Builds DRANGED's GX470 build/ownership thread (10 Viewers)

[DRANGED]

I didn't see it listed, what LCAs did you go with?

I need to do Lower and uppers on my 04 with existing 2.5" eibach lift...

@Augustiron
There are no aftermarket LCAs for GX with KDSS, so I went with mylparts.com
Here are direct links for LexusPartsNow.com and PartSouq.com

(updated earlier post with location, prices and PNs as appropriate.)

48069-60020 - Lexus Parts Now

www.lexuspartsnow.com

https://partsouq.com/en/search/all?q=4806960020&qty=1

I ended up ordering Delphi UCAs from rockauto (Moog was similarly priced), I did not go with the $30 uber cheapies.
There's a whole thread devoted to the $180ish SPC-like Mevotech adjustable UCAs (using SPC bearing) elsewhere in mud.... Currently they only have the Right in stock... so I didn't pull that trigger.

 

[DRANGED]

Instructions.....meh . No vice, no impact? No fun! You'd really love how I disassemble struts....lay them on the ground, pointing away from me, and zip off the top nut with my M18 impact, then watch the spring and shock shoot across the garage floor . Learned that trick from watching a guy at a salvage yard work.

HAHA *That's how my buddy did Subaru struts, I wouldn't hazard that on a Yota truck strut!

But in all seriousness, if you were to clamp down on the truck body, yes it would destroy it. There are other places you can more easily hold them.


TBH, after thinking about it some more, I may have never used the compressors on a truck spring. Just multiple Subie springs and other passenger car springs. My GX had prebuilt front coils, so did my buddy's Tundra. Either way, never had a problem with them and I'd use them again.

Yeah I wouldn't use those on these truck coils, too much slop. But yeah they're totally adequate for Subies!!

 

[Augustiron]

Copy, thx.
No kdss here, just a lot of different opinions from research on what is the best bang/$ LCA (and UCA)
There are the OEM puri$t$ I sometimes agree with, but those are big $

 

[DRANGED]

I know you didn’t include the 6112s, but they are 2.6” thick and the bottom rod is way beefier than on the 5100.

I had a picture of someone measuring it with a caliper like you did on the 5100.

Edit: Found the pictures for comparison purposes…

View attachment 3781745

View attachment 3781746

View attachment 3781747

this is good and I appreciate this addition.

I did some digging, there are other sources suggesting the 5100 adds like an inch of travel over stock, and trying to find comparison extended and compressed lengths this is the best I could do comparing the 6112 to 5100.
your pic above shows the 6112's lower perch is closer to the lower mounting point, maybe this accounts for different spring heights (flat top and bottom for 6112, Oae for 5100), as well as an overall shorter shock body of the 6112 vs 5100.

*EDIT*
-Caveat- my pix; 6112 appears to be an older design w/o ride height adjustability, AND spec'd for a 4th gen 4R. BUT this was the only source I could fins showing extended and compressed lengths for an applicable 6112.
6112: Bilstein 6112 Shock - 4th Gen 4Runner - 0-2.5" - Front Shock - Pair - Slee Off Road - https://sleeoffroad.com/products/47-309975/

5100: Bilstein 24-324359 Front 5100 Series Strut - Exit Offroad - https://exitoffroad.com/product/bilstein-24-324359-front-5100-series-strut/

 

[HomersCanyonero]

this is good and I appreciate this addition.

I did some digging, there are other sources suggesting the 5100 adds like an inch of travel over stock, and trying to find comparison extended and compressed lengths this is the best I could do comparing the 6112 to 5100.
your pic above shows the 6112's lower perch is closer to the lower mounting point, but this doesn't account for spring heights (potentially different ?)

6112: Bilstein 6112 Shock - 4th Gen 4Runner - 0-2.5" - Front Shock - Pair - Slee Off Road - https://sleeoffroad.com/products/47-309975/
View attachment 3785536

5100: Bilstein 24-324359 Front 5100 Series Strut - Exit Offroad - https://exitoffroad.com/product/bilstein-24-324359-front-5100-series-strut/
View attachment 3785540

Those compressed and extended lengths on the 6112 don’t make sense to me.

I was under the impression that the 6112s and the 5100 both get you 1.2” of extra droop because they are like 0.6” longer than stock.

It was a video by tinkerers adventure where he discovered the extra length of the 5100s and another location where I saw the 6112s were the same length as the 5100s

 

[HomersCanyonero]

In this video, at minute 6:35 the 5100 and 6112 are held next to each other fully extended and look to be the same length.

 

[DRANGED]

In this video, at minute 6:35 the 5100 and 6112 are held next to each other fully extended and look to be the same length.

13:06 RE: 6112, it's an OE length shock, not extended travel.

 

[HomersCanyonero]

13:06 RE: 6112, it's an OE length shock, not extended travel.

That’s what he says in words, but if the shocks are the same length…and the 6112s have a longer rod and more travel, then how can they actually be not extended as the 5100s?

How do you measure if the shock is extended or not? I think he was reading the marketing materials from bilstein and tinkerers adventure says most companies were not advertising extended travel even though they were extended travel.

Anyways, I did the cross travel index articulation like tinkerers adventure and I got close to 24” articulation and that’s good for me.

 

[DRANGED]

That’s what he says in words, but if the shocks are the same length…and the 6112s have a longer rod and more travel, then how can they actually be not extended as the 5100s?

How do you measure if the shock is extended or not? I think he was reading the marketing materials from bilstein and tinkerers adventure says most companies were not advertising extended travel even though they were extended travel.

Anyways, I did the cross travel index articulation like tinkerers adventure and I got close to 24” articulation and that’s good for me.

the 6112 also has the floating piston stuff inside which takes up travel space in the body...so if same length they'd have to have less travel b/c of the floating piston design WHICH is what gives it the superior ride quality on DD as well as fast hits/G-outs, slow wheeling and mile-moderate use.

I watched the TA videos, I love his content!! That was one source describing the added travel of the 5100, and the Bilstein marketing info is unsurprisingly vague. THIS is the problem I have with all this stuff (TA aside), it's nearly impossible to find objective rote information not led by marketing...!
I did a corner travel index metric out here during jeep safari one year. I'd like to try that again with the 5100s on tundy springs w/o my bump stop spacers (employed when using the strut top levelers).

 

[HomersCanyonero]

the 6112 also has the floating piston stuff inside which takes up travel space in the body...so if same length they'd have to have less travel b/c of the floating piston design WHICH is what gives it the superior ride quality on DD as well as fast hits/G-outs, slow wheeling and mile-moderate use.

I watched the TA videos, I love his content!! That was one source describing the added travel of the 5100, and the Bilstein marketing info is unsurprisingly vague. THIS is the problem I have with all this stuff (TA aside), it's nearly impossible to find objective rote information not led by marketing...!
I did a corner travel index metric out here during jeep safari one year. I'd like to try that again with the 5100s on tundy springs w/o my bump stop spacers (employed when using the strut top levelers).

I removed my front sway and added a HD Nolathane rear sway bar.

This change is what got me the better cross travel index articulation. Not sure that the extended or non extended fronts add much.

Also, I have a rear long travel…but the key is the sway bar changes

 

[HomersCanyonero]

I also asked copilot to find the info and quote the source documents from bilstein…but it says it can’t find it at bilstein and is using information from seller web sites

Even with the floating piston inside, the 6112 has more travel by just looking at the compressed length and the extended length.

Copilot provides numbers way different than what you found.

 

[DRANGED]

Ha, nice!

I appreciate sway deletes increase cross corner articulation with given shock/strut travel (esp front, and may increase using a stiffer rear), but this suggests mad droop from the 6112.
I don't consider myself a luddite but AI isn't quite there for me yet with regard to accuracy. Its right Bilstein doesn't list 6112 lengths as it does the 5100, and various 'reputable' YT reviews agree the 6112 is BadAz...
There's no question there. It also looks like the lower spring perch is located differently on the shock body (related to different coil springs mounted from 5100-6112 (stock vs aftermarket).

Anyhoo, that's neat info if it is accurate, and if 6112s were in the budget there's a great chance that'd've been my route.

Until then I need to return a UCA I received today as I got two lefts. DOH!!

there goes ANOTHER week!!!

 

[DRANGED]

purported full droop clearance of loosely fitted 5100s, tundy springs, Delphi OE UCAs

 

[DRANGED]

I also asked copilot to find the info and quote the source documents from bilstein…but it says it can’t find it at bilstein and is using information from seller web sites

Even with the floating piston inside, the 6112 has more travel by just looking at the compressed length and the extended length.

Copilot provides numbers way different than what you found.

not gunna lie. AI searches are intriguing. . . .but just not quite reliable.

I tried a few Gemini searches which returned conflicting or inaccurate info.

 

[HomersCanyonero]

not gunna lie. AI searches are intriguing. . . .but just not quite reliable.

I tried a few Gemini searches which returned conflicting or inaccurate info.

Right…I couldn’t find specific info on the 6112 either.

And you gotta get what works for you.

 

[DRANGED]

Email reply from Mudify (Bilstein lifts seller)... Seems the 6112 specs just aren't out there they way the 5100s are published.

(Name removed)

 

[HomersCanyonero]

Email reply from Modify (Bilstein lifts seller)... Seems the 6112 specs just aren't out there they way the 5100s are published.

(Name removed)

View attachment 3791877

It’s frustrating not to be able to get the specs.

A shop that assembles them should be able to measure them by compressing them and extending them. At minimum get the travel distance.

I could have done that when I disassembled them to move the circlip up for a higher lift.

 

[DRANGED]

Well... isn't that special!

while bit by bit buttoning up the front end and fixing to top off the front diff fluid I noticed my driver side engine mount was missing both bolts! Hmm...

I'll throw some JIS10.9 M10x1.25 30mms in there! blue loctite I s'pose!

 

[HomersCanyonero]

Well... isn't that special!
View attachment 3794246

while bit by bit buttoning up the front end and fixing to top off the front diff fluid I noticed my driver side engine mount was missing both bolts! Hmm...
View attachment 3794247View attachment 3794248

I'll throw some JIS10.9 M10x1.25 30mms in there! blue loctite I s'pose!

Is this a recent issue after you replaced your exhaust manifolds/headers?

 

[DRANGED]

Is this a recent issue after you replaced your exhaust manifolds/headers?

UGH, yeah I can only assume not torqued down and the nuts backed off. Hope that mount's not ruined...

The header job was 2 years ago.

If the bolts drop in from the top at least they'd stay in even if the nut backed off...