Need expert advice for a 94 pickup project (1 Viewer)

[just2hunt]

I hope there is a genuine expert on this year of truck. 1994 v6 4x4 toyota ext cab pickup. I chase lions and bears with hounds and cover ruff country fast. I sold a 97 coil over jeep that would fly through ruff washboard, washed out roads like a buggy. Needed to haul more hounds and so here I am with a toyota pickup that happens to have torsion bar IFS! No real options under 3K (total chaos) I can find to smooth out this covered wagon type of ride. Anyone have any options, other than gutting the front end to put coil overs, (might as well buy another truck in my opinion). This thing 4 wheels like a goat, better than the jeep. I would just like to smooth it out as much as I can. Keep the back suspension from hitting like rock also, and find some more comfortable seats!

I am sure that someone out there has done it:

Suspension?
Seats?

Any help and advice is much appreciated....I am already getting the buy a newer year with coil over advice from everyone, but before I dump it and buy another I figured I would as someone on this forum first!

Thanks

 

[4rnr]

I hope there is a genuine expert on this year of truck. 1994 v6 4x4 toyota ext cab pickup. I chase lions and bears with hounds and cover ruff country fast. I sold a 97 coil over jeep that would fly through ruff washboard, washed out roads like a buggy. Needed to haul more hounds and so here I am with a toyota pickup that happens to have torsion bar IFS! No real options under 3K (total chaos) I can find to smooth out this covered wagon type of ride. Anyone have any options, other than gutting the front end to put coil overs, (might as well buy another truck in my opinion). This thing 4 wheels like a goat, better than the jeep. I would just like to smooth it out as much as I can. Keep the back suspension from hitting like rock also, and find some more comfortable seats!

I am sure that someone out there has done it:

Suspension?
Seats?

Any help and advice is much appreciated....I am already getting the buy a newer year with coil over advice from everyone, but before I dump it and buy another I figured I would as someone on this forum first!

Thanks

Ummmm, I wish I could say you can make that thing eat up bumps like a solid axle coil over'ed rig (like your Jeep)....but I can't, since the TC setup is out of the question.

Did you put C/O's under your Jeep for less than $3000?!?!

Yes you would be better off with the later Taco platform. Better Suspension out of the box and much better drive train options!! I'm assuming you aren't trying to take on 1-2 ft whoops at 30+ mph.... Therefore, I suspect some better coil overs/struts, maybe even some air bumps , and you should be good to go.

Just to see where you are coming from....you might want to post up a pic of the Jeep.

 

[just2hunt]

I traded the jeep for the toyota so I could have a truck bed for hauling hounds.....nope I have not done coil overs for under 3K, I will sell this toyota and buy another before I do that. I am trying to go over wash outs about a foot deep at 30, but can't do it without a back adjustment! The jeep was able to but the toyota can't. I am looking for options like the coil over strut you mentioned. Where can I get a coil over shock like that? I aired down the tires and it did smooth it out some, but with a coil over strut and some different seats I may be able to live with it. Many thanks for your reply!

The jeep was a 97 tj with coil overs and good seats, but its a goner because its hard to carry a dog box in a tj. I have to go with a truck, but just need to get it to ride the best I can.

 

[mookie]

get a FJ80!

 

[just2hunt]

I am going to either go with a different year of toyota or back to a jeep....carrying less dogs with me. I am going to go look at a TJ today. A shame they dont stay together like a toyota though...

There is apparently no way to smooth this d....m truck up. I am not rock crawling just hauling tail on bumpy roads, mud, and snow.

independent suspension is on almost every military vehicle on the planet, with coil overs though. It is those blank blank torsion bars that are messing everything up.

 

[bustanutley]

Its not the torsion bars, they are just springs, however, the stock front ends aren't capable of that much travel. You could get some nice rebuild-able smooth body shocks all around and spend some time tuning them.

