Install Tutorial: Front 1/2" Cornfed Spacer on KDSS for 1" lift

[Diff Kraken]

This tutorial gives a step by step for installing a 1/2" Cornfed (or other brand) front spacer (aka leveling kit) on a KDSS equipped 5th Gen 4Runner. A 1/2" front spacer will yield a 1" lift due to the geometry of the front suspension.

Rationale:

I consider this 1/2" spacer, 32-33” A/T tires, and a proper skid plate to be essential mods on any 5th Gen 4Runner other than the TRD Pro. The TRD Pro sits 1" higher from the showroom floor, has Nitto Terra A/T tires, and has the more proper OEM TRD skid plate (will not fit a 4R w/KDSS).

Toyota makes a 10mm (0.4") front spacer for the 200 series Land Cruiser (Toyota Part No. 43136-60020), so this type of modification is Toyota approved.

In addition to the front spacer, A/T tires, and proper skid, I also recommend a proper rock slider attached to the frame before heading off the beaten path. Luckily, Toyota offers OEM rock sliders for ~$500 that provide good protection (Toyota Part No. PT228-89191 (left-side), PT228-89190 (right-side)).

So, for around $2,500 you can get a proper setup for trail use (1/2" front spacers ~$50-100, 5 x A/T tires ~$1,000-1,500, front skid plate ~$200-400, rock sliders ~$500-1,000). At that point it might make sense to get a TRD Pro, but you can't get KDSS on the TRD Pro. KDSS acts like an auto disconnect sway bar front and rear. KDSS provides excellent cornering and eliminates nosedive on road, and provides significantly greater articulation off road. For that reason I opted for the 2024 TRD Off Road Premium with KDSS over the TRD Pro. The TRD Pro also costs about $8,000 over what I paid for the TRD Off Road Premium (this may be more or less depending on market conditions).

If you have any questions or comments about the tutorial, feel free to post up.

Spacer for Install:

Cornfed Suspension 5th Gen 4Runner kits

5th generation toyota 4runner lift kit leveling spacer spacers spring bump stop ride

www.cornfedsuspension.com

Tools Required:
- Sockets: 10MM, 12MM, 14MM, 17MM, 19MM, 22MM
- Wrenches: 14MM, 19MM, 22MM (or a high quality adjustable wrench)
- Torque Wrench/es: 47 ft/lbs, 55 ft/lbs, 70 ft/lbs, 118 ft/lbs, 129 ft/lbs
- Breaker bar
- Philips screwdriver - the shorter the better (for aligning KDSS bracket holes)
- Sharpie (to mark alignment cam positions)
- Large zip ties or ratchet strap (to bring the KDSS bracket back to the LCA)
- Jack
- Jack stands
- Wheel chocks
- 21MM tire iron/socket

Instructions (written steps provided by Cornfed and combined with a KDSS lift tutorial from another 4Runner forum- I also added the photos, the zip tie trick, bolt sizes and torque specs):

1. Jack up the front end of the truck and securely fasten it with jack stands and chock the rear wheels. I recommend lifting the whole front end, both sides of the truck off the ground, otherwise the sway bar may make parts of the installation more difficult.
   
2. Once safely on the jack stands, remove front wheels.
3. Remove the front skid plate and mark the alignment cams factory location with a sharpie on both the frame and the alignment cam.
   
4. Remove the two 19MM bolts holding the lower ball joint to the steering knuckle.
   
5. Loosen the 22MM lower control arm alignment cam bolts, front and rear of LCA, to allow the lower control arm to drop down freely.
   
   

 

[Diff Kraken]

6. Now is a good time to remove the 17MM KDSS bracket bolts from the Lower Control Arms (LCAs). Start with the passenger side and then do the driver's side. You can use a jack to push the LCA up to allow the tabs on the bottom of the KDSS bracket to slide off of the LCAs.

7. Once the KDSS brackets are disconnected from the LCAs, place a jack under the outside end of the lower control arm and put a small amount of upward pressure on it.

8. Remove the 3 14MM nuts on the upper strut mounting plate, these will be replaced by the low profile nuts that came with the Cornfed spacer.

