The most complete 1996-2002 Toyota 4Runner lift kits available.

Every configuration has been thoroughly tested for years on trails like The Rubicon, In Moab - Utah, Colorado, Tellico and extensively in the rocky deserts of Arizona.  There is not a more complete offering available anywhere.

"Nice parts are not cheap and cheap parts are not nice."

SYSTEM 1.2: 4WD 4Runner

Kent on Charouleau Gap near Tucson, Arizona

Casey running Pritchett Canyon in Moab, Utah

System 1.2 on the Moab Rim trail.	System 1.2 on the Moab Rim trail.
System 1.2 on the Moab Rim trail.	System 1.2 on the Pritchett Canyon trail.

System 1.2 with 315/75/16 Goodyear MT/R Tires.

Side view of System 1.2 on a properly equipped 4Runner.	Lance wheeling this same truck on the Moab Rim trail in Moab Utah.
Front view: TJM T-15 Bumper with Warn M8000 Winch.	Front view: TJM T-15 Bumper with Warn M8000 Winch.
Rear View: Sonoran Steel Rear Bumper, spare tire mounted under vehicle.	Rear View: Sonoran Steel Rear Bumper, spare tire mounted under vehicle.

Another take on this, System 1.2 with B.F. Goodrich All Terrain 265/75/16 Tires:

BF Goodrich AT's in 265/75/16  with System 1.2, Note the trailer hitch.	BF Goodrich AT's in 265/75/16  with System 1.2, Note the trailer hitch.
BF Goodrich AT's in 265/75/16  with System 1.2, Note the trailer hitch.

System 1.2 for 1996-2000 Toyota 4Runners

System 1.2 for 2001-2002 Toyota 4Runners

* Front Coils/Shocks are shows assembled, parts are shipped unassembled.  Assembly is available for an extra charge *

System 1.2: The "All Toyota Factory Coil" lift:  Adjustable 1.5" to 2.5" Front & 3.5" Rear.  The kit with the best "pure off-road" prowess bar none. 4WD Only.

* This lift kit is for a "well equipped"  4Runner.  It is NOT for a stock truck.  Ideally this lift is for a truck with custom front & rear bumper as well as rock sliders.  If your truck has a stock front bumper, that is fine, but if you have a stock rear bumper, We would suggest you look at our System 7.  At a bare minimum, if you have a stock rear bumper, you need to have at least a Class III trailer hitch installed with the complete stock rear bumper along with a set of functional rock sliders.  The rear FZJ-80 coils are brand new, the are made of a small diameter wire with wide wraps.  They will require some time to settle to the final height.  All of the data for this lift kit was compiled with springs that had between 40K and 100K miles on them.  These coils will hold out for an extremely long time, but are a tad tall when brand new, plan on some settling after install.  This is not the case with the front Tundra coils, those consist of a large diameter wire with tight wraps, they will not change after install. * 

Front:

Toyota Progressive TRD Front Coil: Driver/Left Side (ONE)
Toyota Progressive TRD Front Coil: Passenger/Right Side (ONE)
Toyota Stover Nuts (TWO)
Toyota Upper Shock Bushing (TWO)
Bilstein 5125 Series Nickel Plated Adjustable Heavy Duty Front Shocks (TWO)
Sonoran Steel Fabrication L.L.C. Front Differential Drop Spacers (TWO)
 

Rear:

Toyota FZJ-80 Land Cruiser Coils (TWO)
Bilstein 5125 Series Nickel Plated Shocks (TWO)
Sonoran Steel Fabrication L.L.C. Custom Polyurethane Shock Bushings (TWO)
Sonoran Steel Fabrication L.L.C. Adjustable Trac/PanHard Bar (ONE)
Sonoran Steel Fabrication L.L.C. Extended bump stop Adapters with Daystar Competition Style bump stops (TWO)
Sonoran Steel Fabrication L.L.C. Rear sway bar adjustment brackets (TWO)
Sonoran Steel Fabrication L.L.C. Braided Stainless Steel extended brake line or lines (1996-2000 one line, 2001-2002 two lines)
Sonoran Steel Fabrication L.L.C. Parking/Emergency Brake bracket (1996-2000 Only)

1996 to 2000 Toyota 4Runner 3.4 Motor: 1.5 to 2.5" Front & 3.5" Rear Lift: $1185.00

The only additional item you may or may not need is new front shock top plates, these are stock parts on your vehicle that you will be re-using.  As these vehicle age, replacing these top plates would be considered basic maintenance for these trucks.  The only way to get the lower bushings and large rubber isolator from Toyota is to buy the entire top plate assembly.  We can get these for you for a lot less than you can at your local dealer.  We can also pre-assemble the front Shocks/Coils for an extremely easy install.

