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Suspension & AxleTechnical discussions regarding alignment, stock and modified suspensions, lift kits, axles, hub conversions, gearing and steering.
This is a discussion thread titled "DIY: Lowering: Lets get a tech thread going", within the Suspension & Axle forum, part of the Technical & Vehicle Assistance Forums category.
I don't have a digital cam with me right now at work, but I will try and get a pic of my susp as soon as I can, but it looks pretty close to me. I think that I remember reading a post on customtacos that someone actually put Tundra struts and coils on their double cab Tacoma, but they had to swap out the upper strut mount cause the bolt pattern is a little bigger around, and he said that the truck rode like a gocart cause it raised the truck some and it rode like a gocart, cause the spring rate must be too high for a Tacoma w/ a V6 instead of a Tundra w/ a V8.
Interesting... if someone can swap tundra stuff into a tacoma, then you would think you could swap tacoma stuff into the tundra. The only problem would be the spring rate, which puts us back to square one. There is already Tokico shocks for the tundra, and the custom drop springs are only 75 bucks a piece.
__________________ 2001 Salvaged Tundra SR5 2WD Access Cab:
95% complete - Molly Grill, Color Matched Mirror Covers, Clear Turn Signal Lenses, Optima Red Top Battery,
XS Power headers, Phillips Crystal Vision Bulbs, Detata Trax 18x9 wheels w/245-55-18 BFG GForce T/A's
Waiting to Install: Components for 3-4" front, 5-6" rear DIY lowering. (waiting on front struts)
Do you know of any Toyota parts sites that actually give part #s so I can compare parts to see what is interchangeable between the Taco and Tundra? I found sites like that for Ford, Honda, and Acura but none for Toyota.
I had a chance to look at a Sequoia today at work while doing a front brake job and I got a few measurements to compare to my Taco. I seems like the spindle may be the same, but the spot on the lower CA where the sway bar endlink attaches seem to be different, and I think the upper may be a little different also. I just need to take my front wheel off and take a pic and send it to you (digital fusion) so you can post it together with your pic of the Tundra.
I personally am just looking for like a 3/4 drop that will handle better, but will not ride like total crap. I had a lowered Acura before this truck and it rode pretty rough, but it handled like a race car.
I believe it was either SportTruck or Truckin' Mag that featured the very first dropped Pre-Runner about a year ago. I can look for the mag and post the exact date the issue ran. It was extreme though as it was the first Pre-Runner to lay frame. It's no surprise how it was done though - the entire front and rear end suspension was swapped out and replaced with the suspension of an earlier model hilux/tacoma.
Victor PM'ed this to me, and I thought I woudl share it with everyone....
Quote:
Hey there Fusion,
I'm also one of those behind the scenes guy that read and sometimes/never post. Well, I'm here to post. I like your interest in lowering your truck. I'm in the same boat as you are.
Let me introduce myself. My names Victor and own an 01' Tundra 2WD accesscab. I'm currently running the SOS 1.5front and 2.0 rear kit. It looks alright, but it I personally like it slammed. So, like you, I decided to look further and start emailing known named suspension dealers i.e. eibach, suspension techniques, nuespeed, etc. I found nothing. I didn't want to go air suspension because of the fact that you will need to hack up your frame and didn't feel like going that route.
I want to help you/us to our conquest in finding/making a kit out. I don't know if you have ran across this website, but I'll post it anyways. The website is: www.truckn-store.com. They have a flip kit for the our truck that'll drop the rears approx. 6". It seems like a pretty decent price too. As for the fronts, I've e-mailed them and asked about that and they said to use Lowboyz coil-over system. They said they have them and was made for our trucks also. Rears go for $187 and fronts $279. Altogether for a 4/6 drop= $466+shipping.
But one thing though, when I was talking to those guys over the phone, a few knew what I was talking about and some didn't. It seems kinda scetchy by the looks of the pictures too. I don't want to go purchasing from these guys if the stuff is crappy or all wrong. Go check out that site and maybe try to talk to those guys and see what you think.
Talk to you later,
Victor
The place you are talking about is AIM indutries. I once bought an air-ride kit from them for my honda. The quality of the kit wasnt that great. I literally had my air ride installed one day, and removed the next. I sold it within a week. The kit they sold me was supposed to be good for 92-00 honda civics. I was skeptical due to the fact that the 96-00 Civics had different bushings in the rear, they assured me it would work for my 95. Turns out I was right, it did not work with my 95 on the rear, I had to do some fabrication and re-working of the rear brackets to make it fit. There was no restriction on the dump lines for the air cylinders, so when u tried to drop the car, it would slam down with so much force that it actually broke my trunk latch when I let it down for the first time with the trunk still open. It slammed so hard it bent the latch. I also ened up spending near 200 bucks more for fittings and odds-and-ends that should have been included in the kit, but were not.
