Coil Spring Conversion...Please make this simple for me
Thread Starter
Driver
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 82
Likes: 13
From: Kansas
Coil Spring Conversion...Please make this simple for me
I'm wanting to delete the rear air bags. From what I understand, you can simply install coils only. I want some cheap coils, at stock height. Please advise. Also, what should I expect in labor costs for this job? Finally, am I correct in assuming I can keep the factory shocks (either old or new)? And why exactly do these shocks need to be electric in the absence of air bags?
Understand, I am not interested in off-roading or lifting my vehicle and just want to keep as close to stock height as possible I'm really only interested in rear air bag delete at this time and coils only. I can replace shocks myself in the future if needed. Thanks for the help.
Understand, I am not interested in off-roading or lifting my vehicle and just want to keep as close to stock height as possible I'm really only interested in rear air bag delete at this time and coils only. I can replace shocks myself in the future if needed. Thanks for the help.
Pole Position
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 2,390
Likes: 555
From: WPG, MB
For the shocks, they are electronic adjustable dampening front and rear, this is a totally separate system than the rear airbags. These can be replaced with non-adjustable shocks, but the stock shocks can be used with a rear spring conversion if they are still in good shape.
For the rear spring conversion, you'll need 3 things:
-rear spring conversion kit, provides a lower spring perch, some have some additional lift engineered into them which you won't want, I recommend Metaltech as it does not add any lift
-springs, for no lift you'll be looking at 4th gen 4Runner, or FJ Cruiser rear springs. For no additional weight in the back, 3rd row seats removed you'll want the 4Runner, if you carry the 3rd row or commonly carry some weight in the cargo area, use the FJ Cruiser springs to achieve stock height and load carrying.
-upper spring isolator, these are the rubber cones that go inside the spring and sit on the top edge between the spring and the truck body. You'll want these to avoid any metal on metal noises, you do not need to use OEM, cheapest 4th gen 4Runner spring isolators from RockAuto/Amazon/etc should do the trick.
If you live where there's rust, give your rear swaybar endlinks a good look and if there's any question, have a new set on hand, as they often need to be cut off where I live due to rust.
For the rear spring conversion, you'll need 3 things:
-rear spring conversion kit, provides a lower spring perch, some have some additional lift engineered into them which you won't want, I recommend Metaltech as it does not add any lift
-springs, for no lift you'll be looking at 4th gen 4Runner, or FJ Cruiser rear springs. For no additional weight in the back, 3rd row seats removed you'll want the 4Runner, if you carry the 3rd row or commonly carry some weight in the cargo area, use the FJ Cruiser springs to achieve stock height and load carrying.
-upper spring isolator, these are the rubber cones that go inside the spring and sit on the top edge between the spring and the truck body. You'll want these to avoid any metal on metal noises, you do not need to use OEM, cheapest 4th gen 4Runner spring isolators from RockAuto/Amazon/etc should do the trick.
If you live where there's rust, give your rear swaybar endlinks a good look and if there's any question, have a new set on hand, as they often need to be cut off where I live due to rust.
Pit Crew
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 106
Likes: 21
From: Quebec
I’ll throw my 2c into this and by no means am I an expert, but needing to do similar things as you and reading a lot of forum posts I became confused because there are so many options out there and usually conversations also involved wheels and tires etc. Etc.
If you are deleting the airbags then you do not need rear shocks that allow for heightening or lowering the rear. I recently replaced my rear shocks with Luftmeister , but I am keeping my air bags. In your case, you would need Coil springs, maybe from an FJ Cruiser or 4Runner and Bilstein rear shocks, 4600 or 5100 would work.
in the front, if you want to keep the ability to switch from Sport to Comfort Mode, you would need OEM shocks or aftermarket ones that are compatible and allow for dampening. I have recently installed Bilstein 4600 front shocks and re-used the the OEM coils, so I do not have any more dampening control.
this should give you stock ride
If you are deleting the airbags then you do not need rear shocks that allow for heightening or lowering the rear. I recently replaced my rear shocks with Luftmeister , but I am keeping my air bags. In your case, you would need Coil springs, maybe from an FJ Cruiser or 4Runner and Bilstein rear shocks, 4600 or 5100 would work.
in the front, if you want to keep the ability to switch from Sport to Comfort Mode, you would need OEM shocks or aftermarket ones that are compatible and allow for dampening. I have recently installed Bilstein 4600 front shocks and re-used the the OEM coils, so I do not have any more dampening control.
this should give you stock ride
Thread Starter
Driver
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 82
Likes: 13
From: Kansas
For the shocks, they are electronic adjustable dampening front and rear, this is a totally separate system than the rear airbags. These can be replaced with non-adjustable shocks, but the stock shocks can be used with a rear spring conversion if they are still in good shape.
For the rear spring conversion, you'll need 3 things:
-rear spring conversion kit, provides a lower spring perch, some have some additional lift engineered into them which you won't want, I recommend Metaltech as it does not add any lift
-springs, for no lift you'll be looking at 4th gen 4Runner, or FJ Cruiser rear springs. For no additional weight in the back, 3rd row seats removed you'll want the 4Runner, if you carry the 3rd row or commonly carry some weight in the cargo area, use the FJ Cruiser springs to achieve stock height and load carrying.
-upper spring isolator, these are the rubber cones that go inside the spring and sit on the top edge between the spring and the truck body. You'll want these to avoid any metal on metal noises, you do not need to use OEM, cheapest 4th gen 4Runner spring isolators from RockAuto/Amazon/etc should do the trick.
If you live where there's rust, give your rear swaybar endlinks a good look and if there's any question, have a new set on hand, as they often need to be cut off where I live due to rust.
For the rear spring conversion, you'll need 3 things:
-rear spring conversion kit, provides a lower spring perch, some have some additional lift engineered into them which you won't want, I recommend Metaltech as it does not add any lift
-springs, for no lift you'll be looking at 4th gen 4Runner, or FJ Cruiser rear springs. For no additional weight in the back, 3rd row seats removed you'll want the 4Runner, if you carry the 3rd row or commonly carry some weight in the cargo area, use the FJ Cruiser springs to achieve stock height and load carrying.
-upper spring isolator, these are the rubber cones that go inside the spring and sit on the top edge between the spring and the truck body. You'll want these to avoid any metal on metal noises, you do not need to use OEM, cheapest 4th gen 4Runner spring isolators from RockAuto/Amazon/etc should do the trick.
If you live where there's rust, give your rear swaybar endlinks a good look and if there's any question, have a new set on hand, as they often need to be cut off where I live due to rust.
Rookie
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 45
Likes: 9
From: Pennsylvania
About a year ago, I did the conversion myself using the Metal Tech Gx470 Rear Coil Conversion Stage 3 (Stock Height) and so far it is working out fine. Most of the research I did suggested you could save money by finding used FJ springs and using the stage 1 kit, but I had no luck in that regard so I went with the full kit.
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