I'm planning on running air shocks on my 93 4runner. What do you guys suggest as far as air shocks go? Also what other things do I need to get in order to do this?

I'm thinking of using shortside fj80 coils in the rear. In the front I want to get some ball joint spacers (as seen on 4x4wire ) along with the air shocks. Maybe a 1" body lift if I need it to clear some 33s. What do you guys think?

Thanks for any help!

 

I think that you should read the volumes of info on this at ODW because I know that people with those modifications have posted a lot about it there.

I have 33's with a 1" bodylift. If you wheel it, this is really a solid set-up, low and tough.

 

Whats ODW, I'm not sure if I've been there yet??

 

ODW=outdoorwire=4x4wire

outdoorwire was their old name.

 

Ahh, I see. I know that place. Thanks

 

I think the only choices are Monroe or Gabriel, I can't tell much difference between the two. I've got Monroe on the back and Gabriel on the front. The main thing is getting the right size. I recommend putting a shut off valve between the two pair so you can unlink them when on-road.

 

I guess that's nice to know, it seems like everyone talks about how smooth they ride. Thanks

 

Obviously something that allows you to unload the torsion bars and use most of your available travel will greatly degrade the ride. I never thought of that.

 

Me neither, but then again I'm still pretty new

 

They don't seem too bad to me. It depends on how much pressure you put in them as to how stuff they are. They will take 25-150 psi.

 

Hardly. I put a set of carquest 1000lb air lifts on the backend of my 2nd gen and they HELPED the ride IMMENSLY! Do you have any idea what a bumpy limerock road feels like with the body riding on the bump stops with the springs being almost useless? In my case the shocks made her ride like a cadaliac....before they stopped holding charge.

Now I have the AirLift 1000 setup and that sucker now rides harder than a 1 ton dually....

Steve

 

I was planning on running some rancho 9000's on the front since I have no sway bar and a adjustable shock would help dampen the front a little. I am also installing some 1.5" ball joint spacers I got from a guy in Baja so a adjustable either air or valved shock would be ideal since Iwill have to lower my torsions a bit for the ball joint spacer and they will be rather soft.

 

I'm running a similar setup as Adrian - 33's with 1" BL. I have stock torsion bars and Performance Products rear springs. Adrian is running aftermarket torsion bars and the FJ coils.

Watch your wheel backspacing. I'm running 3.75" BS which give me a little rubbing here and there. I think Adrian's running 4" or so.

 

I have 4" of BS.

My previous post was dripping with sarcasm.

BJ spacers let you back your bars off a lot and air shocks let you back them off even more. Probably the best idea anyone has ever had for this front end.

 

So air shocks and ball joint spacers will be a good set up in the front?

Now where's a good (cheap) place to find a set and how hard is it to install the air shocks??

 

Ball joint spacers are hard to find you can find them custom made here in the US but no production of them yet. I got mine from a guy who lives down in Baja Mexico he had his made custom made for his Toyota Truck so he talked to the guy who made them and he made another set. I know Ellipster on 4x4wire is testing his on his toyota and will likey start selling ball joint spacers sometime in the future.

 

The air shocks are just a little harder to install than regular shocks. You need to route the air lines and find a place to mount the valve stem. Also because we have lifts or ball spacers and not just stock trucks you will need to figure out the lenght shock you need for your set-up and look for a model that fits your truck from shock specs. In some cases you will need to change out the bushings that the shocks come with for a different size that fits your truck. Save your old shocks in case you need the bushings out of them. And as I mentioned before, I recommend putting a shut off valve between the two cross-linked shocks so you can unlink them when on-road. Here is a pic of my custom valve I made from $12 worth of parts from Lowes. Its a valve sold for water lines to an icemaker.

If you leave them cross-linked on a daily driver they will give you some funky handling characteristics, especially in high speed turns like freeway off ramps. Ask me how I know about this. :pat:

 

He has the ball joint spacers. They will be for sale very soon. He just wanted to test them out on his truck before selling them to everyone else

 

Dont' forget Frank (elripster) recommends some welding to reinforce the shock mounts.

 

I've been running them for over a year and the shock mounts haven't been a problem. Frank did reinforce his but he was the first to install air shocks and if you ask him now I bet he would say it was unnessasary. I've wheeled mine with 100 psi and a winch/winch bumper up front, those Toyota shock mounts are strong.