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Discussion in '4th Gen 4Runners (2003-2009)' started by MI-FL off roader, Jan 4, 2019.

  1. Oct 27, 2022 at 1:16 PM
    #91
    nimby

    nimby in the drink

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    Damn! That's a shitty spot to put a starter.
     
  2. Oct 28, 2022 at 2:02 AM
    #92
    MI-FL off roader

    MI-FL off roader [OP] T4R Hobby/Addict

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    Too many mods and too much money
    The 5th gen starter is almost as difficult, you just don't have to pull the intake.
     
  3. Oct 28, 2022 at 5:33 AM
    #93
    nimby

    nimby in the drink

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    Bummer :(
     
  4. Dec 28, 2022 at 7:30 PM
    #94
    MI-FL off roader

    MI-FL off roader [OP] T4R Hobby/Addict

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    Too many mods and too much money
    Well I had a plan for the rear suspension, but I'm not sure it will work. I've been cycling the axle today and don't like what I see.
    So I'm rebuilding my smoothies in case I have to put it back like it was. They would only hold 70psi of nitrogen and were fading quickly. Too hot to touch my last time out, and one of dozens of times they took some serious abuse. These are a Tacoma spec 10" shock and I believe they were valved too light. They weight of the 4Runner just plain overworked em. Oil is pretty much cooked too.
    20221228_194844.jpg 20221228_195431.jpg 20221228_195512.jpg 20221228_215823.jpg
     
    Vhinojosa4735 and nimby like this.
  5. Dec 28, 2022 at 7:50 PM
    #95
    nimby

    nimby in the drink

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    What's the idea for the new rear set-up?
     
  6. Dec 28, 2022 at 8:05 PM
    #96
    MI-FL off roader

    MI-FL off roader [OP] T4R Hobby/Addict

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    Too many mods and too much money
    I was hoping to put a 14" triple bypass in there, but there is a lot of limiting factors. My lack of knowledge mostly, that and finding up travel is a problem. Droop won't be much more than I have now, and the FJ fuel tank will help with needed clearance for the upper link and drivers side coil. Up travel will be lots of fab work where the pan hard bar contacts the cross member. Then of course the upper shock mount has to go into the cab, which is a big project by itself.
     
    nimby likes this.
  7. Dec 29, 2022 at 8:56 AM
    #97
    nimby

    nimby in the drink

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    Have you explored the cantilever option?
     
  8. Jan 1, 2023 at 3:22 PM
    #98
    MI-FL off roader

    MI-FL off roader [OP] T4R Hobby/Addict

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    Too many mods and too much money
    Sorry didn't see this. I did look at Wicked's set up. It is pretty damn slick. But, my skill for installing this would be suspect. There don't seem to be a lot of fab shops around here who have the time or if they do, they're knowledge of this sort of thing is lacking also.

    I heard tuning this set up for off road is an art that not too many have experience with.
     
    nimby[QUOTED] likes this.
  9. Jan 2, 2023 at 4:30 AM
    #99
    MI-FL off roader

    MI-FL off roader [OP] T4R Hobby/Addict

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    Too many mods and too much money
    Once I started the rebuild on my rear smoothies, I decided to check the valving and see what I have in there. Judging by what I've read in the last three years, these things were valved WAY too light. They are a Tacoma spec length, but are obviously not valved for the weight of the 4Runner or the different rate of a coil compared to a leaf. So new shims have been ordered and we'll see if that cures the tendency to pogo stick in the whoops.
    03' 4Runner Rear 10 inch smoothie valving.jpg
     
    nimby likes this.
  10. Jan 2, 2023 at 11:29 AM
    #100
    MI-FL off roader

    MI-FL off roader [OP] T4R Hobby/Addict

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    Too many mods and too much money
    Shock rebuild is on hold until the shim stacks get here. So I decided to clean the bodies up. Wet sand w 1500 and some simple green. This worked alright considering I only spent a few minutes on them. Got the worst of the corrosion and I'll spray on a coat of engine clear to see if it holds up.
    20230102_095606.jpg
     
    nimby likes this.
  11. Jan 2, 2023 at 12:04 PM
    #101
    MI-FL off roader

    MI-FL off roader [OP] T4R Hobby/Addict

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    Too many mods and too much money
    Last spring I installed the shorter FJ fuel tank to clear up some down travel for the rear suspension. I got it pretty much finalized except for a weak point I left where I had to move the rear strap over to the other side of it's mounting bracket.
    So I found a tab on the upper link cross member that has an 8mm nut welded in there, and then I took some old bed frame and fabbed up a bracket. Should be pretty solid. 20230102_101122.jpg 20230102_103238.jpg 20230102_103315.jpg
     
    nimby likes this.
  12. Jan 7, 2023 at 6:32 AM
    #102
    MI-FL off roader

    MI-FL off roader [OP] T4R Hobby/Addict

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    Too many mods and too much money
    The pursuit of more travel for the rear suspension continues. I still want to stuff those 14" bypasses in there, but each time I go to cut some metal, I get skeered. So the current set up will have to do.

