Articulation Question

I have a unit on the way and a couple questions for those who offroad more:

I've mellowed a bit and wanted a more comfortable, reliable ride than my Rubicon. The biggest thing I'm going to miss is the articulation, I've been spoiled with jeeps and SXS and am concerned about the lack there of on the 4R (I didn't know about the sway bar dicos being a pain, it was so easy on the jeeps). I won't be doing the extreme crawling I used to, but I saw Tinkerers vid and half wish I would have found one with KDSS. I'm wondering how many people just pull the whole bar off before getting on the trail and reinstall it for the long ride home. I don't have one to look at, are they easy to get to?

With the Pro Fox shocks being 1 inch longer, will removing the sway bar allow enough addition droop to cause CV binding?

He also said the best option for a small Pro lift was a thin preload spacer in the front springs, but I haven't found any for the Fox shocks yet, any sources?

Also, it sounds like most 285's should fit OK on a PRO with the stock wheel offset, any issues fully stuffed with 33's and no sway bar?

 

You will have issues running 285’s. Lots of people run them. They just deal with the issues.

I can’t speak to removing the sway bar. What I’ve read would indicate that people who do it take them off and leave them off. I think Flo and the gecko might disapprove.

Congratulations and welcome!

 

Warning alarms are going off in my head regarding fox shocks and spacers and no sway bar. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen posts here of a popped UCA ball joint because the UCA became droop limiter.

 

Thank you! Sorry, yes it will be a pro. I was also concerned about the fox shock being the droop limiter, hadn't thought about the BJ. maybe limit straps would be in order.

I've read tons about the 285's, seems like the 265's must already be close if Toyota requires trimming at the port, it hardly seems worth all the trouble/expense for the additional 1/2".

 

Welcome from Arizona!

 

Although my 4R is all stock and going to stay that way, it would be way too spendy to make it perform like my TJ.
I've just resigned myself to not try the same trails, cuz it would get ugly real quick.
And when people say that Jeeps are so expensive to modify for rock crawling, they generally don't know how much a person can spend on a long travel IFS or the better SAS swaps.
On my non-Rubicon TJ, I've had the coils drop out to the ground and have blown out the tops of shocks because of the articulation
that can be had with Jeeps. My simple and cheap cure was clips to hold the bottom of the coil to the axle and limit straps for the shocks.
And the Anti-Rock took care of my sway bar traction issues.

Ps. Note to ToMoCo, if you bring back the basic FJ-40 platform, I would buy one cuz I don't want a Bronco or Fiat.

 

There really isn’t any useful swaybar disconnect for the 4Runner. In your case the OE shock is Extended and can be fit as is. IOW, you already have extended shocks and more travel than the other trim levels.

To the point then, if you want more articulation, Long Travel is the obvious next move. There may be a Mid-Travel setup that could add a little, but LT would definitely add more travel. Most LT kits just remove the swaybar. If that gives you the willies, Total Chaos has a 2”LT that offers an optional TC swaybar.

Cheers
Mike

 

These Wescott lifts for the Pro seem to held in high regard.....welcome!

 

there’s a lot of good feedback for trd pro springs from eibach.

the wescott kit is good as well as it replaces the perch and changes the preload of the spring for lift. essentially the droop limiter would still be the shock.

 

You may want to keep your sway bar if you're doing any hardcore off-roading. FWD to 5:35 for the explanation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJPgBzf85sc&t=355s

 

KDSS reduces approach angle and has less articulation than running no front sway bar.

OEM CV axles won't bind with any of the shock/coilovers on the market. Some of the cheapo aftermarket ones will.

Ball joints won't bind with any of the shock/coilovers on the market unless you run a big top hat spacer.

 

I'll be keeping stock suspension on this one and tweaking where necessary. Just trying to feel out the quick easy tweaks first for the best ride/articulation off road.