Here is the most comprehensive list of suspension options for FJ Cruisers out there! Prices and options are always changing so I will try to update it as often as possible.
Last Updated: 2/19/2023
To help understand the comparison a little more and what type of lift kit or suspension components are actually offered from each company, where it says "Type" refers to the type of lift it is or components offered. But the basic types of lift kits include the following:
Generally here on the forum, folks like to run 3" lifts with 285 or 33" tires. It is the ultimate combo for the FJ though you can of course go with larger or smaller tires or more or less lift. Companies like Old Man Emu or Bilstein 5100s are the "go-to" for achieving a quality lift, but the original OME lifts have no adjustibility and the Bilstein 5100 lift has limited adjustibility. (Meaning if you installed the lift, and the front of your FJ was sitting a little too high, there would be no way of "fine tuning" the lift to get it level.) But for a little more money, there are many brands or options for lift kits with adjustable coilovers that can be purchased and those really allow the user the ability to get their ride height right where they would like it, with some of the more popular options being ToyTec, Icon, Fox, or King. There are 6" lifts out there but they do tend to raise the FJ's center of gravity a bit making it more tippy and while they increase the FJ's approach, descent, and break-over angles, you don't gain too much ground clearance. The really limiting factor in clearance height is the size of the tires which raises the lowest parts of the FJ (the rear shock mounts, rear differential, and ends of the lower control arms) further off the ground.
Terms:
UCA - Upper Control Arm or upper a-arm
Coilovers - The combination of the front coils and shocks together an a complete assembly where the coils surround or go "over" the shocks.
Adjustable coilovers - Coilover assemblies that have a threaded section and have a plate resting against the coils which can twist up or down the threads in order to compress or loosen the coil and thus provide more or less lift. Some other coilovers may have notches along the shock into which a snap ring can sit in and then the plate that holds the coil is held in place by that snap ring. The lift height is determined by the height at which the plate is mounted on the shock.
Extended Travel - Some coilovers like those from Icon are offered in an extended travel version which isn't to be confused with long travel. These have another half inch or so of range of movement and should be used only with aftermarket upper control arms so factory ball joints aren't damaged from over-extention.
Shocks - The part of the suspension like a piston that provides the dampening and resistance control of the suspension.
Coils/Springs - The coiled metal that actually provides the "lift" and is responsible for the height of the vehicle.
And if you're more of a visual learner, here is a link to my YouTube series diving into FJ Cruiser suspension! https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFNYEViviF91aw4mr-DPLnHG4r1L-IL45&feature=shares
ADS Racing Shocks
Type: Front Adjustable coilovers, Rear Shocks, Bump Stops
Price: Front Coilovers - $2,034 to $2,700 ; Rear Shocks - $1,391 to $2,398 ; Supplemental Kit - $90
Pictures:
Kit Details: Though not offered as a full kit, ADS's website has all the components necessary to lift the FJ 3". They have a variety of 2.5" diameter coilovers with or without reservoirs and even with compression adjusters. ADS also has 2.5" diameter rear shocks available in piggy back, reservoir, and non reservoir varieties, and with compression adjusters available on the external reservoirs. They also have Eibach coils for the rear, bump stops, and you need their "supplemental kit" which looks like it includes a diff drop, front sway bar relocation brackets, and spacers for the lower mount of the front coilovers.
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All-Pro Off Road
Type: Long Travel Kits and other suspension components
Price: Front Long Travel Kit: $3,258 ; Upper Control Arms - $844 ; Solid Axle Swap Parts: $3 - $1,732
Pictures:
Front Suspension Details: All-Pro offers several front suspension items including their popular long travel kit which includes both upper and lower control arms made from 4130 chromoly tubing which add +2” of track width per side, extended brake lines, heavy-duty spindle gussets which require welding, and tie rod extensions. The kit requires long travel coilovers, and All-Pro offers some from different companies. Other kit options which are suggested or are required include their heavy-duty steering kit, chromoly extended axle shafts, and Wheeler's SuperBump bumpstops. Many other parts are offered from All-Pro, including parts for those without long travel, like their popular stock length 4130 Chromoly Upper Control which have a 1.25” uni-balls and zerk fittings for easy lubrication.
Rear Suspension Details: All-Pro’s offers their AntiRock sway bar kit, which requires some welding and minor trimming but no longer offer their own real links.
Solid Axle Swap: All Pro offers many of the components required for a solid axle replacement if you wish to say goodbye to your independent front suspension. Except for the actual axle, they have most of the parts necessary to do the swap, but obviously labor costs would be extensive and much welding, trimming, and cutting would be necessary.
