Starting Bilstein lift tonight w/my son

Hi to all. I have a new to me 2016 SR5 Runner. I've been researching this lift for months and already have my mind set. Bilstein 5100's set 1.75 and billies in the back, no lift. 1/2 inch reverse rake is fine for me. It's all about the look and only 5% off-roading. I'm upping to 275/70r17 Cooper Discoverer ST Maxx tires and feel it will look just how I want.
Before I became a member, it seemed I found more "how to" info than I can now. I'm sure there's a good step by step, or watch out for this thread. Where can I find that? I'll keep looking whilst waiting for a reply.
This is my first suspension task, but I've turned wrenches before.

Thanks up front

P50Runn

 

Take a gander at this install vid; see link: https://youtu.be/OICzo82jpCU

Good Luck!

 

Righteous! Thanks man.

 

Hows the lift going, looking for pics

 

Can’t wait to see the results

 

In for pics...

 

Hey guys, thanks for the interest and I'm sorry I lagged in responding. Typing is a dreaded chore of mine. The job went great. We took our sweet time completing it, apprx 8 hours. We could've done it faster, but I'm a kook when I take things apart. I clean them.
We started on the drivers rear which took longer than expected. After I stopped trying to outthink the job and just turn the wrenches, it moved along smoothly and quickly. In all honesty, replacing the shocks was far easier than what I read.
Just a recap, I used the Bilstein 5100's and I adjusted the setting on the front shocks to 1.75. I did want the wheel wells to be level, even though I read there would be a 1/2 inch negative rake. That's not true. I put a level on the frame and 9/10ths of the bubble were in the box. It ain't tits, but damn good enough for this kid.
My tires showed up Saturday afternoon just as we were finishing up. It was like clockwork. I'll the new tires installed Tuesday morning, so I've been driving around with the old tires and new shocks. I think most guys who've rated theses shocks have done so after replacing shocks and tires, both of which individually will change the feel.
So what's the difference in the ride?
It's firmer,yet still very smooth.
Body roll and nose dive are greatly diminished.
Hitting dips is now soft and cushy. I don't bottom out on the one anymore.
Overall control feels firmer.
It doesn't look like a soccer mom rig anymore.
I'm stoked on the upgrade and my son's learning experience. He likes the impact wrench and feels more confident about buying a 1st Gen. 4Runner in the next few months.
I have before and after photos, but I'll have the after/after photos tomorrow when the new rubber is on. I'll post those soon.

 

Before
After w/old tires

Finished product w/ new rubber

The setting of 1.75 raised my wheel well 2.25" from 34.5" to 36.75". The rear raised 1/8".
More pics to follow.

 

Before

After w/old tires
The finished product w/new rubber

 

Before

After w/ old tires


The finished deal/ new rubber

 

Before

After w/old tires

Finished product w/new rubber

 

I'm stoked on this upgrade. This is exactly how I wanted it from the moment I bought it. I just didn't have the cash after the purchase. Thanks for the tax return Uncle Sam! The next mod I want is a small light bar in the upper grill, behind the grill and wired to one of the many switch blanks on my dash.

Thanks for the help guys.

 

Looks good, may I also commend your photo-taking skills. So many guys try and show a before-and- after lift picture or a before-and-after tire picture and the two images are completely opposite sides, different angles, different lighting, one of them is from space and the other one is from below in a manhole. It's like nobody can understand that to compare things you have to have some sort of a standard or point of reference. So good job on that!

 

Looks Great and thanks for sharing … so do you think you could have fit 285’s?

 

I certainly could've fit 285's. That's what I originally wanted. They aren't rated for these 17x7 stock wheels though. They're rated for 7.5" width minimum, but it can be done. I saw two other runners with the 285's on the stock wheels and they looked like donuts puffing over the too narrow wheels, and I saw another with 275's that looked great. The tire size will fit with this lift if you have 18" wheels no prob.

 

I certainly could've fit 285's. That's what I originally wanted. They aren't rated for these 17x7 stock wheels though. They're rated for 7.5" width minimum, but it can be done. I saw two other runners with the 285's on the stock wheels and they looked like donuts puffing over the too narrow wheels, and I saw another with 275's that looked great. The tire size will fit with this lift if you have 18" wheels no prob.

 

I understand; don’t think I would like that myself … Well it looks great and I’m sure your son enjoyed every minute helping you with the install.

 

Looks awesome! Great work with the photos too!!

That’s what I’m looking for, no lift really, maybe just leveling kit? What kit would any of y’all suggest ? If I did do a lift it would be the smallest one , 3”?

Please advice? Could I keep the stock tire size and just get some BFG’s koa with TRD wheels?

 

Looks great. Did you get it aligned? Do you think it needs to be?

 

Thanks for posting. Looks GREAT! I was looking at 6112/5160 with T13s but recently pretty much decided that 5100's with a 1/2" spacer in the rear would be more than enough. I have 17/7.5" rims so I will go with 285s.

 

The man did enjoy it. He was falling a sleep that Friday night, but he was up early and we got it done by 2 pm Saturday. He's totally charged to get his 1st Gen 4Runner now. He's read so much about how easy they are to work on, etc. etc.
Roll on DrewMan

 

Honestly, I researched this leveling routine and just went with the advice that 90% of the peeps said, except for the setting I chose. Replace all the shocks with the Bilstien 5100's. The front shocks are height adjustable. The parts cost me $208 for the fronts, $165 for the rear, $373 total. If you like the look of mine, set them at the 1.75 lift, which translated to 2.25 inches of lift on the front. It's higher to get in and out for sure, but that's just because of the amount of factory rake. The rear sits just as it did before. I was happy with the ride before I did this and was worried of roughing it up. I was wrong to worry. It's simply superior to what it was in every way and just as smooth. Even if you stay with the 265/70 r17's, but go BFG, or other A/T tire, it'll look like a bigger tire than the stock jobbies just due to the tire profile.
Ultimately, the job was much easier than I had read on any threads. The only reason I did it myself was because I was being quoted $1200 just for the labor. I've never done suspension work, but for $1200 I'll bust that thing open. I always trust my work more anyway.

