mielkep

Is there anything out there that can lift the front end of an 88 4runner?

BeaterToyota

I just threw a set of these 1.5" spacers on my '88 p/u.

Elripster on the board here makes them. So far they seem to be a good deal. I'll really get to test them at Paragon this coming weekend.

Seach this board, and the one at 4x4wire.com, for "ball joint spacers" and you'll find tons of info on them.

elripster

You can also read up at www.sdori.com

Frank

CappyKD

You could also go with a explorer pro comp kit For $800 That will give you 4" all around.

BLKNBLU

iTrader: (1)

Or you can do both. Put in the BJ spacer then crank the torsion bars back down to stock height. This will get you a softer front end with better articulation. Then if you still want the lift, add the Explorer Pro Comp.

Here's a link to pics of the BJ spacer going on

http://fastq.com/~sschaefer/san_dieg...olutions_.html

Here's a link to the same truck with BJ spacer and Pro Comp in action

http://fastq.com/~sschaefer/2004_Toy...ree/index.html

The pics are from sschaefer3's site.
What about the rear end?

elripster

I have the spacers on a Trailmaster lift.

Just FYI, I'd highly recommend the Black Diamond or Superlift 4" lifts. Personally I'd go with Black Diamond if I were to do the 4" lift again.. which I'm not sure I'd do...

I'd stay away from the Procomp and Trailmaster.

Frank

deathrunner

Not a popular choice around here, but it's an option. Dare I say, long travel IFS. Check out www.chaosfab.com (I believe that is total chaos' website. ESB Fab and JD Fab also make similiar kits, very different from a balljoint spacer or a bracket kit (Black Diamond/trailmaster...etc.) Long travel kits will actually net 12-13 inches of travel with 4x4.

884runner

is it wise to use the ball joint spacer with the superlift 5 inch?

deathrunner

First off the Super lift 5 inch is only a 5 inch if you crank your torsions (Stiff ride). It's really more like 4 inches useably. Elripster has the bj spacer on a similar 4 inch kit and looks like he does well. The point of the bj spacer is to get lift and travel so you don't have to get lift and lose travle with a tight torsion setup.

If you read up enough you will find that the only ways to get extreme performance are to spend lots of money. But for modest performance the spacer and kit wouldn't be terrible. I would invest in some soft springs for the back. Everyone overlooks the back. Don't do add aleafs, blocks aren't great. Check out springs from downey or deaver.

884runner

well my torsions are already cranked so they will put them back in te same spot so it will be a 5 inch for me. as far as the ball joint spacers go someone had a thread about how something was binding when he used the superlift and ball joint spacer combo.. Not sure what the problem was but i was just gonna make sure it wasn't something like totally wrong to do. and as far as my lift goes, i ordered the new 5 inch rear springs. Never will i use blocks.
thanks,
alan

elripster

The binding was on a modified lift kit. You can mod these kits for more up travel by making shorter bumpstop blocks.(those in the kit lower the the bumpstops 4" same as the LCA, you make one that lowers them 3", the LCA can travel up farther) I have modified my Trailmaster kit for around 12" before I added the spacers. The kit that had binding lets the arms go up a bit farther than mine does and the inside of the upper a-arm was hitting the frame.

If you don't want a stiff riding truck, you will have a 4" lift from the Superlift kit. If you add spacers, you can have 5-5.5" of lift with good flex. You can still modify the kit for more uptravel, just be mindful of how far you go. I have dimensions for the bump stop blocks I made should you go this route. They will let you go about as far as you can without problems.


Frank

deathrunner

Frank

How do you modify these kits??? Simply cutting the bumpstop lowering brackets? or is there something else? I took off my sway bars and that didn't do too much. If changing the bump stop controls works so well, why don't the companies do this? Seems too good to be true. If you have any pics of the flex you get with your modified kit please post or link. I've always been curious of ways to make these things actually flex.
Thanks -Seth

elripster

Here's one...



Another..



Here's my blocks and bumpstop.



Another...



The added up travel really helps on impact hits. Slow speed flex is improved but even with air shocks you only use about 10" of it. I can go all the way to stops with no issues.

BTW, these pictures are all before the BJ spacers, I expect better results with them.

Frank

884runner

thanks, for the info guys, i think i might get some spacers too to go along with my lift. How much are they and were do you order them from?

elripster

www.sdori.com

Since I sell the spacers, feel completely free to ask others of their impressions. If there is any questions or things you'd like to know fire away and I'll do my best to answer.

Frank

deathrunner

Looks pretty good, not too much body roll when flexing. Tire Droop isn't my problem, it's the compression. I can never touch the bumpstops because the truck leans towards whichever tire is hanging. Therefore my truck would rather roll than lift a tire. I think it is mainly due to my bilsteins and sway a way t bars. I have the arms level with the crossmembers(Not cranked) and it's still stiff. I got the new bars anticipating the long travel setup, so I know they are not ideal for flex in this situation.

ZUK

iTrader: (1)

Got any pics of your truck? I noticed you only asked about front lift.....I got 1.5" out of my 87 Runner just by cranking the torsion bars about 10 turns on the big nut....and the price was right....free.

In the rear, the price was right also. But some fab skills are helpful.... http://zuk.tripod.com/dadcoil.htm

elripster

Thos heavier torsion bars kill what little flex is up there. Even the +1mm are like 66% stiffer. You'd need 66% more weight just to get to the flex of stock. However, stiffer bars do have uses in high speed high impact situations.

Keeping the truck level is key to IFS flex. When the truck leans, it just ain't gonna flex. The force on the wheel is going in a different direction than the suspension so only part of that force is pushing it into the wheel well.

Frank

Flamedx4

The answer to your original question kind of touched on here is: almost everyone! Trailmaster, Skyjacker, Superlift, Rough Country, Explorer ProComp, Tuff Country, Downey, Rancho, Chaosfab etc etc all make kits for the 88. You can go from mild to wild. Pick up a few four-wheeling magazines and check the advertisers. Go online and google for toyota lift kits.