one end of the limit strap, jack up the rig and let the springs fall out. Put the HD springs in, lower the rig and bolt the straps back up.

$185 doesn't sound too bad for custom length shocks.

 

[97kurt]

Today I talked to Radflo and they are willing to custom make rear shocks for the 3rd Gen 4Runners, for $185 a shock in their 2.0 emulsion shocks. The problem I am having is getting a compressed and extended measurement to give him for the shock. I do not have my rear coils yet and I imagine this would have some effect on the measurement! I think the OME shock dimensions could be copied and would most likely match well when using the OME 890 rear coils.

Radflo recently made a set of shocks for the 4th 4runner and they are getting pretty good reviews on them. I'm gonna try to get a friend of mine that is a reseller the measurements to see what they can do. Hopefully I can get them to him in the next two weeks. Only difference is I am gonna push for the 2.0 remote reservoir option. Might as well do it right the first time.

 

[RusM]

Radflo recently made a set of shocks for the 4th 4runner and they are getting pretty good reviews on them. I'm gonna try to get a friend of mine that is a reseller the measurements to see what they can do. Hopefully I can get them to him in the next two weeks. Only difference is I am gonna push for the 2.0 remote reservoir option. Might as well do it right the first time.

You can just call Radflo and deal directly with them, rather than going through another party. The guy answered the phone directly and was very helpful. What measurements are you going to take? Directly off of your truck or borrowing them from an existing shock?
Further research has another option too, Fox's 8" travel 2.0 emulsion is available with a stem mount as a special order item. I have a couple of emails out to see what if any cost this will add to the shock. It's pretty much decision time! :wings::smiley_drive:

 

[97kurt]

You can just call Radflo and deal directly with them, rather than going through another party. The guy answered the phone directly and was very helpful. What measurements are you going to take? Directly off of your truck or borrowing them from an existing shock?
Further research has another option too, Fox's 8" travel 2.0 emulsion is available with a stem mount as a special order item. I have a couple of emails out to see what if any cost this will add to the shock. It's pretty much decision time! :wings::smiley_drive:

I got your PM, but missed this post.

The fact that fox makes a stem mount is really interesting, got a link?

I'm running the bilsteins 5100s that sonoran steel sells and they were great at first but now bug the crap out of me. They are slightly longer than the OME n86 but I am not sure by how much.

The OME n86 measures 21.2" extended to 13.0" collapsed. So just shy of 8" of travel. I'll see if I can find some time to measure mine this weekend if I have time.


Edit: found the fox info and it looks promising.
Fox 8" remote resi (stem mount) 21.2 to 13.19 Part (980-24-635) about $190 each
Fox 10" remote resi (stem mount) 25.19 to 15.19 Part (980-24-636) about $190 each

 

[shawkins]

Fox's 980-24-635 has a stem top mount and lower bushing mount. It is 13.19" collapsed and 21.19" extended.

 

[evanthebruin]

Long time lurker but I think this is the first thread I need chime in on. I'm very interested to see how your rear suspension build goes. Your research has been helpful as I plan my rear. I am also considering a shock hoop outside the framerail like this.

Nice runner man.

 

[shawkins]

Well, around 1000 miles ago (I drive way too much!) I got the lower ball joints and all four tie rod ends replaced! It feels like a different rig, huge difference! I still need to replace the upper ball joints though, which is where I feel like my current clunk is coming from.

Overall, it was definitely worth the all the money ($400) to replace all of these joints. The rig feels much more stable at higher speeds now.

Speaking of driving a lot, I just hit 150K miles the other day! I bought this truck with 99K on the clicker and in just over a year, I've put 50K on her and she has never let me down! She has always got me to school and work on time!

 

[shawkins]

It was time for new tires.

255/85R16 Toyo M/T's

 

[NorCalBorn]

Hey Steve..*So do you still even have the '91 and does it even get any love any more. That thread said to tell you that it's "Lonely :littlefriend: "
:coffeedrink:

Shane

 

[RusM]

It was time for new tires.

255/85R16 Toyo M/T's

How many miles did you end up getting out of the KM/2's?

 

[shawkins]

Hey Steve..*So do you still even have the '91 and does it even get any love any more. That thread said to tell you that it's "Lonely :littlefriend: "
:coffeedrink:

Shane

Yeah, I still have the '91. It has been sitting in the driveway while I've been collecting parts to rebuild it. It was in a wreck, so I have to replace the whole front end. The rear ring gear is also missing 3 teeth :victory: I finally have all the parts to rebuild the diff, I just need to take it all up to Bobby Long and have him cryo treat the bearings and R&P.

Once it can drive again I'll fix the body and get it painted. I have new bumpers, fenders, hood, grill, emblems, door handles, mirrors, etc for it. I still need to get new window and door seals and find a clean dash. I'm shooting to have everything done sometime this summer. It should look like a brand new 1991 4Runner when its all done!