Hi, everyone! I bought a 93 4Runner about a month ago and have found almost every answer to any question I've had right here on Yotatech. So I figured I might as well become a part of the community. Thanks to all for making this such a comprehensive place to gain knowledge for people like me who have very little experience with cars.

So as I've stated, I am the proud owner of a 93 4Runner 5spd V6. There are a couple of issues that I hope I could get some clarification on:

1) Sag Ass. I've found that swapping out a new set of coils is the way to get this done. I bought a set of Moogs because they were so cheap and get the ride back to stock height; however, I would eventually like to get the truck a little more clearance overall and I've heard good things about OME. Should I return the Moogs and get a set of OME's for the rear? Since I've heard they raise the truck past stock height will I need to switch out the stock shocks at the same time? Will the brake lines need to be extended? Anything else to note when raising the vehicle beyond stock height?

2) The reason I want to raise the overall level of the vehicle is because the tires the original owner has on there rub the wheel well when the steering wheel is at full crank to the left. Turned all the way to the right there is no problem. I should clarify that this only happens with the tire on the driver's side. Is this odd? Should I be concerned that only one tire is rubbing and the other has plenty of room to spare? (I measured the tires and they are about 29 inches from top to bottom.)

3) If that isn't weird and a simple 1-2 inches of lift will alleviate the problem, I've come understand that 2nd gen 4Runners don't have springs in the front, they have torsion bars. What is a torsion bar and what does it do? What does "cranking" them entail? If I want to lift the front end will the stock bars plus some ball joint spacers do the trick? Or should I grab the OME's that come as part of their set? Would I need to do any of the shock or brake line work I asked about before on the front as well?

4) The truck shakes. Violently. It happens at between 25 and 45 mph and seems to be triggered by hitting bumps and uneven patches of road. It's mainly triggered in 3rd gear as that's the gear I'm in when traveling at those speeds. It will persist into 4th and neutral if the speed remains within those boundaries. Decelerating below 25 or accelerating above 45 will alleviate it but the most immediate way is to turn the wheel beyond a certain point. I've taken my car into Les Schwab and they couldn't figure it out. They said nothing is loose enough to cause vibrations that severe. Any ideas on what could be going on? If I recall correctly, my mechanic said the CV's (I don't remember if he said joints or boots, will update if I contact him.) are broken. Might that be the cause?

5) Does it sound like I'm an ignorant fool who bought a crap ride?

Sorry for all the questions. You guys have already been a huge source of information for me and I've looked for answers to my questions but couldn't find anything that specific. If posting them in separate threads would be more beneficial please let me know. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

1) OME is an excellent brand. They aren't quite as good of quality as stock (your ride will be a bit bumpier) but they're great coils! Toyteclifts.com has OME 2" lift rear shocks for a very reasonable price. I would recommend them.
You do not NEED to get new shocks. You can get up to 3" of lift and keep your stock shocks, your flex will just suck because your shocks will be extended nearly all the way with the lift. So if you don't plan on offroading your 4Runner too much, you'll be fine with your stock shocks. But I'd go ahead and get new one's if you have the money. Toytec has good options for shocks as well.
You will not need extended break likes in the rear for a 2-3" lift.

 

2) I have a 3rd generation 4Runner (96-02) and my tires rub only on the drivers side too! It isn't a big deal. I drive it every day with no issues.
A lift in the front will stop it from rubbing if you decide to keep the same tire size whenever the time comes.
To lift the front, you could "crank" (tighten) the torsion bars to lift it, but it wouldn't ride as nice. Ball joint spacers can also lift it up front.
As for shocks, same thing as the rear. If you have the money and want improved flex, get new shocks!

 

Guess I answered 2 and 3 with that last reply. As for the shaking, I'm not sure! If you have any other lift questions, let me know.
Welcome to Yotatech!

 

Thank you! I didn't expect to get a reply so quickly. I don't have the money for shocks currently but I do plan on doing some off-roading in the future, so it's nice to know that I can do things piece-by-piece. I've seen heavy load and medium load OME rear coils on trdparts4u. Is there a difference in lift between those or just stiffness? If I remember correctly they're OME 9000's or 9001's respectively. I'll check the site you suggested and see what I find there. I didn't buy this truck for a smooth ride so I don't really care about how bumpy it is. I just want it to be level and take me wherever I want to go. haha

I just found out that my dad has the EXACT SAME TIRES as me on his 98 Mitsubishi Montero. Mine rides higher. His doesn't rub. Is that weird? Might his wheel wells be deeper?

 

Could your front tires have a broken steel belt? I had an old work truck that would do the same thing, just that I couldn't accelerate out of the vibration.

 

The only difference in those two rear coils is stiffness. One won't lift it higher than the other. Buy the stiffer ones if you plan on having a lot of stuff in your trunk regularly or pull trailers a lot. I have the medium load ones and they are a lot stiffer than stock coils already haha, I wouldn't get the extra weight capacity ones.

 

I have tackled a few of these same problems in my 93 runner.

For the shaking at specific speeds, is there a specific origin wheel? My right rear axle has a very slight bend in the flange where the rim bolts on. This causes a little shake at 65 mph. You may have a bent rim. Also check the shock. It may be blown. Putting on decent tires (and getting rid of my Big O's) made a big difference in drivability by eliminating front end shakes.

You may just need an alignment tweak, and just any old shop will not do. Find someone who works on these trucks. Ask a dealership who they use for their lifted Toyotas. They usually outsource this work. Too much toe-in and you feel stable but burn tires. Too much caster and you track stable, but the steering wheel jerks violently when you hit a pothole or trail feature. I had a shop tweak three times before I found the right balance.

Your rubbing issue probably stems from aftermarket rims. By offsetting the outside edge of the tire further from the centerline of the truck, it hits the plastic on the body. I was fine with 31's, but exact same issue as you with 32's. I will eventually get around to shaving the plastic and pounding the pinch welds flat.

I like my stock height Moog coils paired with Bilstein HD shock (the yellow ones with 2" body) in the rear, but I like a stiff ride. It smooths out real nice with 70 lbs of sand in the trunk. Front suspension is a little trickier. I have Bilstein HD paired with Race Runner (25mm diameter) torsions. Its a little stiff for me, but Im hoping when I add a new front bubper, it will ride better.

I like the stance of stock height and the lack of body roll. Everything you do is a trade off. Don't lift if you like driving down hills with turns at 90 mph.

Have fun and don't worry. It will be a great truck.