LJ78 rear suspension??

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T

Tebo

10 Year 15 Year
Joined
Jan 31, 2008
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10
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Hey Fellas...
So I just have a quick question...
What would be the best way to stiffen up the rear end of the Prado?? I pull a small trailer on a fairly regular basis in town with tools and wood. I know, I know, BE CAREFUL... and I am, but it dosent seem to take much weight at all to make the rear end sag quite a bit. In fact if you put 6 people in their to cruise down to hockey game, that'll make it sag as well.
So, do you find heavier shocks or heavier coils? whats a good price? etc.
I am sure this is a pretty simple question but hey, no harm in asking!:cheers:

T
 
shocks do not help in sag, they are desined to take the bounce out of the ride... and that is all.

you might consider coil over shocks (although i do not recommend it)

i would say a dobbinson lift will help a lot, talk to Micheal at westcost cruisers.

air shocks might help but again that is a bandaid.

sorry.
 
Hey,
Thanks for the help, so new coils, not necessarily shocks (unless them come in a kit I guess)
Did the KZJ coils help quite a bit - you wouldnt happen to have the part number for those? Or do I just look for 'KZJ long wheelbase coils'?
I was also recommended an old man emu kit - but thats a bit pricey... (shocks and coils) - any thoughts on this or a cheaper version of the same to recomend??

Thanks again!
 
What I did

I had the same problem. This was my cheap solution.

Put a spacer at the top and space the coil down just over 1 inch and then put in an inexpensive air bag. Not to hard to do but a little work. The spacer can be what ever you find but this was a flexable rubber from a bumper off a loading dock.

I know that it is not as pretty as everyone likes but it is functional and made a great improvement.

Daniel
20081021 Toyota air bags (4).webp
20081021 Toyota air bags.webp
 
I went the OME way, it was a bit pricy ($1000.00 Cdn.) but fixed the problem with a noticebly better off road ride. The only regret was I should have gone with a heavy spring in the rear, instead of the medium. When she's all loaded up on the weekend (camping gear,family and 140 pound dog) the rears sags, I would rather deal with a rougher ride of the heavy when empty.

That said I like the idea of the air bags,

Dberwin - for what make were the air bags you used?


Joel.
 
Tebo said:
Hey,
Thanks for the help, so new coils, not necessarily shocks (unless them come in a kit I guess)
Did the KZJ coils help quite a bit - you wouldnt happen to have the part number for those? Or do I just look for 'KZJ long wheelbase coils'?
I was also recommended an old man emu kit - but thats a bit pricey... (shocks and coils) - any thoughts on this or a cheaper version of the same to recomend??

Thanks again!
Click to expand...

Its not so much the KZJ coils,but coils made after a certiain date became 50 mm?? longer in the light duty series,
Others have used 80 series landcruiser springs also,although they can be as little harsh. Well used ones might give a good ride in the lighter LJ78.

Dobinsons make a good spring for these also
 
If you're on a budget heavy duty Bundera coils will fit. I bought a set for $125 (king springs) for the back with a 30mm lift. Solved my sag. Of course you will need slightly longer shocks as the stock ones won't cope with that little bit extra height.
Front Bundera coils don't fit without cutting off the bottom and fitting a spacer on top as the bottom seat is different to the LJ Prado.
 
I am also interested in buying some air lifts for my LJ78. They look quite easy to install but I had a couple of questions... Why was it you put the spacer in the spring? Was it to help lift the back? Was it to make the air bags fit better? How did you arrive at #60792 as the part number? I can't find them for a LJ78 anywhere and since I am in the Philippines it is really expensive if I order the wrong parts. Also, mine has a 50mm lift, does that affect the part numbers? Thanks so much for the great idea. It seems like an important add on for these things as the back is pretty saggy when they're loaded down.
 
The air lifts are easy to install. I put the spacer in to add one inch lift and as a top for the air bag to rest on. The part number was from ordering the incorrect one and then talking to another owner who had found the number by contacting the company and telling them his spring size. If the lift is done as my spacer it would not change the air bag but if the lift is a longer spring it would need a different air bag or a spacer to make up the 50 mm inside of the spring.

Hope this helps. They work good and make a good ride empty and loaded.
 
Airlift Airbags for Prado's

Hey Daniel, Glad the bags worked out for you! :) I'm very happy with the ride as you say empty and loaded.
For anybody else interested in this inexpensive mod to elminate the bottoming out on your squishy LJ78, :frown: along with the bags and spacers dberwin mentioned I also installed Airlifts compressor kit to inflate/deflate on the run. It has a pressure switch which will ensure you always have a minumum pressure (adjustable) in the bags so as not to damage them. The pressure gage and inflate/deflate controls mounted nicely just above the "AT temp" warning light under the dash. I put the compressor just forward and above the jack mount behind the LR side panel. You can't tell it's there until it comes on. I also put a tee in the output line with plans to use this for blowing up flats or whatever. (It will supply 100 psi) To complete this I will put in a simple isolating switch and valve.
As dberwin said don't get the bags that are listed for an LC. I went through that process and had to give them the coils inside dimensions to end up with that P/N.
I think dberwin removed the coils to install the bags (correct me if I'm wrong Daniel) I just stuffed them through the side of the coil with the the truck fully jacked. For fitting the spacers, taking the coils out is probably the easier way. We put the inflate stems down but you could put them up and this may keep them out of harms way better during hardcore wheelin. Just a thought.:idea:
This is one more way to help enjoy your 78. Outside the 2LTE it's a kick ass little ride. I'm just coming up to 100,000 K's on the new head and she's running fine. Better not speak too loud.:doh: (eh Wayne?)

:cheers:
 
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NEVER say "damn, this truck has never run better"...
glad yours is still putting along. i agree, other than the engine the LJ78 is a VERY nice ride. (esp with Dobbinsion (sp?) springs)
 
Great! Thanks for the advice. I do know that I have longer springs, so I went ahead and called Air Lift and they came up with an appropriate part number for my dimensions. They had me measure it with the vehicle level, empty and sitting on the ground. Mine measured 10" x 5" and they had PN# 60807 that measured 10"x4.9" and they thought it would work perfect. Thanks again for the info, I am looking forward to being able to keep the back end from sagging. I am going to be hauling a lot of stuff into jungle locations, and coming out empty so it is good to be able to adjust them. I also had a set of Rancho 9000XL shocks put on that will let me keep the suspension softer and livelier on the long gravel roads and help limit my body-roll on the trails. I hope this set up will work well for what I'm using it for. I'd love to have a heavier duty cruiser for this stuff, but this one seems a good compromise because it is a daily driver and used on paved roads a lot as well as tropical trails.
 
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