Im really starting to think about this as a possible winter project. I've been looking real hard at allpro's leaf conversion kit. Im starting to have a little trouble with all my superlift supershiest rear lift brackets. already broken my panhard drop bracket 2 times and i'm really worried about separating my upper control arm link brackets from my axle. i just dont think its worth it to spend all the money into new adjustable control arms and new panhard bracket, bigger stiffer coils and new shocks. for $599 for the leaf kit that has everything i need for around 6" of stout rear lift, anymore sounds like the way to go.
What do you guys think, pour more money into fixing/upgrading rear 4 link suspension or chop it off and put some leafs on?
http://www.allprooffroad.com/suspension_rear_kit.htm

 

start hacking! and that front end looks like it could use a set of leafs also

 

Someday, when ive got the funds and time. Still in highschool and ship out for the Marine Corps in June. But i think i'll probably get to a 3.4L swap before then.

 

I thought about doing the same thing to my 94' 4Runner but I changed my mind after going on a weekend trip on the Old Mohave Road with some buddys with 62" Deaver leaf springs on there Yota P/Us but before we could finish the last 28 miles one of them broke the main leaf and blew out all the shackel bushings. Also keep in mind all the hidden cost and time that come with custom fab. So my point is if you off road it, it won't matter what suspension you have you will have to repair/replace it on occation. Another thing to consider is spring wrap, 4 link doesn't have it. I would put your funds towards the 3.4 conversion, now that's an nice upgrade.

 

The stock rear links work. With stronger material and an extra inch of length, they can flex like mad and give room for 35's.

If you can weld, I would work on hanging a solid axle before I would convert the rear.

 

i can weld, but i dont have the kinda cash for a SAS, plus i think id rather put a 3.4 in her first. just wondering, how much have you spent on your rear suspension all together

 

I've also thought about doing this after looking at Chris Geiger of Marlin's website, http://www.off-road.com/toyota/tech/56leaf/index.html

He has gotten very good results and likes the way his 4runner rides with much less swaying and more stability offroad.

It seems like it would be cheaper than going with 2.5" fj80 coils in the rear. Plus you'd have to get new control arms and you'd have to straighten the panhard rod out.

 

That runner has long since been sold to a guy Colorado and not it has 60's and is a little different.

Links are not expensive, AP has stuff off the shelf for less than $500.

Lift brackets suck.

I have 20 bucks in coils, $525 in links and am working on another panhard idea that will be less than $50. It works, it is fail safe to far and it is pretty stock. Check out the old CO4RJ vids, the new vids that are forthcoming or the Moab footage in the next couple of weeks.

 

If you only need ~4" of lift, then stick w/ the OEM coils, ditch the SL stuff and go with different coils/spacers, panhard drop, and maybe AP upper links.

The AP leaf kit will not give your rig 6" of lift. We put one on my bro in law's '91 and added 1.5" blocks, and still only got about 4-5". Not to mention, cutting out all the coil brackets is a HUGE pain. Way worse than doing a SAS.

33's, 4" SL front lift, AP 5.5" rear spring kit (~3.5" lift?) even before springs being broken in/sagging:


After 35's, SAS (4" AP front springs w/ 2" drop front hanger) and adding 1.5" rear block:


More here: http://home.4x4wire.com/erik/pics/edsas.htm

 

another thing i would probably have to buy if i upgraded my rear coil sprung suspension would be a double cardan joint driveshaft though. thats another 300+ dollars. I want to lift it a little bit above 4". 5-6" would be great.

That website is where i found the information thinking that the kit would yeild 6" of lift.
"Leaf springs have netted about 6" of rear lift and the truck sits level now." ( http://www.off-road.com/toyota/tech/56leaf/index.html )

 

woah, 300 bucks, if the u joint is the same size, you could use a DC off a taco, my '99 reg cab has one, where did you get $300 from?

 

lol, hi angle driveline wanted like 350 or more for a new cv driveshaft. cant remember. I think it was Mikronized on here that said thats around what he payed.

 

I forgot to mention that those are AP 5.5" lift springs on the Blue runner. 5.5" must be only on a light rear-ended pickup, not a heavy 4runner.

Its been years since I read Chris' article, but IIRC, the springs he had were back when AP used Alcan Spring as their supplier, and when you order springs from them you give them the front/rear weights of your truck to make sure you get the right lift and spring rate. The ones AP sells now are more like "one size fits all." You can still order springs direct from Alcan though.

Buy any Toy double cardan driveshaft and simply have it re-tubed to length. Used driveshaft- $50-100? Retube- ~$100.

The $350 quote from Hi-angle is most likely only if you don't give them a core, and it probably also includes the long-travel slip joint which you don't want or need in the rear.

 

I think the leaf spring rear has a lot of advantages over 2nd gen coil suspension. You eliminate the rear steer effect caused by the coil spring setup on the 2nd gen. My leaf spring flexibility blows away the coil spring articulation. For a stock height setup, the coil works OK, but when you lift the suspension and extend the levers, there's just to much stress on all the stock mounts. It requires a fair but of modification to make the coils work with a lift, especially at 4" or higher. The AP springs are a little light for the heavier 4Runner, but a little block lift of a helper spring can solve that. The leaf spring setup is far less problematic. An anti wrap setup is fairly simple. I've run rear leafs for years without an anti-wrap and never had a problem that I could relate to not having one. I prefer the AOR springs from Alcan, with the orbit eyes over the AP setup, but they are more expensive.

 

question, if i were to go the landcruiser spring route would i only have to get the upper longer control arms, or would i have to get the lowers as well? ive been thinking about it a little and it almost seems that if i went this route the axle would be tilted up a little and my pinion angle would be better. dunno maybe just my imagination, probably wouldnt work though.

 

well from looking around at allpro and some pics of peoples rides with the setup i think i can run the springs with just the upper longer control arms. seems like the lowers are just longer to compensate for the lift and aren't really speacial except for to get that lowering bracket that comes with a 4" lift out of there and out of the way of hanging up on the trail. what kinda shocks should i run with this? and should i just do away with limiting straps?

 

Bye Bye to limiting straps. You're shocks will be your limiting straps.