2 of Toyota Part Number 48609-35030: $100.00

Assemble Front Shocks/Coils: $50.00 Labor (You must also buy the two top plates listed above as well)

Shipping additional.  All Brand New Parts.

***  This lift kit should only be installed by a Professional Mechanic or someone possessing the skills and tools to do so safely and correctly.  The front coil/shock assemblies can be dangerous if not done by an experienced installer.  Parts can also be destroyed if not assembled correctly.  ***

Is the Sonoran Steel Lift Kit a real Value?  We think so, this 1996-2002 Hilux Surf (4Runner) Japanese JAOS BattleZ Lift kit is $2300.00.  Funny thing is they copied a few of our parts.  I know we had a few of these items on the market first.  Our System 1 seriously improves off road performance, this kit is really for show and shine.  The truck is higher, but that is it.  The fact that the 2001-2002 is different is not addressed in this kit. 

*****************************************************************************************************************************

SYSTEM 3.0: 2WD or 4WD 4Runner

31" tires and the 1999 4WD Coils.

* The shocks are actually dark green, not the mint green the digital camera is picking up. *

The 3rd Gen 4Runner was introduced in 1996 and apparently Toyota was not pleased with the original front coils as they were changed for the 1997 model year even though no significant changes were made to the 4Runner.  These coils ran from 1997 to 1998.  In 1999 Toyota added the extra crush zone up front and the fat lip front bumper to facilitate it.  Things were good and the 1999 4Runner sat higher than any 3rd Gen 4Runner to date.  At the same time the Ford Explorer/Firestone Tire blowout/rollover media blitz hit.  Toyota reacted by yanking the 2000 model year down lower mid production very early in the 2000 model years run.  The 2001 and the 2002 are without a doubt the "Low Rider" 4Runners.  This kit takes the best the factory had to offer in 1999 and applies it to every 4Runner from 1996 to 2002, 2WD and 4WD.  The 2WD trucks will go up 2" from where they sat new and 4WD trucks will go up 1" from where they sat new.  Does every 1999 have these magic coils?  No way, only a few did and the chances of finding them in a junk yard is possible but, it is very slim that you find a 1999 and only a 1999 with the specific options factory installed, not dealer installed.  2WD 4Runners are always 1" lower than the same year 4WD 4Runner.  So a 1999 2WD would be the same height as a 2002 4WD stock.

System 3: The "All Toyota Factory Coil" system:  The best the factory had to offer from 1996 to 2002.  2WD & 4WD.

RAW DATA: This kit lifted a 2001 2WD 4Runner 2" over stock.  1996-97 4WD 1" lift, 2001-02 4WD 1" lift, 1998 & 2000 4WD 1/2" or so lift, 1999 4WD no lift.

Front:

1999 Toyota 4Runner front coils from a vehicle made in Japan with a 3.4 V6, 4WD & 16" wheels. (TWO)
Tokico Trek > Master R/T front shocks. (TWO) Lifetime Warranty !
Two: Genuine Toyota Upper Front Shock Nuts, We remove the problem prone Tokico Aftermarket upper front shock nuts and provide Genuine Toyota Replacement nuts.

Rear:

1999 Toyota 4Runner rear coils from a vehicle made in Japan with a 3.4 V6, 4WD & 16" wheels. (TWO)
Tokico Trek > Master R/T rear shocks. (TWO) Lifetime Warranty !

1996 to 2002 Toyota 4Runner "The best the factory had to offer" suspension: $550.00

The only additional item you may or may not need is new front shock top plates, these are stock parts on your vehicle that you will be re-using.  As these vehicle age, replacing these top plates would be considered basic maintenance for these trucks.  The only way to get the lower bushings and large rubber isolator from Toyota is to buy the entire top plate assembly.  We can get these for you for a lot less than you can at your local dealer.  We can also pre-assemble the front Shocks/Coils for an extremely easy install.

