It's time to lift my '85 4runner and I could use a little help with which way to go. I'm for sure doing a suspension lift around 3 to 3.5". I've been looking at NWOR but have recently read some bad post about them. Tuff Country also looks good but I don't want the add-a-leaves. I want to go new springs all the way around to help with the ride.
No rock crawling to speak of here in GA. just some mud & water. Oh, yeah, I'm trying to go as inexpensive as possible! Anybody who has already done this could sure help me out.
Thanks for any help.

With suspension lifts I really think that you get what you pay for. If it was my rig, I would consider 2" Old Man Emu springs and shocks and make up the rest with a body lift and/or cut fenders. The lower lift will also cause less problems with the front torque rod and the factory push-pull steering.

If you don't mind getting dirty, you could find some stock Wrangler or Wagoneer springs in a junkyard, they will give you about 2" of lift as well.

For off the shelf offerings, All-Pro and Marlin offer 3" or 4" leaf springs, but the rears are longer so you will have to weld if you go that route. Skyjacker is probably your best bet for off the shelf major manufacturers that offer stock length rear spring pack replacements.

Dingit, this is EXACTLY the truck I just bought and I just posted about lifting it enough for fitting 35" tires.

My thread about the same thing

Doh, I might just delete my thread to simplify things (I'll wait to see which thread makes most sense to me, the typical newbie).

EDIT: PLEASE, can you post pics of your 4runner? Did it come withthe 22RE engine?

Congrads!

Thanks Harry and Dingman,

I hadn't thought about the jeep or wagoneer springs. Dingman I read some of your post about buying one just didn't get to the part on the lift. I'm running 31's right now and there good, probably go as high as a 32's until I can chage the gears one day. I'm trying to post pics for ya'll. It does have the 22RE
Thanks again. 4Runner Webpage

Thanks,
Would the OME springs fit without modifying? I can do a few things, but not welding and cutting. Also, any idea what year for the wrangler or wagoneer springs? Sorry for the trouble, but thanks!

I have 2"lift wrangler springs and skyjacker rears for 4" of lift give or take. The skyjackers will need a longer shackle to make them level with the 2" lift springs. I also have Rancho adjustable shocks and I think the ride is fantastic given the lift and age of the suspension design (better than my IFS truck rode for sure!)

This fits 33" tires fine (rub on compression) but 35" would need a rethinking in axle placement. HTH

-John

I documented my various suspension setups/installs below:

http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/4R_suspension.shtml

Thanks for your help. Are the wrangler springs stock or lifted? What year model were yours from.

4Crawler,

I've looked at your site frequently over the years and thats why I was thinking about NWOR as a source. I know my truck will never be what yours is(I don't have the expertise!) I'm wondering if you would still start with the NWOR springs if you had to start over.
I just had the same problem with my headlight combo switch, and your fix worked. Thanks!

I found he 3.5" springs from NWOR worked fine, went through the Rubicon a few times with them. For a heavier 4Runner, they ride quite nice, folks with lighter pickups think they are too stiff. The stock length and shock mounts were the main limiting factor with them. I could compress them to the bump stops and extend to the limit of the shocks (enough so that one shock mount tore off the axle). Maybe I was lucky, but I never had any problems w/ NWOR, but it was about 7-8 yrs. ago that I last dealt with them.

There are probably other options out there for springs now that there were not in '97 when I first built my truck. You can get stock length springs from Alcan, I think some of the other vendors have stock length in the 3" range.