lifted: OME N72F shock + Fj80 spring, some pics

[ih8seals]

94 3.0V6 5spd, 31/10.5/15 tires.


front shocks: Rancho 5145 was installed by the PO.

before the rear lift

after FJ80 springs and OME shocks, note: the job was done by a local shop, not really know much about 4x4 sh!t. i feel really sorry about letting them did it. here is why.

issues:

#1) too much lift than what i wantted. i was thinking about bringing the rear to level with this setup, 2 inches maximum. but what i got is 4 inches. so now i have to have the front lifted a bit. maybe i'd go with SDORI's BJ spacers.

#2) the truck just look weird after the rear lift. it drives good and runs very straight. it took me 3 days till this morning to figure out why. looks like the body shifted a little bit after the springs and shocks were put in.

take a look at the passenger side:

this is the left side:

sway bar links

my question is:

thanks.

 

[amgraham]

I've not done much with coil suspension but it would make sense to me that with that much lift you may need to adjust the trackbar somehow. That may be what is pulling the axle over. I would get some pics from underneath of the axle and suspension and make sure that nothing is bent or loose. Also, as far as the lift amount you might want to give it a little while to settle before you make any decisions on front lift (unless they are used springs.. then you're probably close to where it's gonna settle to).

If you do have to bring it up in the front the BJ spacers are a good option. If you really don't want that lift then it really isn't that hard to swap the rear coils out for something that will sit right. Actually, that would probably be cheaper than messing with the front suspension anyway.

 

[silversup]

You just got me worried. I am gonna recheck mines. I am running all OME though.

 

[ih8seals]

the springs were off a 94 LC rear, i've heard these will lift the 4Runner about 2 inches. i parked at the same spot messured the distance from the ground to the edge of the flare, before was 34" now is 38". driver side is about 1/2" higher than the passenger side. the longer spring did go on the driver side.

i'll take it back to the shop on saturday, put it on the jack see how the wheels line up without load.

 

[cruiserbent]

from what i've read here & yotatech the cruiser coils are good for 3 inches.I have OME coils on order.should be 1.5-2 inches according to th guys at ARB.i order directly from them thru the dealer i wrk at.I have the same shocks as you in the rear.front OME also i don't remember the number.will post before & after when done.amgraham from what i've read is correct,you can't go that high without adjusting the panhard ber to keep the rear end in line.ck out yotatech.com,those guys are more 4runner oriented

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

I thought the taller spring was for the pass side where the gas tank is?....

Just get a spacer for the drivers side wheel!

 

[Marc P]

It shifted because the axle is being pulled by the panhard bar. I run the same springs with an adjustable panhard bar, adjustable upper links, and a drop bracket.

 

[ih8seals]

I thought the taller spring was for the pass side where the gas tank is?....

Just get a spacer for the drivers side wheel!

on that part, i PM'd CruiserDan here is his reply:

"In the case of the 80, the longer spring goes on the left-hand or US driver's side."

 

[Marc P]

I bought 2 sets and used both of the long coils...then sold the short set to another guy.

 

[Tools R Us]

the springs were off a 94 LC rear, i've heard these will lift the 4Runner about 2 inches. i parked at the same spot messured the distance from the ground to the edge of the flare, before was 34" now is 38". driver side is about 1/2" higher than the passenger side. the longer spring did go on the driver side.

i'll take it back to the shop on saturday, put it on the jack see how the wheels line up without load.

The 80 springs lift between 3 & 4", with the earlier ones providing more lift and late ones less, the LX springs are the softest, least lift. The lean can be reduced by setting the right front torsion bar slightly tighter, and/or adding a 10mm OME packer spacer to the right rear spring.

A buddy has been running my LX springs and BJ spacers on his '90 4runner for a couple of years, very happy with it.

 

[ih8seals]

update for this morning:

I called Steve at Sonoran Steel, very nice guy, by the way. he recommended the Pro Comp traction bar bracket, therefore i can keep the factory traction bar. unforturently, Sonoran Steel does not make adjustable traction bars for 2nd gen. 4Runners.

what do you guys think abou this? $32.99 at Summit Racing.

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=EXP-91-1268&view=1&N=700+400145+4294806857

 

[Tools R Us]

The proper term is track or panhard bar, hopefully they just used the wrong term in their description, the bracket looks right. If Steve said that's the right one it probably is.

I prefer to raise the axle end, it raises the roll center, but I am not aware of a bolt-on bracket. IMHO lowering the frame side is better than a longer bar, by making the bar more level with the ground the side to side movement of the axle is reduced.

 

[slosurfer]

on that part, i PM'd CruiserDan here is his reply:

"In the case of the 80, the longer spring goes on the left-hand or US driver's side."

