3rd Gen 4runner suspension/sag

Hi all,

First time poster. Long time lurker. I'm a long time 4runner owner (since 2005), but I know nothing about suspension.

My 2002 4x4 Limited 3rd gen has 200k on the clock. I don't want to modify her into oblivion. I want to keep her stock. However...

Issues:
- She's just sitting a little low now - especially in the rear.
- Over bumps it's like there's no suspension at all - teeth rattling to be honest...
- She leans a lot in turns (they all kind of do that anyway, I guess)
- She wears unevenly on her tires - inside first

I just want to bring her back to factory spec in terms of ride quality, ride height, and tire wear. I plan to put new tires on (32's) next week.

What do I do? Shocks? Springs? Both? Other things? Please enlighten me! I've attached the the few old pics I have of her on my phone...

Thank you in advance for any help.

 

It doesn't look low in the rear to me. Mine (that I bought new) looks the same and the measurements from the front to the back are no different. I think it's an optical illusion to be honest. It seems to appear when the wheels are turned and disappears when wheels are straightened.

Springs affect ride height, shocks affect the ride quality.

If you want a stock ride get OEM shocks. You can still buy them from TOYOTA. They are a bit "softer" than most aftermarket ones and expensive. My original shocks went 250k miles though and they were still good. I replaced them with OEMs just because I was refreshing the entire suspension.

 

"She leans a lot in turns (they all kind of do that anyway, I guess)"

No, they do not. Your rear control arm bushings are SHOT. These are a bad design by TOYOTA to make (again) a softer suspension for suburban moms. They need to be replaced every 200k miles or sooner. I replaced them last on my suspension refresh and she handled like a new rig again. Night and day.

 

This is awesome info. Thanks very much, negusm! That's great to know about the control arm bushings too.

 

Your pics are almost identical to my rig when I first bought it, installed a set of Old Man Emu rear springs, restored it to the correct ride height with improved handling, already had Bilstein shocks on it, money well spent!

 

I have a 96 w V6 Stick and Tundra front brakes.
I pull a car trailer and the rear springs have a definite sag.
I want to keep this vehicle forever, but it's a safety issue for me with the rear so low.
Can someone recommend a rear spring set that will not make it ride like my Tacoma?
I am leaning toward the Old Man Emu rear set.
Len

 

Old Man Emu has different height springs depending on the amount you wish to raise it, plus they are progressive rate for a better ride