Hey Guys,

I'm new to this whole forum thing so forgive me if I say or ask something stupid. I have a black 96' SR5 4x2 and I'm just getting into modifying it and making it MINE. I have added PIAA headlight blubs, taken off the running boards(best thing I could ever do to get rid of the fat SUV, mommy waggon look) and this month I'm putting on a set of BF Goodrich T/A KO's and Bilsteins. I'm already looking into the next mod and I'm at a loss of opinon among my friends, so I figured take a poll here.
What would make my Runner look the most muscual and all around bad ass:
Manik Brush Gaurd w/ Tail Light Gaurds
or
Bushwacker Fender Flares???
Thanks

 

How 'bout :

1. ARB or TJM BullBar. (IMO more muscular looking and functional than a brush gaurd)

2. Cornbred 2.5" Front Spacers with Downey 2.5" Rear Coils and bigger tires. (to go with your Bilsteins)

3. Fender Flares.

 

I vote for the Manik grille and tailight guards. I have one on my 4Runner (not the tailight guards though) and love it. I think it makes it look really cool and fits well with the scheme of the vehicle. The thing with them is that they do not provide ALOT of protection like the Bull Bars. They will provide some, but nothing like that. I mean if you get into an accident, you will receive damage no matter what. If you plan on doing some heavy off-roading, get the bullbar. If you don't do any or some lighter stuff, get the grille guard. I love mine. A set of PIAA 520s really compliments the whole look. Just my opinions though, do what you wish. Goodluck and welcome to the board my friend. :fireman:

 

Thanks guys,
I love the rugged look of the Bullbars and all, but I'm 2WD so I do almost no offroading, I do what little I can(mostly just ridding dry trails w/ my 4WD buddies not far behind, in case I get in over my head) and so more or less a brush gaurd would suite me just fine. Plus I'm on a college guys budget and so the price of a bullbar exceeds my budget for now. So I'm taking it that from my responses that you guys think that a brushgaurd will make my Runner look more muscular than a set of Fener Flares. If anyone has any other opinions let me know. One last thing, Beowulf you said something about some spacers to give me a bit of lift. I love the look of lifted 4Runners but would these spacers or do you know of any that would work for a 2WD Runner like mine. I would love if there was a way to get somewhere near 3" w/o breaking the bank. Also would spacers require me to change the shocks like most lifts would require me to do? Thanks again.

 

Hi Stump, and welcome to the forums here.
Even though you have a 2WD, you still take it on some trails with friends right?

I'd go for the TJM bumper group buy we have going on here.
It's going to protect you out in the woods, and around town.

That mod alone is going to give you a very rugged look, and offer way more protection than a grille guard can.
Phong's TJM.

Mike's TJM.

Mike is the guy to get in touch with on the group buy.
And fender flares by Bushwacker are going to compliment the bumper very much.
The Extend a fender model from Bush is very good. I run them on mine.

Chris here runs the Bush's on his 2WD, and they look very nice.

 

I think I read that David might be making 3 inchers. His site still has 2.5 listed. You could be lifted for the price of the Manik guard (maybe less) and you won't have the negative effects on the CV's being 2wd. Once you are lifted it can open a new can of worms /mods for you with bigger tires, ect.

:beaver:

 

Hey Thanks man, who is David and what is the address to his site. I would like to take a look into those spacers?

 

Stump, I would go with the Bushwackers first and then save up some more money for either the Manik are bullbar.

Also, welcome and remember there are no stupid questions here.

 

Yes the Corbreds will work with your 2WD ... and No you do not have to change shocks with them. They are actually designed to work with your current stock coils and shocks (but will work even better with the Bilsteins).

I really think you should re-consider the TJM BullBar over the brushgaurd as well, you should check the price on the group buy that's going on right now, it might not be that much of a difference in price than the Manik and IMO a better product than a brushgaurd (NO Offense to anyone with a Manik by the way!).