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BDS Suspension
Type: Spacer Lift Kit and Upper Control Arms
Price: $536 for kit; $812 for UCAs
Pictures:
Details: Provides 3" of lift, recommended tire size is 285/70R17. Front suspension of this kit uses a combination top mounted strut spacer along with a preload spacer to lift the vehicle and retain the factory geometry. The rear of this kit replaces the factory coil springs with 2" BDS ProRide coil springs to level the stance and comes with NX² series shocks that retain the ride quality and allow full articulation of the rear suspension. Rear sway bar links are also replaced with longer ones to allow the sway bar to operate in its ideal position with the lift installed. The kit can be upgraded with BDS's own tubular upper control arm.
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Bilstein
Type: Full Adjustable Suspension Kits
Pictures:
Details: While Bilstein is the producer of high quality shocks and coils they do not advertise their suspension in "kit" form or even as individual products for purchase on their websites. The only way to obtain Bilstein shocks or a Bilstein lift is through dealers such as ToyTec, PureFJCruiser, etc. Sonoran Steel Fabrication for example uses Bilstein shocks and coils in their lift package, as do some lifts offered by ToyTec, and others can surely be listed. Some of the products offered through dealers will already be pre-assembled, but other times they come in pieces where assembly is required and sometimes disassembly of the factory struts is done in order to reuse the factory coils.
The most popular shock by Bilstein used on FJ Cruisers for lifted applications is their 5100 Series shock, which has adjustability for the front suspension depending on how you mount the coil with the notched mounting plate (most using the "3rd notch" to achieve a 3" lift). More recently though some have started using Bilstein's newer, larger 6112 Series and 5160 Series shocks for increased performance. The 6112 has a larger diameter and therefore increasing dampening power and would be used on the front suspension. The 6112s are also height adjustable like the 5100s. And the 5160s are for rear suspension applications and feature an external reservoir for keeping the internal gasses/oils cooler. Bilstein's newest addition to the lineup is their B8 8112 (ZoneControl® CR) shocks. For the front suspension the B8 8112 coilovers do have adjustability between 0.6 - 2.5" in a thread-like fashion vs the retainer clips and notches used on other Bilstein shocks and they are larger in diameter and include a 60 mm remote reservoir. Then for the rear they have the B8 8100 bypass shocks which feature incremental flow adjusters that allow infinite changes in damping force for precise compression and rebound control and also include a remote reservoir. The website also states that new rear springs are available for 1″ lift, 1.5″ lift and 1.5″ Heavy Load with 400-lb. constant weight.
The following PDF from Bilstein's website could be of great use to whoever wants to learn more about their suspension: http://cart.bilsteinus.com/pdfs/off-road.pdf
Another noteworthy thing to add is that Bilstein suspension comes on FJ Cruisers from the factory. The special edition FJ Cruisers even feature specifically tuned Bilsteins for more off-road based applications. The 2007 TRD Special Edition FJ Cruiser featured TRD Bilstein "off-road tuned" shocks, giving them an edge over the base model FJs. And the 2008 & 2010-2013 Trail Teams Special Edition FJ Cruisers have "trail-tuned" Bilsteins which are often referred to as "TT Bilsteins," the "TT" either standing for Trail Teams or trail-tuned. The 2014 Trail Teams Ultimate Edition FJ Cruiser however got an extra special treatment from TRD and Bilstein. It received "TRD-tuned" Bilstein shocks in the front and rear, specifically with the 5160 Series in the rear complete with the external reservoirs and with special, red TRD coils in the front which added additional height as to allow the TTUE to have a leveled stance. These TRD/TTSE/TTUE shocks are available for purchase from suppliers online.
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Camburg Engineering
Type: Full Adjustable Suspension, Long travel kits, and other suspension accessories.
Price: Stock Length UCAs - $750 to $1500; Long Travel Kits - $3,895 to $7,700; Front Coilovers/Shocks - $1,100 to $2,287; Full Lift Kits - $1,220 to $5,150; Rear Shocks/Coils - $306 to $1,493
Pictures:
Details: Camburg offers standard and long travel suspension kits and also offers individual suspension components for purchase. Their long travel system will yield up to 15″ travel on a 2WD FJ and 14″ on a 4WD FJ and can be upgraded by adding an additional 3-tube bypass shock. Long travel 2.5" diameter coilovers from FOX or King can be purchased with the kit and the LT kit includes Upper Uni-ball A-arms, Lower Uni-ball A-arms, Lower Uni-ball Spindle Adapter, Brake Lines, Limit Straps, Steering Extensions, and Coilover Mounts.