Good to know, but you weren't putting them on a 80. I have the long side on the passenger side because there is usually more weight there with the gas tank being on that side.

4crawler has a good panhard drop bracket that works well with the cruiser coils. I would go with his over the summit racing one.

You might want to check and see but your shocks may be too short to allow full articulation in the rear. I think they are normally used for 2" of lift.

The link in my sig has info on my setup.

 

[ih8seals]

Good to know, but you weren't putting them on a 80. I have the long side on the passenger side because there is usually more weight there with the gas tank being on that side.

4crawler has a good panhard drop bracket that works well with the cruiser coils. I would go with his over the summit racing one.

You might want to check and see but your shocks may be too short to allow full articulation in the rear. I think they are normally used for 2" of lift.

The link in my sig has info on my setup.

Let's see, the 4Runner tank capacity is mere less than15 gal, gasoline is roughly 6 pounds/gal. a full tank weights 90 pounds, give it a little extra let's say 100 pounds. that's the extra weight on the passenger side. and that's the maximum weight, most of the time it's not running with a full tank. on the driver side, my weight is 190 pounds, sadly, i'm always 190 pounds.


as for the drop bracket, from the pictures on both websites, i believe they are the same one made by Pro Comp. Summit Racing doesn't make the bracket for sure. i don't know if 4Crawler makes their own.
Summit sells it $33+$10 S&H mounting kit included. 4Crawler the same kit is $53 + S&H + Tax(in-state purchase).

 

[slosurfer]

Let's see, the 4Runner tank capacity is mere less than15 gal, gasoline is roughly 6 pounds/gal. a full tank weights 90 pounds, give it a little extra let's say 100 pounds. that's the extra weight on the passenger side. and that's the maximum weight, most of the time it's not running with a full tank. on the driver side, my weight is 190 pounds, sadly, i'm always 190 pounds.

True, but you sit in the front and the tank is in the rear. I put my longer one on the tank side and the difference between sides ended up only being 1/4 in. +


as for the drop bracket, from the pictures on both websites, i believe they are the same one made by Pro Comp. Summit Racing doesn't make the bracket for sure. i don't know if 4Crawler makes their own.
Summit sells it $33+$10 S&H mounting kit included. 4Crawler the same kit is $53 + S&H + Tax(in-state purchase).

4Crawler makes his own and it is longer than the procrap one and will therefore work better with the cruiser coil lift. It will work better to reposition the axle and will keep the driveshaft off the gas tank skid under articulation better than the shorter procomp.

I am not just guessing when I tell you this stuff, I have been running this setup for quite awhile and did a ton or research on it before I did it.

 

[ih8seals]

cool, it's good hear from guys like you who have first hand info. thanks.

i'll check the amount of the lift tomorrow. i have taken pictures on the vehicle hight before the lift. i was told the Pro Comp is designed for 4".

i do have a question, should i wait couple weeks till the springs are settled down? even these springs were from a 94 LC, but they have been sitting in garage for years after they were pulled out. or, it doesn't matter.

 

[slosurfer]

cool, it's good hear from guys like you who have first hand info. thanks.

i'll check the amount of the lift tomorrow. i have taken pictures on the vehicle hight before the lift. i was told the Pro Comp is designed for 4".

i do have a question, should i wait couple weeks till the springs are settled down? even these springs were from a 94 LC, but they have been sitting in garage for years after they were pulled out. or, it doesn't matter.

I wouldn't worry about waiting. They may settle some, but I doubt they are going to settle a huge amount.

 

[ih8seals]

ok, here comes more pictures and numbers:

bottom of the rear after lift, i didn't take picture of before lift:

before the lift, driver side:

after lift, driver side:

will a 4" drop bracket be enough?



thanks.

 

[slosurfer]

LOL, took me a second to figure out what was up with your tape measure. A 4" drop bracket should work just fine. I originally got 4.5" and 4.75" of lift and the drop bracket works pretty good.

It kind of looks like your shocks are almost fully extended. It will be interesting to see how much down travel you will get.

 

[knixen]

Because the coils are so long they will not only push the axle down but also forward. This changes wheel articulation and makes the handling worse. I think the pro-comp 4" kit has some parts to help prevent this. The panhard-rod adapter works, but not enough. It works excellent with up to 2" lift, but after that the panhard rod is to short. (If anyone now where to buy longer, I neeeeeeed one!!!). And also the four-link bars becomes a bit to short. The coil alignement gets offset and makes the coil "lean" forward.

The panhard-adapter I would buy anyway, it makes the car better than original. But in your case, if you arent planning on wheeling it much. I would trade the coils in for something shorter.

It is cheaper and much less work...