Having said that, lowering the rear via a flip kit on our trucks is the easy and cheap part. I have a list of the parts I need, with prices, and it totals less than 100 bucks to lower the rear 6". This doesnt included C-notching the frame, which will most likely need to be done. The front is where it gets really tricky. If they really do have :coilovers: for our trucks, I would like to get this confirmed somewhere else, and would hope they are not manufactured from them. I also do not see how we could lower the truck 4" in the front without different control arms. The lower bump stops are just too close up front to go anything more than 3" at the max. I have a friend who is a machinest making custom Victory Motorcycle parts, and we are going to try and fab up a lower control arm with adjustable balljoints for alignment.
__________________ 2001 Salvaged Tundra SR5 2WD Access Cab:
95% complete - Molly Grill, Color Matched Mirror Covers, Clear Turn Signal Lenses, Optima Red Top Battery,
XS Power headers, Phillips Crystal Vision Bulbs, Detata Trax 18x9 wheels w/245-55-18 BFG GForce T/A's
Waiting to Install: Components for 3-4" front, 5-6" rear DIY lowering. (waiting on front struts)
I've talked to a guy @ airbagit.com (basically the same as truckn-store, and AIM Ind.). I asked him about the flipkit and the "coilovers" for our trucks. He said that they fab. the products themselves. I asked what brand coilovers and he said that it's there own brand. They are called lowboyz, but couldn't find any pictures of it. We were talking over the phone for about 10 minutes now and asked if they had any other Tundra owners that bought their kit and if they were satisfied. He said a few bought them and had no problems. Of course, he's a salesman, how else are you supposed to answer that. So, as of right now, I'm still sketchy about any of their products. Plus their return policy sucks. 35% restock fee my butt.
As you stated, Fusion, I've heard their products aren't as great as they seem.
I've heard people putting air ride kits in their cars and not fit like it says.
I'm interested as of what bits and pieces you've put together for the rear flips.
I dont have the list handy anymore, I dont know where I put it, but my buddy works for a 4x4 shop here, and he can get me all the parts (U bolts, blocks, & shims) for 100 bucks he said. I also looked at places like summit racing for a universal flip kit, and they are super cheap.
IF, and I mean IF these coilovers ARE made for our trucks, and they are not just thinking that since it is made for the T100, then it should fit ours, I dont understand how it can work for 4" of drop. Perhaps it does give u 4" of drop, but it will NEVER align right unless I am missing a big part of the puzzle here. If those things really are made for our trucks, then why are they not on thier catalog for the tundra?
__________________ 2001 Salvaged Tundra SR5 2WD Access Cab:
95% complete - Molly Grill, Color Matched Mirror Covers, Clear Turn Signal Lenses, Optima Red Top Battery,
XS Power headers, Phillips Crystal Vision Bulbs, Detata Trax 18x9 wheels w/245-55-18 BFG GForce T/A's
Waiting to Install: Components for 3-4" front, 5-6" rear DIY lowering. (waiting on front struts)
I just did a lil digging over there. I found a PDF price list sheet for their products. I found this entry:
LOW-TOY-TUNDRACOILS LOWERED
239.00
TOYOTA 20002004
TOYOTALOWBOYZ
TOYOTA TUNDRA *** 2WD ONLY **
Kinda horsesh*t that the only info they have available on them is this one-liner tucked away in a crappy pdf price list. I would really like to know how the heck we are supposed to align the truck after dropping it 4" with these coilovers with no changes to the control arms.
Says in there that the coils are 2" shorter than rear, but they are supposed to be 0-5" adjustable? Furthermore, ig look a lil further down the page they list rear coilovers for the tundra. WTF???
