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http://www.4x4Wire.com/4x4/toyota/4Runner/tech/suspension/hugo.htm

Front:
Downey/Bilstein Coilover
Rockstomper front sway bar disconnects

Rear:
KYB Shocks
Downey Springs

The goal of this article is to express my opinion on the lift kit I have on my truck, the Downey kit. I will also address the shocks I’ve chosen for the rear, the KYB Gas-A-Justs.  For starters, my truck is a 3rd generation, a 1999 SR5 V6 5 speed, so it has the «updated» rear suspension that 96-98 models don’t. Basically, rear bumpstops are shorter and there’s a cone-type bumpstop inside the coil spring. The Downey kit will fit both types of suspension.  The kit consists of coilovers up front, adjustable via a threaded sleeve up to 4’’ according to Downey. The coilovers are fitted on Bilstein shocks. The coilovers themselves have a spacer on top. The rear consists of lift springs. Two choices are available, giving 2 or 3 inches of lift. These measurements are approximations and actually give less lift than that once the springs settle. On the picture below, the 2’’ springs are the gray/blue ones, and the 3’’ ones are gold/brown. The bottom coilover is for the driver’s side. It’s important to note that I bought my kit used from a former member of the forum, and it was somewhat incomplete. The spanner wrench used to adjust the kit wasn’t included and despite numerous e-mails, I never got it. I use a big monkey wrench that works just fine however. Also, judging from various picturess, there’s supposed to be a sort of rubber bushing between the top of the front spring and the aluminum spacer, which I never got either. The rear shocks were not included with the kit, and neither are they if you order it from Downey. I got the whole thing for 500US$. Not bad, since I got the two sets of rear springs.

These have a spring rate of 600 lbs/inch. OE struts are rated at 420 lbs/inch. Both coilovers look the same and have the same spring rate, except that Downey gave the left coilover a neat feature, in that there’s an additional spacer to compensate for the heavier left side of the truck. Some of you may have noticed that our trucks tend to lean to the left side, because of the added weight of the steering column, the gas tank, the front diff, and the driver.  Installation is not easy, but not that tough either. Soaking every nut in WD-40 or other penetrating oil the night before, and having air tools eases the process. Since you can lower the ring (lower spring seat) completely, a spring compressor is not necessary, except maybe for removing the OE strut. Also, putting the OE bottle jack upside down in the wheel well, pushing down on the ball joint nut helped quite lot. I’ll be happy to answer any additional questions you may have regarding installation.  Adjusting the height is a little difficult since you can’t move that much under there, but once it’s set, it won’t move unless you decide to change the adjustment. Just make sure you lube the threaded sleeve generously. However, forget about adjusting it while the truck is resting on all four wheels : lift the corner you want to adjust first to take some weight of the shock assembly. Removing the wheel is not necessary, but it helps a little as space is tight; expect a couple of hits on your head, courtesy of the front bumper…

The rear is easier to install than the front, except for removing the shocks, which are a total pain in the ass. Once you grip the upper nut, grab the shock itself with a huge monkey wrench and turn the shock itself. When installing it, you should support the whole rear diff, either with a floor jack if you’re doing this in your driveway, or with a tall threaded thingy (sorry, can’t give a better description!) if you rent a space in a DIY shop.  As you lower the jack/support, the springs will literally fall right off. Install new ones, including the cone insert if you have a 99+, new shocks, and you’re set. Don’t forget to remove the e-brake bracket and fabricate another one 2 inches longer (Downey doesn’t include that either). It’s real easy : a 2’’x1’’ piece of metal, two holes, use the OE hardware, and it’s over!  My rear shocks are KYBs Gas-A-Just. Despite what the name implies, they are not adjustable in any way. Go figure… At least, they didn’t claim to be! They are application specific, and are well suited for the Runner. However, I didn’t know of their Monomax (heavy-duty) line when I ordered the Gas-A-Justs, otherwise I would have gotten these instead. I think the KYBs are good, but not enough. They are 8 months old and have been ‘wheeled often, and it seems that they used to ride better.

I got about 1.75’’ of lift in the rear. It may have settled to around 1.5 ‘’ by now, I have not measured it since I installed the lift. So I set the front at about the same height. This may not sound like much, but it really gives the truck a more aggressive stance, and it looks better. I was already running 32s and I ditched the running boards at the same time, which further helped the lifted look. The 32s don’t rub even when decent amounts of flex are achieved off road.

The ride is great! Even if the springs are 40% stiffer, (up front at least), they give the truck a firm, sporty, controlled ride. It’s not harsh at all and I actually like it better than stock. The advantage of stiffer springs over a spacer-type lift is that as the truck is lifted, it’ll tend to lean more in turns, the center of gravity being higher. The higher spring rate eliminates this tendency to sway more, something spacers can’t achieve.

I have not encountered any vibrations. With the lift set a little lower than 2’’, CV joints are not angled enough as to vibrate. Also, they’re less likely to break/wear prematurely at this angle. However, the left front spring rubs on the threaded sleeve, right in the red circle in pic below. At first, I wondered if I had done something wrong, but it’s just that the threaded sleeve is almost the same diameter as the inside of the spring. No biggie, you just have to put some grease on the contact point every now and then. The front shocks may be valved too soft I’m afraid. Off road, I sometimes feel like the front is bottoming out on some washes. «May be»? «Feel like»? Yeah, I’m not sure! Why? First, it’s illogical to bottom out with the truck almost 2 inches higher and springs 40% stiffer in places where the stock suspension didn’t. Second, like I pointed out earlier, the rubbing of the spring on the sleeve makes some noise; it rubs a little under nose diving when braking. Articulation off road is much more accentuated, so this could just be noise from that, because it doesn’t feel like a bone-jarring hit. Also, I run Rockstomper discos up front (modified and beefed-up to stop them from breaking), which have a cacophony of their own.  Also, in cold temperatures, I’ve heard the Bilsteins squeak when nose dive occurs. I was told by a local performance parts salesman that Bilsteins are known to have that problem. What’s weirder is that they do that when it’s freezing or just a little colder, but don’t do it when it’s really cold.  As far as the rear end goes I don’t know if it’s my imagination or the fact that it’s winter, but I find that I have a rough ride over severe bumps and potholes on the road, like the shocks are not damping enough anymore. This is more obvious when the car is loaded. I once took my boss and a client in my car, with about 130 pounds of suitcases in the trunk. Over bumps, the ride was rough. I suspect better rear shocks would have prevented that unpleasant symptom.  One last detail : since the lift I got isn’t excessive, I didn’t do anything about the Panhard bar, since I haven’t experienced any gas tank hitting issue. The only thing I did was notch the gas tank skid plate where the zerk fitting from the rear drive shaft could potentially hit.

Overall, I’m happy with my truck. It looks better, rides better and works great off road. I think that this kit is interesting if you want to lift your truck without too much trouble, since installation, even if it’s a little long and tough on the forearms, is relatively simple. I also like the flexibility of the adjustable front coilovers. Adding a heavier bumper or a winch thus doesn’t call for a full suspension change.  I installed the 2 inches rear springs, but I may move to the 3 inches ones, just to see… I’ll be sure to give a full review if and when I do.  I know now that eventually, I’ll have to change the rear shocks but otherwise, the stance, the ride and the fact that I did it all myself is an investment I’d do all over again!

Downey Springs	Front Coil Over

Lifted Stance	Front View