2 of Toyota Part Number 48609-35030: $100.00

Assemble Front Shocks/Coils: $50.00 Labor (You must also buy the two top plates listed above as well)

Shipping additional.  All brand new parts.

***  This lift kit should only be installed by a Professional Mechanic or someone possessing the skills and tools to do so safely and correctly.  The front coil/shock assemblies can be dangerous if not done by an experienced installer.  Parts can also be destroyed if not assembled correctly.  ***

*****************************************************************************************************************************

SYSTEM 7.2: 2WD or 4WD 4Runner

2" Front & 2.5" rear on Aftershock @ The Hammers

2" Front & 2.5" rear on Double Whammy in Moab.

An outstanding photo of System 7 installed.

An outstanding photo of System 7 installed.

System 7 installed even with running boards

System 7 installed even with running boards

System 7.2 for 1996-2000 Toyota 4Runners

System 7.2 for 2001-2002 Toyota 4Runners

* Front Coils/Shocks are shows assembled, parts are shipped unassembled.  Assembly is available for an extra charge *

System 7.2:  A "Mild" Adjustable 1.5 to 2.5" front & 2.0 to 3.0" rear 1996-2002 Toyota 4Runner lift.  If the ultimate in off-road prowess is not needed, but a nice solid well designed level sitting lift is desired.  This is your package.  This lift kit is perfect for a truck with stock front and rear bumpers.  Add a set of rock sliders without issue.  If someday you build your truck up to the level of the System 1 kit.  You can buy just the parts to upgrade System 7 to System 1.  This is a great place to start and can grow with your truck.

Front:

Toyota Progressive TRD Front Coil: Driver/Left Side (ONE)
Toyota Progressive TRD Front Coil: Passenger/Right Side (ONE)
Toyota Stover Nuts (TWO)
Toyota Upper Shock Bushing (TWO)
Bilstein 5125 Series Nickel Plated Adjustable Heavy Duty Front Shocks (TWO)
Sonoran Steel Fabrication L.L.C. Front Differential Drop Spacers (TWO)
 

ARB/Old Man Emu 890 Rear Coils (TWO)
ARB/Old Man Emu 10MM Trim Packers (TWO)
Bilstein 5125 Series Nickel Plated Shocks (TWO)
Sonoran Steel Fabrication L.L.C. Custom Polyurethane Shock Bushings (TWO)
Sonoran Steel Fabrication L.L.C. Adjustable Trac/PanHard Bar (ONE)
Sonoran Steel Fabrication L.L.C. Extended bump stop Adapters with Daystar Competition Style bump stops (TWO)
Sonoran Steel Fabrication L.L.C. Braided Stainless Steel extended brake line or lines (1996-2000 one line, 2001-2002 two lines)
Sonoran Steel Fabrication L.L.C. Parking/Emergency Brake bracket (1996-2000 Only)

1996 to 2000 Toyota 4Runner 3.4 Motor: 1.5 to 2.5" Front & 2.0 to 3.0" Rear Lift: $1185.00

The only additional item you may or may not need is new front shock top plates, these are stock parts on your vehicle that you will be re-using.  As these vehicle age, replacing these top plates would be considered basic maintenance for these trucks.  The only way to get the lower bushings and large rubber isolator from Toyota is to buy the entire top plate assembly.  We can get these for you for a lot less than you can at your local dealer.  We can also pre-assemble the front Shocks/Coils for an extremely easy install.

2 of Toyota Part Number 48609-35030: $100.00

Assemble Front Shocks/Coils: $50.00 Labor (You must also buy the two top plates listed above as well)

Shipping additional.  All Brand New Parts.

***  This lift kit should only be installed by a Professional Mechanic or someone possessing the skills and tools to do so safely and correctly.  The front coil/shock assemblies can be dangerous if not done by an experienced installer.  Parts can also be destroyed if not assembled correctly.  ***

*****************************************************************************************************************************

Fully Adjustable Front Coil-Overs: Tacoma Pickups 1995.5 to 2004 and 4Runner 1996-2002
This is the same front coil over assembly as sold in the kits above.