Here is another way to lift your rig for not too much $$$:

Front 2.5" Aluminum Spacers $97 Protrux
Rear 2.5" Downey Rear Lifting Coils $155 (est.) Downey

Total $252.00 plus shipping for 2.5" of lift.

Protrux Front Aluminum Spacers:


Downey Rear Coils:


Then just go up a step in tire size then what you were planning on (that is if you haven't bought them already) along with the Bilsteins and you will have a superior than stock ride with 2.5" of lift ... just add a TJM Bullbar and you will have one tough looking rig!!!

 

Beowulf would that work for a 4wd cause i would like to go up but i need to do it cheap (I know that it would be better to do it expensive but I can get cheap past the wife)?

 

Hi Mark,

Yes they will work for both 4WD and 2WD ... but 3rd gens (1996-2002) only.

For 2nd gens, you are dealing with torsion bars and coils or IFS Kits. You can crank your stock torsion bars about 1.5" or so, but I think you will end up with a really harsh ride. I would recommend going with a heavy duty t-bars like Sway-A-Way or Downey (I'm not sure if Downey makes t-bars) and then some Rear 1.5" Downey Coils.

Here would be a good set up for a 2nd gen:

Front = Sway-A-Way 25mm Torsion Bars
Bilstein Shocks (that's if you don't have high quality shocks already)

Rear = Downey 1.5" Coils
Bilstein Shocks

Or if Downey sold a whole kit (i.e. T-Bars and Coils), that would probably be a little cheaper but I'm not sure on the T-Bars. This would give you about 1.5" - 2.0" of lift and the Bilstiens will provide a superior to stock ride.

As for IFS Kits (i.e. ProComp, Trailmaster, etc.), they will give you the best amount of lift (4.0" - 6.0"), but are really expensive around $1000.00+ and do not usually come with high quality shocks like the Bilsteins.

Go here to read all about suspension stuff.

Hope this helps!!!

p.s. I heard that Explorer ProComp has a distributership in the U.K. , maybe if you buy it factory direct they will give you a discount? Tell them you are a YotaTech Forum member and would like to do a review on their lift kit and post it online for the forum members (explain to them how much business you going to drum up for them )

EXPLORER UK, Poplar Park, Cliff Lane [A50], Lymm, Cheshire WA13 0TD.
Tel: 01925 757588 - Fax: 01925 755146

p.p.s. Oh and about the wife, dont you know about the UUC ? LOL This is funny, check it out!!!

 

Thanks Beowulf. Even though I don't have a S.O for the time being I can understand the whole need to keep everything on the DL. I have a bunch of friends whose S.O's give them hell everytime something new gets added on. Back to the spacers, with the second setup you suggested(the one w/ Downey spacers) and the coilovers on the rear) would that one require a new set of shocks as well or would it do fine w/ my Bils. as well?

 

Well, I have a Manik and wish I had an ARB or TJM. Soon!

There are some pretty good posts here so I hope you don't mind me jumping in.

I have a 4WD and use it off road every chance I get. I want the bumpers for their solid construction and winch mount. However, I wouldn't recommend putting an ARB or TJM on a 2WD that will be used pretty much as a street machine. It's the wrong look for street usage.

What was the group buy price on the TJM? $550? I think it would be really odd to have a 2WD with a TJM unless you lift it; pre-runner kinda thing I guess. Can you picture that? I agree that the bumpers are better looking, better built and just plain better bumpers. But I don't think that is what Stump is looking for - please correct me if I'm wrong.

"College guys budget" and "bullbar exceeds my budget for now" are statements I can relate to! I think I paid about $350.00 for the grill guard and about $150.00 for the light guards. You do that and throw on some taller springs or spacers and you'll have a fine looking machine. You're still looking at what - $700 or $800.00 with spacers and all.

Just my humble opinion.

 

Yes Gene they were $550.00 plus shipping

Mike

 

No it does not require new shocks, they will work great with your Bilsteins.

Protrux makes the front 2.5" Spacers $97

Downey makes the rear 2.5" Coils $155-$160 (est.)

Have you already bought the Bilsteins and Tires?