    During the process of rebuilding/valving the shocks, I remembered when I ordered these Tacoma spec smoothies, DSM and King were concerned about the 4Runner application. The longer shock would supposedly bring the drivers upper link in contact with the tank. So they put a billet 1/2" top out spacer in there to eliminate some ext length. The Califab upper links open up a little more droop and with the shorter FJ tank, I'm not even close to contact now.

    Well I decided to remove the spacers and install some Limiting Straps.
    McKenzie's for the win.
    20230107_072033~2.jpg 20230106_140744~2.jpg


    I also decided upon cycling the axle, that I could gain some more up travel. So I did about a 3/4" chop on my Metal Tech bump spacers. Now, in theory, I should gain about 1" of travel up and down, once the limit straps do their stretch. Hopefully this will help it keep up with the front now.

    I did an initial drive on the street last night and I didn't realize how much the lack of valving in the smoothies were affecting the handling. It's much more stable at hwy speeds now with the new shims. Reservoir adjusters are wide open, so I have a lot more compression if I need it.
    20230107_071618~2.jpg
     
    Vhinojosa4735 and nimby like this.
  13. Mar 16, 2023 at 4:36 AM
    #103
    MI-FL off roader

    MI-FL off roader [OP] T4R Hobby/Addict

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    Too many mods and too much money
    Bought the Harbor Freight copy of the Pro Eagle. I tested it, but haven't used it yet. 20230111_133158.jpg
     
  14. Mar 16, 2023 at 4:40 AM
    #104
    MI-FL off roader

    MI-FL off roader [OP] T4R Hobby/Addict

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    Brett
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    03' SR5 Sport - 12' Limited
    Too many mods and too much money
    Since this rig isn't really set up for camping, I decided to build a basic cargo box for the jack, recovery gear, and tools. No drawers or galley needed, so it works fine for what I need.
    Not very confident in that cheap orange strap for the spare. Will be changing it out.20230205_164222.jpg 20230206_205250.jpg 20230209_173123.jpg 20230209_173128.jpg 20230209_173032.jpg 20230314_094028.jpg
     
  15. Mar 16, 2023 at 4:43 AM
    #105
    MI-FL off roader

    MI-FL off roader [OP] T4R Hobby/Addict

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    Too many mods and too much money
    Also got the fiberglass mounted and primed. The whole rig needs paint, but the cash for that is non existing. The bumper needs extended to match the width of the fenders now.20230219_112621.jpg 20230223_180309.jpg
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Mar 16, 2023
  16. Mar 22, 2023 at 1:51 PM
    #106
    MI-FL off roader

    MI-FL off roader [OP] T4R Hobby/Addict

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    Too many mods and too much money
    nimby, xtremewlr and Vhinojosa4735 like this.
  17. Jul 10, 2023 at 4:22 PM
    #107
    MI-FL off roader

    MI-FL off roader [OP] T4R Hobby/Addict

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    Too many mods and too much money
    Put a video together for the uninitiated. You'd be surprised how many of us are riding around on high dollar shocks that aren't set at the right nitrogen pressure. It makes a big difference in ride quality.
    https://youtu.be/frRo4QjvU00
     
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  18. Jul 10, 2023 at 7:38 PM
    #108
    nimby

    nimby in the drink

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    Nice video!

    What differences in ride quality would you see if you bumped the pressure up from 150 to 200psi?
     
  19. Jul 11, 2023 at 2:58 AM
    #109
    MI-FL off roader

    MI-FL off roader [OP] T4R Hobby/Addict

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    Too many mods and too much money
    Thank you Sir.

    For me that 50 psi will help a little with pavement handling because I have no front anti sway bar. Off road it allows me to attack a set of whoops without worrying about bottoming out my shocks too much. For most people, OEM performance shocks are installed without even checking to see what the pressures are. If these shocks are properly valved for your vehicle, being low on pressure negates that valving somewhat. Low pressures also promotes heat and cavitation of the shock oil, and then the shock is almost useless at that point.

