Long Travel Rear Suspension 96+ runner

[Chaplain]

Just put a Total Chaos front suspension on the runner and am looking for ideas for the rear. Any suggestions out there?

[ADD]

big ass coilovers? I would check the ttora board. There is a lot of good tech on desert rigs there

[Chaplain]

Originally Posted by ADD

big ass coilovers? I would check the ttora board. There is a lot of good tech on desert rigs there

I was thinking about that, a hoop and a big coil would be easy. However I don't believe there is enough room for a coil between the tire and frame. I would like to keep from going up in the cab if possible because I still want the storage/sleeping area/quietness of an uncut cab. Chances are I'll end up in there, but I want to make sure I'm not missing something a little more creative first.

Sorry, what is the ttora board? I know of race_dezert and desert rangers.

Thanks for input.

[EWong]

www.ttora.com

look in the LONG TRAVEL SUSPENSION forum...

LT isnt that popular on this forum... suprised the flames havent come out

[Chaplain]

Done!
Strapped at 13" just like front.

[ADD]

damn!!!! kick ass dude. i will be starting my LT truck soon. I will most likely be going with the GEN 2 caddy kit only because i want to keep my 4wd, but the GEN 3 caddy kit makes my mouth water!!!! But then i lose 4wd, so that sucks. For the rear i will be going with the 62" deavers, until i can save up for coilovers and a 4 link

[Chaplain]

Originally Posted by ADD

I will most likely be going with the GEN 2 caddy kit only because i want to keep my 4wd, but the GEN 3 caddy kit makes my mouth water!!!! But then i lose 4wd, so that sucks. For the rear i will be going with the 62" deavers, until i can save up for coilovers and a 4 link

If its a driver for the street too I wouldn't recommend the GEN3 kit, the GEN 2 kit is more than sufficient for offroad and handles pavement great too. Total Chaos also has a sweet leaf spring kit that includes the 62" deavers. Buy them both at the same time and ask Pat to give you a break on price.

Front pic.

[mxmw54]

[QUOTE=Chaplain;7605788]Done!
Strapped at 13" just like front.



Definately can't flame that! very nice work.

[Dirty Harry]

Looks great Steve, I definitely have suspension envy on my 4Runner.

[Chaplain]

Originally Posted by mxmw54

Definitely can't flame that! very nice work.

Always feels good not to get flamed on here. Thanks, but I can't take too much of the credit. I weld like a grade schooler, but I can draw on napkins well.

> Twisted Customs (see Dec Dirtsport MIM) made the upper/lower control arms and panhard bar. They utilized heims with their special spacers on axle end, and bushings on the frame end to free up all the bind. I know there are beefier looking arms out there but these are the same as their competition rigs.
> Sway-A-Away 2x10 emulsion shocks with the addition of high capacity remote reservoirs to keep things cool. Brian Bell, of SAW valved them to perfection.
> Light Racing's 6" Jounce controls the uptravel.
>Spidertrax provided the wheel spacers to keep things from rubbing and allows the rear to track inline with the wider front.
> Downey swaybar extender and coils.

Harry, all you need is a good shock. Call SAW up and order up a pair.

[Blue-Beard]

Looks pretty sweet!
Do you have any more pics you can post of the rear suspension setup?

[Chaplain]

Originally Posted by Blue-Beard

Looks pretty sweet!
Do you have any more pics you can post of the rear suspension setup?

Here are a few, anything particular that you are looking for?

[Blue-Beard]

Originally Posted by Chaplain

Here are a few, anything particular that you are looking for?

No nothing in particular really, just wanted to see some more pics. I love pictures!

[Chaplain]

Pictures Pictures pictures. If it weren't for picture I would have never learned to read.

The frame was notched slightly to reset the Light Racing mount deeper keeping things away from the tires. If this is too much work or you don't want to cut into your frame then get the 3" jounce and bucket mounting kit. I wanted more controlled up travel (6" jounce) and easier acceptability to make adjustments. This placement measures out perfect for up-travel contact. Also notice how the cross brace thing (technical term) was sleeved to tie the two hoops together for additional strength.

Ignore the length of the upper arm bolts. I wanted the strength of longer shanks but was too lazy to crawl back up there with the sawzaw. Its embarrassing seeing all those threads so I'll get back under there. The Twisted Custom panhard bar is adjustable using treaded heims at both ends.

