chuckd

I have some 1.5" cornfeds. A local shop wants $350 to install them. I say screw that. I'm not sure I could do the front properly. What I want to know is how much could I get a 2" or so suspension lift for, and what kind. I'm thinking I might sell the cornfeds. I don't know. Just thinking.

Fink

I'll probably end up going with the 4" from ProComp. The only other ones offered are from Tough Country and Superlift. I was just corrected on this by Flygtenstein...I'm pretty ignorant when it comes to this stuff

Let us know how it goes!

Fink

Dr. Zhivago

Unless you buy coilovers, you will have to either use a spring compressor to install new springs and shocks in the front of your truck, or pay someone else to do it. If you buy coilovers, you can install them with simple hand tools.

Coilovers = $650 at the minimum for Sway-A-Way coilovers and $950 at the top end for Donahoe Racing coilovers. King coilovers fall in the middle at around $800. Shipping charges apply in all cases. Downey also makes a coilover for our trucks and they're now $599 a pair. I just remembered this.

For the rear, you will need either OME Springs and shocks, at about $250 or Downey Springs w/ Bilstein Shocks @ $360 or so plus shipping.

Coilovers are definitely the way to go for ride quality and performance, both on and off road. The difference between the two options I listed for the rear boils down to mainly price. The ride quality of the two is virtually identical. The OME shocks do allow a bit more articulation than the Bilsteins.

With the above setups, you can get 2.5" of lift. You can also get a complete OME lift, with springs and shocks for around $600, but you'll have to use a spring compressor to install the front setup. And, you may even need to buy an additional 1" Cornfed spacer for the front to level out the truck.

Of course, if you want to go with just spacers, Revtek and Cornfed make kits. But again, with spacers, you have to use a spring compressor to install the front springs.

So, there's some ballpark figures to answer your question.

Here is a page with a ton of useful information on the subject of lifts for our trucks. http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/4Runner/tech/suspension/

Here's a page detailing how to install spacers in the front of our trucks: http://fastq.com/~sschaefer/front.html

Hope this helps.
G

chuckd

Awesome info, just what I needed, thanks alot. I think tonight I may have found someone to help me put on my Cornfeds once and for all. The real deal suspension lift may have to wait awile until I am not poor, ie out of school, and the factory stuff starts to suck (I'm getting the recall work done next week.) I just hope I don't F--k it up doing the spacers.
But thanks again for the numbers

Dr. Zhivago

If you are getting the recall done, wait until that is finished before doing the spacer lift. The dealership will not like it very much if you have a lift on your truck and take it in for the recall. They probably won't touch it, actually. So wait till it's done.

Good luck.
G

Dan_90SR5

Hey, I'll be moving back to that area in 2 weeks and have a set of good spring compressors. I could help you do it if you want to wait that long. I've done a few lift kits before.....never on a third generation 4Runner, but can't be any harder than replacing a set of struts on a car.

So keep that in mind. I already have the compressors and have experience with that kind of stuff and would be happy to help you out.

Also, this part is for everyone. Eibach sells ERS springs that you can get in just about any diameter, length and spring rate. If I has a third generation 4Runner, that is what I'd look into for doing a lift. With these springs you can make your truck have any type of ride you choose.

Here is the link:
http://www.livermoreperformance.com/...chor-Coi-14100

I am personally thinking about going this route on my second generation 4Runner in the rear. It's in TN right now so I'll have to wait till I get back to measure them, but it opens up huge options as far as ride quality.

-Dan

Dr. Zhivago

The thing with the Eibach springs (and they have an application for the rear of the 2nd Gen 4Runners), is that you would have get a set custom made for the front of the 3rd Gens. The springs aren't a typical coilover or strut spring with both ends flattened out. They have a "tang" on the bottom that fits into the lower spring seat and keeps it from rotating. Same for the rears for that matter.

My .02
G

Dan_90SR5

I'm aware of the rear springs for the second generation 4Runners, still good info for someone that might not have known that. I'm personally not found of kit type springs because like I said I like to have more control of my suspension. I'm use to and quite fond of the custom coil-overs on my Celica and want the same custom type set-up on my 4Runner.

So with that said, I'm aware of the tang as you have describe it (Not sure how I would describe it so we'll go with that). There are two ways around that.

1. Cut the last part of the spring so that you have an uneven end when finished. This would not be my choice for the solution on my own personal truck, but an option. I have friends with older hot rods that have gone this route with good results. Again, not my style.

2. This is how I did my Celica. Cut the perch off. Get some coil-over sleeves that will fit over the shock body. Weld a new flat perch on. Slide the sleeve on......new spring of your desired height and rate. I have another idea for the shock portion but would need shock in hand and 4Runner to make sure it would work.

No offense to anyone on this board because I have seen alot of custom stuff on here, but get creative. I have been shot down on ideas in the past from people just for those ideas to become reality later. I could go into countless ideas that have to do with my Celica, but no need.

Anyway, I'm currently working on one for all of those with 3VZ-E engines. I should be done with that in about a month or two. I was told by a friend that is a Master Toyota Tech. that it can't be done, so we'll see on this one. Hopefully it will all work out and I can post a write-up on when finished.