* Bilstein Adjustable 5125 Series Front shocks: Adjustable from 1.5 to 3.0" of lift, with heavy duty lower bushing for "real" off road use
* Toyota Progressive TRD Front Coil, Toyota Factory Quality, will not sag like most aftermarket coils
* All of the bushings, top plates, nuts, cups, etc. required for complete assembly, Genuine Toyota rubber/parts for the most resistance free movement and all brand new parts
* Final assembly included for an extremely easy installation, no spring compressor or special tools required, Native shock to the vehicle, no hokey adapters

When ordering we can discuss the lift setting you would like and they will be assembled for that amount.  If you want to change that, you simply dis-assemble the units, move the circlip to the next position and re-assemble.

Two Complete Assemblies: $620.00 (Not a complete kit, front only)

Shipping additional.  All Brand New Parts.

Tacoma 1995.5 to 2004 Rear LSPV Bracket.  When you lift your truck, you end up disabling the load senor for the rear brakes.  You need to raise this point as much as you raise the vehicle to keep the valve operating correctly.  This bracket is set for 2.5" of lift. 

Tacoma 1995.5 to 2004 Rear LSPV Bracket: $25.00

Tacoma Front Diff Drop: $40.00

Tacoma rear brake line for Bilstein 5125 Series Shocks: $30.00

Bilstein 5125 Rear Tacoma Shocks, BE5-6252-H5 (Driver) & BE5-6253-H5 ( Passenger): $90.00 each, $180.00 for the pair

Daystar KU08007 (Two Pair): $10.00

Alcan Custom Rear Leaf Pack: Order Directly from Alcan Spring - (888) 321-0870

(If you bought all of the parts listed above with the coil-overs, you would have a complete Tacoma lift kit.)

*****************************************************************************************************************************

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions:

1. I can afford more than what you are asking, so I want to "make this better".  You can't.  If there were better parts I would have included them.  This is as good as it gets.

2. Why don't you use Southern California style Coil-Overs?  Those are designed to do what they do best, go fast in sand.  If you live in Southern California and like to go fast in sand, by all means get a set.  They are set up stiff to absorb huge blows and smooth out high speed over wavy terrain.  Another problem are the aluminum finishes corroding in heavy rain and snow, not like they can test that in So Cal.  Another huge downfall is the fact you must remove and re-build them yearly, creating downtime for your vehicle.  Yes I have personally owned a set of Sway-A-Way 2.0 Racerunners.

3. Old Man Emu.  They make a lot of nice stuff.  Unfortunately, all of the parts for the 3rd Gen 4Runner are Toyota Prado parts that happen to fit the 4Runner.  In this case the parts listed above are a better configuration for the 3rd Gen 4Runner than Prado parts.  The Prado front shock is too long, the rear could be longer, and the coils are not intended for lift but to carry more weight on a Prado.  Using overload spring for lift creates a very stiff suspension.  Yes I have personally owned the full front and rear Old Man Emu suspension system.

4. Jason Doe at ABC Off - Road says the Tundra coils are a bad idea and suggested that I buy a set of Donahoe coil overs.  Yeah, I bet he did.  The problem with the all Toyota stock parts lift is that the only person that makes any money off of this the Toyota Dealer.  We offer this because we want you to buy all the additional parts we make.  More than likely this person down talked this lift because they don't make any money off it and wanted to sell a product that turns them a profit.  Sonoran Steel can turn a profit from passing along stock parts to you.

5. Why don't you include front sway bar disconnects?  Because they are completely useless.  By disconnecting the front sway bar you may gain a very slight amount of added a-arm droop.  But here is the problem with an IFS truck.  The only tire that has any weight on it is the one compressed, so it does not matter if the other tire is in the air, almost on the ground or on the ground.  It will spin because it has no weight on it.  The front IFS solution is an ARB RD90 front locker, not anything to do with a sway bar.  It is however correct to disconnect a sway bar on a straight axle truck as it will increase articulation.  The real benefit of having a straight axle is that both front tires bear the weight at all times.  Not only one like an IFS truck under articulation.

6. Is this kit 100% bolt on.  Yes it is.  No welding is required.

7. Can I just buy the parts you make as I found these parts for a few bucks less from an online dealer.  Sure you can buy most of these parts a-la-carte, but it's going to cost you a lot more than what they are priced in the package deal.  The rear sway bar adjustment brackets are only offered in this kit.  Also installing the stock parts without the adjustments, will lead to catastrophic failure.  The ONLY reason these parts work is because they are paired with all of our fixes.

