SC4Runner

Okay I have been getting a lot of PM's and questions about my front end setup.

Overview:
1996 4Runner SR5 4x4 3.4L V6
Performance: ISR, 4" Deckplate, Type "O", K&N, Flowmaster 50 w/turndown pipe, Hayden Tranny Cooler, Derale PS cooler
Suspension: Front: 6" Trailmaster, Tundra TRD Coils + Tokicos. Rear: Landcruiser OME N71E, Landcruiser coils
Wheels: 315/75/R16 MT/R's on AR-767's
Offroad: Camburg sliders, Rear E-Locker, Cobra 19DXIV CB, 4' Firestik, Surco Roof Rack, Hella 500's, On Board Air (MV-1050), Homemade Extended bump stops

Front End:

• 6" Trail Master IFS Lift Kit
• Blue Tokico Shocks
• Tundra TRD Coils

The TrailMaster (TM) lift retains stock geometry of the suspension, steering and axle components. It is done by dropping the entire differential down about 4-5" and creating a new cradle which holds the differential, rack and pinion and lower control arms.

Installation
Installation is a bit a pain. You literally have to pull the entire front end out of the truck. Thats the differential, steering, and everything else between. You also need to cut out the front cross member that your rack and pinion is originally bolted to. So, once your committed, there isn't an easy way back. Installation Pics on bottom

Retrofitting into a 4runner
3rd gen (96-2002) 4runner front suspensions are just about identical to the 95.5-2003 Tacomas. Installing a Tacoma drop bracket lift into a 4runner isn't any harder, but, you will need to do a few small modifications for it to work correctly. The main one would be drilling 3 new holes in the top strut mounts. I took mine to a machine shop so it would be done perfectly. Plus, I didn't have a drill press. I had to grind down a brake line mount for the steering shaft to clear as well. My power steering lines also did not fit sufficiently. Instead of just unbolting them, and figuring a way to secure them by other means, I decided to cut them. Worst idea ever. I had no idea the amount of pressure that was held in the "pressure line". Turned out to work out since there was a hose shop not too far away that soldered it back together for me.

Now the rear is the real difference. The main concern is keeping the axle centered underneath the truck with the added amount of lift. This is possible by the great work done by Steve Schaeffer and Stubbs welding. I was able to get a customized panhard bar that drops about 7". I only needed one to drop about 5". I will remedy this soon enough hopefully. I am using the 9-wrap Land Cruiser coils (FJ-80) which amounts to about 4" of lift alone. Adding the 1.5" Poly Daystar spacer on top (with cone bump stops) amount to 6". It almost appears that the truck is perfectly level, which I am very pleased. Not to mention, the ride is not too hard back there. On 2/20/08 I installed some extended bump stops. This was a long over due mod that I lagged on. I didn't realize how simple it would be. I just cut a 4x4x4" rectangle stock, drilled some holes and ordered some super-soft Daystar bump stops. The result was nice. They are still a little short, but, help with the rubbing on the rear fenders. Instead of making them longer, I will attempt to trim the rear wheel wells.

Pro's Of a "Drop bracket" type lift

• Stock CV angles
• Stock Tie Rod Angles
• Stock plush ride
• Stock travel (Up and down about equal)
• Easy to align
• High clearance, easy to fit 35" tires

Con's

• High Center of Gravity
• Harder on Drive train (larger tires)
• Extra Maintenance
• Web wheelers think your gay

In all honesty, I think this is a great setup. If your going to keep IFS and want to run 35" tires comfortably, without cutting fenders and without a body lift, this is your best bet. My downtravel and uptravel are kept to be at a maximum. Aftermarket coilovers take up all of your down-travel and turn it into lift.

Obviously one of the main concerns with large lifts and thus larger tires is the strain on the drivetrain and axles (CV's). Running larger tires on CV's that are at high angles will break easier than those running larger tires and stock CV angles. Another reason why a drop bracket lift is good.

The other concern is ride height. Okay, this is probably the worst aspect of the whole setup. The high center of gravity. For the wheeling I do though, its perfect. I do long Baja expeditions for camping/surfing. I usually go in the dead of winter where I may expect deep mud pits, river crossings and large ruts. I'll also run into areas which are completely dry and will have deep moon dust which is just a trap for any 2wd truck or low center truck. Having large tires and a high center does help in all these situations, and thus made me go for the lift.

Rear End:

• FJ-80 Landcruiser FRONT coils
• Landcruiser long travel Old Man Emu shocks
• 1.5" Poly Daystar spacer
• Custom 7" Drop Panhard Bar by Sonoransteel.com

The rear components were pieced together to give me a plush ride on road as well as match the front end. It turned out to be a great setup. My only problem is that its quite stiff... through the last few months, it has gotten better. If you end up wanting to do anything over 5" of rear suspension lift, the right way of doing it is to do a leaf spring conversion. Too much rear lift is going to be detrimental in the long run. The flex I get out of the rear does not impress me. Future plans are to do the leaf spring swap with some All-pro or Marlin springs.

Electronics/Interior:

• Garmin GPSMAP 60Cx
• Cobra CB Radio in ashtray
• Sony CD/MP3 player with iPod jack
• Hella 500 Driving Lights
• Rear aux. backup lights (Great!)
• Rear sleeping platform/storage

Garmin GPSMAP 60cx



I just bought this of October 2007. I am extremely pleased with this unit!!! It has amazing capabilities with how small it is. First of all, it is a hand-held unit which can be used for trails, hiking, camping, etc. Secondly, it is a city navigator with auto-routing capabilities. It has tides, hunting and fishing, and all Points of Interests to use with the "Find" menu. Also, I bought this unit because of the removable memory. SD Cards are close to nothing these days, and now am able to put more versatility. Some of the older models have internal memory which is really a bummer if you want to update maps and keep lots of waypoints etc.

Now I was a little unimpressed with the price Garmin tries to molest you with for its MapSource software. $150+ for City Navigator. This utility updates your basemap with auto-routing maps, points of interests, etc. I had assumed my 60Cx already came with this preloaded. Nope. Anyways, I found a great way of making it work for free. First off, you need to find a version of MetroGuide. This is the unlocked version of City Navigator, but, does not update routing capabilities... Just maps. However, it has the auto-routing on the PC!!! So, you just need to download this handy little program to transfer all the routing information. Img2Gps (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mdipol/img2gps/). Follow the easy instructions and your set.

I removed the black strips


Front End Glory Shot -- Nice and Clean!!



Cobra CB Mounted in Ashtray




Sonoran Steel / Stubbs Welding 7" Drop Panhard Bar



CBI Tire Carrier


Sleeping Platform:


Home-made Bump Stops:



Anza Borrego
The Squeeze:

Heart Attack hill:


Fish Creek:











Water Crossing


35" MTR's (315/75/R16)





Right after my Trailmaster install:



Installation Pictures of Trail Master Lift

This is what I came home with. $300 Gets you a pile of crap... eh...


All that crap sheet metal cleaned off, this is the final product:


Under the Knife:


Look Ma! No Crossmembers!


"Oops, I think I just cut something bad..."


A Pile of Crappy IFS Parts


Finally on all fours (I like it on all fours)




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__________________
1996 4x4 3.4L 4Runner on 35's

1966 FJ40 - SOA with stock springs, stock 1F motor, and a smelly tailpipe.