lclarson

I have had my 4Runner now 4 months. The prior owner had a LesSchwab dealer install a 4" with 285/75 16 tires. I have gone through 2 CV joints in the last 3 months. Any suggestions about what lift to switch to from the 4"? The ride height and of the lift and approach/departure angles look great but I think the geometry has been pushed too far and problems will continue. I also would like to install a ARB front bumper with winch and have read that this can impact suspension. Beyond that, I still need to switch the gear ratios from stock.

Any input would be appreciated.

cootees

I assume a diff/drop was installed with that much of lift? Also what year runner? Do you have manual hubs?

lclarson

I have the service invoices and did not find any service for a diff/drop. It is a '94 with auto hubs. Right now I am having "binding noises" coming from the left front wheel when it is turned most of the way to the left. (Binding noises = sounds of someone cracking their knuckles, but a whole-lotta-knuckles). The left cv was replaced about 1000 miles ago and I haven't been 4 wheeling since (due mostly to snow).

Thanks for your help.

leebee

4" lift without diff drop spacers is pretty much over the limit for your cv's. take a minute and check out www.4crawler.com and http://www.sdori.com/ for info on the diff drop spacers, ball joint spacers and related instructions. change the add style hub flanges over to the manual locking hubs as well, youre cv's will love you for it.

lee

tc

Yep - diff drop and manual hubs.

Also, lifetime warranty CV joints ($69 after core at AutoZone)

lclarson

I actually bought this 4Runner on e-Bay and the seller didn't know much about the lift. With the diff drop and the manual hubs it sounds like this would address this issue but I still find myself wondering why more ‘90-‘95 4Runners don't have the 4" lift. Are there still lingering performance problems?

It has the standard open front and rear differentials. I had thought about 5:29 gears with Detroit soft-lockers. Any thought on that?

To improve articulation, do you know of any options for swaybar disconnects?

The saga continues…

cootees

I believe it is more of a cost issue. I know I can not justify spending $700+ in geting a bracket lift for the ifs system.

Flamedx4

First, it would help tremendously when you ask questions like that if you could list what you have. (year, trans, gears, tires...)
5.29s and 33s are way too high if you ever drive on the highway, even with an auto trans. Try 4.88s

Can you post a couple of clear pics of your front lift?
Depending on what it is, there are a lot of answers. For example if it was ball joint spacers - the increase in CV angle will kill your CVs. (Sorry to you guys who love them, but 'alone' they are a bad idea.) If it's a "bracket lift" the CV angle is same as stock and there are no issues with CVs. These lifts (Trailmaster, Rough Country etc) work fine for normal folks who do mild offroad but have to drive it daily too. I have a 'bracket lift' (Trailmaster) been on there for 4 years now with 37 to 35 inch tires. Finally ate a FACTORY CV at 211,000 miles (roughly 60,000 miles after the lift was done.)

Totally agree with AutoZone, Carquest whathaveyou lifetime $69 CVs.

lclarson

Thanks for the input. Here are a few photos of the front suspension.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2250765

It is a 94, 5 speed, stock gears, 33" tires.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you.

Robinhood150

From the pics it looks like your angles are fine. I think your CV's were old and it was just time for them to let go. If not, there is something else going on.

I agree with everything Flamed said, except about the 5.29s being too high for an auto . It doesn't apply to you, but...if it was an auto it probably had factory 4.88s so 5.29s puts it back to stock.

lclarson

I just had the left CV replaced and the problem is back and the CV now sounds shot >1000 miles. Perhaps a bad installation? I had a local auto repair do the work. My plan is to do the diff drop and go to manual hubs and replace the bad CV once more.

So why don't more 2nd gens do the 4" lift or am I just imagining this?

I have a 5 speed. Should I change ratios to 5:88? I will also have to replace both as axles as neither are even limited slip. Any thoughts on what works best?

Bobakazi

I swamped out my lift last week in some mud. (couldn't pass that one up).
Gears: If you are staying with 33's I would not go above 4.88s if you drive the freeways. RPMs will be to high.
Diconnects: There are some options, here is one.
http://www.off-road.com/toyota/cheaptricks/swaybar2/
Differentials: What do you mostly use the truck for?

rocket

iTrader: (1)

A diff drop for a 2nd gen is a bad idea. I can't believe how many people recommend them without knowing or telling the downfalls. I'd rather switch my entire suspension setup before resorting to a diff drop. (3rd gens are a different story). https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116/nit-picky-lift-details-75579/

Robinhood150

The terminology used in this thread is bad and is causing confusion. Normally on the boards the following applies:

Bracket lift = lifts that uses huge bracketry to drop the differential about 4-5 inches giving the same amount of lift.

Diff Drop = a relatively new invention that only drops half the diff 1 inch resulting in approx 0.5 inch CV angle fix. A "diff drop" does not lift the truck at all.

So you have a "bracket lift", not a "diff drop".

rockota

stop listening to the advice given NOW - 90% of it has been horribly flawed!!!

You have either a Trailmaster or Procomp Stage-1 4" IFS kit, based on the rear crossmember design. Given the brake line drops, I suspect Trailmaster. This kit already placed the differential in the APPROPRIATE LOCATION for the lift. There is no way to lower your front differential any farther than it already is because of the rear crossmember (sure, you could modify something to lower the rear maybe 1/2-3/4" at the pinion, but that's going to have <1/4" affect at the axle ends.) So ignore all advice about diff drops.

Next, gears. 5.29's with an auto and 33's are a great combination... an 31" auto came w/ 4.88's from the factory. Personally, I think 5.29's with a 5-speed and 33's are a perfect combination for the 3.0. If you think you may ever go larger than 33's, do 5.29's NOW and you'll be great. I ran my 3.0 in 4th all the time (4.88's/33's/5-speed) because that 3.0 is more efficient at upper RPMs. And really, we're talking about ~9.2% difference - great for around town, good for highway as well).

As to the grinding - WHEN do you hear it? All the time or only when making VERY sharp turns? If it's only at turns, check your steering stops. Likely dry and causing creaking. If it's all the time, I'd definitely look into CV's and wheel bearings. Often, people forget to check the bearings when replacing other parts.

EDIT: text was a bit big. :pat:

Robinhood150

Another example of the blind leading the blind and why the search feature is your friend.

tc

Should have asked more questions about the lift. I agree a diff drop won't do anything for ya. Manual hubs would help, but if it's only been 1000 miles and the CV is gone there's something else at fault.

Hard to tell from the pix, but are the CV boots OK? Leaking grease, etc? It's possible the boots were not clamped properly and all the grease leaked out which will cause the CV to fail VERY rapidly.

CV joints are not hard to replace. There are several writeups on here how to do it yourself.

Flamedx4

Yep, yer CV angles are fine, that didn't kill the CVs.
Looks like a Trailmaster lift to me too.
Doesn't look like the grease leaked out - it makes a Hell of a mess!
Mine will make a bit noise at full turn too, doesn't seem to hurt anything.
Lots of "2nd gens" have that type of lift - tens of thousands probably. It's just that there are so many of them you tend to see many many more stock ones than lifted ones.