zebra1550

I just ordered front and rear OME springs for my 2002 4Runner. They are OME 881's for the front and 906's for the rear. The shop that installed my bilsteins incorrectly installed the shock spring seat upside down. As long as they have to correct it, I'm going to have them install the front OME springs at their expense. I plan on doing the rear springs myself though. I do have access to a full lift and a gambit of tools. Does anyone have any install tips on changing out the rear springs, best way to get the old springs out, new one's in, ect..? Any info would be helpful.

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

Front and Rear OME installation guide

906s? Never heard of those on a 3rd gen before, but that is just me.

payyourtoll

I just did full ome suspension this weekend, took my friend and I about 5 hours - it would probably take about 2 doing it a second time. We followed Waskilly's instructions off the link he posted, everything went fine. Tips would be to soak the bolts, make sure the longer springs are on the DRIVER side, and a 14mm ratcheting open-end wrench is great for the shocks' top nuts. Also we couldn't find a way to put the front ome back in without unbolting the sway bar endlinks. I think Waskilly's site says to loosen them, but we had to remove them - we probably did something wrong, but all went well in the end

*edit* be sure you have a good spring compressor if you plan on dis-assembling and assembling the front coilovers. Ours sucked and we ended up taking them to the local tire shop to swap them out for us.

zebra1550

Thanks for the link....I copied the info on the 906's off of wheeler's wesite. Consequently, that's where I bought them from.

OME 906 Rear Coil Set: 135.00/pr Provides a slightly firmer than stock ride, with approx 2" of lift.

zebra1550

The nice thing is that I'm taking the truck to the shop that installed my bilsteins for the front spring install. they messed it up the first time by installing the shock spring seats upside down. I understand what you are saying about having a good spring compressor. My buddy and I tried to do the front bilsteins by ourselves, but his spring compressor simply wouldn't work. I ended up going to Meineke. The rear shocks weren't too bad though. Did you have to unhook the rear shocks to get the rear springs in?

keisur

Uh, that would be my reasoning for NOT letting them do the install.

zebra1550

Yeah, I know. Problem was the only spring compressor we had wouldn't work on the front coilovers. I had to take the truck to a shop with a wall mounted spring compressor. I guess in the end it worked out as an excuse to get OME springs once I caught the problem.

payyourtoll

Yes. The install order is to lay the springs in first, then the shock tightening down will pull the spring into it's place. You will see what I mean when you are doing it. Think of it this way --> suppose you reach full extension of the shock, would you think it would allow enough room to remove the spring? that would be a 'lil bad to say the least

You may be able to jack the frame up high, and compress the spring to remove it without removing the shock, but remove the shock first to be safe.

MTL_4runner

I think the 906's were originally designed for the Hilux (4runner) to give a little lift over stock but mainly to get rid of sagging...

The 890's and 891's everyone is using are actually designed for the Land Cruiser which is why we get so much lift.

Someone please correct me if I am wrong on this but that was my understanding anyway.

keisur

but then you can also get a set of spring compressors for 9 bucks at harbor freight and do it without pulling the shocks or swaybar. it's just a little more work doing the compressing.

bamachem

No offense, but if you have about 30-45 minutes and want to make sure that you made the right choice in springs, then maybe you'd want to take the time to read this COMPLETELY:

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f2/actual-old-man-emu-881-891-springs-39005/

MTL_4runner

Forget the spring compressor.....

Just bring the assembly down to any Mineke or Midas and they will put em in the wall mounted strut compressor and zip them up with an impact gun for dirt cheap (I'd bet $5-10 max all said and done both sides). Then just bring them home and finish the install yourself.

keisur

he's talking about the rears.

MTL_4runner

Oops, my bad!

Then you don't need to compress them at all...
Just undo the swaybar links and you are done.

Most people get stuck on the fronts, not the rears (just unbolt the bottom of the shock only and slide it off).

snwbrdpunk16

unbolting the shock only doesnt work, it wont drop the axle for enough, at least on mine it didnt. so i did it the hard way with a coil compressor. Now im putting new rear springs on in about a week or so, so what advice can i get on installing the rears? what do i need to disconnect, the rear shocks and sway bar, or do i need to do more, like the upper and lower control arms??

keisur

unhook the lower shock mount and have a friend press down on the brake drum to spread the axle away from the frame, the spring will then fall out and then you should have enough room to slip the new one in. or if nobody is available, just wedge yourself into the wheel well =tire removed of course= and sit on the drum and press it down with your weight. that's how I did mine. I didn't have to disconnect anything but the lower shock mount.

RTdawgs

890, 891, 892 were designed for the Prado.
906 was designed for the 4Runner.