-Dan

chuckd

Dan, that would be awesome. My friends keep bailing out on me. Lazy bastards. I can wait awhile, and I am going to do the recall thing first anyway. let me know when you get here and we can get this done. thanks for the offer

Dr. Zhivago

I wasn't shooting you down Dan. I was just pointing out that in order to do as you suggested, custom work was involved. I've been around here long enough to know that most people who frequent these boards aren't willing to do that stuff or are capable of it. Your original post made it sound like these springs were available off-the-shelf.

I think you know as well as I do that if it were all that easy, a LOT more people would have custom front coilovers on their 3rd Gen 4Runners. Believe it or not, it has been suggested before and no-one is very interested in building their own, with a few exceptions. I've contemplated the idea myself, but didn't want to chance the idea of building something that sucked and lose a lot of money in the process doing it. And, since no fewer than 4 companies offer coilovers for our trucks, most people tend to go with one of them... including myself.

Good luck with your ventures!

Peace.
G

Dan_90SR5

I apologize. I didn't mean for it to sound like you were shooting my idea down. And I understand where you're coming from with fabrication. Not alot of people have the skill/experience and maybe even confidence to do that kind of work.

I was talking about Celica owners that use to shoot down my ideas. There is really no aftermarket support for older Celica and you have to live with stock or fabricate.

I'm going to look into a custom fabricated rear end on my '90 4Runner (down the road a bit......not something that's going to happen overnight) and maybe I'll be able to post about that at some point.

Right now I'm hoping to finish up my engine project and open some eyes to the 3VZ engine.

-Dan

Dan_90SR5

I'll be up there no later than the 1st of March. I think that I'm going to be busy the faollowing weekend, but I can do it during the week or the next weekend.

-Dan

Dr. Zhivago

It's all good, Dan.

I'm interested in seeing what you come up, even though I don't own a 2nd Gen. I'm sure that a lot of people are gonna benefit from your ideas and research.

Peace.
G

X-AWDriver

What's the max lift you can do with the stock replacement Bilsteins? I waslooking at the Cornfed spacers and trying to decide if I'd like the 2.5" lift. If I'm doing only a 1 inch I'd just do a set of 1 inch lift springs but...

Dr. Zhivago

You can go to 2.5" with the Bilsteins, but you lose droop unless you use the RevTek top out spacers. Then you can get the Cornfed 2" spacer and use the RevTek top out spacer to give you the 2.5" of lift and still maintain some droop capability. Plus, it should ride a bit softer.

That'd be what I would do if I was going to go the spacer route with Bilsteins.

My .02
G

Dan_90SR5

I have a question. Since the 3rd generation 4Runners came with coil-overs (non-height adjustable, but still coil-overs), is there inexpensive replacements for these that have longer travel?(like Pro-Comp or Rancho)

Just curious for personal knowledge. I already have the answer for the 3rd generation front suspension using Eibachs.....just need to get my hands on an old shock to make up my project.

Anyone want to send me an old used one???

-Dan

Dr. Zhivago

I think they're all pretty much the same, with maybe OME being the longest of the shocks.

Donahoe Racing makes coilovers for our trucks with two versions. One is for use with the stock Upper A-Arms and one for use with Total Chaos Fabrication Uni-Ball Upper A-Arms that have about 1-1.5" more droop than the stock length models.

I will be removing my Bilsteins when I get my SAW's. I might consider sending you one of them. Are you going to destroy it? Or would it be possible to get it back?

Lemme know
G

Dan_90SR5

Yeah, I could get it back to you. I just need to have one in hand to do the design up of it. Kind of crazy that I have a good idea and want to go threw with making up a new option for a 3rd generation front suspension and don't even own one.

If I do this would anyone be willing to prototype them? You would have to purchase a set of Eibach ERS springs to go with it. I'll do some research today on the stock spring rates and aftermarket spring rates to give the person that does prototype them an idea of what they will want.

I'm kind of excited about doing this. I personally think that it would be the best option while still staying with the IFS.

-Dan

Dr. Zhivago

Well, the stock spring rate is right around 480Lbs/in. SAW's are 15" long 2.5" diameter 675lbs/in springs now and they when started making them originally they were 14" long 2.5" diameter 600lbs/in. The Downey's are 600lbs/in 14" long 2.5" springs and I don't know about Kings or what Donahoe uses. Donahoe's springs are proprietary and I'm pretty sure Kings use Eibach springs, but I don't know what rate. They are 2.5" diameter, that much I do know. They're probably in the neighborhood of 600-700lbs/in.

What you are doing by fabbing your own coilovers also depends on the intended use for the vehicle, obviously. All the aforementioned coilovers are designed to provide excellent off-road performance while still maintaining a nice on-road ride. In fact, the SAW's plus either the Downey/Bilstein or OME/OME rear options ride WAY better than the truck ever did brand new. The stock setup leaves a lot to be desired.

Hope this helps.
G

EDIT: If I hadn't already bought the SAW's, I would have been willing to prototype a set for you. You're about 2 weeks too late...

X-AWDriver

Thanks Dr..