Hey guys! New GX owner here. Just ordered a Dobinsons 3” kit with Freedom Offroad UCAs for my GX and realized I forgot to add an airbag delete kit to the package. Any suggestions for cost/value? Anything that won’t work with my kit that I should know about? Thanks!
Airbag Conversion Kits
- Thread starter masonlittle7
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The Icon 56110 kit is the nicest made and best executed, and doesn't add additional height on the axle perch side like the Dobinsons kit does. Then just buy your upper coil isolators (aka cone bumps 48302-35040) from ebay overseas, I paid $120 shipped for the pair from UAE.
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What’s your opinion on diff drop kits? I’ve seen a lot of mixed advice about whether they really are a necessity or not. I’m leaning towards ordering one since I’m going to be on 3” of lift.
Personally, I think they are mostly worthless. Even if you lower the front diff mounts by 1" like most diff drops do, the diff itself only lowers 1/4" where the CV joints are. So a 3" lift + 1" diff drop has the same CV angle as a 2.75" lift.
Then you're also changing the oiling of the pinion bearings in the diff with the gear oil moving to the front of the diff, and our GXs are AWD with the front pinion always spinning. Not to mention if someone doesn't account for the new oil level needed due to an angled diff and inadvertently underfilled the diff like most people do.
Long story short... No. Deal with the CV joint consequences of a lifted rig and skip the diff drop. If you want the same effect as a 1" diff drop, just lower your front suspension by 1/4".
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That is by far the most helpful response to that I’ve ever seen. Thank you so much!
No problem! Always trying to spread the tech info where I can.
I believe the Metal Tech and Apache conversion kits both also don't add any additional lift if you're looking for options or running into stock issues
Correct... With a caveat.
The MetalTech, Icon, and Apache kits all include a polyurethane lower spring isolator so the spring sits on the axle perch properly. Can't run a spring on a GX axle without it. But the coil spring axle housings from a 4runner/FJ Cruiser don't need these, and the spring sits a bit lower on the housing. And then they all have the option to also run the upper "cone bump" / spring isolator / secondary spring which adds some height above the spring.
It's been advertised that these coil conversions on a GX all add about 0.5" of lift height to whatever the spring states for a 4runner/FJ Cruiser.
The question I've been trying to find the answer to is: what setting on the rear suspension is considered "stock" when I see this advertised? I am getting ready to switch over to 5100s and the spring conversion, but am not 100% sure I'd be ordering the right springs for the rear. I would like to raise the front by about 1.75" and have it sit pretty level, which I think should put it below the max airbag height. Am I missing something simple?
They seem to base it off the "normal" setting (or is it "neutral"? It's the "N" middle setting).
But, it all seems to depend on the spring you use. I have Bilstein 0.9" FJ Cruiser springs on the Icon conversion, with OEM upper isolators, and it's pretty much exactly 1" taller than the stock "N" setting.
Also, the "N" setting can be changed by adjusting the sensors so your baseline may be different........
Got it, thanks. Sounds like I should stop trying to get it exactly right and just install the new stuff then I can make adjustments after everything settles if I don't like it.
Yeah, with the weight difference between 4runners/FJC/GX470 on top of the coil conversions the rear spring height isn't an exact science. I'm going to install my Firestone bags to add a little more support and fine tune the height, but mainly I'm just letting the rear sit where it sits and adjusting the front coilovers to level the truck.