Good luck!

 

Sounds cool. Drop some pics when your done.

 

Hi Josh, yes I did get it aligned, but was frustrated with the work. I didn't know they just have a range of acceptable read outs. It pulls to the right and that's just no good for me, so I went back in. They reassured me that it was "Perfect". I've been around long enough to understand that means F-off. So I came back the next day and spoke with the owner who's the one that was originally setting me up. He was not happy to hear me explain my experience to him. I was quite clear about anyone ever telling me it's perfect again.
That's more than you asked for though. It needed to be aligned because I loosened all the bolts. I set the cams to straight up noon and it drove really nice over the weekend until I took it in.

 

Hi @P50Runn Thanks for your post, its really nice to see your 4Runner before and after and your lift is exactly what I'm looking to do. I have a couple of questions. I see you went with the 5100 and replaced all the shocks, did you also replace the front coils or use the OEM coils? I believe you used the OEM coils in the rear as well.

Here is what I'm thinking of getting
https://bilsteinlifts.com/shop/toyo...2-rear-lift-shocks-10-17-toyota-4-runner-4wd/

This would give me the adjustable shocks and would probably do 1.75 like yours, maybe 2.0. If I did this would I continue to use the rear OEM coils ? WOuld the OEM coils work for the rear if I increased the lift in the rear 1" if I did the front at 2"?

Configuration 1 - 1.75" in the front, rear stays the same using OEM coil

Configuration 2 - 2.0" in the front, rear increases 1.0" and would I still use the
OEM coils?

What I don't understand is the rear is adjustable to 2.0" and by increasing it that high do the OEM coils still work? Because the package 6112 front/5160 rear doesn't come with a rear Bilstein coil. I'm thinking I need the rear coil spacers, which would give me the room to lift the rear 1.0"?? <-- Correct?

seems that I could get one of these spring coils and its effectively replacing the OEM w/out lifting it like a 3" lift kit coils would.

On that link, the Q&A sections comments that


This kit will lift the front end.
It offers also rear shocks longer then stock.
You'll need to add rear coils if you need to lift the front end.

https://bilsteinlifts.com/shop/toyo...ar-coils-toyota-fj-cruiser-and-03-09-4runner/
* * *
or
* * *
https://bilsteinlifts.com/shop/toyo...ft-coils-2003-2017-toyota-4runner-fj-cruiser/


After more research Dobison replied to me and said these will work for a replacement of the OEM rear springs and give only 1-1.5” lift

Our C59-599 rear coils are the lowest height lift coils we make. They will lift 1" to 1.25", depending on loads and weight added to the rear.

Dobinsons Rear Coil Springs Compatible with Toyota 4x4 SUV's 4Runner and FJ Cruiser - C59-599

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XRSLMPZ


Please advise

 

Hi PCride, thanks for the compliments. I only replaced the shocks with the 5100's and set the fronts to 1.75. Everything else is original. I was confused about the rear shocks as well. I kept reading that they would go up to a 2" lift. I also read the rear shocks were non-adjustable, hence the corn fusion... What I found somewhere was that the rear shocks are "capable" of accommodating a 2" lift and any lift higher would require a different size shock. I have no experience with the coil overs, or any of the other options you've been researching, so you know more about those than I do.
I'm still feeling out the rear coil controversy at this time. You know, whether the rear will squat like an Impala when I load it down. 98% of the time it's just me and my dog, and/or son in the front. This doesn't change anything, so I'm very happy with everything as is. However, next week we "may" be driving 400 miles with a flatbed to pick up a 1st gen 4Runner to haul back for my son. I hope to have photos, which will mean we got it. The point being, I'll learn a lot about how the OEM springs handle this load, which for me will be once in a lifetime. I've never towed a vehicle and only towed a trailer 30 odd years ago, so I won't change my setup for a 1:10000 experience, but I'll report on the experience fer y'all's. Hopefully!

Oh, I had read about something that inflates in the rear to compensate for added load and it was relatively easy to DIY. Anyone have insight on this???

Thanks,
P50Runn

 

Thanks for responding. Yea I finally figured it all out. You need/would want to install the 1.5” spacer using the stick coils which I thought you did? That should have increased the rear by about an inch. But you can keep the OEM coil with no spacer apparently. The spacer will give you that much more travel. I will try the 1.75” setting with stock coil and spacer. This would sit just like a stock TRD PRO. The TRD pro is 1.75” higher in the front than my TRD OR and the same in the rear

I did post that Dobinson coil that is a alternate OEM coil that is 1.5” higher and is rated for more lbs, so I guess you could get that coil without the spacer and it would technically be the same but maybe a bit stiffer since the Dobinson coil is a bit better

I’d love to hear about how the trailer tow went, curious myself

I did watch a DIY to install the coi l air bags and looks super easy.

 

Hey! Nice Bilsteins! I thought I would throw mine in since I just did the same on mine. I threw in 1.5” spacers on the rear and still use the stock coil overs. I’d recommend them if anyone’s thinking of using them or not.

 

Awesome thanks! What did you set the front Bilstein at?
Looks good

 

If you can measure from center hub to the fender on the wheels please?

Did you do 2” on the front and the 1.5 spacer rear?