8. (UPDATE) System 1.2 and 7.2 now adjust from 1.5 to 2.5" of  front lift, but our recommendation is still to stick with the 2" mark. Why the 2" front and 3.5" rear lift?  Because these are the "magic" numbers.  2" of front lift is the most I feel you can safely go without greatly increasing your CV boot and joints wear and tear.  3.5" lift in the rear is perfect to reposition the rear axle and eliminate the drive shaft/gas tank issue common with lower rear lifts.  Also this is a "plan ahead" lift.  With a heavy custom rear bumper like the one Sonoran Steel makes, you will end up with between 2.5" and 3" of lift.  With the Old Man Emu 891 rear coils all of the customers had 3" of rear lift before the bumper and then 1.5" after it was installed.  Requiring a 1" or 1.5" spacer.  With FZJ-80 coils your set now and then.  You'll also have the "Aussie" look, they seem to really like the rear slightly higher than the front.

9. What size tires can I run?  With System 1.2 and 7.2:  You can run 265/75/16 (32") tires on stock wheels or 285/75/16 (33") tires on stock wheels.  With the 285 you may have to trim a bit of the plastic liner in the rear of the front wheel wells.  Nothing major and no big deal.  Some people do not have to trim at all with 285's and the stock rims.  With System 3: 265/75/16 (32") tires on stock wheels is what we would recommend.

10. If I buy one of your lift kits will I need anything else?  No, the kits are complete, you will not need anything additional other than a front end alignment from a local shop.

11. We DO NOT carry the Old Man Emu 906, 891, 892 coils.  The ONLY Old Man Emu coil we carry is the 890 because it is the only one that we consider to be worth anything.  If you want a 906 coil, install the 890 and leave the center cones out, now you have a 906 coil.  If you think you need the 891 which is for 300 pounds of cargo AT ALL TIMES or the 892 which is for 600 pounds of cargo AT ALL TIMES, then move to System 1, the factory Toyota 80 coils are far better.  Much better road ride and off road articulation.  All of the Old Man Emu coils are designed to give the Toyota Prado 20mm of lift, the various coils are then designed to carry varying amounts of cargo.  There are alot of people on the internet message boards that have no concept of how the coils should be applied and think that putting a 600 pound cargo carrying coil in will give them more lift.  It will not, it will just give them a broken back from the hash ride.  The 890 coil we stock is a winner, if you need anything other than the 890, move to System 1.2 with the FZJ-80 coils. 

12. Old Man Emu Shocks.  We don't use them because there are problems with them.  They are shocks designed for a Prado, not a 4Runner.  The front shocks are too long and since the 96-02 front IFS suspension does not have a droop stop like the 86-95 IFS suspension did, the front shock limits the down travel.  With the OME front shock being too long the outer CV in the front half shafts will bind and rip out of the cage.  Don't believe us?  Search Yotatech.com and you'll find alot of broken CV axles with these shocks.  The Tokico shocks we use are the correct length and are also the same shock used by Toyota.  As for the rear Old Man Emu shocks, they have a major problem with broken off upper studs.  It happens to everyone eventually over time, typically within 1.5-2 years.  Yes the OME rear shock is 1" longer than stock and if that is important to you, use our System 1 with a rear shock 3.5" longer than stock.  Now your talking some major added travel.

13. What type of warranty do these parts carry.  The Toyota Parts carry a 12 month warranty, they will need to be returned to Sonoran Steel which will warranty them through the supplying dealer in Arizona.  You can not take them to any dealer, they need to be returned to us and we will get them exchanged for you.  It is extremely unlikely that any of the factory parts would have anything wrong with them.  As for the Trek Master Shocks: TOKICO offers a limited lifetime warranty for all of our suspension products purchased for street use. Products used or designed for competition are not covered under warranty.  The TrekMaster is not designed for competition so it does have a lifetime warranty through Tokico.

14. (UPDATE) These are a thing of the past, but I will leave this so you are warned: Two Top Out Spacers.  If you install two top out spacers on one side, any and all applied warranties and support will be VOID.  Installing two top out spacers on a single side is a huge mistake, we will not sell you the extra spacers under any circumstances.  If you obtain some on your own and install them, you assume all risks and consequences for your actions.

15. Looking for even more lift/height.  You can combine any of these suspension lift kits with a 1" or a 1.5" 4Crawler/Rodger Brown Ultimate body lift.  The 1" and 1.5" sizes are easy to install and will not cause you any grief.  Over 1.5" and the job becomes much more involved.  We do not recommend body lifts for 96-02 4Runners over 1.5".  The reason you do not need to go over 1" or 1.5" is that to fit tires larger than 33" which can be fit with just the lift kit alone, you would need to move the front and back of the fender openings wider as well.  A 2" or 3" body lift is just going to raise the arches of the wheel well higher without letting you add a larger tire, which would require the front and back of the fender openings to increase as well.  The 1996-2002 4Runner is a  heavy truck to begin with, the key to building a good off-road truck is to equalize lift with width.  So when you go up 2.5" on a suspension lift lift and 1" on a body lit you need to widen the track with 3.5" backspaced wheels and 12.5" wide tires.  There are no wheels wide enough to equalize the vehicle over this combo.  So a smart build would be to stick with a Suspension lift for 33" tires or below and a 1" or 1.5" Body lift along with a good amount of metal cutting for 35" tires.  Put a body lift on that is too high/more than you really need is just going to get you flopped on your side a lot faster.

16. (UPDATE) We now have Bilstein 5125 shocks made just for us, but I will leave this for reference: What is the difference between the Green, Blue & Black shocks?  The Green Trekmaster Shocks are an Aftermarket improved version of the stock shocks.  The Blue Tokico TRD shocks are exactly the same as the Green Trek Masters in the center of the stroke, they differ at the extremes.  At full extension and full compression they increase in valveing becoming much stiffer.  This would typically only be beneficial in high speed desert driving or high speed wash board dirt roads.  The black shocks are identical to the Tokico Green Trek Masters, the only difference being that lower bushing.  It is huge and will take much more abuse than the standard 4Runner lower bushings.  So the black shocks are the same as the green shocks, they are just more robust or Heavy Duty.  The Green Aftermarket Trek Master shocks are the only shocks that carry the Tokico Lifetime warranty.  The Blue and Black shocks are Original Equipment Toyota shocks and carry Toyota's 12 month warranty.

17. What is the difference between the entire Old Man Emu replacement suspension system and your Lift Kits?  Well first off ARB/Old Man Emu DOES NOT sell lift kits.  They sell replacement suspension systems.  All of the coils that fit the 96-02 4Runner were originally designed to for the Toyota Prado an overseas vehicle and give that vehicle 20mm of lift.  If you use the correct OME coil for the weight you have installed on your vehicle, IE 880 for a stock no added weight front, 881 for a front with 150 pounds over stock, 882 for 300 pounds over stock, 906 for a stock rear end - matched height to the front 880, 20mm of lift, 890 for stock rear no added weight but more (2.5", 60mm) lift, 891 for 300 pounds of constant cargo and 892 for 600 pounds of constant cargo.  You will net 20mm of lift and the suspension will work correctly.  The problem is that most people are not content with 20mm of lift which is roughly 1".  So they start installing the coils for more weight or "trim packers" which are really spacers, hoping to get more lift.  While they may get a small amount of more lift, the products are not being used as designed and the ride will be horrid in comparison to the correct application and the suspension will not work as designed.  A front TJM or ARB bumper is pretty much a wash with the 99-02 front bumpers with the factory crush zone.  You add a winch with synthetic line and your 75 pounds over stock.  That is only 1/2 the weight that the 881 coil was designed to use, this would not be a correct application of the coil.  The correct application would be the 880 and the 1" of lift it provides.  To sum it up, ARB/Old Man EMu does not make lift kits, they make a replacement suspension designed to add 20mm of height.  A suspension like this would not need all the additional brackets, trac bars, etc because it is not far enough outside of the stock configurations.  If you want a lift kit to give you actual lift and fix the issues that are associated with the height gain, Sonoran Steel has the lift kits for you.  If you want a "replacement suspension" with 20mm of additional height then ARB/Old Man Emu has that and can tune it to the weight you carry.  But don't take my word for it, call ARB USA in Seattle, they will tell you the same thing.  90% of the people you encounter on these internet message boards have the incorrect coils installed for the weight/configuration of there vehicle.  Yes we use the ARB/Old Man Emu rear coil 890, we apply it correctly to net 2.5" of lift with the weight of a truck with a stock rear bumper.  If you have a custom rear bumper, the FZJ-80 are far superior to the 891 and 892 Old Man Emu coils.  More lift, more articulation (longer shocks) and the smoothest highway ride yet, lazy wide wraps can be nothing but soft.

18. What about SPACER LIFTS, like Toytec, Cornbred, Revtek, Daystar and others.  Spacer lifts are what they are.  It was my first lift and the rear spacers keep me happy for 6 months or so and the fronts for less than 9 months.  If a spacer lift is the only thing you can afford, so be it.  It is better than nothing, or is it?  After you read the drawbacks of a spacer lift, maybe stock would actually "work" better off road.

Benefits of a Spacer Lift:
A. Lifts the truck 1-3" higher
B. Very Inexpensive

Downfalls of a spacer lift:
A.   The biggest one is that they re-use your stock coils, which is not really a good thing if you are looking for a lift.  96-98 4Runners were 3/4" to 1" lower than the 1999 model year, 2000 was along the lines of 96-98 and 01-02 4Runners were the lowest yet, over 1" lower than the same model 1999 4Runner.  When your starting out 1" to 2" lower your 2"-3" spacers are only going to get you 1" or so above a 1999 4WD 4Runner bone stock.  Replacing the coils is a far better way to actually gain lift.  Take a look at our front coil comparison for yourself.
B. Spacers placed inside the spring pack preload the coil for lift, make it live in a smaller area, by reducing the area it is allowed to live in you in turn reduce upward travel.  So you now have less travel than stock, that is not a good thing when you start with so little.  Also making the coil live in smaller area without adjusting your a-arms bump stops to compensate will over compress the coil and cause it to stack and fail at a very fast rate.  Ask around and see how many people had coils sag or drop with spacers over time.  Spacers placed outside the coil pack like the Daystar 1.5" and the Downey spacer increase the shock length which will lead to excessive droop, as the 96-02 4Runners do not have the droop stops of the 86-95 Trucks and 4Runners.  This excessive droop will cause the outer CV to bind and literally rip the star out of the joint, resulting in a broken CV axle and a dead truck.  Front shock length is critical on these vehicles.  This can be fixed with limiting straps, but why not do it right from the beginning.  

 So with less travel because the coil will stack sooner, it seems to us that spacer lifts actually reduce the effectiveness of your vehicle off road.  The purpose of our lift kits is to gain the lift without loosing any of the travel the factory provided, as they did not provide much to begin with.  It's a cheap way to lift a truck, but don't expect much in the actual performance area.  If you are looking for a long term solution, I would aim higher than a spacer lift.

Some more interesting Data about the lift these spacer kits give you.  The Revtek 3", Toytec 3", Daystar 2.5" and Our Kits set at 2.0" all produce the EXACT same front lift in the end.  I think these guys need a new tape measure.

19. How can I fit 35" tires on my 1996-2002 4Runner? You need our System 1.2 Lift Kit, A 1.5" 4Crawler (Rodger Brown) Ultimate Body Lift & 3.5" BS Rims - Mickey Thompson Classic II part number: 368412

20. Someone (A complete stranger) on an Internet Message board told me the Stock Toyota Tundra coil you use are too stiff and for a truck much heavier?  Is this true?  No it is not and here it why.  As I have said above, most of the information you get on those message boards is wrong.  The 2000-2006 Tundra that we use the coils from has a curb weight of 5030 pounds.  My 1999 4Runner with the 2.7 liter engine weighs in at 4755 pounds, The Sonoran Steel 2001 Limited Test Truck tips the scale at 4680.  This is only a 350 pound difference when comparing IFS truck to IFS truck.  Divide that total 350 pound difference by four, as you will be supporting that weight with all 4 coils and you get a whopping 87.5 pound difference per coil.  The Tundra coils are not stiff, they are the softest coil we can possibly find to use in a lift situation.  The Tundra is not all that heavy, that is an urban legend, now you know the actual weight.  Most Tundras are even lighter yet, equaling the weight of the off road equipped 4Runner.  So the bottom line is that the weight of a off road equipped 4Runner and a stock Tundra are basically the same.  Now you can see why these coils work so well to lift a 1996-2002 4Runner.  If you don't believe me find an 88 pound kid and have them sit on your front fender and see what happens. 

