Xreas start to leak a little bit

My wife has a 2013 4runner limited with 139k. We bought it used few years back at 60k. I noticed some oil leak on the front drive side shock. Did some investigation and found out about Xreas system and issues related to it, further research on the issue brings me to this forum. First time posting.

There are a tons of Xreas related posts here that I see, being not that mechanically inclined, my understanding is that this system can be replace with standard shocks and it is much cheaper to do so. I am looking to get advise on

• what shocks should I get to replace the xreas system
• how much does it generally cost to replace four non-xreas shocks
  
• how is ride afterwards?

I really appreciate any your input.

Best

 

- If the XREAS was adequate for you find someone selling some low mile factory suspension they took off when they lifted it. You’ll find them listed anywhere from crackheads asking $500 to locals saying pick them up and bring a 6 pack. If you wait a bit with Black Friday coming lots of people will be replacing their suspension.

- Parts and labor are both highly dependent on where you go and what you buy.

- This is a loaded question, it’s very subjective and it will depend heavily on personal preference and what they bought.

XREAS is nothing special, don’t be scared to ditch it.

 

Thanks, I have decided to ditch it. Been watching some youtube videos. I have local mechanic that I go to. Will be taking the vehicle to him to get this done. Thank you

 

Lot of people here like Bilsteins 5100/6100 for your situation. Espec if you're not planning to lift your Runner or want to turn it into more of an off road beast -- in other words, if you just want shocks that work really well and are less failure prone than XREAS (though your's went 7 years 139K miles -- which is good for any type of shock).

The Bilsteins have a great rep and aren't expensive.

 

This. I replaced my Xreas system when the shocks began to leak. Way to expensive to have them replaced so I replaced the whole system with Billstein 5100's. They work great and also are able to raise your front end 2.5 if you want to level your Limited and are a great replacement until I fully send it and get a more expensive lift system.
I had a friend who worked for Toyota replace my shocks for me but I would just call around and get some quotes. Maybe some local off-road shops or even well trusted shops can do the replacement for you.
As far as ride goes my runner rides pretty smooth with them. I would highly recommend them if your just wanting to replace them and not do any heavy wheeling.

 

I have the same year as OP with only 70K miles and mine has a small leak too. I had no idea about XREAS until I bought the Limited and the alignment shop told me it was leaking. I will replace it with a shock system (not XREAS) but I really like the way it rides now. There is little to no "nose dive" and cornering is great! Also handles the "Speed Calming Speed Humps" in my neighborhood nicely at about 35! I have heard the Bilsteins can be a bit harsh for smaller bumps but really stand out when things get a bit more bumpy. I have read somewhere on this forum about another option that has a much softer damping in the beginning and then stiffens up as the shock gets further compression (can't remember what brand).

I think I am more interested in a softer dampening and getting progressively more firm than the other way around.

 

Like has been said already, nothing to do with replacing XREAS. If you want a "clean" replacement you'll have to remove all the lines, but you can leave them on and just detach them. If you get an unused/lightly used set that some took off theirs, that's a great deal but you have to be careful they didn't damage it when removing. Recharging a pair can be a huge cost. Most people who replace these with standard Bilsteins enjoy the swap; YMMV but replacing old suspension with new is almost always a good swap. If you want a high end suspension with reservoirs, grab some King OEM, although there are many solutions between these two options.

 

That would be Eibach, IIRC.