Those who have converted the air suspension, please chime in
09-12-13, 06:56 AM
#16
Lexus Champion
09-12-13, 08:15 AM
#17
Instructor
For those out there looking for a factory ride height for a cheap price, I had my leaky air bags removed and had Raybestos coil springs intended for a v8 4runner installed. The only other things I needed was the factory rubber bump stop seats that drop in the top of the spring for a 4runner and a lower fabricated clip bolted to the the existing hole in the bracket on the axle. That's it. Parts totaled $100 and labor was $100. $200 total and the GX rides smooth over everything. The height now sits just a half inch lower than with the airbags at N. if you wanted more height than use FJ Cruiser springs. I do have the "OFF" light blinking occasionally. I pulled the 50a fuse under the hood. I know there is another fuse under there but I wasn't sure if pulling both would set off a check engine or code. If anyone knows for sure what fuse to pull and not to pull could you reply? I am very happy with the results and totally recommend it to others. PM me if there are any questions, I'm only 2 days with the conversion so I will check back and reply if something changes. Also another thanks to Mann777 for his infinite wisdom on our GX's.
01-25-17, 09:11 PM
#18
Driver School Candidate
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Utah
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I have put an Old Man Emu 3in lift kit on a 100 series, 80 series, and now my 2008 gx470. If your needs are similar to mine, I wouldn't hesitate. My gx is used to tow my 2 snowmobiles, whitewater raft/trailer, medium difficulty off-road, get to Alta, camping, and daily driver. A quality off-road/fab shop can remove air bags/stock shocks, weld spring perches from an fj cruiser and install an OME or Ironman suspension/lift kit for the FJ. That should cost around 2k parts/labor. I went with a BFG KM2 255/80/17 on the stock rims, and had no rub or contact with control arms. I think if you don't need/want lift, you can proably get stock height coils and run new performance shocks for probably cheaper than a lift or oem parts. My opinion is that it rides/tows WAY better than stock. Kurt at Cruiser Outfitters sells OME lift kits and is a lot of help. If your near Salt Lake City Curtis Mcneil at Just 4 Fun Motorsports did my conversion and a flawless job. No issues with anything.
02-02-17, 05:48 PM
#19
Why would I want to convert my Lexus to a 4runner? I get used to with my air bubble. if it fail, I just buy two air bags and replace it, looks easy to replace. So I will stay at is.
02-03-17, 04:23 AM
#21
Instructor
Thread Starter
It was one of the contributing factors in why I felt I was better off selling it. Coupled with the 120k service was a punch list of things requiring repair or replacement, among them interior plastics that had dried out and began breaking. Converting my 4Runner back to a Lexus was an additional 2K, just for the factory shocks alone. The "altered suspension" took 3k off of resale estimate as well, so now I had really done it.
Had I kept my Lexus a Lexus, I'd likely still have it. Problem was, the car was now boring and thought I did keep the factory airbags, it was actually kinda unruly with weight in the back. That's when the shocks were at their harshest. Now a full conversation with lift, etc. would have been a different story, but the neither here nor there conversion ended up being a big waste of a great vehicle and cash.
02-03-17, 07:55 AM
#22
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470, air, coils, conversion, convert, diy, fj, gx, gx470, lexus, lift, rear, suspemsion, suspension, vonvertion