21: The lift kits are built once you order one, they are not pre-assembled.  For some of these parts I am dependant on other vendors/manufactures.  If they have parts back order or run out of stock, there could be delays.  The turn around on a lift kit is typically 1 to 2 weeks but can stretch as long as 4 depending on these other suppliers inventory.  The parts from Toyota always arrive quickly and I can have the custom parts made in a week, but delays obtaining shocks, poly products, etc.  Could cause delays.  We will not substitute parts to complete the process faster, all of these parts were chosen for a very specific reason and work best when paired with the corresponding parts.

22: The lift kits are only sold complete.  You can not order a kit without a certain part or parts.  You also can not order some of the parts in the lift kit alone.

Suspension Lift Install, Tips & Pointers:

1. System 1 & 2 are not level lifts.  The target front height is 2” and the rear is 3.5”.  The truck will not sit level, the rear will be 1.5” higher.  System 7 & 8 are designed to sit perfectly level but will not perform the same off road as 1 & 2.  System 1 & 2 are enhanced for optimum off-road performance, requiring the higher rear stance.

2. If you ordered the old system 2 and you do not get 2” of front lift and you would like to go up to the full 2”, then a top out spacer and the 38mm studs should be added.  Why is this not offered to begin with?  Because if you lift your vehicle too high parts can be damaged and destroyed resulting in costly repair bills.  It is far more economical to add the studs and top out after the install then to pay for a new set of CV axles or set of CV boots installed.  If you installed the really old System 2 and do not wind up with 2” of front lift, contact Sonoran Steel and you will be sold the parts to move to the old System 1.1 for the difference of the two kits.  It’s better to be safe than sorry.

3. The actual front lift height will not be known until the front end has been aligned after the install.  The height of the truck will fluctuate when the mechanic moves the camber/caster cams in and out. 

4. Do not re-install the center cones with the FZJ-80 rear coils.  The 1996, 1997 and half of the 1998 4Runners never had those cones to begin with.  The cones were a quick fix for inadequate frame bump stops.  These kits come with high quality frame mounted poly bump stops so the center cones are not needed and should not be re-installed.  Also with the lift the cones are so far up, they will not do anything anyway.  The cones will actually act as lift spacers, adding more lift on top of the FZJ-80 coils.

5. The coils for the rear from the FZJ-80 are brand new, they will settle down a bit over time.  The 80 coils are very soft, yielding an outstanding off road and street ride, cargo weight will significantly effect the amount of lift these coils yield as they are very soft.   The Tundra coils in the front however will not change from the original installed height. 

6. The stock sway bar end links should remain in the stock positions, the front should stay on the front bar and the rear stock links should be used on the rear bar.  We do not recommend sway bar disconnects as we have found them to be completely useless on this vehicle.

7. The 6mm button head bolt replaces the zerk fitting on the diff side of the rear drive shaft.  This zerk can be sheared off very easily off road and is a very common occurrence on this vehicle.  When you need to lube the drive shaft, remove the button head and lube the shaft with the zerk, then remove the zerk and return the button head when you are done.

8. Why does the back sit higher with system 1.2.  It has to.  In order to run the FZJ-80 rear shocks that are 3.5” longer when extended than the stock 4Runner shocks, you must lower the bump stops due to the longer compressed length, in turn you must have the truck sit higher to compensate for the increased drive shaft movement from the increased articulation.

9. System 2,4 5,6 & 8 were discontinued as we simplified things and refined the products further.

Convert to a different lift:

Do you have System 1.0, 1.1 or the Old System 2.0 and you don't like the rake, want to make the truck sit level or want the vehicle to ride even smoother on the road?

1. Replace the FZJ-80 stock coils that you have in your rear suspension with the Old Man Emu 890 coils.  Do not use any coil other than the OME 890 coil.  This will give you a level lift, you will loose some off road ability but maybe this configuration is more your liking.  With the removal of the 80 coils you will also need to remove the sway bar adjustment brackets as well.

2. If the new level lift is fine but you still want the truck to ride even smoother on the street, replace the stock black FJZ-80 shocks with Tokico Trek Master rear shocks.  Adjust the track bar for the new lift height.  If you have one of the old drop bars, the difference between the 80 coils and the 890 coils is not a concern, the drop bar you have will work fine.  The Tokico Trek Master shocks ride extremely nice/smooth on the road.  What you have now converted to at this point is the old System 7.0 lift kit.

Back to www.sonoransteel.com

e-mail me: steve@sonoransteel.com