 

Gene man you are the best. You seem to get where I'm coming from. I love all the different suggestions everyone is making but they don't seem to get me the way you do(2WD street machine, college budget) that's my cruel reality. Right now after hearing everyone talking here. I'm looking at those Doney spacers really closely. Throwing that combo on that Beowulf was talking about, $255 plus shipping, and adding on bigger tires to fit. I think that would give me the nice rugged(preppy street machine, if you would have it that way) look I'm going for. Gene where did you find a Manik brush gaurd for $350? Everyone I look at wants me to drop $450 for one. Also take a look at my post asking about tires. My questions are so many b/c I'm just getting into this modifiying thing and I have to replace my tires soon and figure why not get the spacers, shocks, and tires all at once while I got the $$$. Before college life kicks in hard core and takes it all from me.

 

Mark UK, the cheapest way to lift your 2nd gen is to crank up the T bars a tad like Beowulf mentioned.
You do not want to go over 14.5" inches from the top of your wheel lip to the bottom of your wheel well, or it will put an adverse angle on your CVs.

I would not put on the SAW 25s unless you plan on going with a heavy bumper like I have and a winch.
It will ride to rough.

I had mine cranked up front for over tow years on the stock T bars and it rode pretty decent.
But after one or two weeks with the ARB bumper, I knew I had to switch to a heavier one.

So crank the T bars up a tad after you get new coils for the rear.
Downey makes two different ones. You want the Heavy Duty ones, or it can sag some when you load up with cargo.

My Downey's have not sagged a bit, and they have been on since spring of '99.
Here's the stance you will get with them.

Even with over 200 lb. of sub woofer, tools, and cargo box, it doesn't sag.

There is also an article here on how to install the Downey's in our Tech section.
You can order the Downey's from Central 4WD, or go right to the source.

Here is a good article on adjusting the T bars.
Take note that when you adjust them, you will have to get an alighment soon.
If you have manual hubs instead of the ADD hubs, you can go to almost 15". Mine is pretty close to that.

 

No tires and shocks have not been bought yet. They are all on hold for now until I get more info about these spacers under my belt. I really need to put the tires and shocks on ASAP though. My tires are really low right now, and need to be switched out. If I went ahead and put them on, it wouldn't mess things up to put the spacers in later would it?

 

Stump,
I had my 32's on before the lift but I am a 4x4 rather then your 4x2. What size do you have on there now and how much room does it look like you have? Figure out the size differences between your present tire and new ones and make an educated guess? Some places will let you test fit a tire and if it doesn't fit go down in size.

To put the spacers on you need to basically remove the shocks anyhow so you might as well do that all at once. Especially if you are paying someone else to do it. Why pay for the labor twice?

It won't mess anything up to put the shocks and spacers on later on.

:beaver:

 

Hey Stump1883, it's like Beavah said ... you can add the spacers anytime, it will not mess up anything. Its just that if you buy the tires first you will have to stick with a stock size, where as if you buy the spacers first, you can add bigger tires (which is why you want the spacers in the first place).

If you are certain you will add spacers, it would be best to do it all at once (i.e. tires, shocks, spacers and coils) for these reasons:

1. You will be able to go up in tire size from the start (without the spacers you will have to stick close to stock tire size) then when you add the spacers your stock sized tires may look a little small.

2. You will have to put the spacers on top of the shock/coil assemblies anyways. So why install the shocks and then have to yank everything out again when you install the spacers at a later date?

3. Same goes for the rear coils, you will already be doing the work back there installing the shocks, so it would be a great time to change the coils as well.

Hey Mark U.K., Corey is the man when it comes to 2nd gen Suspension. I am only speaking from what I have read about, Corey has LIVED IT!!!

Great tips Corey, you're a wealth of knowledge as usual! (by the way Corey, the setup that I recommended for Mark U.K. was what I got from reading about your set up, but I forgot to take the ARB into consideration).

Hey Corey by the way, do you know if Downey does makes any torsion bars or has a kit like I was talking about?