GX470 Primer for the Ideal Mild-Build for Under $3000 (1 Viewer)

[HomersCanyonero]

@HomersCanyonero @Vlad what if I have the added weight of a roof top tent? What rear springs would I want to go with Bilstein 6112 up front and 5100 shocks in the rear? I don’t want much of a lift, but the RTT weighs 155-175 pounds. Should I get a rear spring that has 2” lift? Will that match for a level stance with the Bilstein 6112 on the first setting? I’ll be towing a 10’ -12’ long trailer to haul metal occasionally also. Hmmm Do I get a HD progressive spring? Toytec any good?

My compressor may have failed last night. I’m going with coils. I bought rear 5100 because I was switching my shocks out before this failure, so now I’m stuck with them. I just bought the MT coil kit, and Bilstein 6112 coil overs in the front. I was going to just get the 4Runner springs from Toyota for $94 each new but then started second guessing myself

I’ve read some people use helper air bags inside rear coils to help when towing. These airbags are different than the stock oem rear airsprings. So, if you sag too low in rear when towing and have coils, look into these helper rear air bags. See air bags removed, what about towing heavy loads?

In terms of the rest of your suspension, plan for all the extra weight you are going to carry like skid plates, bumpers, winch, tire carrier, etc. Otherwise you will be switching to heavier springs as you add weight.

if you are only doing RTT and nothing else, then you are probably good with the icon rear coils you mentioned, but I’ve never used them and have no first hand experience with them.

 

[HomersCanyonero]

$700 bucks for Eibach kit and $750 for 285/70/17 P metric wildpeaks. I am done son!

What’s in the eibach kit for $750?

Never mind. Found the thread Eibach pro-truck lift kit review?

it includes everything except the rear Toyota isolators

 

[Infinity00]

Thanks Homer! Good advise, I saw that thread and others referring to the airbags that fit into the springs. I’ll probably go that route. I wish I could plan for all the other things but if I do that, and I want to at some point it’ll be a couple years from now, so I’ll change out the springs if and when that happens. My experience has been it can happen sooner than you think, but I’d hate to have Hd springs on now without the weight. By the way, one guy I read has his after market bags die with a couple years. I wonder how they are holding up for other people.

I’ll post up how I like the setup when installed. Hoping I can get it done before the weekend campingfishing trip.

 

[Infinity00]

When researching springs yesterday, a guy really liked the Eibach, but said they are back ordered. I went to their site and sure enough, springs weren’t available. Seems like a great deal. I would have tried them for that price for sure.

 

[amongmany]

Figure that resurrecting this thread makes more sense than starting a new one.

Just picked up my GX a couple of weekends ago and I'm trying to get my plans sorted on the suspension side.

My goals are:
- Ditch the air suspension for reliability and capability.
- Upgrade to A/T tires (thinking Falken Wildpeaks)
- Ditch the running boards.

I'm of two mindsets:
1. Stick to stock height with a simple coil conversion and drive it for a while to see what works for me and what doesn't.
2. Go for a mild lift in the 2" or less range with a Stage 1 kit.

Questions:
- I'm inclined to go with choice 1 and see how things work for me before jumping into a full suspension rebuild. If I go with a straight up coil conversion, do I need anything other than say the MetalTech Stage 3 kit? Should I go with the Stage 2 and pick different springs (if so — recommendations?) If there's more to it than that, I quickly get to the point of "Might as well just upgrade everything..."
- Can I run a 255/75/17 with no issues? I believe based on research that I can, but I'd like to confirm. I know a 265/70/17 will fit, so I'll go that route if I need to.

Thanks!

 

[Sixto Lezcano]

Picked up an Eibach lift kit for really cheap this weekend, assembled and shipped. I would just use the airbags for a few months before you bother with conversion kit unless you have leaking airbags. Save some money because I bet you’ll decide to lift by then.

 

[amongmany]

Picked up an Eibach lift kit for really cheap this weekend, assembled and shipped. I would just use the airbags for a few months before you bother with conversion kit unless you have leaking airbags. Save some money because I bet you’ll decide to lift by then.

That's also a possibility. What I want to avoid though is getting new tires and no lift, then needing to replace the tires again down the line post-lift.
Where did you find the Eibach kit for cheap @Sixto Lezcano?

 

[subspd]

255/80/17 will fit with trimming on no lift. So 255/75 certainly will fit without a lift.

 

[WaterGeo]

Figure that resurrecting this thread makes more sense than starting a new one.

Just picked up my GX a couple of weekends ago and I'm trying to get my plans sorted on the suspension side.

My goals are:
- Ditch the air suspension for reliability and capability.
- Upgrade to A/T tires (thinking Falken Wildpeaks)
- Ditch the running boards.

I'm of two mindsets:
1. Stick to stock height with a simple coil conversion and drive it for a while to see what works for me and what doesn't.
2. Go for a mild lift in the 2" or less range with a Stage 1 kit.

Questions:
- I'm inclined to go with choice 1 and see how things work for me before jumping into a full suspension rebuild. If I go with a straight up coil conversion, do I need anything other than say the MetalTech Stage 3 kit? Should I go with the Stage 2 and pick different springs (if so — recommendations?) If there's more to it than that, I quickly get to the point of "Might as well just upgrade everything..."
- Can I run a 255/75/17 with no issues? I believe based on research that I can, but I'd like to confirm. I know a 265/70/17 will fit, so I'll go that route if I need to.

Thanks!

I just installed 255/75r17 KO2 C-rated tires on my GX and they fit like a glove. Slight rubbing that was fixed by dialing back the caster a few degrees. Most importantly, I could not have fit a larger tire in the spare spot, I have maybe .5" of play in the spare spot anymore.

 

[chiz45]

My goals are:
- Ditch the air suspension for reliability and capability.
- Upgrade to A/T tires (thinking Falken Wildpeaks)
- Ditch the running boards.

I'm of two mindsets:
1. Stick to stock height with a simple coil conversion and drive it for a while to see what works for me and what doesn't.
2. Go for a mild lift in the 2" or less range with a Stage 1 kit.

I originally went with 5100s and stock springs and the SSO rear conversion with all of the inserts. That gave me 2.5" up front and 1" in the rear. I ran 255/80s with moving the fender liner forward and trimming the lower corner of the front bumper. Spare would not fit for me. I switched to 265/70-17 Wildpeaks and all 5 fit, with the spare about 1" clearance.

I just swapped out to an Eibach kit, which includes a puck to convert your airbag rear to a coil seat. This saves you $$ on the SSO, MT, or Dobs conversions. I also added an SPC UCA to not have to worry about alignment issues. Keep in mind that kits under $1000 seem to be pretty hard to come by these days.

 

[amongmany]

Edit: Just ordered my "starter kit" of Eibach Pro lift & Freedom offroad UCA's. Seems like this is about as "budget" as it gets (esp. since the Eibach kit includes the airbag conversion parts) but it should be fine for my needs for the time being.

===
I missed the deal on the Eibach kit a few weeks back (wasn't quite ready to pull the trigger). Anyone seen any discounts lately?

Thinking about pairing the basic Eibach kit with Freedom Offroad UCA's and Moog isolators (way cheaper than the Toyota ones, but I could spring for those if necessary). This would come out to ~$1200 total (or ~$1375 with the Toyota isolators).

It's basically down to either this or the Ironman Nitro Stage 2, but that kit comes out to $1300 + the conversion kit at another ~250-300 for a total ~$1550.

 

[nijat12]

I got the Eibach kit and my car does not level. The front is about 1/4-3/8 inch lower than rear. Eibach said it could happen because the car is old and these aren't adjustable (they have preset height rivets and that's it). I would recommend getting an adjustable one.

 

[HomersCanyonero]

That rake is normal and that’s how it was fresh off the factory.

if you want to level, you could Add weight to the rear to lower.

But I agree that the best option is to get height adjustable fronts

 

[staffaction]

Unfortunately, the suspension is the most difficult component to replace and satisfy your personal needs (like the weight you carry, the desired height of the lift, the softness or stiffness of the ride, the price, the brand, etc.).


Some key factors in the suspension components include the diameter of the shocks (2.0" vs 2.5"), the desired lift (say 2.0", 2.5", or 3.0"), the length of the shocks (standard or long/extended), and the spring rate (linear, variable/progressive, heavy load, etc).


Keep in mind that most low-cost options use the 2.0" diameter shocks which are considered not as good as the 2.5" diameter shocks. The difference is that the 2.5" diameter shocks have more fluid to prevent shock fade in serious washboard roads or long desert runs. They also have beefier lower legs (shafts) that make the shocks more sturdy.


Also, rear variable rate springs are considered better than single rate springs because they provide a better ride when lightly loaded and when fully loaded. Most people have reported great results with variable rate rear springs over single rate springs.


Here are some low-cost suspension options to consider. Again, the brands used in this table are to show options in these estimated price ranges. You can always use your favorite brands. Assuming no extra weight in the front or rear (no bumpers, winches, tire carriers, RTT, etc.). Consult with your favorite vendor to confirm the lift heights, part numbers, prices, etc.

You just got your GX470 and want to do a mild build to improve looks and off-road capability. You want to stand out over the mall cruisers and soccer moms, but want to keep costs under control. This primer doesn't consider any other repairs or basic maintenance your GX470 needs.


First, lets take a look at the wheels, tires, and rocks sliders to start your ideal mild-build and keep costs down. The brands specified here are just examples of what you can get for those estimated prices as of 4/2018. You can always use your favorite brands and remember that prices continue to change over time.




So far, you have only spent about $1650 (or less if you got cheaper tires and skipped the rock sliders), but you have no lift and you really want a lift.


Unfortunately, the suspension is the most difficult component to replace and satisfy your personal needs (like the weight you carry, the desired height of the lift, the softness or stiffness of the ride, the price, the brand, etc.).


Some key factors in the suspension components include the diameter of the shocks (2.0" vs 2.5"), the desired lift (say 2.0", 2.5", or 3.0"), the length of the shocks (standard or long/extended), and the spring rate (linear, variable/progressive, heavy load, etc).


Keep in mind that most low-cost options use the 2.0" diameter shocks which are considered not as good as the 2.5" diameter shocks. The difference is that the 2.5" diameter shocks have more fluid to prevent shock fade in serious washboard roads or long desert runs. They also have beefier lower legs (shafts) that make the shocks more sturdy.


Also, rear variable rate springs are considered better than single rate springs because they provide a better ride when lightly loaded and when fully loaded. Most people have reported great results with variable rate rear springs over single rate springs.


Here are some low-cost suspension options to consider. Again, the brands used in this table are to show options in these estimated price ranges. You can always use your favorite brands. Assuming no extra weight in the front or rear (no bumpers, winches, tire carriers, RTT, etc.). Consult with your favorite vendor to confirm the lift heights, part numbers, prices, etc.

This is so helpful.

what do you think is an idea suspension / lift if we want to keep the ability to tow? ...not that we would tow on every trip, but we do like to go OR and anticipate doing so with and without a trailer sometimes.

desired height: 2" if possible.
weight: not sure how to quantify - camping trips with family in AZ and UT.
Comfort / ability to change mode electrically - tradeoff we are willing to make.

 

[HomersCanyonero]

I rarely tow anything, so I’m not an expert on towing.

However, there’s a thread documenting the use of helper air bags inside the coil springs to prevent heavy sagging in the rear due to towing or heavy loads.

See SouthernSS – Combo Spring and Air Bag Setup - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/southernss-combo-spring-and-air-bag-setup.1023555/

I have these rear coils with the MT conversion kit:

Dobinson C59-675V - Variable rate comfort option, stock rear weight, 2.5" lift 470mm/18.503”, 16mm wire, 157-230LB variable.

The 2.5” lift is when empty, but quickly becomes a 2” lift with a little weight like luggage for 4 for a weekend trip to condo in the summer. Lowers too much when I add supplies to the cooler and have 4 people....probably down to 1.75” lift in the rear.

So, helper air bags would help if I ever load up too much gear.

 

[NCgamecock]

I'm in the midst of deciding on exactly what setup I want for my GX, so this is all super useful information!
Has anyone used All Dogs Off Road's kit, which has proprietary springs & Bilstein 5100s? I'm looking at Dobinsons & OME, but was hoping to get some feedback on these guys.

Alldogs Offroad Complete Lift Kit w/ Bilstein 5100's for Toyota 120 Series

www.alldogsoffroad.com

Thanks in advance!

 

[HomersCanyonero]

I'm in the midst of deciding on exactly what setup I want for my GX, so this is all super useful information!
Has anyone used All Dogs Off Road's kit, which has proprietary springs & Bilstein 5100s? I'm looking at Dobinsons & OME, but was hoping to get some feedback on these guys.

Alldogs Offroad Complete Lift Kit w/ Bilstein 5100's for Toyota 120 Series

www.alldogsoffroad.com

Thanks in advance!

Did you pull the trigger on the All Dogs suspension?

 

[Mrpinortiner]

I'm in the midst of deciding on exactly what setup I want for my GX, so this is all super useful information!
Has anyone used All Dogs Off Road's kit, which has proprietary springs & Bilstein 5100s? I'm looking at Dobinsons & OME, but was hoping to get some feedback on these guys.

Alldogs Offroad Complete Lift Kit w/ Bilstein 5100's for Toyota 120 Series

www.alldogsoffroad.com

Thanks in advance!

Been running All Dogs medium kit w/5100s and SPC uca's for a year now, great option.

 

[DRANGED]

Any idea the springs' rates?

 

[HomersCanyonero]

Been running All Dogs medium kit w/5100s and SPC uca's for a year now, great option.View attachment 2648104

Any details like hub to fender before and after? What circlip you are on? Added weight? Ride quality? You know...the drill down if you have the info.