sschaefer3

The rear suspension of the 1996-2002 4Runner is impressive in it's stock form. If you add any type of lift spring, spacer, aftermarket shock, etc. It's still in it's stock form. It may go a bit more this way or that way, but in the big picture it's insignificant.

Like Breezy and Steve Hunt before me I plan on taking the Miller 375 Plasma cutter and NUKEing the stock rear suspension on my 1999 4Runner. (it's the 99 Adam)

I will be going to 1988 Chevrolet 1500 2WD rear leaf springs from a pickup that was donated to a charity and then found it's way to a salvage yard. The thing was pristine. So what an 88 and not an 97 or 98? Back in the late 80's GM used the same oval notch in the the leafs to keep the anti friction pads from turning as Toyota did on the FJ60-62. So I replaced the Chevy friction pads which are crummy even through 98 with genuine Toyota Land Cruiser pads. We hydraulic pressed out the original GM bushings and replaced them with brand new Genuine GM made in Mexico bushings. The spacers at the clips had to be new GM since Toyota does not have anything like these. These bushings are exactly the same as the bushings Toyota used in the 96-02 4Runner lower control arms. A solid sleeve center and a rubber cushion bushing surrounding it where the sleeve does not move, the rubber does. Literally a perfect replacement.

I picked up a set of Jeep CJ front leaf spring mounts, an All-Pro perch kit and shock mounts, Toyota 89-95 frame mounts for the rear of the leafs, the Mini's hangers are quite a bit more beefy than the ones currently used on the Tacoma. These will be linked to the rear of the leafs with a double shackle. It will droop like mad. 63" springs and another 4-5" down with the double shackle.

Old Man Emu N76 shocks will complete the package and be mounted like Breezy, Hunt, etc did as well. The N76 is the longest shock OME makes.

Sure there are more complicated and more complex rear suspensions, but this is what I am going to do. The best part about it is that the Chevy’s should give the heavy 3rd gen right around 2.5" of rear lift and a huge amount of articulation. I know the Chevy’s can bend where leaf 2 ends and they are not military wrapped, the bushings tend to crack and the clip spacers all seem to eventually crack. Funny thing is that all the hard ware on these even back in 88 was and still is metric.

Heres the parts minus the 89-95 hangers which are welded to my new rear bumper.



If this works out well after a period of testing, I will add this as a product, but for now it is an experiment.

sschaefer3

Oh Yeah, No I'm not selling my 4Runner.

shazaam

You were saying something before that you had to have the custom bumper for this set up to work, b/c it attaches to the bumper somehow. Is this still true?
Another great upgrade. Let me know once you've finished testing it, and have a nice bolt on kit ready.

sschaefer3

Well that ain't gonna happen, the hangers have to be welded on. You guys missed it in all the pics.

One of these things is not like the others...............



2 things are different on my bumper than the other 3 1inchers, but the 3 other 1inchers are all the same and equal.

sschaefer3

Ok, the differences are, the side go back furhter because my stock spare tire carrier has been cut out and is now entirely on top of the rails. Second is the 89-95 leaf spring hangers.

sschaefer3

My bumper is closest to the camera.

shazaam

So all I have to do is weld on some leaf spring hangers

goldtaco9

I saw that but since it was those silly bodylift guys, I neglected to mention it!
Didn't want to stir up any trouble ya know.

sschaefer3

Well yes rear hangers on the bumper rails, but front hangers on the frame, shock mounts on the axle and an upper shock mount between the frame rails. Any at least a full day of plasma cutting/grinding.

I was going to offer it as a "drive to Arizona" and have Steve install it part.

shazaam

Put me down for one when you open a branch office on the east coast

sschaefer3

That will happen the day I actually sell Ryan Taylor anything.

Hit the I-10 and head west young man.

Churnd

Bighead

I can't wait to see the finished project. If anybody can make a significant change like this and still give it an OEM look, it is you. Will you be doing the webcam again?

How long do you think the leafs will last? Because they are supporting the weight of your "heavier than normal" 4Runner, I am assuming they will fatigue over time so how hard will it be to get replacements?

sschaefer3

I think the 4Runner is still ligher than a full size chevy pickup. These springs give a Mini 4" of lift a 1st gen 4Runner typically 3" of lift and I'm hopeing a 3rd gen right at around 2.5". I can fine tune it with solid steel spacer blocks in 1/2" intervals.

The springs should last a long time, if not the going rate is 20 bucks each. I have a 2nd set here from a 93.

Mad Chemist

Sounds like a good plan....but when's the SAS? Crazy flex in the rear, with IFS in the front is like a T. Rex- big hind legs, tiny little front, lean too far forward and it falls over....

sschaefer3

Not with the Franks up front, they acutally "work".

josh

Man thats awesome. Its great someone really has the balls to do that kinda crap to a new truck. I have to ask...why not custom packs from deaver or alcan or someone? Granted, they are ~$400-$600, but you are putting them on a $20,000 truck, not an 84 $500 beater special. Seems to me that the custom packs would take some of the guess work out of it, and would be stronger to boot. Plus you could go with orbit eyes or johnny joints for less stress on the mounts. Not flaming, genuinly curious.

sschaefer3

For 2.5 to 3" of lift I think the Chevys will be best, they are really nice springs and the busshings are exaclty like the ones Toyota used on the links. They shouls work really well for the small lift. I have done a few chevy swaps and have it down. So I pretty much know exactly what will happen and how it will turn out.

If I were doing a 4" to 6" lift I would certainly get the designer springs. If I were trying to match the back to a 5" SAS front I would again get the designer springs.

My intent is to keep the truck low and retain the low center of gravity with a good amount of articulation. The rear does fine now, but since I have done a few of these swaps, I'm really itchin to try it on the 4Runner and see if I can get even more out of it than I did on the Mini's.

Flygtenstein

This will be done for Moab?

Not to flame, but I have not been impressed with the rear performance yet, I think that these will make a tremendous improvement. I don't think that it will be prohibitively flexy, but I think there is room for improvement.

As for Alcans and the like, I hope Steve can take a real close look at some for the Cheese Ship in a couple six months or so.

sschaefer3

Yeah, I'm hopeing to try it out over the golden crack thing.

Chevys with a Rancho 2nd leaf, not an add a leaf, more a replace a leaf, would hit a good 5-6" for a SAS on a Pickup but your right I doubt that they would shoot you up high enough on a 4Runner with a big ol heavy rear bumper.

If you can find a Toyota front axle in the land of cheese that is not rusted to death you may want to pick one or two up. They go for 300-400 out here and are hard to find.