tomus1000

Check out this thread in the "for sale" section . I was wondering if these are good quality for off-roadiing, and is it a good deal? What does he mean by "basic" coilovers. I am planning on buying a set of coilovers anyway.

Thanks in advance for the advise.

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/show...&threadid=7547

jx94148

That sounds something like what Jeff the Marmot used to use.
I don't think he liked them very much from what he writes on the Wire...


Fabtech/Fox coilover comments.

ALee27

well fabtech make 2 types of coilovers for toyotas. one is the performance one, which is made more for offroading use. they also kinda resemble the SAWs in that the coilover is one unit and is rebuildable. the other one is the basic coilover which is a seperate spring and shock and comes with a threaded sleve that goes over the shock. this one isnt rebuildable, meaning you would have to replace the shock eventually. if your into a lot of heavy offroading then get the performance. if your doing it more for looks and mild offroading, then its a pretty easy and cheap way to go. its also adjustable from 0"-3.5" lift. hope this helps explain things.

tomus1000

Thanks for clearing it up. They don't sound like what I am looking for. I think I will save my pennies for the SAW's.

ALee27

IMO if you really want the best, i just got these kings for a little bit more than the SAWs and they are so awsome. they ride so smooth but are great offroad. no matter how hard you offroad them they never fade. the SAWs use a 2"diameter shock and the kings use a 2.5"diameter shock. it holds almost twice as much as the SAWs. ive never tried the SAWs before but after buying these Kings i will never switch.

tomus1000

Kings? Could you be more specific? What are they and how much were they?

ALee27

King is a company that specializes in making shocks and coilovers for desert racing. they are very high quality but a bit pricey. they usually go for around 850 but i got them a little less from an offroad shop i frequent. i see more people on the TTORA boards runnning these. they typically rank the coilovers 1.Kings 2. SAW 3. Fabtech. personally i went with them because i figure if im going to do it this time i mine as well do it right. they are completely rebuildable and i have never heard any complaints about them. heres a link to their site.

http://kingshocks.com/shocks.htm

Good Times

tomus:

I agree w/ Alee27 on this one I'm in the process of working w/ King Shocks directly on making a set for the new 03's woo hoo!

If you're looking for coilovers, then I'd say King is number 1 followed by SAW and then whatever other company out there that makes em a distant (and I mean way distant) third.

Yes King is about 200 more than SAW but I think it's well worth it due to the design. If you get a closer look at both design, you'll understand immediately just by looking at the top plate.

gl

Lance

keisur

ALee,

How easy is it to adjust those things? do you have to have the wheel off since the adjuster ring is on the top in order to get the good leverage on it?

Goodtimes,

Could you explain what the advantage the top plate of the king is? I am looking at a picture of the kings and the SAW's on my runner and I really can't see an advantage. if there is an advantage I would say that the SAW's have it because the spring sits on the bottom of the top plate so the flange part of the top plate doesn't have to support everything from the threads down all by itself. maybe it's the valve being at the top rather than at the bottom but on the SAW's you just turn it so the valve is on the inside and Sway-A-Way has redesigned it so that it is recessed now. Maybe the bottom ring the spring sits on looks different since it's a cone style making it possibly stronger than the SAW's lower spring seat ring thingy.

ALee27

keisur, the kings actually come already set at 2.5" if you need to adjust them u jsut loosen the allen bolt on top and turn the ring. i havent adjusted mine yet so i dont really know how difficult it is. i think there are 2 big improvements over the SAWs. 1 is that the shock diameter is 2.5" vs 2" giving you about 40% more oil capacity. 2nd the top mount has a heim joint that swivels that im guessing give you more flexibility in suspension movement. also i have never heard anyone complain or have problems with kings so that sold me also. hope this helps

ALee27

hey GoodTimes, you think your lift will be in by the 30th? id love to see the first lifted 03 4runner! how much are they lifting it?

Good Times

Andy (i think right?)

Well it's gonna be coilovers so I can actually lift it as high as the coilovers let me...

THE BAD NEWS
No real way to lift the rears right now. Daystar just lifted a 4runner (custom) but I don't like their spacers... So, I think I'm forced to just level the darn thing...

I hope that they'll have the parts in b4 the 30th as I'll be taking my 4runner in again this saturday. (woohoo!).

The biggest problem with the new 4runners are that the suspension is different. The shock travel itself is the same but there is an extension added at the bottom (about 2.75" I think). Also the top plate is bigger than the tundra top plate and the bolt pattern is new. This means that the top plate is a custom fab and the bottom of the shock will be custom w/ the extension.