Twisted Custom machined misalignment spacers to fit the factory mounts. All I had to do was drill out the holes for larger bolts. Removing the shock mount bolt is a tight fit past the lower arm mount, but it does come out. Could have used a little more room (up or down) here but that is where the tape measure said to put the shock mounts.

Another shot of Twisted Customs work strapping the bushing housing for additional strength and fitting the factory mount perfect.

Other options/improvements could be made to get more articulation and/or travel out of the rearend. I didn't want to reinvent the Toyota protractor or cut up my cargo area, at the end of the day its just a 4Runner and a daily driver.

[Chaplain]

Here is a pic I took the other night with the tire almost all the way stuffed. As you can see there is still an inch before any tire rub on the shock. (this is the stuffed tire).


I increased my tire size from a 265 to a 285x70x17 (33") BFG KM2's so I had to do some cutting. The added tire size was going to work havic on the fenders so out came the cutoff wheel.:saw: I was able to trim a good 1" out of the fenders without getting into the door.
BEFORE:

AFTER:

I covered the sharp edges and hacks with a small piece of trim.

[ErikB]

Originally Posted by Chaplain

Here is a pic I took the other night with the tire almost all the way stuffed. As you can see there is still an inch before any tire rub on the shock. (this is the stuffed tire).

I was just looking at this post the other day since I'm going to mount my shocks and in about the same location. My springs will go under the frame and the bumpstops will probably go inside them somehow.

Looks to me like you've still got a LOT of compression to go though. The bumpstop isn't touching, let alone compressed. That would tilt the axle more, moving the tire more towards the shock...

I'm also curious how close the shock body gets to the frame on the drooped side? I plan on mounting my shocks upside down so that there is only shaft showing on the drooped side, giving a little more frame clearance. They'll be a little closer to the frame I think.

[Chaplain]

Originally Posted by ErikB

I was just looking at this post the other day since I'm going to mount my shocks and in about the same location. My springs will go under the frame and the bumpstops will probably go inside them somehow.

Looks to me like you've still got a LOT of compression to go though. The bumpstop isn't touching, let alone compressed. That would tilt the axle more, moving the tire more towards the shock...

I'm also curious how close the shock body gets to the frame on the drooped side? I plan on mounting my shocks upside down so that there is only shaft showing on the drooped side, giving a little more frame clearance. They'll be a little closer to the frame I think.

Your right: I really need to borrow someones forklift/ramp to get a better idea of its articulation abilities/failures. When I'm out running taking a picture is a afterthought and I completely forgot to snap a photo of the dropped side.

Light Racing makes a mount that puts the jounce inside the coil bucket. I would only go with this mount if you have the smaller of the two jounce shocks. I wanted more controlled up travel so I went with the larger of the two sizes.

I'll try and get some better articulation pics posted soon.

[Chaplain]

Finally figured out how to squeeeeeeze Sway-A-Way www.swayaway.com bypass in the rear and also added Trail-Gear's new frame support. http://www.trail-gear.com/tacoma#box

[ErikB]

Wow, super bling! I bet that thing is fun to drive!!

How long are those shocks? The travel looks kinda short?

[Chaplain]

Originally Posted by ErikB

Wow, super bling! I bet that thing is fun to drive!! How long are those shocks? The travel looks kinda short?

Thank you there is nothing like the sparkle of new shocks. It has been fun to drive but I haven't had it in the whoops since the bypass upgrade. The previous immersion shocks had gone through a couple of valve jobs and ran well so I'm anxious to see where we end up after tuning on these.
It is a mid-travel DD so in-comparison to a purpose built prerunner its not going to win any 'number' bragging rights. My theory on this build; since travel is very limited, has been to build it in a matter that is very tunable. That is why I am running a jounce and have switched to the bypass'.

[mobil1syn]

Its all about quality over quantity.

[mmml4]

Chaplain, what is your wms to wms on the rear axle.

[Chaplain]

Sorry, but WMS?

[generalee7]

Originally Posted by Chaplain

Sorry, but WMS?

Wheel mounting surface to wheel mounting surface. 4runners should be the same as Tacomas so I'm guessing 60-60.5"?

[mobil1syn]

Originally Posted by generalee7

Wheel mounting surface to wheel mounting surface. 4runners should be the same as Tacomas so I'm guessing 60-60.5"?

It looks like he's got another 3" on there in wheelspacers.