snyderiii

Gents,

I'm going to start by saying i'm an idiot. I don't know a damn thing about the suspension of this truck. But I know how to read and have capably taught myself and completed a 3.4L swap for this truck. Now I'm moving on to the suspension.

I don't do much wheeling. I have 70 acres, I drive around on it for hunting reasons only, but I don't go crazy. However, this is kinda my dd. I would like to smooth out the ride a bit. I also tow fairly often... decent sized loads too.

Anyway... I have noticed a slight sag in the rear (i know this is typical) and need to get to work on upgrading the suspension. However, I don't know where to start. First, i read a bunch of threads and had convince myself i need a total OME setup. But now, I'm fairly certain I want to get the crosslinked Monroe air shock set up. Seems like for towing I will be happiest. Also will probably do the onboard setup which i found links to on here.

But... do i need to start with springs, or leafs, or the torsion bars? Which should come first? Do i really need to save up all the money and do it all at the same time? It could take forever in that scenario? Could i start with the monroe's and maybe the front shocks and then get to the rest when i get to the rest or will the old worn out stuff be hinder/hurting the new stuff i just put on?

Basically, in a perfect world i would replace it all but since i probably can't pull that off right now (still recovering from the 3.4 swap) how can i accomplish this goal without throwing good money after bad?

Oh yeah and is there a way to tell if my leafs need to be replaced (or my springs or blah blah blah...)

Thanks. Sorry for the million questions at once.

az_eaglescout_pilot

iTrader: (1)

give these a read:

chevy spring swap:

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/toyot...-swap-faq.html

ZUK Mod

http://www.gearinstalls.com/coilnoweld.htm

theres lots of info here on YT, there is a sticky about lifting vehicles here too which has a lot of good info. get your search on and you'll find everything you need!

look for info on ball joint spacers too for the front

good luck!

snyderiii

Thanks. I have searched and understand what can be done. I'm trying to determine the order in which I should or should not do these upgrades. As I said, I'm trying to not only get rid of the sag but also calm the ride and make the truck handle better when towing. I want to go for the linked air option, but if I just change my rears (for now) then will I potentially be compounding problems with leafs which need to be changed and/or will I possibly wear out or more quickly wear out something else because maybe the torsion bar (or the leafs or whatever...) should be the first of my priorities. This question really relates less to what I can do and how I can do it, although I'm interested in any updated/new advice, and more to information about what should be the first step considering I'm not bathing in money.
Again, thanks for the links.

snyderiii

Oh and the other thing that is germane to my situation is I don't really want to lift the truck... Although I understand that 99% of these solutions lift the vehicle an inch or so.

RAD4Runner

Consider Old Man Emu all the way around. Clean and robust solution that's professionally-designed as a system for the first-gen 4Runner. Both Defrag and Ruined Adventures have it, and they've driven to southern tip of South America with their 4RUnners. That's more than what many of us forum members can do in their lifetimes and the system worked for them. However, it will give you 2-inch lift, and watch out for the leaf pack clip bolt that would hit pinch weld of your fuel tank.

If I did not just spend a lot on my engine rebuild, all-new cooling & clutch system, that's exactly what I would have gotten.

If you can't spend that much money, yet. Just to a Zuk and replace shocks. That's exactly what I've been (front shocks in the mail) doing. 12-inch Black Magic springs will bring the rear to about stock height. Exactly what stock height is I can't find it on the forum, but I see no rake on mine.

snyderiii

Ok.... So the zuk mod seems like the way to go with respect to sag for now. However, if and when I have to money to replace to Springs with something like ome, I will have to reweld the u shaped bump stop back onto the truck. Or as many threads I've read, I guess some people never move away from the zuk mod once they have it. Does the attached pic look like it's stock? I didn't know if the little block below my leafs was something one of the pro's added? The weld job doesn't exactly look factory.

snyderiii

Hers the front and back of the springs. The front is basically flat and the back has a little room fo flex. But I'm wondering if that little block is supposed to be between the leaf and the axle.

HighLux

balljoint spacer in front. diff drop kit. old man emu 2" springs in the rear. generic performance shock all the way around. (you could spend more if you want...the shock is the part to upgrade...bilstien 5100's would be great upgrade)

Less than $400. More if better shocks...

Decent road handling. Perfect for farm stuff. Great for towing.

4crawler.com for the spacers and diff drop. shop around fro old man emu rear drakkar 2" leaf springs and shocks of choice.

From what Im getting from you...you dont wheel. You work it, but medium duty at best.

Above set up would green light you for 33's if you want.

Anything else would be overkill.

Laurentian

What he says ^^

RAD4Runner

Guys,
OP said he does not want to spend too much until he is ready for the final upgrade, so...

Correct. Great interim fix.

Search "No-cut" and "No-weld" Zuk. Need to find springs with wide diameter on top that will fit around upper bump-stop, and smaller diameter on bottom to hug lower bump-stop.

For reference:
Twelve-inch springs rated @ 125-pounds per inch lifted my stock first-gen 4Runner 1.5 inches from saggy state.


Correct. Once you go Zuk, you'll never go back - LOL!

Sorry, pic not clear.

Laurentian

Only other think to added would be OME torsions run with very little preload, removal of the sway bar and a lower IFS brace with a nice skid plate. This IMHO is an affordable heavy duty IFS set-up. You may never need to SAS depending on your wheeling style.

RAD4Runner

I wonder what people think about OME torsion bar versus BJ spacers.
I somehow like the idea of a designed system where front and rear suspensions are both taken into account together.

Agree. I just spoke with James Ederer owner of San Diego'sThe Truck Shop, who used to race a 22RE with IFS in Baja. He says SAS is better (for travel?) needed for rock-crawling, but IFS is better for general-purpose off-roading at higher speed, because IFS can respond to undulations of terrain better.
He also says stock CV's can be modified to accommodate the droop on lifted front IFS.

snyderiii

So apparently no one is a fan of the linked Monroe 's. I thought they would be better for pulling stuff. Was pretty sure the zuk and the Monroe setup was going to be for me.

Anyway, I appreciate all of this. I can probably manage 400 or 500 right now. Just didn't want put 1500 into right now for OME fronts, backs, leafs, torsion, etc, etc. However, if most are using the zuk I'm wondering if anyone has compared the lift gained between the zuk and the OME leafs. I'd rather go with the new leafs, but if the zuk raises the truck LESS, I would probably go with that cuz I don't really want the truck jacked up. I'm getting old... Jumping into and out of my vehicle everyday will wear on me!

Here are some better shots of that welded block below my leafs. I'm still interested to know if that's stock.

snyderiii

Still.wondering if this is the stock suspension?

RAD4Runner

Yes, looks like stock to me.
That block is called the spring seat. See your FSM