    This is the same principal as a pressurized radiator cap raising the boiling point of your coolant. Just recently I realized how under valved my rear smoothies were, so with low pressures the cavitation would happen in a matter of minutes. After a good romp, the reservoirs were too hot to touch sometimes.

    My buddies 3rd gen Taco was down on pressure in all 4 shocks right after install. One shock was only at 50psi. All 4 were below 125psi. He noticed the ride improvement immediately.
    If the vendor sends the shocks out not pressurized, it can be collapsed for cheaper shipping costs. I've had shocks delivered pressurized, but down about 50 psi. I've also had them shipped without pressure.

    This is also a good way to determine if your shocks need a rebuild. They might not be leaking oil, but if they're consistently down on pressure, rebuild time is getting close.
     
    Last edited: Jul 12, 2023
    nimby[QUOTED] and xtremewlr like this.
  20. Jul 11, 2023 at 10:12 AM
    #110
    Branden967

    Branden967 New Member

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    6400' in CA
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    Kings Suspension SCS 17X9 -10 OS Ridge Grapplers If its chrome....black it out.
    Thank you and crap. Tagged for a future project, but gotta order some supplies...
     
    MI-FL off roader[OP] likes this.
  21. Jul 11, 2023 at 7:09 PM
    #111
    nimby

    nimby in the drink

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    Awesome! Thanks for the thorough explanation!
     
  22. Aug 21, 2023 at 10:15 AM
    #112
    MI-FL off roader

    MI-FL off roader [OP] T4R Hobby/Addict

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    Too many mods and too much money
    xtremewlr and nimby like this.
  23. Aug 21, 2023 at 6:13 PM
    #113
    nimby

    nimby in the drink

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    How'd it feel?

    Will you be adjusting anything?
     
  24. Aug 21, 2023 at 11:42 PM
    #114
    MI-FL off roader

    MI-FL off roader [OP] T4R Hobby/Addict

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    Too many mods and too much money
    Still hate the loss of video resolution on the transfer to YT. It's freakin horrible.

    Truck feels a hundred times better since the revalve on the rear shocks. I thinks it's getting close to where I want it. Still have a lot more room for adjustment if need be.

    When I hit a set of whoops with my foot on the gas at a good speed, with front end lifted up, it glides right over them. I didn't even see the guy on the dirt bike until I went by him. Not very often a 4Runner screams past a dirt bike.

    My biggest problem is finding someone to shoot video from outside the truck. Then I could hit up the desert guys to see if it's working to its potential.
     
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  25. Aug 21, 2023 at 11:50 PM
    #115
    MI-FL off roader

    MI-FL off roader [OP] T4R Hobby/Addict

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    Too many mods and too much money
    Also, Steve from Dirt Designs hit me up. He is ready to do a run on his rear end kit.
    Wish I could afford it.
    4runner chris 7.jpg IMG_8895s.jpg 4runner chris 3.jpg 4runner chris 4.jpg 4runner chris 1.jpg
     
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  26. Aug 22, 2023 at 4:51 AM
    #116
    MI-FL off roader

    MI-FL off roader [OP] T4R Hobby/Addict

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    Too many mods and too much money
    I have a few details if anyone is interested.
     
  27. Aug 22, 2023 at 4:53 AM
    #117
    MI-FL off roader

    MI-FL off roader [OP] T4R Hobby/Addict

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    Too many mods and too much money
  28. Sep 15, 2023 at 12:00 PM
    #118
    MI-FL off roader

    MI-FL off roader [OP] T4R Hobby/Addict

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    Too many mods and too much money
    Adding some caster on the front heims today.
    Hoping for a +5 to alleviate some issues.
    20230915_114139.jpg 20230915_130955.jpg 20230915_114212.jpg
     
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  29. Sep 16, 2023 at 4:32 PM
    #119
    MI-FL off roader

    MI-FL off roader [OP] T4R Hobby/Addict

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    03' SR5 Sport - 12' Limited
    Too many mods and too much money
    Found some cheap rusted up GX spindles. Going to try my hand at welding in some gussets.
    20230916_184747.jpg
     
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  30. Sep 26, 2023 at 8:02 PM
    #120
    MI-FL off roader

    MI-FL off roader [OP] T4R Hobby/Addict

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    Too many mods and too much money
    SMH...censorship is very creepy guys.
    A whole thread of discussion just erased from existence. There were a lot of legit opinions on both sides of the coin. Just lock it down if you felt it might get into political character assassination.
    SMH again.
    Like it or not, the current state of this country directly affects the car buying/owning public and will continue to spur these conversations.
     
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