lonewolve

Guys & Ladies,
Well I am almost finished gettin my OME kit installed on my 1995 Toyota 4Runner. I did the Front and Rear Shocks with Heavy springs in the back also Installed Airlift 1000 airtbags into the springs as well, the steering stabilizer is also in. I did not have any experience installing torsion bars ..so its at the local Garage getting done.

The only trouble I have experienced so far is that my rig sits a little raked,this was prior to getting torsion bars installed. I called ARB and explained the situation and they told me that the rear springs are not broken in. Then explained that it would take at least between 5,000 and 10,000 miles to break in since they are the heavy springs they will still sit a lil higher also its a 2" suspension lift over all.
I can say that the 4Runner without the torsion bars replaced rides so nice. It had the 4Runner Droopy Butt blues before this.
I will try an post before and after pics after i get the rig back tomorrow .

One thing i want to ask is Anyone that has done this lift/suspension replacement ,Do you have the rake too?

Chickenman

So you are saying the rear is higher than the front? or the left higher than the right? I think I follow, but I am not sure

lonewolve

The rear sits higher than the front...raked is kinda like the old 70's hot rods that were jacked up in the back.

HighLux

Not uncommon for a lil rake till the rears settle in. I bet when they do the torsion bars it will sit a lil better.

lonewolve

High Lux, torsion bars are in just not set to ride height yet. When set to so that nothing is raked they are almost out all the way ,an lil travel.I called ARB an tech told me that the rear springs need to settle before the rake goes down and sincei have heavy duty OME springs they it may keep a whisker of a rake. I just wanted to replace my stock suspension an get rid of the Rear sag. I chose OME because so many others have recommended this lift. I also didn't want to do the whole spacer thing an then drop down bracket.
It is not a rock crawler or a monster truck..It is my Hunting/Flyfishing/daily driver rig.

JonnyBoy

Riding empty, I bet you'll always have some rake. Those springs are designed to carry extra weight at all times. You should have less when you've got 10,000 mi or whatever it takes to break them in. I have the medium duty springs in the rear of mine, and it sits level with 300-400 lbs of gear in the back, but I still have the stock torsion bars and ball joint spacers.

lonewolve

I didn't do ball joint spacers was i supposed to ? Maybe thats part of the problem? If i do ball joint spacers , are they mounted where the ball joints are or where ? Never done this before. I just want my Rig to run level when its all done.

SacRunner

You're not "supposed to" but I would recommend it. When I installed my OME 901 coils, without doing anything to the front, the rear sat noticeably (awkwardly, even) higher than the front. I wanted to wait a couple of weeks to let the new springs settle before doing the BJ spacers.

I installed the BJ spacers 3-4 weeks later, relaxed the stock torsion bars so that everything would sit level, took it in for an alignment and called it good. That was 6-7 years ago and it still sits level with no load in the back.

lonewolve

I don't run empty always have flyfishing or hunting gear in the vehicle as well as axes, bow saws,chainsaw and gear. how do i determine what size spacer to go with if i got after the springs settle i go that way?

MattRX

I am curious to what brand BJ spacers you have? Thanks!

Richard

afaik one manfacture with numerous vendors selling them

SacRunner

Check out the FAQ sticky at the top of this forum...
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...tickys-242840/

In there is a link to a great 86-95 FAQ with all these questions already covered:
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...-first-214051/

A 2nd gen 4Runner lift guide:
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...-guide-155339/

Personally, I went with the TRDParts4U Option 2 lift:
- Sdori 1.5" Ball Joint Spacers (1pair)
- OME 901HD Coil Springs (each)
- OME N98 Front Shocks (each)
- OME N72F Rear Shocks (each)

JonnyBoy

Got my stuff from the same place, just went with the 900 coil springs instead of the hd's. I could probably level mine out better and raise the front more, but I don't have a diff drop yet and I don't have OEM cv's. And yeah, there's pretty much only 1 size of ball joint spacers, unless you want to get them custom made shorter. Any taller and it really stresses steering and front drive components.

lonewolve

Jon,
My understanding is with this kit you don't need the ball joint spacers,I am currently lookin into them . I also understand that a drop down bracket is unnecessary . The kit is supposed to work fine with whats already on the vehicle.

JonnyBoy

Correct, you don't need them, but I've found it works better with the ball joint spacers, and the spacers work better with a diff drop kit if there's binding(which I do have if I do something stupid like jump it).

foskco87

I agree on the BJ spacers. 1.5" spacers makes it sit perfectly. I got the regular 2" springs not the HD ones and I have to say they dont really settle much at all. I've had them under there for probably 3 years now and it still appears to sit as high as when I got them. Which if anything proves their quality. I would imagine the heavy coils would sag even less if anything. I have to warn you though the BJ spacers will wear out your CV axles like crazy (more so the boots which is basically just as big a pain). I have the auto locking hubs and I go through CV axles all the time. I am going to switch to manual hubs soon to reduce the problem.

lonewolve

Everything is installed an the mechanic cranked the t bars a lil more it sits level with only 5 psi in the airlifts {minimum} , If i install the ball joint spacers at
1 1/2" an lower the tbars i am going to have Cv joint trouble? What if i keep it the way it is without ball joint spacers will i still have cv joint trouble. After the install i had an alignment it is deadon.
C V Joint is not something i want to deal with constantly or at all.

JonnyBoy

I think it's six to one, half dozen to the other. As long as you're at ride height that sits level with OME springs and you don't have manual locking hubs you can unlock, it's going to be hard on the cv's. Whether that ride height is due to the torsion bar adjustment or relaxing them a little and installing ball joint spacers, unless you install a differential drop kit the cv's are going to be at the same angle. You would need another alignment if you installed spacers and relaxed the torsions, though.

daved5150

iTrader: (1)

Subscribed. I want to possibly do a lift to my 94 and I am interested in the OME as well. What I really want is to lift the rear end a little as it sags but slightly...I've seen way worse.

" I don't have OEM cv's" Hey Jonnyboy, what kind of shafts you running?

The ball joint spacers are a concern to me as well as I have heard about the CV shaft boot wear. I know I have the Aisins but I'm still concerned about possible wear and binding of the CV's due to the spacers. If it was a dedicated trail rig, I wouldn't care. Mine's a DD and I want to get my son into getting his future truck dirty, so anything that changes the 2nd gen IFS from stock upsets a well functioning system. At least that's what I get from reading here....I hear the 3rd gen IFS are more accepting of modifications. I have also heard of some people having problems getting the front end aligned after putting in spacers. Just what I heard....I am still looking into this.

I have also seen 2" and 2.5" spacers on line as well. Good thread here. Keep posting.

lonewolve

Daved,
My 4Runner rides awesome now, I do not have ball joint spacers installed.I am considering it. Right now the 4Runner (1995 SR5 4x4) is sitting almost level with a lil more on the Tbars.
I too am concerned about the CV joint issues. I had installed new CV 's about three years ago. I don't fancy having to replace them regularly.My understanding after two years of reading posts on this forum as well as a few other Toyota and 4x4 forums was that you didn't need to do anything with the Old Man Emu {OME} suspension lift replacement.
Now some guys are saying i need to do manual hubs? And i will still have CV issues .Really really confused. I would rather have money for a replacement rear bumper from Tactical Auto Group with the swing out tire carrier an a hi lift jack, and also some Herculiner for the wheel wells and and the body, maybe some great driving/fog lights sincs i aquired two OEM Toyota light swiches.
This is my daily driver and my flyfishing/hunting rig as well.