KDSS, yes or no?

Superior off road capability is worth it to some

And, easy to work with as long as you're not lifting super high.

 

Just out of curiosity is this system backwards compatible? As in could be installed on a 2003? I'm not going to do it when the time comes, but as I stated, just pure curiosity...

 

It would probably require some fabrication.

 

Ok, thanks buddy. Like I said just curious. Once my X-REAS goes out the bilstiens go in...

 

Yeah, it sounds like your best bet is to ditch X-REAS once it craps out. Enjoy the Bilsteins! Mine feels much better since I installed them.

 

A question to all. I have a 2018 Offroad Four Runner (150,000 km) with KDSS system but recently it leaked and my system does not work anymore. I feel absolutely no difference when driving since the KDSS system doesn't work. Toyota charges me $17,000.00 to replace the whole system. I refuse because too expensive. Is it still safe to drive this vehicule if the KDSS system is out? does it make a difference? can I not repair and leave as is?

 

The biggest thing KDSS does in everyday driving is reduce body roll in cornering. If you're a conservative driver, you might never notice the difference.

Some people delete the sway bars altogether, and I don't really hear about it causing problems. You just have to take it easy around curves and corners.

I certainly wouldn't pay $17K to get mine fixed. But, you could check other dealerships for a better quote if you do decide to fix it.

 

$17,000? Are you kidding? For less than that you will get this. Don't fix it. Iove KDSS but I am not gonna spend fucken $17,000 to fix it

 

Lol, there's probably $30K bolted onto that 4Runner.

 

I got a quote for that exact setup, $13,000 in parts

 

$13k for long travel, coilovers, shocks, wheels, tires, tube bumper, winch, roof rack, light bar, etc? I doubt it.

 

I was talking suspension.

 

So, you can get long travel, coilovers, and shocks for $13K?

 

Yep

 

Having owned a 4R without KDSS and now one with KDSS, I'll go with KDSS. Another way of putting it is that I would not own a 4R without KDSS

 

And 6th gen lost KDSS. You are lucky 4Runner even got KDSS, Tacoma and FJ Cruiser didn't get it. The only other Toyota that had KDSS was the $90,000 200 series

 

Wrong. Gx has kdss

 

I said the only other Toyota. GX and LX both had KDSS. And the new GX and LX have it too. LC300 abroad has it too

 

Do you have a light on on your dash?

 

Thank you all for your responses....much appreciated. I indeed have a light on my dash that reads KDSS in yellow signifyinf that my KDSS system does not work. Not kidding Toyota charges me 13,000$ just in parts...so over 17,000$ job and taxes added. My 2018 4runner is valued at about 35,000$ so nonsense to invest 17,000$ in repair. One last question: Do you think it remains safe for me to ride this vehicule assuming that I will be careful in curves etc? Could I further cause damage to my vehicule?

 

I also have a 2018 TRD Offroad with KDSS. Mine has a leak in the rear hydraulic ram that the dealer wanted $2.5-3k to replace. But this was not to replace the whole system. Since you didn't provide any specifics about the nature of your leak it's not clear why the dealer wants to replace the whole system.

My light is not yet on. I have continued to drive. I don't notice any real difference on the street/highway. I haven't taken it off road since the leak started, so I don't know about that case.

Most people who have KDSS will say they like it, and the system is reliable. I might have once said the same, but faced with such a high repair bill (after only 40k miles) if I were to do it all over again I would not have gotten KDSS.

 

I can only imagine the KDSS system will continue to work as an anti-sway bar, it just won't be able to act as a disconnectable one...

 

I look at KDSS like I look at ESOF.

My Ford truck has electronic shift-on-the-fly hubs, meaning I can lock them from the cab. The system is failure-prone, over time. The alternative system, meaning no ESOF, is to manually lock the hubs. So, for the last 15 years I locked the hubs from the cab. The system no longer works. Everyone that was an ESOF-hater was right! The system failed! But I look at it this way, for the last 15 years, I locked my hubs from the cab, not in the rain, not in the snow, not in the rocks, but sitting in the air conditioned cab (in the summer), or the warm dry cab with the seat heater on (in the winter). Now, after 15 years, I just lock the hubs like everyone else, glad I got 15 years out of the system.

KDSS works every time I drive the vehicle, right? It works every day, every mile, I drive. So, I don't care how much it costs to repair or replace. That doesn't mean anything to me, because I have KDSS. The only time I might care, and even then I wouldn't, is when it fails. But, once it fails, I'm just going to get in and drive...or I'll remove it. I don't "need" to replace it at $2k - $3k, or $17k or $1M. It works all the time, every time, and when it doesn't I don't have any additional costs because I choose not to pay for the repair. I want KDSS every time I drive, so I'll pay for it, because it provides both on and off road performance. When it fails, because it will, I will have paid for the performance I got out of the system every day, not for what it costs to replace in the future.

 

^Bad comparison. When the vacuum-operated hub system fails, you can still get out and manually lock/unlock the hubs. When KDSS fails due to a leak, the sway bars have no resistance and are basically disconnected all the time. You have a loss of sway bars with no way to manually connect or toggle anything.

If the KDSS system has a large leak (or leaked long enough), the sway bars have no resistance and basically are permanently disconnected. So it can be unsafe if you don't adjust your driving style. The vehicle will have a greater tendency to lift a tire in slalom maneuvers:

 

You're right, but I might want no sway bars.

 

I have found that it also decreases front end dip when braking and provides more stable driving on the highway (less need to keep making little steering corrections).

 

Kdss turns the 4R into a new vehicle. W/o kdss on the stock sr5 or OR suspension, the 4r is a crazy leaning vehicle. Unsafe to drive in the mountain twisty

 

I have KDSS and it has worked well so far. However, if/when it breaks, I will remove both sway bars and go with a rear sway bar only. Either figure out how to add a standard bar on the rear, or add a Currie Antirock to the rear.