So what King and I have decided was that we would make a temp solution so atleast I can be raised while they take apart my stock suspension. W're looking at having them use the tacoma top plate (meaning I'd have to drill new holes for it... arg).

Not a real big deal actually but hey it's something. As soon as my 4runner is lifted and the stock shocks are out, they'll take apart that and make a real set for everyone else. Maybe I'll ask for the replacement if I really want to go thru the trouble.. hehe

But anyway, hopefully they'll have it done b4 the 30th and I'll have it in by then. I've already taken the front off for measuring so I have no problems installing... except it's all hand tools! (yikes!) I think I need your power tools hehehe!!!

Crossin fingers like mad!!! pretty darn excited too! hehe

Lance

keisur

So I take it the shaft diameter is the same as the SAW's and the tube diameter changed.

Also, i can't see from the picture but the heim joint at the top: the coilover assembly swivels on the top plate that mounts to the vehicle? could you snap a photo of the top of your coilover so I can see this? if I ever have to rebuild the SAW's or decide to lift my wife's tacoma I might consider king's.

thanks.

Good Times

Keisur:

Just imagine the top plate off... now look at the bottom bolt... that's how it looks on the top inside the plate..

It has the same bolt so it can pivot on the top inside the plate itself and also at the bottom too..

That means that the shock itself can pivot along the top and bottom...

THE SAW design (along w/ everyone else) only pivots at the bottom so at extreme points I believe it bends abit... (not sure) so if you can pivot the top then it avoids that problem. (just means less stress)

if you take a closer look at the shaft itself, you'll notice that it is bigger than the saw. Hopefully I can take a pic of the king when I get it (soon!)...

Also the valve is on the top instead at the bottom (saw)...

Lance

keisur

yea, I noticed that, but that's not really a prob with the saw's anymore.

I understand how it works I just want to see a pic of the top plate setup. that would be cool if you could snap a few pics when you get them, hopefully before install.

thanks.

Good Times

I have a test top plate at home so when I go home tonight, I"ll take a quick pic for ya..

Don't have the rest of the shock assembly so hope that will give ya some idea...

Lance

ALee27

keisur- i can try top take a pic of it but you might not be able to see the heim joint cause its installed but i might be taking it out soon and adjusting it a little this weekend and id be glad to take a pic for you

Lance- Id be glad to help you out anyway i can! do you have the X reas suspension or the regular one? do you know is theyre making you a whole new setup or jsut modifying the tacoma/tundra coilover to fit your truck? man i cant wait to see this setup on you runner!

Good Times

Alee27:

I have the non xreas system... I knew going into buying the 4runner that I was gonna lift it for sure, which meant the xreas system will come off anyway... no need to waste $$ there.. hehe

What King Shocks and I decided was this:

Just use existing top plate from the tacoma (only cuz the bolt patterns are symmetrical whereas the tundra one's are offset).

And then use the same shocks (but stiffer coils... ) and add an extension to the bottom of the shock since the stock shock has a 2 3/4" extension under the shock itself.

Comparing the new 4unner stock shock and the tacoma stock shock, the shock itself (travel) is the same. The only difference was that it had a stiffer coil (obviously) and also the top plate was bigger and the bolt pattern was wider (1/8" wider than the tundra one too... yikes). The bottom of the shock has a 2 3/4" extension too..

They're gonna make a custom one for me so that they can replace the shock... After it's done, they're gonna use my stock shock and make a fully bolt on one for everyone else... But until the demands is there I don't think they'll be rushing out to make it for everyone. As for me, I'm gonna have to drill some new bolt holes on the top plate so that I can use it... no biggie!

Yeah thanks for the helpin offer! I might have to think about that one as w/ your power tools that's just way too tempting! hehehe ... just gonna have to figure something out for the rears.. really don't want daystar back there but I guess I'll have to figure out my options go from there.

OME / DOWNEY: hurry!!!!

Lance

ALee27

you could always get custom coils made and have king fab you up some rear shocks too! man your gonna love the kings, i jsut wish they had something for the rear. you think they could fab me up a sweet rear setup? the front rides so differently from the rear and id love to have kings on all 4s. what coil rating are they giving you? i would assume its the same as the tundra at 650ppi since you have the v8 right?

Good Times

yup 650 it is...

Yeah, we've talked briefly about the rears... not sure how to go about it as they said we'd have to cut and paste alot in the back so I told them I'd hold off on it for abit and see how the front works out first.

Hopefully the front will work w/o any problems and then I can focus on the rears. I'm gonna be giving downey a call soon and see what they can do to the rears since they're pretty close to my work! hehe

Prefer not to cut and paste stuff much right now... Maybe later but not right now...