I love my rig, but I need some help to diagnose and fix a few problems.

1) When I brake, especially at speed or when towing, my steering wheel gyrates rapidly. My gut tells me that I have a rotor problem or something. Has anyone dealt with this before? It is just really alarming when I have to break at 75 miles and hour and the car shakes violently. If anyone could tell me what the problem is and how to fix it that would be awesome.

2) How can I tell if my rear shocks are shot? Sometimes on curves, when I hit a bump, it feels like the entire rig lifts off the ground and literally shifts to the direction of the centrifical force. My rig has 65,000 miles and has the original shocks.

3) I have decided to get the Old Man Emu set-up for the 2 inch lift. I cannot decide if I want the light Duty or the medium set-up. I want a great ride and more control, but I also tow occasionally and offroad a little. Anyone with some experience with OME could really help!!

4) Finally, when I get the OME set-up, should I get better sway bars for more control or will the lift itself improve the handling enough?

THANKS SO MUCH!!!

 

1) That SOUNDS like warped rotors to me, they aren't that exspensive...I'm not sure whether 65k miles is a lot for an original set or not. I know mine don't have 150k miles....

4) Better swaybars will improve your control...I think the 2" lift will decrease it because it raises center of gravity.

 

the lift will decrease control even though the springs and shocks are far superior to stock?

 

I'm not sure, actually. If they are firmer then stock, that will increase control...but lifting it up 2" will definitely raise the center of gravity, and if your 4runner weighs what mine does (north of 5k lbs) then a couple inches up is a lot of potential energy going 55 mph.......

 

1. I agree the rotors are warped. you can get some from NWOR for pretty cheap, almost half the price of stock so you could get two sets and have a spare set.

2. since you're replacing the suspension I would worry with this.

3. I would go with the heavy duty OME springs with the regular shocks they sell, I think they are called comfort shocks or something. I put the hd springs in my rear and use cheap procomp es3000's for the shocks. and SAW's for the front, I would go that route if I were you. the ride doesn't seem harsh to me and if you tow the lights or med duty's not keep the ass end level.

4. get sway bars unless money is an issue, in which case, lift now and save for the sway bars.

hope my opinion helped.

 

Sheesh Cat, what do have installed in that thing? a load of bricks? mine is only pushing 4k.

 

The plate in my door says 5260. I have probably...100 lbs worth of stereo in it....maybe more. Actually I'm sure it's more...my subs weight 35lbs each..that's 70...plus 5ft^3 box...all birch...probably weighs 50 lbs at least....

 

Hey, thanks for the response.....

If I use the HD springs and the comfort shocks...is that going to effect anything adversly?

Secondly: With your set-up, did you get better sway bars?

 

1. I agree it sounds like your rotors are warped.

2. Yep I think that your rear shocks are dead. The same thing was happening with the Rancho 9000s I used to have (no matter what setting I had them on, whenever I would go over any bump the front and rear would go up and just crash down). I'd definitely replace those shocks (especially since they're the stock ones)

I don't entirely agree with Los Gatos? Although the 2" lift will certainly raise your center of gravity, I wouldn't say that it will decrease your control. I have about a 2" lift on my 4Runner (Downey 1.5" HD Rear Coils and Cranked SAW Torsion Bars to match the lift in the rear) and I haven't noticed any decrease in control at all. I mean sure you won't be able to take corners at 40mph (You shouldn't be anyway in these trucks) You'll just have to take it easy when going around corners, and what not.

I wouldn't worry about it much.

Good luck with it!!!

-Braden

 

Noone told me about that one. I think you can take a corner at whatever speed you can. I know my truck well enough to know it's limitations and how it drives. I take pretty sharp corners at whatever the speed limit is, give or take...I think 4runners handle pretty good...I also have some weight over the axle....

 

Well then to each his own. I have no desire to roll my truck.

-Braden

 

Well when I get my lift and tire situation set, I'm not gonna be doing anything like that. The tires I have on now (that I didn't purchase) are more street than offroad...I think they are AT but mostly street, and what with my 2" of ass sag I can play with it a little.

 

The plate in the door is the gross vehicle weight, in other words, the max the vehicle can weigh fully loaded according to manufacturer's specs. I think the third gens are under 4000 pounds stock.

 

I have a 2nd gen


**EDIT** but you're right, that's gross weight. I think it's probably around 4k then.

 

http://www.edmunds.com/used/1995/toy...nav..7.Toyota*

stock weight for second gen (1995 atleast) is Weight: 3760 lbs.

throw stereo... bigger than stock tires... etc in there, and you got one heavy vehicle

 

Doesn't Rancho have a lifetime warrenty on their shocks, or is it just if you blow them out? Mine were on when I got my Runner two years ago and it had 94k on it. Now it has 125k and the shocks are still fine in any setting.

I also heard that 9000's aren't the best for absorbing weight. I think 5000's are best for that (crashing down).

 

you may ot need to replace the rotors, if they are still thick enough you can just have them machined. About 1 hr labour depending on the shop