Suspension Refresh Parts List

I'm planning a full suspension refresh now that the truck has proven itself (20k miles since November) with a slight lift using 5100s, OME springs, and HD leafs. I've got the majority of the parts and just ordered OEM lower control arms and all the camber bolts/nuts and I'd like any input on any parts I might be missing. I was unable to find new hardware for the UCAs so hopefully the existing hardware comes out okay.

Here's my parts list:
Bilstein 5100 front and rear

$31 KYB SM5442 - Mount and Insulator

KYB SM5442 strut mounts
Old man emu 2885 springs
JBA Upper control arms
OEM Lower control arms
ATS HD rear leaf springs + shackles & u-bolts
MAXX suspension extended sway bar links
Extended rear bump stops

I'm unsure if I need to order insulators SM5413 for the struts or if that is included/unnecessary

LBJs and inner and outer TREs have already been replaced. Any problems I should expect to run into or parts I'm missing? Any input is greatly appreciated.

 

Looks good, same setup I just ordered. I didn’t get the leaf pack yet but in the near future. My JBA arms came in 2 days ago. Just waiting on the springs and shocks from first gen off-roading.

 

That is almost exactly what I am looking at doing. I already have the springs and shocks now I want the uca and lca and a steering rack along with the suspension max end links

 

I would order toe adjust bolts to be on the safe side. Mine came out ok but it looks like a lot of people end up sawing them off.

 

Not sure you're going to like these on your AC. Might be too stiff. Remember, because you have the 5100s, if you need extra lift in front, you can always adjust up on the circlips.

 

Check the rack & pinion bushings and replace them if the rack & pinion moves around while turning the steering wheel. I made the mistake of doing a suspension refresh and forgetting to change them. Now I'll need to get an alignment all over again once I replace the bushings. My valve cover gasket leak dripped all over the rack and the oil ate away the bushings over the years.

I didn't opt for any high end polyurethane bushings as I don't want to risk excessive steering wheel vibrations so I just got the Mevotech supreme kit. The bushings seem pretty damn stiff in that kit anyway.

 

I believe I ordered those but I had some difficulty searching the part numbers so I'll find out for sure once I start taking it apart.

Following this post I think they'll be correct for my setup but time will tell on ride quality.

I have some poly bushings someone gave me for free but I would like to get some rubber bushings before replacing.

 

When I installed my ATS HD rear leaf springs it lifted the rear about two inches, maybe a little more or less. That changed the rear pinion angle slightly, and when that happened, I started getting a grinding noise at speeds past 5mph. It turned out to be a very worn out center support bearing that was already on it's way out and had little less to give once the angle changed. So if yours looks super cracked it may be wise to change that, too. Good list though, looks great.

 

Very close to what I did (5100/OME 2883) mine being just a reg cab and yours being AC, I think you nailed it on this set up.

 

Late to the party, just wanted to share a few things.

What you're describing is not a "slight lift", it's actually approaching the limits of what you can expect to achieve with our trucks, without moving to coilovers or a bracket lift. I'd love to know what you're looking to achieve, your end goal, if there's a reason you feel you need upwards of 2½-3" of lift.

If you're in a salty climate, note the 5100s don't seem to handle salt so well. Furthermore, since you're using a lifted spring, unless you really want to have some flexibility later with reinstalling OEM (or equivalent) springs, you may want to consider going with the 4600 to save a couple hundred bucks.

I take it you've already read the "Suspension, wheel and tires ..." section of the Megathread? If not, you should. It pretty clearly states what you need to use 4600/5100 (they're basically the same internally), and yes you MUST use the SM5413 to adapt the OME spring to that tophat. Let me copy/paste the pertinent section here for you:

• Guidance to pick the right lifted spring w/Bilstein 5100/4600: With OME (Old Man Emu, not 'OEM') springs, here's which spring to pick, between the 2883, 2884, 2885, 2886, 2887. We know from 100s of user lifts what to expect, far better than any vendor will:
  • For OME springs you need these isolators (here's why), and if your current struts aren't factory/OEM you'll probably need these tophats.
  • For AC/RC with 2WD, both V6 and V8, you'll get near-level with OME 2883. Don't do 2884 unless you plan a rear lift.
  • For AC/RC with 4WD, go 2883 for a sport rake, 2884 to get level, don't go with 2885 unless you plan a rear lift
  • For nearly all DC applications, 2883 for near-stock ½-¾" lift, 2884 for slight rake, level w/2885, if you plan 1-2" rear lift, 2887 is probably your choice.
  • With any suggestion given here, your lift may take a bit to settle at final height.
  • If you're AC/RC be forewarned: Nearly all who doubted the above were left squatted out back, thinking 2884 or 2885 was right for their AC/RC 2WD truck. It's just not the case, and a lot of vendors don't know/bother to inform their customers, so heed the above.

In an ideal world, you'd also space or install 2 new longer front bumpstops per side.

You may expect to get 2" of lift out of those ATS springs at first, at the end, my 4WD AC settled out to a little under 1½".

The rest looks great, better thought out than what I see most people choose. Be prepared to fight with pressing the UBJ out of the knuckle, it's the hardest part of the job IMO. Always disconnect the sway bar links before starting, and don't hesitate to use the bottle jack in your cab to assist with aligning stuff, holding things, etc. once you have the truck properly on jackstands. Mine came in clutch a number of times.

A couple of things to note, again, in case you haven't read the full megathread suspension section. If youre LBJ and their bolts haven't been replaced with new OEM units within the last 100K, **NOW** is the time to do it. Because you're choosing to lift so high (yes, 2½"-3" will be substantial), expect you will be slinging grease from your CV axles, and you may end up needing to pull the factory Oetiker clamps and replace with NORMA clamps. You'll know within a few hundred miles.

Heed what @jbr98 said above. You're changing the suspension geometry of your truck substantially. In that process, you're liable to unearth things you didn't know where a problem, and you're going to be stressing your suspension in ways you probably hadn't thought through. With you choosing to go more into the extreme of what these trucks can handle without issues, you are bound to find out what parts on your truck were worse for the wear, and you will exacerbate failure of those parts.

 

Thank you for your input and the answer regarding the isolaters, I will get those ordered. I will also look into norma clamps and new boots. As for why I chose this route, I off-road the truck occasionally and tow frequently and this combo seems like a good setup for my uses. Ultimately it was a snowball effect starting with wanting to do the 4runner big brake upgrade, which meant getting new wheels, which meant getting new tires, so why not go up a size and get good all-terrains? Nothing I have researched has suggested I'm nearing the "limit" for these trucks. Every other day there's another thread about someone wanting a 6+ inch lift to clear some ridiculous tire size.