Which bump stops? (so many options)

Regarding number 1. I don’t think there would be an issue with bilsteins that requires you to to get new extended length bumpstops. The bump stops are meant to either limit the the compressed (up-travel of the suspension (when tophat spacers create the need to limit up-travel). Or you could get bump stops if you are constantly bottoming out your suspension due to “full send” style driving over rough terrain.

Regarding 2: Are you saying you lifted your FJ by putting on taller bump stops? They’re not supposed to lift anything. And if bumpstops lifted your fj, it means your suspension was so sagged out that it was basically collapsed (or maybe you had a broken coil spring or something.

I don’t know, maybe I’m the one that doesn’t understand something, but as far as I can figure out, getting new taller bump stops is so you can limit your up-travel because you have to (for one reason or another), or because you want to cushion hard suspension hits because your off-roading is hard and fast and you bottom out hard against the bump stops too often.

 

All these fancy new bump stops work alot different from the traditional stops. Just a FYI. They are taller, but compress an stop at the same spot as the oem stops. Pretty much it absorbs the impact.

I'm running the wheeler super bumps in the front. Its a night n day difference. From daily driver to beating it on the trails huge improvement

 

So, if you need to limit up-travel, does that mean it’s better to put some type of hard spacer on the bump stop to make sure you don’t overcompress (for example, if you have tall tophat spacers on your shocks?).

Also, do you mean that you can tell a difference in daily driving? If so, that means they being used like they were helper springs right? Do they touch the LCA when the vehicle is standing still? Genuinely curious.

 

No. I didn't even know what a bump stop was until yesterday. I did a search and found this thread. My 2WD base model "on road" FJ got its lift by installing the 4WD offroad FJ springs from another FJ. The 4WD offroad springs, and having no front differential weight to compress them, provided the desired lift and level with more lift in the front than in the rear. Of course, I have no idea what has been going on under there for 13 years. I now feel compelled to look under there tomorrow to see. Nothing has broken, but with the exception of a few hard hits over the years, the suspension has not been put to its maximum use either. The hardest of all hits came when my driver side front wheel fell into a hole that 1) I thought I could get around, and 2) Was much deeper than I thought. That is the one that I am almost certain bent my wheel, which is now retired to be the spare.

 

Yes, they sell bump stop spacers. But I wouldn't recommend anything over .5" top hat spacers

There's a .5" gap between my lca and the bump stop. (Stock trd pro fox suspension).

 

Thanks buddy
Wow your 1/2" away form bump stops at flat ride height
I understand what you mean that they are squishier and compress more and they're different material and naturally they sit closer to the LCA and make contact often then I'm assuming
My LCA is collecting dust right now

 

Mine too. I'm still wondering how we tell if/when we need to change to a different stop or stop distance to avoid damaging something, which is my only concern. Apparently jacking or driving one wheel up a ramp isn't going to tell us the whole truth because it's not a dynamic hit.

 

Hah
You're right
It's possible I'm less close to answer now than to begin with

 

It's a learning process for sure. This is why I want to crawl under my FJ tomorrow to see what has been going on under there. It's a real-world example that has taken some hits over the 13 years. I'm sure that I used a front bump stop when I fell in that hole I mentioned. The wheel went down, hit the bottom of the hole, and then the truck fell down onto that wheel. Slam! I was sure I had broken something.

Anybody want to mention sway bar bushings? Energy Suspension urethane sway bar bushings was one of the best upgrades I did to the FJ and dirt cheap too. Much better on-road handling with those little guys in there instead of the mushy Toyota factory bushings. Not sure if I'll want something like that in the new 4Runner or not. Off-topic, sort-of, but as long as we are talking about suspension and travel, and handling and everything else, why not toss the sway bar into the mix too?

 

For sure man
I'm eager to hear what you find
I know for a fact I need new bushings in at least one location. Add it to the list I can't afford yet
Extended links are there too

 

And then there was the time I was in the mountains and parked in a tiny gravel pull-off to stop for pictures. The front of the pull-off was made of stacked railroad ties with a significant drop on the other side. Somehow I overshot the railroad ties trying to get all the way off the road, and WHAM! Down went the front with a bang. I probably hit bottom then too. So, yeah, this could be an issue for me. There probably have been other times I don't remember and I don't want to have to be careful and delicate about it. A bump stop is not an expensive thing and it's easy to modify. I barely got off those railroad ties with the 2WD. It took a while. I will have 4WD this time.

 

I have noticed that the lift hurt my flex. But I haven't done anything about it. I am just glad I improved my clearance and angles.

Before lift, 265/70/R17s



After lift, 285/75/R17s

 

@Thatbassguy This is another lifted KDSS guy

 

For anyone who lives in a flat land area (like Florida) and no access to steel ramps, and you want to do a static flex test, an old-style highway overpass may work. Some of them have quite steep concrete slopes underneath. If you approach at the proper angle, you can get quite a test. Just don't roll over. Also be sure to deactivate your side curtain airbags. I assume the 4Runner has the RSCA switch like the FJ Cruiser. Observe:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjlJDI4bsDg

It's a very misunderstood feature with people sometimes saying that deactivating airbags is illegal. No, there is a switch for it in my truck.

RSCA = Roll Sensing Curtain Airbags

 

Have you ever looked at your where bump stops contact with LCA's when stuffed there like your drivers side?
My question is, is our uptravel fully stuffed right there, do suspension lifts bottom out in the shocks before factory bump stops engage

 

They don't fully stuff. I will check things and get back

 

And subsequently on the passenger side there where your tire is floating and fully drooped; in that scenario is our shock fully extended max down travel and "holding up the wheel" like is there stress on your shocks there?
*technical question, just wondering from an engineering standpoint, iunno how suspension works

 

That's the problem, the passenger side doesn't drop fully, KDSS is the culprit. The shop told me

 

I see I see, so the shock isn't fully extended out.
And the KDSS solid link is the prob.
Ok that case is there stress on the KDSS like what's supporting the weight when "fully drooped" just wondering

 

At the end of the day, more clearance, more rubber and better angles are more important than an extra inch of flex. I am not worried about it, I still have plenty of flex

 

I'm more interested in the mechanics & physics behind it all right now. I want to stop making boo boos with this stuff

 

Remove both swaybars and report, we can learn from your experience

 

I'm considering PerryParts and Wheelers, decent websites

https://www.perryparts.com/4runner-5th-gen

 

Well after reading all your posts and recommendations and watching a ton of videos I decided to go with Wheeler fronts and Duro extended rears. Should be pretty good for my application I think.

Thanks for all the tips guys!

 

I just ordered the Perry Parts set, will report back once they show up

 

Agree with what you said but it does suck when rock crawling as that extra inch of flex could possibly keep that passenger tire on the ground. Not an issue with a front locker though