Several types of lift kits are available too with ranges of components included. They now offer their new Kinect Series billet upper control arms as well as new stock length performance lower control arms.
Notes: Other items from Camburg available for purchase individually include their 1.25 Performance Uni-ball Arms, UCA ball-joint cover, limiting straps and clevis, long travel axle shafts, and Camburg rear coils, King coilovers, and Fox coilovers.
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Daystar
Type: Spacer Lift Kit
Price: $160 for the full kit
Pictures:
Kit Details: Daystar offers polyurethane spacers that provide 2.5" front lift and 1.5" rear lift to both raise and level the stance of the FJ. There is no Metal-On-Metal contact so the polyurethane absorbs the noise, vibration, and harmonics that come from the suspension and avoids transmitting them to the passenger compartment. Maximum recommended tire size is 32" and it comes with a limited lifetime warranty. Also, the kit is of a top-mount easy-install design so no special tools are needed for installation. Front and rear spacers can be purchased separately.
Install threads:
Daystar 2.5" Front & 1.5" Rear Lift Photos
Daystar lift installed... must read if installing in home garage, TIP
Daystar | Suspension Lift Kits, Leveling Kits, Body Lifts, Phone Mounts
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Dirt King Fabrication
Type: Long Travel Lift Kits, Stock Length Upper & Lower Control Arms
Price: Upper Control Arms - $600 - $1,000 ; Lower Control Arms - $1,850 ; Long Travel Kit - $3,500 - $5,151
Pictures:
Details: Dirt King Fabrication makes quality suspension components at competitive prices to other similar companies. They offer a range of UCAs with options between ball joints or uni-balls and bushings or heim joints. They also offer stock length lower control arms designed to increase ground clearance and wheel travel. Dirt King also offers their own front long travel suspension kit which boasts 13.5” of travel and can accept up to a 35” tire. Their kit is available for 2WD or 4WD setups and they offer the kit with the axle shafts that you can rebuild into your CV axles yourself or you can simply order complete axle assemblies. They also sell other accessories and offer regular or long travel versions of coilovers and shocks from King, Fox, etc.
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Dobinsons Spring & Suspension
Type: Full Adjustable Lift Kit, Full Non-Adjustable Lift Kits, Links, UCAs, Etc.
Price: Full Kit - $1,100 to $2,790; Rear Links - $305 to $360; Diff Drop - $65; Upper Control Arms - $715 to $1,095
Photos:
Details: Dobinsons offers high quality suspension options for FJ Cruisers, from full lift kits that either adjustable or non-adjustable or even have external reservoirs to rear upper and lower links, rear panhard bars, sway bar links, upper control arms, or other individual suspension components. The lift kits advertise that they offer 1.5" to 3.5" of lift and some of the kits offer shocks or coils in different colors, including the unique Dobinsons teal color. Some of their shocks are even designed for extra travel and require their diff drop kit as well as an aftermarket upper control arm, such as theirs. Other options offered are designed for different load weights for the front or rear if you plan on loading your rig up with equipment or mods.
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Eibach
Type: Full Adjustable Lift Kit, OE Replacement Shocks, and Upper Control Arms
Price: 3" Lift Kit - $986 to $1,388 ; Lifted Coil Springs - $225 ; Lifted Shocks - $114 to $139 ; OE Shocks - $104 - $134 ; Upper Control Arms - $696
Photos:
Details: Though it isn't a typical adjustable coilover, Eibach has shocks similar to Bilstein that have slots that allow for lift between 2-3". Eibach's "Pro Truck Lift" includes their front strut assemblies and rear shocks, but they also offer Front and rear shocks/coils separately for lifted applications as well as front and rear shocks for stock height that act as OEM replacements. Eiback also has "Pro Alignment" upper control arms with a hybrid tubular and forged steel design, OE style ball joint, and it has improved droop travel as well as offers +/-2 degrees of additional camber over factory.
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Elka
Type: Full Adjustable Lift Kit
Price: Full Set - $1,900 - $4,039 ; Front Coilovers - $1,300 - $2,350 ; Rear Shocks - $600 - $1,690
Photos:
Kit Details: Elka offers full adjustable lift kits that include front adjustable coilovers and rear shocks. These kits (and specifically the front coilovers) come in 0-2" versions and 2-3" versions depending on how much lift you desire, and the rear shocks are for 0-2" lifts as well. The front and rear suspensions can come with 2.0" or 2.5" diameter shocks and some even come with external reservoirs. Some of them are offered as well with DC knobs which allow for precise fine-tuning of the high-& low-speed compression damping. Individual components are available for purchase.
