How does a lifted 3rd gen 4Runner do on roadtrips?
 

Hi, I'm a new poster here!

Been a longtime toyota owner and fan (first 4runner was an 86).

I'm currently driving a 97 4Runner of which I am the original owner with 106k miles on it.
It's got the stock rear locker, 265 BFGs, and a supercharger (since 98).

It's been a great truck for 4wheelin, camping, roadtrips, etc.


I'ver never had the shocks or breaks replaced, and it definitely feels like they need replacing!
It's sloppy all over the road, bouncy, and the brakes are soft.
My wife gets to drive the nice new g35x, and I get the bouncy 4Runner :smokin:



So I figured now was a good time to replace some parts and possibly get a little lift(?), bigger tires(?), sliders, front lockers, new bumper, winch? the list is probably endless :bigok:


Unfortunately I'm a complete and utter noob when it comes to cars. :hillbill:

I can build computers, program them, etc - but know absolutely nothing about cars.
I'd love to learn, but don't have the $$$ to buy all the necessary tools, etc, so I'll probably have a shop make the modifications.
I've been trying to absorb as much as possible from lurking on these boards.



Anyways, I'm wondering how much doing a suspension lift/body lift(?) will affect general driving on roadtrips? Noise is no big deal (between the current bfgs and supercharger, it's not exactly quiet).
But it's nice to have decent handling when going 75+mph to Moab or flying down I-70s curves into Denver after a ski trip.

Also, which suspension upgrade/lift would you suggest?
I don't need a 4"+ inch lift to put 35"s on or anything, but would like to be able to feel comfortable tackling moderate to difficult trails around the area.


Thnx in advance for any advice or info!

I have a '98 with a 2 1/2" suspension lift. I went with a set of cheap spacers planning to buy a "real" lift later. To tell you the truth, I'm happy with the setup the way it is now.

If you don't plan to go more than 2-3" in lift, I don't think you'll notice any adverse affect on drivability. If anything, with new shocks it it'll feel far more stable.

As far as lift suggestions, I'll sit that one out. I have experience with the Daystar spacer lift I mentioned earlier, but don't have anything against which I can compare. I'm sure someone else will chime in with some good suggestions.

Anyway, good luck and welcome to YotaTech!

mines fine. I've gone twice from Houston to Greenville and back and many times from Houston to Mobile, AL and back and it's the best riding vehicle I know!

Spend some time searching the threads on lifts here and also look at the lift comparisons on 4x4wire.com to give you an idea of what's available.

EDIT: here's the link: http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/4Runner/tech/suspension/

do a search for the Tundra TRD setup. great ride height and comfort. no too expensive and great off and on road.

I think the 3rd Gen with a mild lift will ride better than stock and perform much better off road as well. Many like the Tundra solution, I am happy with a combo of OME Springs and Shocks. They will both way out perform stock and look better too!

Yeah, I've done a little reading on that Tundra TRD lift (by Andy?)

So if I decide to go with that setup, and order all the parts, how much do you think it would cost to have a shop install it?

It'd be cool to figure out how to install it myself... but would probably take 3 months :hillbill: :hillbill: :hillbill:

I've got the Old Man Emu with the 882 (stiff) front springs and it rides much better than stock. My front ARB Bumper and Winch help depress the front springs and it really rides good and handles pretty good-not as good as stock there but the center of gravity is higher. 2 things I want to get are Steve Schaeffers rear panhard bar and rear bumpstops-these should soften the rear when hitting large bumps at speed and help keep the backend from shifting on big bumps-although that's not real noticeable.

Handling was fine but power was my concern. Last year I did the North Carolina-Colorado drive with the stock gears (4.10) and 33s. It handled fine but had power issues while I was climbing into CO. This year I did the NC-Moab, UT trip (overall 5500 miles over 3 weeks) and had no issues with the same lift/tire setup but had new 4.88s.