9. Lower the jack slowly, allowing the strut to lower and slide out of the upper strut frame mount.

10. If necessary (it wasn't for me), remove the 19MM lower strut bolt and allow the strut to droop down between the control arm and the tie rod.

11. Install the spacer with the 3 holes over the strut top plate.

12. Push the strut and coil back up, and secure the upper strut mount to the frame using the 3 14MM low profile nuts included with your kit at 47 ft/lbs.

13. If you had removed or loosened the lower strut bolt, then lift the lower control arm and re-insert the 19MM lower strut bolt into the strut and the lower control arm mounting point and torque to 70 ft/lbs.

14. Re-install and torque the 19MM lower control arm bolts to the steering knuckle at 118 ft/lbs.

15. Adjust the 22MM alignment cams back to their pre-installation adjustment mark, and tighten to 129 ft/lbs. Front and rear cams on both LCAs = 4 Cams to adjust.

 

[Diff Kraken]

16. Now the fun part- reattaching the KDSS brackets:

• Place a jack under the KDSS piston and slowly raise it up to align the passenger side bracket to the LCA- add a block of wood or something if needed to get extra height from the jack, I used a dead blow hammer. Once you get the bottom bolt hole to line up, loosely install the 17MM lower bolt first.

• Now play around with the jack height to get the passenger side KDSS bracket upper tab to line up as close as possible, then shove a punch or screwdriver into the guide hole and pry the bracket into position and loosely install the 17MM upper bolt.
• (Warning: make very sure you do not cross thread these bolts- it's easy to do- if you do, you'll need M12 x 1.25 helicoil, time sert, or tap and die set, the KDSS bracket bolts are Toyota Part No. 90119-12386)
• Once both bolts are in, tighten them down only enough to leave about a 1/8" gap between the LCA and the bracket.
• Now onto the driver side bracket, you basically repeat the same process by playing around with the jack height and position to align the bracket.
• At this point, the KDSS piston has a natural tendency to tilt outwards to the front of the vehicle making the gap between the bracket and the LCA huge. You can use large zip ties or a ratchet strap to pull the bracket close to the LCA. Use a screwdriver in the guide holes on top of the bracket to further align the bolt holes.

• Once the first bolt is in and loosely threaded on, move onto the second one.
• After you get both bolts in, tighten them down only enough to leave a small gap like the passenger side.
• *Important: Only after the truck has wheels back on the ground, will you torque down the 4 KDSS bracket bolts to 55 ft/lbs.

17. Reinstall the front skid plate.
18. Remount wheels, torque them to 83 ft/lbs.
19. Torque down the 4 17MM KDSS bracket bolts to 55 ft/lbs.
20. Get your alignment checked and aligned if needed.
21. Check your headlight beam height and adjust with a Phillips screwdriver as needed to avoid blinding folks. (*Park 25 ft from a wall. Measure top of headlights on truck and adjust them so that the headlight cutoff on the wall is at that same height. For me that was around 43". The Phillips head adjustment screw on top of the headlight is easily accessed by an access hole above each headlight. Righty tighty, lefty loosey).

Enjoy the added off road performance and improved looks.

 

[Diff Kraken]

Before:

After:

If you have any questions or comments about the tutorial, feel free to post up.

 

[lehiguy]

The issues that arise with spacer lifts (on the front) is that you have moved the entire strut downwards. Problems include exceeding the maximum angle of the upper ball joint and you might create contact between the UCA and the coil when fully extended. The proper spring is the best solution. Barring that, a Bilstein or Eibach strut with selectable spring perch positions is a much better way to go.

 

[Diff Kraken]

The issues that arise with spacer lifts (on the front) is that you have moved the entire strut downwards. Problems include exceeding the maximum angle of the upper ball joint and you might create contact between the UCA and the coil when fully extended. The proper spring is the best solution. Barring that, a Bilstein or Eibach strut with selectable spring perch positions is a much better way to go.

While issues may arise from larger front top hat spacers, there are no known issues from a 0.5" front top hat spacer that yields a 1" front lift. That is why Toyota sells just such a spacer, a 10mm (0.4") front top hat spacer for the 200 series Land Cruiser (Toyota Part No. 43136-60020):

43136-60020 Genuine Toyota SPACER, Front Spring

ToyotaPartsDeal.com offers the great deal for genuine Toyota parts 43136-60020 (4313660020) SPACER, Front Spring for $49.29. All parts are backed by the Toyota's warranty.

www.toyotapartsdeal.com

In fact, with a 0.5" front top hat spacer that yields a 1" front lift, you gain 1" of down travel for greater articulation and, thus, improved suspension performance, as well as an additional 1" of ground clearance. There is really no downside with this size of spacer.

More info and in-depth analysis here:

 

[adamsfly]

That is an excellent write up. Thank you.

 

[1MOA]

That is an excellent write up. Thank you.

I 2nd this and it is a great write up. It should be pinned as a resource.

 

[bruisecruise]

Thinking of doing this same lift, have you checked if the shocks bottom-out before hitting the bump stop?

 

[Diff Kraken]

Thinking of doing this same lift, have you checked if the shocks bottom-out before hitting the bump stop?

They don't have any issues bottoming out - this is still going to be factory spec. This will be the same as the 200 series OEM 10mm top hat spacer - adding an extra inch of ground clearance and an extra inch of droop up front. Toyota approved mod with no downside.

 

[bruisecruise]

They don't have any issues bottoming out - this is pretty much factory spec. This will be the same as the 200 series OEM 10mm top hat spacer - adding an extra inch of ground clearance and an extra inch of droop up front. Toyota approved mod with no downside.

Why would the OEM parts for the 200 series make the argument? The 4Runner doesn't use the same strut or suspension geometry right? Is it like a standard that Toyota will accommodate an extra 1" of strut height or something?

 

[Diff Kraken]

Why would the OEM parts for the 200 series make the argument? The 4Runner doesn't use the same strut or suspension geometry right? Is it like a standard that Toyota will accommodate an extra 1" of strut height or something?

More info and in depth analysis can be found here:

 

[Diff Kraken]

And here...

 

[bruisecruise]

No I already understand what adding a top spacer does to the suspension, I'm a fan of TA and have already watched those videos. However TA works with many different cars and the math for one doesn't apply to all. I just don't understand why referencing the 200 series, which is not the 4Runner, is sufficient to say 'it should be fine'.

Has anyone, after adding the 1/2" top spacer, actually lifted their wheel to see if the shock bottoms out before the bump stop?

 

[Diff Kraken]

No I already understand what adding a top spacer does to the suspension, I'm a fan of TA and have already watched those videos. However TA works with many different cars and the math for one doesn't apply to all. I just don't understand why referencing the 200 series, which is not the 4Runner, is sufficient to say 'it should be fine'.

Has anyone, after adding the 1/2" top spacer, actually lifted their wheel to see if the shock bottoms out before the bump stop?

Yeah, Kai lifted wheels in those videos. As far as arguing if mods to the 200 series are similar enough to apply to mods to the 150 series. Yes, in the case of a 1/2" or 10mm top hat spacer, they are similar enough to be equivalent. Prima Facie.

 

[bruisecruise]

Yeah, Kai lifted wheels in those videos. As far as arguing if mods to the 200 series are similar enough to apply to mods to the 150 series. Yes, in the case of a 1/2" or 10mm top hat spacer, they are similar enough to be equivalent. Prima Facie.

Isn't the 150 series an LC Prado? I.e. a GX in the US and not a 4Runner?

 

[Diff Kraken]

Isn't the 150 series an LC Prado? I.e. a GX in the US and not a 4Runner?

The fifth-generation 4Runner is built on the same platform as the J150 series Land Cruiser Prado/Lexus GX and the FJ Cruiser.

 

[matzell]

I have installed this same 1/2" kit on a 2017 and now my 2023 4runner with no issues. I am not a fan of spacer lifts that get you 3" of lift. I have seen no ill effect of the 1" lift version, but would not go any more. I am a big fan of the Bilstein adjustable strut lift. I have installed several at my shop and they ride and drive great. I am not sure I would compare a 4runner to a 200 series but I understand the comparison.