2big4arunner

I am fixing up a 92 4runner before deciding if I am gonna keep the beast and do way more mods or get into a pickup and do a 4 wheel IFS 4.0 swap.
I have been searching for a couple weeks now and dont seem to find any posts with any replacement stock ride coils. I was hoping to find a coil that I could pull out of a different vehicle to put into the 4runner to get the ride height back and make the back end a little stiffer.

I also noticed that all of the posts on here are really old related to this subject so I hope that I can find some new information. Any thoughts are welcome.. I am on my way to picknpull now to see if I can figure something out myself.

First stop on my list is a pathfinder lol

JonnyBoy

Pretty sure the Pathy springs are longer, at least for the rear of an '87 to '92(or wherever the generation cutoff is for that style). My experience, looking at my old Pathy's springs, anyway. Try looking into Moog, I believe they make some they call "cargo control" springs. Thought I remembered Performance Parts also made a 1" lift spring, so pretty much a stiffer stock height.

bmcghie

I bought some Moog coils for my 93 4runner. They lifted the back up a teeny bit, now the truck sits level. They seem fairly firm, and after 1.5 years they have not sagged.

The ride is very smooth and controlled with about 200lbs load in the back. Unloaded, it seems the rear of the tuck will get kicked up pretty good over bumps at high speed.

All in all... I'd buy them again. I paid just under $200 up here in Canada.

I think they are Moog Progressive Cargo Coils.

2big4arunner

I looked at the moog springs and i can get them to my front door for about 130 bucks and I live in Canada as well. the big thing for me was trying to find a replacement set of springs I Could pull from Picknpull since I can find them and get them out pretty easy.

KBJ

How many miles were on the springs that you replaced? I have a '95 with 195K on it and what I think are 1" to 1.5" spacers and it still sags a bit. Having fresh springs that will level the truck out, also firm up the handling some, and remove the blocks sounds very appealing to me. The ones you used, are they Moog CC255's ?

Thanks

bmcghie

Ah, yes! I checked my records and they were Moog CC255. I paid $181 a year and a half ago.

They replaced stock coils, no spacers, of at least 200k. PO replaced the rear axel at some point, so I wasn't entirely sure what got swapped out with it. My truck has 430k kilometers on it :s but the v6 is at 240k... so it's a bit of a mix and match affair

Get the cc255. You'll much prefer them over spacers and blown out coils, I'm sure.

KBJ

Thanks! I'll be ordering them tomorrow, Amazon has them for 15USD cheaper than the link above, with free shipping as well. :-)

bmcghie

Nice. Also, I didn't need any fancy tools to install them. I did it by myself with a jack, 2 stands, and my socket set. If you take off the sway bar and unbolt the brake line from the axel, you should be able to easily place one side in, and then wiggle the other side in.

Good luck!

2big4arunner

I found a set of newer ones in the wrecking yard and paid 16 each for my coils. Saw a couple air bags and might grab those to help out the new springs. I like air because its progressive and no recoil. Too bad I can't run just the bags..... Or can I?

bmcghie

2big4runner, I've never heard of people running airbags all by themselves. I know I have seen them on dump truck air suspension... but they are considerably heavier duty. I dunno where you'd find airbags for our trucks that would be tough enough to trust all by themselves.

I notice you are from BC as well. Can I ask where? I'm in North Vancouver, and I'm wondering where I should go to find junkyard parts...

2big4arunner

I was thinking about running them with springs. the heavy duty ones I found were for an f 150. I might see if there's enough room to Fab up a bracket in front of the coils. if it works it's just to assist the original coils and will cost me about 30 bucks... But its adjustable.
I live up in Kelowna about 4 hours from you. I have a turbo supra that I am redoing the head gasket on and then I will be making a trip down in one of the two Toyotas. I checked today and after the head gasket I have had nothing but issues with the timing and cooling of the 4 runner on the longer highway trips. Might need to find an upgraded rad from something else as well. New oxygen sensor and maybe try another distributor for the pickup issues I have read about.

I am only getting about 5.4 L/100km intown on stock tires with the v6 auto. Thats horrid even for the auto

2big4arunner

I might mention that i work at the local picknpull, the only one in BC. we have about 6 2nd gen toyoto's in the yard right now but a lot of parts have been pulled. all the body's are pretty beat up. mine is in pretty good condition. The closest yard that i know of to you is the pick-a-part in chilliwack. I haven't been down there in ages and the last time I saw a 4runner in there I picked out some switches and they cost me close to half of what the new ones were... I still check that yard for other parts. never know.

regarding the millage... I seem to get better millage in town and it never overheats going up the hill to work... just the highway.. I am wondering if this might be due to the transmission heating up. I thought about finding a larger oil cooler and putting a small ac fan to it.
still to do this week for the 4runner. put the new springs into the 4runner, fix the stereo wires (back speakers dont work atm), replace the alternator (checking to see how much mods for my 80 amp supra alt to work)
check, drain and replace fluids in front and rear diffs and transfer case back split.... change the oil after the 500km after the rebuild to synthetic blend mobile 1.

I am still looking into those air bags... gonna grab them and run it by my welder... I am taking the welding course this fall so I cant wait to see what I start fabbin...

bmcghie

Thanks for the tips. I might have to check out the Chilliwack pick-a-part next time I'm out that way. Or make a special trip after giving them a call. I know there are some guys on Mitchell Island between Van and Richmond, but they mainly stock import cars. Not so much the trucks/suvs. :/

Good luck with the airbags! I'm sure you'll be in a much better position keeping the coils in place. I wasn't quite sure if you meant JUST the airbags and nothing else.

PS I'd check your math on that L/100km. Considering a good commuter car gets 7L/100km... and my 4runner gets 14-15L/100km, I think you may have a number backwards somewhere. Unless that's what the supra gets, in which case I'm jealous!

2big4arunner

Yeah, my phone put in the wrong thing while I was talk typing.
5.4km/L
I had thought about running only the air bags with the stock shocks but that would be too much work to keep it legal. I am pulling the air bags this Thursday to discuss options with a Fab guy. We have to make a bracket in front of the coils where it just isn't practical. Stuff is in the way from what I can see. Inside the coil with spacers is next thought if they don't expand too much when compressed. Might be a cheap mod for people at my expense LOL

bmcghie

Eeek, 18.5L/100km. yeah, time to tune that sucker up... something must be out of whack. Or you drive like a bat out of hell.

Good luck getting the bags in, and legal!

2big4arunner

so after doing a lot of looking and trying to get the air bags to fit inside or outside... there is just too much stuff in the way to make it work good and pass any inspection. It just wont be practical to put these big bags outside the coils.
Yeah, I have a timing issue right now where base timing isn't working at all... using the "by ear" approach since when I use the jumper the timing doesn't change. working on that today. checking the settings on the TPS just incase they are wrong.. that would be a saving grace
I will be searching for a while on the possibles for the timing issue... search buttons take too long. lol

2big4arunner

K. A small update on the suspension coil upgrade. As luck would have it while I was procrastinating about putting in the coils on the rear. I found out that all 4 of my shocks were gone. After looking around I got a set if bilstein shocks for all 4 corners for 25 bucks after tax. Yummy days
Still gonna try and put air bags in the rear of this thing