__________________ 2001 Salvaged Tundra SR5 2WD Access Cab:
95% complete - Molly Grill, Color Matched Mirror Covers, Clear Turn Signal Lenses, Optima Red Top Battery,
XS Power headers, Phillips Crystal Vision Bulbs, Detata Trax 18x9 wheels w/245-55-18 BFG GForce T/A's
Waiting to Install: Components for 3-4" front, 5-6" rear DIY lowering. (waiting on front struts)
I just did a lil digging over there. I found a PDF price list sheet for their products. I found this entry:
LOW-TOY-TUNDRACOILS LOWERED
239.00
TOYOTA 20002004
TOYOTALOWBOYZ
TOYOTA TUNDRA *** 2WD ONLY **
Kinda horsesh*t that the only info they have available on them is this one-liner tucked away in a crappy pdf price list. I would really like to know how the heck we are supposed to align the truck after dropping it 4" with these coilovers with no changes to the control arms.
Says in there that the coils are 2" shorter than rear, but they are supposed to be 0-5" adjustable? Furthermore, ig look a lil further down the page they list rear coilovers for the tundra. WTF???
They need to be more specific when they list parts like this. I think the rear coilovers are for the 4-link set-up? Maybe I'm wrong there. Even the pictures are wrong. The front strut doesn't even come close to what it's picture next to our application. That makes it even more skeptical.
Would it be possible to have a custom coilover made by King, SAW, Donahoe, etc that would drop it some and give you a better ride? I know that doesn't address the alignment issues but it is a thought.
__________________
"You play the hand you're dealt. I think the game's worthwhile." -C. S. Lewis
They need to be more specific when they list parts like this. I think the rear coilovers are for the 4-link set-up? Maybe I'm wrong there. Even the pictures are wrong. The front strut doesn't even come close to what it's picture next to our application. That makes it even more skeptical.
exactly. The other thing is that the toyo trucks are the only ones without "tech instruction" links... Still, even if they ARE made for our trucks, then how do we align them?
Quote:
Would it be possible to have a custom coilover made by King, SAW, Donahoe, etc that would drop it some and give you a better ride? I know that doesn't address the alignment issues but it is a thought.
It maybe possible, however, I doubt the price would be justifed. 150 bucks for brand new drop springs sounds like a better option at this point.
__________________ 2001 Salvaged Tundra SR5 2WD Access Cab:
95% complete - Molly Grill, Color Matched Mirror Covers, Clear Turn Signal Lenses, Optima Red Top Battery,
XS Power headers, Phillips Crystal Vision Bulbs, Detata Trax 18x9 wheels w/245-55-18 BFG GForce T/A's
Waiting to Install: Components for 3-4" front, 5-6" rear DIY lowering. (waiting on front struts)
UPDATE ON THE LOWBOYZ COILOVERS: - I emailed AIM and asked the following questions: How much adjustment do these allow? It says 0-5" but then it also says 2" lower. The way my lower control arms look it doesnt seem that it would be possible to get anything more then 2" without hitting the bump stops? How can the truck be aligned with a 4" drop? I was told that the tundra cannot be aligned with anything more than a 2" drop?
I receive two seperate responses from two different people within an hour of each other, which was kinda odd.
"Sorry, 3" and over require new control arms. And change bumpstop to flat bumpstop. I will change website. Tx Joe "
"THE LOWBOYZ WOULD DROP ABOUT 3" MAX ON THE TUNDRA AND YOU WILL BE REALLY CLOSE TO FACTORY ALIGNMENT SPECS MY TECH SAYS IF YOU LONGATE THE HOLES ON THE ARMS YOU WILL BE ABLE TO GET IT ALIGNED IF YOU NEED TO PLACE A ORDER FEEL FREE TO GIVE ME A CALL AT 1800 842 8789 THANK YOU,JOSH"
So, according to this first response I need new control arms and bumpstops to go over 3", (which is what I figured) with no mention of the fact that no one makes lowered control arms, and no mention of just how low these coilovers will adjust. The second response said the coilovers only go to 3" max, or atleast "about 3" max". In order to align it I have to bore out holes on my control arms. I am emailing both again to get some more clairification.
__________________ 2001 Salvaged Tundra SR5 2WD Access Cab:
95% complete - Molly Grill, Color Matched Mirror Covers, Clear Turn Signal Lenses, Optima Red Top Battery,
XS Power headers, Phillips Crystal Vision Bulbs, Detata Trax 18x9 wheels w/245-55-18 BFG GForce T/A's
Waiting to Install: Components for 3-4" front, 5-6" rear DIY lowering. (waiting on front struts)
How many people out there do you think will really want to drop there Tundra's or even Tacoma's? If I can get some numbers, and there is enough demand, I can give my friend a call and see if the suspension company he works for will be willing to make drop coilovers for the trucks. This would be one of the only ways for me to know for sure that the drop coilovers are made for the truck.
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