bobzemuda

I got tired of waiting for a warm day, so Sunday night in the 20ish degree weather, I began the process of lifting my 2000 4Runner. With a heater and a halogen lamp by my side, I proceeded in my carport and replaced the rear. With a little warmer weather I continued, still bundled up in the 35 degree weather, to do the front, and I finished in a T-Shirt yesterday night. I can't wait for spring!

Big thanks to Steve Schaeffer for his tips and webpage, and Waskilly for the same. This is the first somewhat major thing I've ever done to a car, and I'm happy to say that it mostly went without a hitch. Aside from the numbing cold Sunday night, and the two passenger side control arms from Inland Trucks.

Inland was more than helpful in overnighting the correct driver side control arm out to me Tuesday, and so I was able to throw that last piece on last night and snap some pics this morning. Can't say enough about Jason at Inland.

So, here are the pics. It was a little gloomy in St. Louis today, so they're a little dark and I didn't take the time to lighten them up at all as of yet. Busy day at work. I didn't want to get the

Thanks to everyone at Yotatech really. Everyone here helps to make people like myself realize we can do these things to our own trucks without paying someone. It's nice to have the ride height of my 95 back.

Before:


Today:

bobzemuda

Oh...there's more pics here too:

http://gallery.zemudaville.com/album10

Mike06

Looks much nicer!

bobzemuda

I keep thinking breathing room. I guess I'll lose some of that when I go to 33s though.

It's weird, I can't stop looking at it. It looks so much cooler for lack of a better word.

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

Bill,

Looks great! But just wait until you get some beef on those rims, then you'll really stare, and others will too!

You were a modding fool this weekend eh?



EDIT: How about a parts list, with prices and vendors? I too am interested in the Inland Upper Control Arms.

Mike06

Yea, when I changed my coils to PP 1" lifting coils/blisteins, I was amazed at how better it looked. The ride as definently improved. So how much (lift) did you gain?

Good Times

wow that looks sooo much better now!!!!

Dr. Zhivago

Looks nice! I'm definitely getting the Inland A-Arms. I can't believe how awesome that upper ball joint angle is! Have you had an alignment done yet?

G

goldtaco9

How much lift did you get from that combo?
Mike

MellamoPOUND

hey, i see you did the frankenstine front end. When steve did this to his, he had in mind that he had a 4cylinder which is much lighter than your v6. Do you think you will encounter any problems because of this?

Fever

I just did a 4 inch lift on my 2nd geration. Body roll sucked. I put on rancho tortion pars on the front. Major differance. I can hang corners now and make quick reaction turns without the fear of roll. Your rig looks great. Consider upgrading the tortion bars next. You will not regret it. It will handle like a Vett.

Dr. Zhivago

3RD Gens don't have torsion bars...

G

Ric

very very nice,, hey did your T-17 bolt right up using the stock monting holes ?
Ric

Jonathan

Looking good! Now for some new tires and you'll be set.

bobzemuda

You know, like a fool, I forgot to measure before I began so that I could measure afterwards. As a guess (just stepping in and out of it) about 3 in the back (though I should get a little sag), and about 2" up front.

I haven't done an allignment yet, but plan to today. I had to install the driver side a-arm after getting home from work, and was just driving it a bit to see how everything was going.

I'd gotten some vibration off the driver side wing of my TJM that I fixed last night also. I had to drop that wing down a little bit so that when it vibrates it doesn't vibrate into the fender flare. So I guess that's a tip, if you install a TJM with the limited style flares, you might not want to attach those tight while the bumper is upsdie down as they might be close enough to bang into the flare which is more than annoying and scared me at first.

I emailed Steve back and forth a few times, and he said that he'd gotten some sag on his front coils and didn't get as much as he'd thought he would even with the 4banger. Basically, he didn't think it would make a huge difference, and I'm not really in a position to argue as this was my first change to my suspension.

In retrospect, I might have wanted to go with the 2" spacer, and I might pick one up as the price is reduced right now, just in case. Steve had actually suggested that I could just use some trim packers as well to raise it up a touch more. I didn't actually replace my front coils with new ones though, so I'm thinking I might do that soon as well as I'm concerned it might droop down a little more when I put the Trail Carnage skid on. As an aside, Steve does have a winch, and I don't, so that would factor in a bit.

So, I guess, any opinions on replacing those stock coils raising it up would be appreciated. If they're just gonna sag back down to basically the same spot in a few months I'm not really interested in replacing them, but I don't know what kind of long term effects they have...If they taper off on the sag, or if they just continue to sag and sag forever.

It sure did. It didn't take long at all, and was a really simple mod that made my truck look a lot "tougher"

I know, only I just got my Revo's in October when I bought the truck so I'll have to be sneaky on that one a bit. My wife would kill me if I just ran out and did it. I'd really like to get some new rims and wheels all at one time, but for now, I need to get caught up on some of this stuff.

I'm gonna have to put in some more hours at my part time "modding money" job.

Bill

PS, Waskilly, I'll answer your question later. I don't have the invoices with me at work.

bobzemuda

Actually, I guess I lied a bit.

From Xtremeoff-road
2 OMEN91S OME TOYOTA TACOMA / 4RUNNER FRONT FIRM $183.82
2 OMEN86 OME TOYOTA 4RUNNER 96> COIL REAR FIRM $131.08
2 OME891 OME TOYOTA 4RUNNER REAR HD COILS $124.84
1 RTDD1-KB REVTEK TOYOTA DIFFERENTIAL DROP SPACER KIT $28.16
1 RTTOE-2 TOP OUT EXTENDER TACOMA / 4RUNNER $40.00
1 FREIGHT FREIGHT CHARGES $25.00
$532.90

Inland Upper Control arms were right about $430 shipped

Misc hardware (bolts, nuts, washers) $10

Blue Bilstein boots $19

turboale

If you plan on the 33s plan on some trimming of the wheel well or fixing that sag... Ive got my downey adjustables cranked all the way (though I think i need some new shocks) and i'm still rubb'n with 285s. Have yet to dive into the trimming though. I know Hyperlite is running 305s and resorted to banging the wheel well out with a BFH.

bobzemuda

Yep, I plan to trim the pinch weld / bang along with probably getting a little more lift out of the front. I just wanted to see how I was sitting for now. I got tired of looking at all these boxes piling up in my house waiting for the warm day that wouldn't come.

If only I'd waited till today, it's 65.

Bill

Bob_98SR5

Bob,

I am very impressed not only by the looks of your truck but how much you've learned since you first came on. I think one of your first questions was about oil changes or something like that!

Excellent work. The lift and the bumper really make your 4runner stand out. Now go try to find a place to try all those upgrades out!

Bob

Hong

Nice looking 4Runner!

hong