AshenCrow

New to these parts. I'm also new to truck suspension as I've worked on only cars my entire adult life. Here is what I just bought:

1990 4WD 4Runner sitting on almost bald 265/70/16's with the torsion bars cranked up in the front, we are guessing 2 inches of lift. The rear has a little bit of sag but not much surprisingly. The front sway bar links are completely busted. One is gone completely and the other isn't doing anything; I am not even sure how the link is staying in the control arm. Both inner CV joints are torn and will not pass VA inspection.

I would really like to get my sway bar hooked back up. I don't need the extra travel and know it will help with handling. I would like to relax the T-bars at least a little and do ball joint spacers in the front. The BJ spacer kit I am looking at ( http://www.ebay.com/itm/Toyota-IFS-Pickup-4Runner-2-5-Front-Lift-Kit-4WD-/270441652053?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Year%3A1993%7CMake%3AToyota&hash=item3ef7941f55&vxp=mtr#ht_2789wt_1091 ) linked from another member also has a diff drop to relax my CV joints. No point in replacing them if I'm just going to tear them again. I am about to buy new tires, probably 32-33". I know they will fit but I figured I'd throw that out there. I might also get coil spring spacers (open to recommendations!) for the rear if my wallet allows. I was planning on Rancho shocks but we'll see what's best in the price department. The shocks aren't bad now but they are a bit worn. I am planning on doing an alignment after I have completed all of this.

Does this all sound fine and dandy? My steering feels a little bit weird, but I can't tell if it's from driving a lifted truck for the first time or if it's the T-bars. Shouldn't relaxing them help?

Also: Every sway bar link I can find for the 4WD seems to be the wrong shape. They're L-shaped. It seems like they would have to be a straight bolt (the one remaining one is), but the only ones at the parts store and on Rock Auto (linked below) that are straight like a bolt are listed for RWD. What gives?

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/x,ca...,parttype,7580

My runner was manufactured in 7/89 if that makes a difference. Thanks guys!

a51young

You could probably find the link for the sway bar at a junk yard.

That kit looks like a real good price. I had a much harder time than expected getting my diff drop in, the holes didn't want to line up easily.

I put in longer (ome) coils in my rear and like them. I'm not a big fan of coil spacers.

I've got a 90 4runner as well

KirkPayne

That's sounds really good, I'm from va too, what part you from?

a51young

The MOOG Part # K80565 looks right

93Xtra-Cab

That's the same kit I have on my truck. It's a good idea to loosen the t-bars back to stock when installing this. The diff drop and a set of Aisin hubs will definitely help the CV tearing situation. As for the front sway bar, I'd leave it off. I took mine off and haven't noticed that much of a difference. But it's all personal preference. Just make sure you leave the rear one on.

AshenCrow

I'd really like new higher quality chassis components, I'm still used to the handling of my WRX, haha!

Winchester, right at the top

Actually it looks exactly like the "L-shaped" pieces that I was saying look wrong. Now that the rain has stopped I'll go snap a picture and show you guys what I'm talking about. Maybe I'm retarded.

EDIT: Pictures attached. First passenger, then driver side. You can see the driver's side still has the link in it somehow.

KirkPayne

I'm closer to richmond

a51young

The pic I posted was from my front, an L shape, that's how it connects to the anti sway bar

oldblue

if you're not gonna go wheeling a lot, i'd keep the sway bar. i hate the way my truck drive without it, leans hard going around corners. can't wait to get new links for mine and put it back on.

AshenCrow

I believe you, but I don't understand how it reaches down. I have no frame of reference for what it should look like once hooked up. I attached pictures to my last post, and it looks like I need a rod that goes straight down... but that can't be right evidently.

Anyone have a picture of their 4WD end link as it sits on the truck? That would probably help me, I feel like an idiot.

***Okay, I did some furious google image searching for 4R sway bar links and I didn't find any clear pictures, but from what I can tell the long vertical shaft of the "L" link should go up through the sway bar, and the horizontal short part that pivots should go through my control arm horizontally. Is this correct? If you look at my second attached picture above, it looks like the link should go through the control arm vertically... This is starting to make sense.***

***Note to above*** Not really making sense. That's the opposite of what the FSM says now that I've got it downloaded.

a51young

dude, that is pretty weird looking. I don't know how your 'good' one is attached

from the fsm
http://web.archive.org/web/201008152...s/stabiliz.pdf

AshenCrow

My crappy tethered internet just finished downloading the factory service manual. I attached a pic of what I found. The sway bar in the service manual has a HORIZONTAL hole. Mine has a VERTICAL hole. WTF?

Do you understand my confusion now? Should I just buy some generic energy suspension links or RWD links and shove them in there? I mean, with how it works as a giant torsion spring it should hurt anything, right?

EDIT: a51young, it looks like you found the same thing. Weird, isn't it?

AshenCrow

Okay, I am still not sure what's going on with my sway bar setup. I guess it's possible that it is aftermarket, but I don't see anything to indicate that. Maybe it has something to do with the manufacture date (7/89) and crossing from first to second generation.

What I do know is that it is set up like a 2WD but it is and has always been 4WD. Pictures included to show what remained of the sway bar link on the driver's side.

I ended up ordering energy suspension links with 2 7/8" (A) bushing, which is the middle metal spacer. The original measured 3". Should I go up to 3 1/4" because of the lift on the truck? Would using a slightly smaller spacer cause more stress and a more probable failure? I can still cancel my order and get the bigger one, but 3 1/4" is the next smallest size.

a51young

That is definitely odd. I didn't think there was a difference with the sway bar between 4 and 2 wheel drive on the 2nd gen

AshenCrow

It is odd, isn't it? This page
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/x,ca...,parttype,7580
Pretty clearly shows what I was talking about. All of the RWD sway bar links are straight bolts, and the 4WD are L-shaped links with a ball joint at the end. I ordered a set of these:
http://www.energysuspensionparts.com...sp?prod=9.8117
but I can't remember the exact part number for the length I got.

Again, I must ask, should I adjust tighter or looser on my end links? Is it just preference? I can't find a lot of info about it. I'm going to do more research.

AshenCrow

Follow up: installed energy suspension end links with 2 7/8" metal spacer and they work fantastically. The car drives completely differently on the road. It is incredible how flat it stays now. Did a small offroad test and I don't think I'll have any problems with them.

Again, for future reference, part number is 9.8118R. 9.8118 is the same part with black bushings. These work very well for just having the torsion bars cranked, and should work just as well with a BJ spacer kit and the torsion bars relaxed halfway.

a51young

Nice! glad you got it worked out.

AshenCrow

Yeah. I am still confused about how it is set up like a 2WD. Weird...

Thank you for your input while figuring it out!

AshenCrow

Just an update:
Had to drop the trans pan for a solenoid replacement yesterday and subsequently also had to remove the front sway/stabilizer bar completely.

For future reference: To put these end links on properly, finger tighten them on, then load the front suspension with weight and torque to 14 ft-lbs.

My girlfriend drove my 4R for the first time yesterday and was amazed at how stable and flat it stayed. =)