Builds 2004 4runner mild build

[Senor Aguas]

I picked up a '04 Sport V8 last Fall and after bouncing around off road and hanging up on the skid plates, i've decided to do a few things to it. I hope to get it all installed this weekend. No huge plans, just light wheeling. Pics to follow!

Sway A Way 2.5 suspension (coilovers) - (bought used on eBay for $550!)
Light Racing upper control arms
EBC drilled slotted rotors and yellowstuff pads
255/75R17 Goodyear SilentArmor all terrains

Might paint the factory sport wheels black or dark gray (they have some corrosion anyway).

 

[Senor Aguas]

A couple details.. It's got XREAS which I'll be removing. Also the Sway A Ways came with some new spherical bushings--the previous owner said they squeaked and was planning to replace them. I hope that's where the squeak was coming from...

 

[SouthernSS]

yeah.....I told my wife our GX was only going to be a mild build too......

 

[Senor Aguas]

It's under way! Just replaced the little spherical bearings and measured my before height.

 

[Senor Aguas]

Before height

 

[SouthernSS]

Very nice

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using IH8MUD

 

[Senor Aguas]

Half way done with front. No big issues so far.

 

[Senor Aguas]

Well, I've got the front done and I ran into a couple issues:

1. These new coilover's interfere with the sway bar, so I removed it.
2. I measured the height and it looks like I gained 3.5 inches! That's too much! I'd rather be at about 2.5, but I don't have a spanner wrench. I need to adjust it before I get an alignment. Need to find a spanner wrench soon!
3. Broke a lug stud while putting my wheels back on. I was even using a torque wrench..it just never got tight and snapped off. Arghh. I don't feel like messing with it, so I'll probably pay to have it replaced.

Also, I stabbed myself in the face with a pair of needle nose pliers.

 

[SouthernSS]

Nah man, dont pay to have a stud replaced. Super easy diy. The only tricky part, if you dont have an impact wrench, is finding a way to wedge the hub from spinning. Since we're all time 4wd, it will eventually bind on the drivetrain, but you dont want to put that stress on your cv shafts and such.

I used a large flat head screwdriver on two opposite lugs of the one I was replacing as a stop. It worked pretty well. You can actually use these exact studs he mentions here in this diy. I know because I used an extra IS350 stud on our GX when this happened to us.

heres a diy

http://www.clublexus.com/forums/gs-...33-diy-wheels-stud-replacement-with-pics.html


Interesting that your coilovers interfere with the sway bar. What model did you purchase them for? the 4runner?

If you decide you'd rather have your sway, I know for a fact that the 2.0 Radflo coils dont have any problems in the GX. We're a distributor for them so give me a shout and I'll hook you up.

 

[Senor Aguas]

Thanks, but I just don't know if I'm going to have the wrenching time to do it. I'm driving it across the country to CO in a week and my next 7 days are ridiculously busy. I'm ok driving it like this for a little while, but not across the country.

I thought I noticed that there's not room to slide the stud in from behind, so I figured I'd have to take the hub apart. I guess there's a way to get the stud in from behind? In that case, I may attempt it on my 1 free evening this week. I'll spend all my free time tomorrow putting in the rear springs and shocks and the diff drop bracket.

The spanner wrench is another thing I have to get figured out quickly. I can't get my alignment and tires installed until I get my ride height where I want it. Then again, I suppose I could get it aligned first. Dropping it an inch wouldn't make that much difference.. Hmm..

 

[Senor Aguas]

Well I got the rear springs and shocks installed. I had to cut the top nuts off with a sawsall. I gained 3 inches in the rear with 1.5 inch springs. I'm wondering if my sport edition had a lower ride height? Or maybe I had sagging springs?

 

[Senor Aguas]

Can anybody give me a hub to fender flare height (front and rear) so I can compare? I've seen some ground to fender heights but that's too reliant on tire size.

 

[Senor Aguas]

Can anyone give me a hub to fender height (front and rear) so I can compare? I really don't want to be over 3 inches!

 

[Senor Aguas]

Got my tires installed and the alignment done. I had my caster almost perfect at 3 degrees but my toe was way out and my right camber too.