Hey all - want to start by saying thanks for all the posts here over the years. Super helpful at every breakdown and mod crisis along the way and couldn't have been nearly as confident tackling things without this community. Hats off.
Finally did the airbag delete after replacing what I thought were leaky bags (or a leaky bag) and a scavenged reservoir, only to find neither were the culprits causing both bags to slowly leak down overnight. So I pulled them. Here's some detail:
1) I was (and still am) running the bilsten 5100 adjustables up front on OE springs. Set to the first perch they're just under an inch of lift. Added a small $20 transfer case (or diff - I don't remember) drop to keep angles same as original. Did that at 165k and still going strong at 190. At the same time I did the Bilstein rears + airbag trick with six washers to bring the back end up about a half-inch, which took the rake out of the ride. I also run +1 tires on it. Loved it - I don't wheel anything but dirt roads and snow. The height, handling (etc) was great. Here's a link to the lift I originally did. NO complaints other than the air system finally dying on me - we packed the truck way heavy and drove all the way down to Cabo san Lucas one Christmas, towed a bunch and it worked great through it all. But it didn't last. Here's a video of the lift I originally did with all the parts and install info:
2) So, I ordered the adjustable airbag delete kit (perches and isolators) from Ironman. These the *adjustable* perches that screw into each other, so you have a safe 1" or so of adjustment (height, or lean if you have lean, etc). I don't have KDSS so lean was not a factor for me. Also ordered Metaltech's Super Spring (15% extra tension over Toyota OE 4Runner/FJ springs - designed for the weight of the GX's badonkadonk). Got those in stock height, unsure of how much lift the Ironman delete perches would add to 'stock height' springs - and no one could give me an answer. Easy install and we added about 1/2" lift from fully-bottomed on the perches to get 1/8" rake back into the truck front to back - again with the front end up about 1" on the 5100s.
Side-note: I also ordered some 20mm coil spacers from Ironman in case it all ended up too low and didn't need them - with the perches screwed back down some 10mm spacers would have worked just fine. Might add them in if the springs settle, rather than go more than 1/2" on the perch adjustment.
3) Added Firestone Coil-Rite bags inside the coils (W237604135) and plumbed air lines out to the rear bumper - for towing/loading heavy.
4) Pulled the three fuses (one under dash, two in the engine bay - all ID'd if you search here)
Turned out (IMO) perfect. Photos:
Adjustable perch
Terrible angle but drivers' side air mount
The only dilemma I'm struggling with now: sliders or no? I want them, but the rig has 190k miles on her. Did the big tune again at 180k and had to do the SAIS (and also did starter same time) this winter - so 250k is a no-brainer. But beyond that? Dunno - the new Landcruisers look pretty sweet - and I'm keeping my fingers crossed the lower price on those drop the (currently insane) used car prices for the last of the V8-powered GX460s when I'm looking in 2025/6...
Finally did the airbag delete after replacing what I thought were leaky bags (or a leaky bag) and a scavenged reservoir, only to find neither were the culprits causing both bags to slowly leak down overnight. So I pulled them. Here's some detail:
1) I was (and still am) running the bilsten 5100 adjustables up front on OE springs. Set to the first perch they're just under an inch of lift. Added a small $20 transfer case (or diff - I don't remember) drop to keep angles same as original. Did that at 165k and still going strong at 190. At the same time I did the Bilstein rears + airbag trick with six washers to bring the back end up about a half-inch, which took the rake out of the ride. I also run +1 tires on it. Loved it - I don't wheel anything but dirt roads and snow. The height, handling (etc) was great. Here's a link to the lift I originally did. NO complaints other than the air system finally dying on me - we packed the truck way heavy and drove all the way down to Cabo san Lucas one Christmas, towed a bunch and it worked great through it all. But it didn't last. Here's a video of the lift I originally did with all the parts and install info:
2) So, I ordered the adjustable airbag delete kit (perches and isolators) from Ironman. These the *adjustable* perches that screw into each other, so you have a safe 1" or so of adjustment (height, or lean if you have lean, etc). I don't have KDSS so lean was not a factor for me. Also ordered Metaltech's Super Spring (15% extra tension over Toyota OE 4Runner/FJ springs - designed for the weight of the GX's badonkadonk). Got those in stock height, unsure of how much lift the Ironman delete perches would add to 'stock height' springs - and no one could give me an answer. Easy install and we added about 1/2" lift from fully-bottomed on the perches to get 1/8" rake back into the truck front to back - again with the front end up about 1" on the 5100s.
Side-note: I also ordered some 20mm coil spacers from Ironman in case it all ended up too low and didn't need them - with the perches screwed back down some 10mm spacers would have worked just fine. Might add them in if the springs settle, rather than go more than 1/2" on the perch adjustment.
3) Added Firestone Coil-Rite bags inside the coils (W237604135) and plumbed air lines out to the rear bumper - for towing/loading heavy.
4) Pulled the three fuses (one under dash, two in the engine bay - all ID'd if you search here)
Turned out (IMO) perfect. Photos:
Adjustable perch
Terrible angle but drivers' side air mount
The only dilemma I'm struggling with now: sliders or no? I want them, but the rig has 190k miles on her. Did the big tune again at 180k and had to do the SAIS (and also did starter same time) this winter - so 250k is a no-brainer. But beyond that? Dunno - the new Landcruisers look pretty sweet - and I'm keeping my fingers crossed the lower price on those drop the (currently insane) used car prices for the last of the V8-powered GX460s when I'm looking in 2025/6...
