Suspension and steering overheating issues

[jmackie411]

I recently put FJ suspension (trd bilstein out of 65k mile street driven 08') under my 04' v8 four runner budget trail rig project.. The suspension is coupled with a 3" spacer kit front and rear. I'm running 255/85/16 cooper s/t maxx's on tacoma steelies with rock rings... I live in southern nv and like to drive it fairly hard offroad (think Baja 500, not rock bouncer hard) . I'm experiencing suspension and power steering overheating issues.. Symptoms include (after some time on the trail going hard).. Steering wheel getting light and requiring more input to achieve the same steering as when cold. Front suspension gets really bouncy, the front end stacks and gets unruly at speed...

So my questions are this..
1. Has anyone else experienced this with this setup?
2. Does a power steering fluid cooler help much?
3. Have any of you installed high end (king, Sway-away, Radflo, Fox, Donahue, etc.) coil over setups in your 4th generations and driven them like race trucks, what's the outcome compared to spacer'd eom suspension?
5. For you suspension gurus, how much does your wheel and tire combo weight effect the overheating / fade I'm experiencing? (I'm at 85lb. per corner)
6. How much effect does ambient temperature have on these things, do these chemicals (oil and gas) get effected by the difference in 70 degrees and 110 degrees?
7. Suspension recommendations.. Steering system recommendations?? (I'm aware the "budget" aspect goes out the window at this point..)

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[surlydiesel]

At 65K on the street, the shocks were far from new and more than likely 25k or less from being replaced and take in the weight of your truck, tire and wheel combo and spacer lift and the speed at which you drive, you need Icon or Fox shocks to deliver what you're looking for. In my opinion, you're asking waaaaaayyyy to much out of OEM equipment not designed for your truck to begin with.

-jorge

 

[Plannerman]

I agree with SurlyD. The OEM shocks are really not designed for Baja style racing and Icon or Fox would be an appropriate solution. For example:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2yisWk37vUU



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[Martinjmpr]

I don't have any answers but I do have a question: What kind of wheels are those?

 

[jmackie411]

I don't have any answers but I do have a question: What kind of wheels are those?

They are stock 16 hole 16x7 tacoma steelies with a 3/16 plate steel weld on rock ring from total metal innovations in Oregon. Painted rustoleum gloss grey.

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[jmackie411]

I should correct that statement. The rock rings are from tmi offroad. The wheels were sources individually via wrecking yards and eBay.. The 16 hole 16x7 4.5" Backspacing tacoma steelies only came as a spare on 05-12 4wd tacomas.. Or so I believe.. So I had to find those one at a time.


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[jmackie411]

I agree with SurlyD. The OEM shocks are really not designed for Baja style racing and Icon or Fox would be an appropriate solution. For example:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2yisWk37vUU



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Thx for the link. I knew putting this hand me down suspension in that they had their limitations.. I was just surprised how quick the limitations showed themselves.

It should be no surprise though I guess since this 4runner has an oe weight of 500 lbs more than an Fj and this tire and wheel combo is I'm guessing 35 lbs heavier per corner than stock fj rolling stock..

I agree I am asking far too much from end of life span eom parts.. Just wasn't impressed with how poorly they do perform after so many people spoke so highly of the swap..

As for the other questions.. I'm still curious as to the answers.. And I would love to hear some first hand knowledge from someone who went from stock or similar to this setup, to a full blown arms, coil over and reservoir setup..

Also.. Curious if anyone is running power steering coolers on a similar vehicle and it's effects.


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[troyboy162]

Dont forget a roll cage if you intend on going fast. As for the change from gas shocks to offroad shocks, you will go from bucking/bottoming to soaking up/jumping. Its pretty drastic if you tune them at least close for what you want.