Solid axle 4runner and pickup suspension differences

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To get a bit more techy. The reason the rearend on so many 1st gen 4runners sag is because they have the same suspension as the pickup and there is extra weight on the rearend in a 4runner.
 
I didn't know Hell Creek made a kit for the 4Runner. I'm also looking for a kit and haven't decided what way to go. So my nose brought me over to their site to check it out.

Hell Creek lists on their site, that if it says RC next to the part #, it's a Rough Country kit. I did the search for 4Runner, and the part # states RC. I'm going to go with you'll actually be buying a Rough Country kit, not Hell Creek.

This is a copy and paste from the Hell Creek site.

The kits beginning with "RC" are Rough Country kits.

RC-715 Toyota 3" Spring Kit

Just an FYI in case you didn't see that. Some people love their RC kits, others say they ride, well.....Rough. I had a RC kit in my XJ and it was fantastic! Customer service was also fantastic. But they also spent a ton of money improving the Jeep line, better kits, etc. I have no clue about the leaf sprung kits such as ours, my guess is no. If you give it a try, let us know how complete the kit is and what your findings are.

 
I'm glad you took the time to post this up. I hadn't noticed that it was a rough country lift. In that case, I may just buy some ome springs from IPOR, so I can buy local and save on shipping and piece together the rest.

Thanks, I appreciate the extra research.
 
jessnbrianfj40 said:
I'm glad you took the time to post this up. I hadn't noticed that it was a rough country lift. In that case, I may just buy some ome springs from IPOR, so I can buy local and save on shipping and piece together the rest.

Thanks, I appreciate the extra research.
Click to expand...

I was excited to see another company making something for our leaf sprung beasts, then read the fine print! I'm leaning toward OME myself at this point. I know if I buy a kit and it rides really crappy and performs worse, I'll be unhappy and re-doing it again.
 
i have to say, in general a leaf spring suspension, rides crappy, they will not ever ride like a Cadillac, i am not happy with rough country because i ordered the heavy duty springs because i haul fire wood on a trailer, and paid $200 more for them, and they collapsed, there are guys that seen the shackles pretty much resting on my frame. so do not waste your money on them, you will be spending more in the long run to fix it.
 
time for SAS

Hey guys, im new here. But, not a complete newb to the 4x4 scene. ive got a stock 95 4runner on 31's, 3.0/auto, and some major popping in my front axles. from what ive gathered, i can get a 84-85 axle for a little more than reman cv axles, and the cost to put them in, well i could buy trail gears SAS eliminator kit.SO, this leads to me taking sometime to gather a list of parts, and hear from some people about trial and error. I plan on running 33-35's, but i want it to be as low as possible.Im not too concerned with rubbing, ive got a saw :D. so to my questions are. front leaves, i plan on using the rears out of an older pickup, up front, trail gear highsteer kit, frame plates, front hanger kit. as for the rear. Ive heard to use 63's from a chevy. but nobody specify's what year. Could i not use the rear springs off of a tacoma, or earliy pickup for the rear? for a simple DD, weekend warrior, how do you think this will perform? anything you would add, do, or not do?
 
Welcome to mud TNRunner!

If I were you, I would watch craigslist for a set of Toyota CV's that are still in good shape, and then put them in. Get yourself some 33's, crank the torsion bars, maybe a spacer in the rear to level it out, and go wheeling.

A solid axle swap is a huge endeavor, that requires specialized skills to do properly. I've wheeled my 89 IFS 4Runner for the last 6 years with 33's, a Marlin crawler transfer case gear set, and more recently an Electric locking rear diff, and I've had not 1, not 2, not 3, but 0 problems (yes, 0) with the front end. Some people do seem to have trouble with it, but if you pick your battles you will not be breaking the front end on your 4Runner. Unless you are into crazy rock crawling, I would implore you to reconsider. If you can't do the work yourself, and scrounge the parts to make it happen, you're going to be $1500-2500 into doing this swap when it's all said and done...

The bottom line is, the economy is bad, everyone is selling their toys... If you really want a rock crawler, you can buy a built truck for less than you can build it these days....

I hate to be a killjoy, but I'd rather see you having fun and saving money, than cutting up a truck to make it into something that is way overkill for what you want to do with it...

:cheers:
 
100% agree with 2ndgenToyotafan, this is from someone with a SAS.
If you don't get the geometry right when it set up (especially with coil front) will forever be a pig to drive and you just won't enjoy driving it like you should.

I wheeled mine with IFS for years on 33x12.5's and never broke a CV, I did do a 7.5" front C&P but an auto locker getting put in at the same time as the new gears fixed that. Youn will need to modify your driving style after a locker is fitted cause you no longer need heaps of momentum to drive stuff which then reduces the chance of breaking stuff.

The better you drive, the less you will break, unless you are trying stupid stuff.
It still may drive it anyway (and has for me), just expect breakages ;)

HTH.
 
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jessnbrianfj40 said:
I'm glad you took the time to post this up. I hadn't noticed that it was a rough country lift. In that case, I may just buy some ome springs from IPOR, so I can buy local and save on shipping and piece together the rest.

Thanks, I appreciate the extra research.
Click to expand...

I like this idea.
IPOR is an awesome group of people, and they deserve every customer they get. Furthermore, I trust their selection of products far more than buying Rough Country. Just like Toy4XFun said, RC's will collapse on you, generally within a short timeframe. I've read one member's account of a day-of-install spring inversion at the mall on the way home from the shop.

Old Man Emu would be my second choice, though, if you have the money: Alcans, man!
 
As a cruiserhead driving a hilux now, my past experiences tell me OME and Alcan make awesome products. OME is fairly tunable, but Alcan usually needs to be pretty spot (weight, use, needs) on to get right. But when it's right, they're good stuff.
 
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