Best way to go back to stock height?

What is the best way to go back to stock height without loosing ability to carry additional weight in the rear for camping gear, water, etc?

4runner is my daily driver/camping vehicle. 3 in lift and a roof rack really add height to the vehicle. I travel for work cross-country and often have to park in garages that are just not made for cars this tall.

I am currently running:

FRONT
521600-KIT - Toytec 3" lift front coil spring kit
RM83011 / TAC-DR-05 - Toytec Front Differential Drop Kit
25480 - SPC Adjustable Upper Control Arms (FJ Cruiser, 03+ 4Runner and 03+ Lexus GX470/GX460)

REAR
RCC2.0HD-P - Toytec Superflex Heavy Duty Rear Coils
33-313146-P - Bilstein 5100 Series Rear shocks

This is what I was thinking:
- Keep Blistein 5100 shocks in the front and the rear.
- Replace rear coils with stock.
- Install Firestone Firestone Coil-Rite airbags in the rear.
- Install stock coils in the front.
- Remove Front Differential Drop Kit.
- Replace UCA with stock.

 

Go back to stock springs, drop 5100's down to the stock clip and remove the diff drop. Might as well keep the UCA's and get it re-aligned.

 

Trd pro shocks.

 

Kind of costly compared to used stock 4runner suspension.

 

I am still debating on UCA. Just seems like it would be less complicated setup, and I don't have to worry about potential problems that people report with these UCAs.

I will probably need to order stock upper mount. It looks like Toytec added a large spacer on top of their shock. ( )

 

I went back to stock, no regrets. Still performs great off road. Link below is my story.

https://www.4runners.com/threads/shock’ing-discovery.26659/

 

Nice write up! Good to know that there are other reasons to go back to stock besides the height. Just looking at that MPG makes me smile. Fully loaded with 3 in lift I am getting close to 13 mpg with just city driving. 19 mpg on freeway.

I might have missed it, did you end up keeping front differential drop kit?

 

No, I removed the diff drop. Really the only time I miss the lift is when I’m doing oil changes.

 

Hey OP,
You’re probably right, the grease zerk SPC’s require periodic filling and had major probs *starting in COVID-19 years.
But, do you know if you have their newer redesigned sealed balljoints? I’ve seen zero evidence of any failing. I run them. Redesigned axis bushings available as well that I want, while keeping original arms.

 

Not sure if I have newer balljoints, but I got all the lift related products from Toytec Lifts last year about this time. I would assume that they would sell me the latest version.

I really see no point in having them if I am going back to stock. Just additional headache I have to deal with.

 

Ahh I see, I hear you.
It’s easy to know which ball joints you have: grease zerk fitting on top = old
My point was if they’re newer with no grease zerk then there’s not a headache to deal with - the real headache imo, is swapping the UCAs out.
Goodluck!

 

If you end up using 5100s, you could put the front shock seat on the second clip ring. That would give you almost an inch in the front. Somewhat leveled, but still with rake front to back. Especially if you plan on load leveling air bags in the rear.

 

I just read through this thread you linked, and if I'd gone through your experience, I'd want to go back to stock suspension as well. In fairness, the reason you had such a negative experience with your lift is because of the cheap route you went in the first place (meaning no offence). I'm not saying everyone needs to go full-blown trophy truck in order to get a decent lift, but there are a lot of happy mediums that you didn't choose. There are some incredibly reasonable good suspension lift kits out there.

 

Do you get lift from the springs, or where they sit on the strut?

 

It is true, that the route I took was the least expensive, but it wasn’t out of an act of being cheap, it was based on my ignorance of the facts and consequences of spacer lifts during my initial purchase.

I can say with the upmost confidence, that had I been more informed about the pros and cons of a spacer lift during my purchase, I would not have made the same decision.

After educating myself on all of the different suspension setups and their pros and cons, I ultimately decided it just wasn’t worth it.

I continue to off-road with my stock suspension and it has not been a handicap at all.

 

I guess mine are old. Yeah, I will have to mentally prepare for this job. I still have nightmares after installing lift last year.

 

That seems like a good compromise. I just picked up entire 5th gen 4runner suspension from a guy on offerup who got a lift. I was thinking of just installing stock and be done with it, but after your comment, I may consider keeping 5100 front and rear shocks.

Is there an advantage of upgrading to these shocks from stock besides being able to adjust them? If I recall correctly, stock suspension was pretty well balanced with good ride quality.

 

If you're going to be removing and reinstalling, I think the plan you listed in your 1st post is the most viable, with the adjustment of the front Bilstein 5100 set at .85 (2nd clip):

- Keep Blistein 5100 shocks in the front and the rear.
- Replace rear coils with stock.
- Install Firestone Firestone Coil-Rite airbags in the rear.
- Install stock coils in the front.
- Remove Front Differential Drop Kit.
- Replace UCA with stock.

 

I can certainly agree with that. Lifts can be fun, but these vehicles are incredibly capable in stock configuration (with better tires than stock, of course). I did more challenging off-roading prior to getting my lift than I’ve done since having it installed.

 

This is my experience as well and another reason to go back to stock. In the areas where I really needed a lift, which were a few, I just used "add rock/remove rock" method to clear the obstacle.