Rear Leaf Conversion

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derelict

derelict

10 Year 15 Year
Joined
Dec 16, 2010
Threads
46
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517
Location
The Northern of Va.
Hi,

Hope you guys can bare with me. Just bought a 2nd Gen 4Runner and am going to build it up to be my long distance camping and fishing truck. Itll be getting a diesel for the increased range so I have bought one with a blown motor (V6) with the intentions of beginning the build up.

First thing is the suspension. I want to run 255/85s, ~34" tires, so I am looking to run about 4" of lift. Im going to get the SAS kit from All Pro for the front but the rears are coil so I am looking at converting the rear to leaf springs to match the impending front. Ive searched and read about SAS but there isnt much about the conversion of the rear from coil to leaf springs. Is there anything out there that I am missing? There is an All Pro kit for the rear of the 89 and under 4Runner that they say say they use to convert the rear over. Anyone use it?

Thanks.
 
I think you'll find most people want to do the opposite. Go from leaf or IFS/IRS to coil suspension.

Have you considered a coil front to match the rear?
 
I agree 100% with lunyou, but I must ask:

Do you really need to lose the IFS?
That's my biggest question.
IFS has a bad name among the crawling community, but for expeditions, fishing, and hunting, they do just fine. As much as I enjoy the simplicty of a beam axle, I also love not wasting my money on a mod that would buy me no greater advantage in the fields I pursue.
Just something to think about.

Good luck!
 
Is there a kit out there that will allow a "bolt on" sas using coils? I am not rock crawling and never will but the wheeling around here is tight with lots of rocks, roots and mud so I want the IFS gone. The solid axle is more of an ease of maintenance and more clearance thing. Add to it that I hate torsion rods and its got to go. I wouldn't mind having coils in the front but don't need coilovers and 3 or 4 link systems. Springs with radius arms would be much better but I can't find anything like that.
 
My truck has 322,XXX miles on it now... I've owned it for the last 5 1/2 years, and wheeled it pretty hard. It's amazing how many times I've had to fix the front end..... None! Maintenance? Yeah I checked the wheel bearings a few years ago.....

It does not sound like you need an SFA it sounds like you want an SFA, which is fine, but don't knock the IFS as inadequate for your needs, because it's not. :cheers:
 
Direlect, I think your optimum set up might be a long travel IFS. ExtremeToy had a second gen 4runner that was set up this way.

He had a lift in the front and rear but the front IFS was a bit different. His back ground was driving "tough trucks" in races so imagine Baja style wheel travel in the front and you got it. The rise was smooth but there was tons of articulation. It wasn't the best setup for extreme trails because it could bind up And break a transaxle but we bust off across a field at about 50 mph and besides scaring me to death the ride was a pleasure.
 
My opinion is get the diesel swap done first. With the truck lower to the ground it will be much easier to do.
 
DONT do a solid axle swap unless you plan on using your truck on harder trails. If it is only for those weekends that will be camping and hiking than just stay with the IFS and go with a long travel system. And Total chaos and a "few" other do offer coilover IFS conversions so you can ditch the torsion bar if you want. Maybe an easier way to go is buy new torsion bars and invest in some really go shocks that will allow you to play with the shock valving. Shocks will do much much more than you think. I know guys with stock IFS and 35"s that have wheeled some of the Hammer trails like Sun Bonnet and Hells Revenge. So dont think to less of that old IFS. Its better than you think.

I do agree that with a 4" lift if would be better to ditch the factory brackets of the links suspension and go with the leaves. As for the how to, it not any different than an truck that started with leaves. I would suggest you starting with a Truck rear axle as appossed to a 4Runner rear axle so that you dont have to cut all those brackest off.

As for 3link and 4links verses radius arm, dont get me started but if you want PM me and I give you the low down.
 
Derelict, this is the guy to talk to if you're seeking a high-mobility SAS suspension, and I must agree with his statement: unless you're building up a pretty hardcore rig, there are mods out there to improve your IFS without paying the price to remove them. Unless your trails are Rubicon rough, there's no way you could concievably justify the cost of swapping out to a beam axle.
Toyota's got one of the best IFS setups I've seen for both durability and clearance, and despite what folks may say in "web-wheeling", the system isn't all that bad; especially if you're into low-key dailt driving and brush-crashing.

Good luck!

4WheelUnderground said:
DONT do a solid axle swap unless you plan on using your truck on harder trails. If it is only for those weekends that will be camping and hiking than just stay with the IFS and go with a long travel system. And Total chaos and a "few" other do offer coilover IFS conversions so you can ditch the torsion bar if you want. Maybe an easier way to go is buy new torsion bars and invest in some really go shocks that will allow you to play with the shock valving. Shocks will do much much more than you think. I know guys with stock IFS and 35"s that have wheeled some of the Hammer trails like Sun Bonnet and Hells Revenge. So dont think to less of that old IFS. Its better than you think.

I do agree that with a 4" lift if would be better to ditch the factory brackets of the links suspension and go with the leaves. As for the how to, it not any different than an truck that started with leaves. I would suggest you starting with a Truck rear axle as appossed to a 4Runner rear axle so that you dont have to cut all those brackest off.

As for 3link and 4links verses radius arm, dont get me started but if you want PM me and I give you the low down.
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