As long as you keep it reasonable, the current state of engineering in lift kits is very good. You should have no ride and handling issues. I had an 85 with 4" Skyjacker Softride lift and 33s, and now a 90 with 7" total lift and 35s. I drove the '85 for 140,000 miles after it was lifted and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. It actually rode and handled better than stock. The '90 rides just fine but I wouldn't push it in the corners. :eeek: If it only had the 4" lift and 33s I would say that it's ride and handling were just as good as stock. Get good shocks. The extra width of the bigger tires tends of offset some of the height. Of course you aren't going to corner like a car, but then if you need to do that, get a car! :P Get good shocks. As for long trip comfort, as long as you don't get a really stiff set of springs the ride is generally almost as smooth but more controlled, so it's better in a lot of ways. Get good shocks. :) And on each of these rigs (and others I've owned) I changed the gears to restore the power lost to bigger tires.

Crux: I feel as though you are in the same place I was in about 5 weeks ago. I wanted to upgrand but just not sure where to go. I had little auto experience...After some research, (not enough as I wished I would have found Yotatech.com first). I called reputable 4wd center about 30 minutes away from my house - I told them I was looking for a minor lift (2-3inches) and gave them my lowdown on my Runner...after speaking with both the guys at the center and speaking directly to an ARB/Old Man Emu techhead, I felt confident with my decision. I went with Old Man Emu 881/N91S on the front and OME 906/N86 on the rear. The ARB/OME tech told me the 906 were a very new product for them and that they were much better suited for the application I was looking for (No constant heavy loads, 90% on road 10% off road and very much ready for any snow.) :)
After having the suspension upgraded, I noticed a difference immediately...it was fantastic - like brand new truck 2" lift all around and the handling IMPROVED. I am thrilled so far.
As for tires I went from a Pirelli Scorpion 265/75/16 to a BFG 265/75/16 I wanted to upgrade to a BFG 285 but they wouldn't fit without some rubbing. (see post https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f2/tire-questions-47159/).
I'm not gonna claim to know a lot by any means, but I'm happy with my decision, and I'd love to hear feedback from others about the 906 rear coils...I feel as though I'm one of the first???-Could be good or bad I suppose. Good luck man.

Hey Crux,

Got a 97 w/ 2.5 " lift and don't notice much difference on driving in the mountains etc. New shocks made a huge difference, way more than the lift in my opinion.

I live in Denver also and need brakes as well. You have any good shops to recommend? I have 99k miles and never had any brake work done. Don't even know where to start in town here without getting taken for a ride so to speak.

Any advice anyone on shops and/or dealerships to go to for brake jobs?

Thanks,
CB

I don't have a 'Runner but have a taco with the stiff OME lift and 33 bfgs. With the sway bar attached, it handles and feels great on the highway. I drive between Evergreen and the mountains on 70 all the time and don't really have a problem with power except towards the top of vail and loveland pass. I put over 13000 miles on it this past summer, to and from school, all over the west and up to British Colombia and never had one problem, just kept the oil changed and it kept runnin, Toyotas are just the best! :rockon:

I've got a mild lift, about 2.5" with 33" MTRs on my '01 4Runner. It handles surprising well on roadtrips. My wife and I have been in it for 9 hour trips up to New York and 8 hour trips to go fossil diving in Charleston, S.C. On I-95 cruising at 85 mph, it's a smooth comfortable ride.

I have a 2.5" suspension lift, and 2" body lift with 285/75/16's and 4.88 gears to compensate for the tire size. I've driven from CA to WY 5 times now, and it's been great. Driven from CA to Moab once. No problems whatsoever.

I've got a 96 with a 3" suspension lift, 2" body lift, and 33/12.5-15 MTs. The truck does well enough for me... we take it on all of our family trips and such without worry. Prior to this summer, I had 32/11.5-15 ATs on the truck (and no body lift), and my highway gas mileage was actually better than it was when the truck was stock.

If you do it right (i.e. pick good parts), a lifted rig is just fine for road trips.

I have a 2" suspension lift and a 1" body lift with some 285/75 MT/R's and from Birmingham to Knoxville with an increase in elevation by about 500' overall I got 18.0 MPG's earlier this morning. That was w/ the cruise set at 72 (actual speed was 77/78).

Crux-

I can get the Tundra springs locally for ~$160.

Heck, I'll even install them for you for an Autometer Z-series boost gauge (dropped my old one).

Aspen Tire in Lakewood will install rear shocks for $22 each. It WELL worth it. Changing the rears is a PITA in the driver's side.

I love the way my PP springs and Bilstein shocks lift rides. A lot more controlled over the stock ride. If you want even more control look into upgrading your sway bars. :drink: