scrid

Hey everyone, I just recently got a 94 4runner back on the road after installing a rebuilt engine which went really well. I bought it back in may with a defective 3vze and the owners let it sit for 3 years outside. I noticed it hadn't been plated for quite some time, inquired about it, and it seemed worthy of a new engine so i bought it from them.
I've been tweeking things along the way while test driving it over the past couple days to put some break in miles on the engine...making adjustments, fixing little annoying things like a sluggish door lock motor, adjusting the transmission control cable correctly (which made a great differance), had the tires checked and balanced, plus a bunch of other crap. Anyway I love the truck...except for the saggy rear end and was wondering what the best cost effective coil springs I can install to bring it back up to stock level height?
I'm not planning to do any hill climbing or anything other then pleasure driving, camping, and pulling the boat around.
Can I just get something from a local auto parts store like those variable rate Hef-T-coils?
Heres some pics...Oh yeah the dogs love it too. :bounce2:
http://members.cox.net/scridmares/4runner/01.JPG
http://members.cox.net/scridmares/4runner/02.JPG
http://members.cox.net/scridmares/4runner/03.JPG
http://members.cox.net/scridmares/4runner/04.JPG
http://members.cox.net/scridmares/4runner/05.JPG

Tanto

I can picture the dogs walking into the side of your Runner seeing as it looks like a MIRROR

I can't believe that it sat outside for 3 years..the body looks in great shape!

scrid

Thanks! Oh it has some rust...curbside on the rear wheel well and the rear gate top, plus a few nicks here and there. Gotta fix that stuff but I want the mechanical stuff done first so i can use it comfortably. Heres a shot of it when i noticed it wasn't being driven for 3 years. Some kids broke the small window out of the passenger side.
http://members.cox.net/scridmares/4runner/old01.JPG

PoleVaulter95

wow that thing is clean. I have the Downey Hd coils in the rear of mine. This makes the rear end pretty stiff but i like it. Im sure any coil you pick would be just fine for around town. However when you put them in disconnect the sway bar and you wont need a spring compressor (it will droop far enough so they just slide on in). hope this helps what is this transmission control cable tweaking you speak of. maybe you should start a thread about that

Tdubbs05

geez that runners nice. i've got the same ride. newly rebuilt block on it too (bout 20k so not that new). i've been looking around about how to fix that sag as well but i think i'm gonna wait till december when i'm back from college again. it seems like a lot of people go w/ the downey hd's 1.5" lift. make sure you get the downey hd coil kit because it comes w/ some extra stuff like brakeline extenders etc. (if you ever get into a situation w/ flex your gonna want the brake line extenders or your brake line is gonna burst.) check out central4wd.com. got some good stuff including that kit i'm talking about (look on the left side @ suspensions and they've got a toyota link, the kits the first one on the list)

w/ the slight lift, you're probably gonna need new shock as well. You wanna make sure that your stock shocks aren't limiting you, because even if you drop off a curb you might do some damage. when it comes to the shocks, seems like ppl like bilsteins the most.

well i wish i had a few more week of summer left because i'd consider doing it...just gonna have to wait. check out 4x4wire.com. they've got some awesome writeups on how to install/tips & tricks. check around yotatech too b/c there's a ton of reviews and other write ups. do a little search for "downey" and you'll get what your looking for.

p.s. once again nice ride! that's the 2nd runner i've seen w/ the clear lights...you just get em on ebay? cause i'm gonna have to get me some of those.

scrid

Thanks also, The transmission cable that also hooks up to the throttle body.
I figured mine was probably out of adjustment and it was...by about 3mm. I know I'm not the first here to do that adjustment by far but it made the truck way quicker on acceleration.
http://members.cox.net/scridmares/4runner/cable.JPG
I used to work for a Honda dealer years ago and I remember when that trans throttle cable isn't right it can cause "hunting" and poor acceleration.

scrid

Hey Tdubbs05,
the lights are cheap. But don't buy them from a seller names Evovector!!!
They sent me the wrong ones for a later runner and then trying to get them to exchange was a pain. I finally had to get the post office on them to get my money back. The real bad thing was like a dumbass in my excitement I left good feedback for them b4 trying to install them and finding out they didn't fit.
Anyway heres the two people I bought from that did the sale right.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...RK%3AMEWN%3AIT
and
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...RK%3AMEWN%3AIT
My girl didn't like the clear at first but now she does...it really cleans the front up. Now it's all green, black, silver, and chrome.

4mydogs

Nice, scrid! Lots of Downeys and Old Man Emu's used by folks here. Do a search and you'll see lots of info.

Dogs DO love 4Runners, with the roll down rear window.

What kind/size tires are you running?

Red3.slow

Oh how I hate you and your shinny good looking paint... JK thats a stunning 4runner. I'm thinking about getting mine painted something simmaler.

As far as springs go I've heard moog springs are a good replacment for only about 65 bucks

RustBucket

iTrader: (1)

Sharp!

Pozi

Good find on the 4Runner. Even with a bum engine I bet it was worth every penny. It seems that everyone with a Gen2 4Runner has a sagging ass, mine sure does. I have already dumped too much coin in my 3.4L swap to justify bringing up the rear right now.

My dog is also happy that the 4Runner is driving again cause he missed the car rides. But even with the doggy barrier from Harbor Freight he still manages to get into the front seats!

tc

I installed the Eibach springs. Leveled it out nicely and ride great.

scrid

4mydogs,
It has BF Goodrich All Terrain/TA's 31 x 10.50 x R15LT "Baja Champions"
One of them is a little out of round..probably from sitting and causes a wobble at about 50 mph. I had them all balanced but when I drove to drop off the old engine core about 50 miles away, I heard one of the wheel weights give loose and smack the innner wheel well. My pops was riding with me and napping in the passenger seat, but it woke him right up! I never heard a wheel weight come off at 72 mph before.

4mydogs

Thanks -- probably my next set of tires.

scrid

Well thanks to all the tips here, I finally decided to replace the stock saggy springs.
I just went ahead and bought the MOOG brand replacement Variable Rate Coil Springs Part No: CC255 from my local O'Reilly Auto.
The coils are thicker, but the height of the new ones was actually shorter then the stock ones I removed.
Before doing any work I measured up from the shop floor to the top of my trailer hitch reciever and got 16.5".
After replacing the springs and remeasured it reads 18.25".
A gain of 1.75", which leveled the truck off just right.
Well that's one more project off my list....I'm sure two more just jumped on there somewhere.
Before winter hits here I plan to remove the cargo area side panels and see how much dirt is stuck on the inner fender wells causing my paint to bubble. Then devise a plan of attack for fixing them.
Thanks again everyone.
I'll update with a new pic as soon as I wash it.

LS1Steve

you don't have to put new springs, you can just stick a pair of airbags in there, *edit* AIR-lift ones are about $79/pr
you can sorta see the red bag in the coil in this shot. I just routed the short airlines from each to a fill valve mounted on the trailer hitch. Levels it off perfectly, you can even make it higher than the front. Ride is still decent.

gonzo

LS1Steve?
Do you have a web site for pro-lift
Thank-you

LS1Steve

Air-lift, sorry
http://www.airliftcompany.com/