 

[4rnr]

The 95.5+ Toyota Tacoma comes with coil overs or struts or whatever. And will be a better place to start....Though if you will likely pay more than 3k extra to go from a 94 pick up to a taco, but its worth the extra money.

But I have to say....This isn't really a "toyota can't, jeep can" thing, if the Jeep had thousands of dollars in links and coil overs, and the Toyota is a stock IFS with 2" of up travel!

 

[just2hunt]

Thanks for the advice I appreciate it. This truck is a 4wd beast, I love it in the 2ft mud I am out in. I can't get rid of it after riding it in the mud. The jeep was a straight axle coil over, just had a better ride. The toyota is what I need, just looking for an easy fix for the ride, I may look for a taco

 

[4rnr]

Well the "easy fix" is some good shocks (tuneables would be ideal) and some low-pro bump stops...and go from there. Maybe some 25 or 26mm torsion bars and crank a little lift into it...or lift with a ball joint spacer.

 

[just2hunt]

Thanks for the advice I am looking into it

 

[joedierte]

If you get upper ball joint spacers and loosen the tbars a little then use a good quality shock it will be much softer. Then remove the rear overload leaf and use a longer shackle. Poor mans prerunner

 

[lancruzah]

blazeland is a cheaper(than Total chaos) long travel setup with coilover option.

 

[just2hunt]

Wow that blazeland set up is cool....thanks for that option. I have not done anything but drive it yet. That looks like it would smooth out my ride for sure... I like running the roads fast, but would not be doing any crawling...just hauling a.....

 

[just2hunt]

Has anyone done the entire blazer set up minus shock hoops with all the parts, including the ones not supplied? Wondering about total cost for the set up...

 

[CruisinFJ60]

if the Jeep had thousands of dollars in links and coil overs, and the Toyota is a stock IFS with 2" of up travel!

I think he is calling the factory coil springs in the TJ coilovers.

 

[4rnr]

I think he is calling the factory coil springs in the TJ coilovers.

I suspect something isn't as it seems. If he had/setup a proper c/o set up in the past, this thread wouldn't exist.

 

[just2hunt]

No there must be a misunderstanding, I do not have a coil over set up. I am merely looking for a way to smooth out the IFS on the front of a 94 toyota 4x4 extended cab. I had a jeep with coil spring suspension that was way smooth but traded it for this pickup. I was looking at options on improving the ride of this toyota pickup. I have gotten some pretty good options from this forum on how to improve the ride. That is why the thread exists. Smooth out the ride on rough roads is all I was looking for on a IFS suspension. So far this weekend I spent in muddy roads and the truck is a goat it actually smooths out a bit with 500lbs of mud on it, sags in the back with a dog box loaded with dogs, but goes everywhere! I am really taking a liking to the truck and believe it will work. I am considering looking into some good shocks, the best I can buy. Balljoint spacers and a add a leaf or /air bag for the rear seem like the quickest options.

 

[CruisinFJ60]

solid front axle swap would help a little its simple and cheap. but a basic install would leave you on leafs still but would improve travel at least.

 

[just2hunt]

Thanks Joedierte

Joedierte, gotta thank you for the advice. I am half way there and man did it make such a huge difference in the ride by just doing half of what you suggested. I modified some longer shackles, bent to match, and drilled holes to accept the original shackle bolts. I also installed a helper spring, I am carrying some weight. I used some shocks from a lift kit I had for an old cherokee 74, had to drill out the rubber bushings, but man it rides great now.

I have not done the front upper ball joint spacers (yet), the truck appears pretty level. Will the spacers soften up the ride or will some good shocks in the front be just as beneficial?

Anyways I wanted to thank you for the advice!

If you get upper ball joint spacers and loosen the tbars a little then use a good quality shock it will be much softer. Then remove the rear overload leaf and use a longer shackle. Poor mans prerunner

 

[just2hunt]

Pictures

Hope this works but here are a few pictures of the rig after the modifications.