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Fabtech Motorsports
Type: 3" Full Adjustable Lift Kits, 6" Adjustable/Non-adjustable Lift Kits, Upper Control Arms
Price: 3" Lift Kit - $3,509 to $3,981 ; 6" Lift Kit - $3,333 to $5,956 ; UCAs - $843
3” Lift Kits
Pictures:
Kit Details: Fabtech offers 2 different 3" lift kits for the FJ. They include tubular upper control arms that feature 1.25” OD, .120” wall thick chromoly tube construction with 1” diameter Teflon lined uni-balls. The uni-ball UCAs can be purchased separately and can be used on stock applications or on 6" lifted applications. Kits also include Dirt Logic front coilovers and rear shocks, but no kit includes rear coils. Depending on the level of kit, the coilovers or rear shocks may have external reservoirs.
Notes: It is suggested to use 33" tires with these kits. Body mount chop is suggested. Separate 07-09 and 10-14 kits. Front Dirt Logic coilovers have a 2.5" diameter and rear Dirt Logic shocks have a 2.25" diameter.
6” Lift Kits
Picture:
Kit Details: Fabtech offers their 6" lift kits in either a Basic or Performance System, the difference being that the Basic Systems use long strut extensions so the factory front struts can be used while the Performance Systems come with varying degrees of adjustable Dirt Logic coilovers. Kits include Heavy Duty 1/4″ Thick, High Arched Crossmember, Ductile Iron Steering Knuckles, Heavy Duty 1/4″ Thick Steel Skid Plate, Impact Struts, Sway Bar links, Rear Upper & Lower Link Arms, and Rear Coil Spring Spacers. The kits will include wither Fabtech performance shocks for the rear or Dirt Logic rear shocks depending on the level of the kit. The stock front and rear driveshafts are retained due to Fabtech's precise suspension geometry. Installation of this system will alter the center of gravity of the vehicle and may increase change of roll over as compared to stock as with all 6" lifts. Cutting and welding is required.
Notes: Recommended for use with 35" tires, and trimming will be required.
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FOX Racing Shox
Type: Full Adjustable Lift Kits or Single Components
Price: Front Coilovers - $260 to $2,200 ; Rear Shocks - $200 to $1,500
Pictures:
Details: FOX offers multiple shock and coil-over options for FJ Cruisers of all years. You can purchase their suspension specific for 07-09 models and 10-14 models. They offer both "Factory Race Series" and "Performance Series" coil-overs and shocks. Factory race are 2.5" coil-overs (which have a remote reservoir option) are a smooth-bore, clear coated, zinc plated, and honed seamless alloy with components made from black anodized billet aluminum with a shaft built from 7/8" hard chrome plated heat treated alloy steel. And then the Performance series are 2.0" coil-overs which do not have a reservoir option, are made from the same materials as the factory series coil-overs, but it has an aluminum shock body which dissipates heat three times faster than steel. All the coil-over options from FOX are adjustable, some allowing for factory height and others allowing for 3" of lift. Making this a good option for both stock and lifted applications. Certain Factory Race Series coil-overs require aftermarket upper control arms.
FOX also offers multiple options for the rear suspension of FJ Cruisers. As with the front suspension options, there are Performance and Factory Race Series shocks. The Factory Series 2.5 shocks are for 0" - 1.5" of lift. Then the Performance Series has 2.0 ITP shocks are available for 0" - 1.5" lifts for stock setups or 2" - 3" versions for lifted applications.
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Freedom Off-road
Price: Full Lift Kits - $480 to $680 ; UCAs - $390 to $530 ; Links - $220 - $300
Pictures:
Details: They offer full kits, and individual parts like UCAs, rear upper and lower links, and a track bar. Some of which are adjustable. The full kit comes with adjustable coilovers (from 2.5" to 5" lift applications), rear shocks and coils (for 3" of lift), and extended front sway bar links. Their UCAs can come with either a ball joint or uni-ball.
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Icon Vehicle Dynamics
Type: Full Adjustable Lift
Price: Full Lift Kits - $2,095 to $7,917 ; Front Coil Overs - $1,470 to $2,258 ; Rear Shocks - $188 to $2,195 ; Rear Coils - $247 to $300 ; Rear Links/Track Bars - $368 to $945
Pictures:
Kit Details: Icon's products come in specific versions for 07-09 FJs and 10-14 FJs. They offer full adjustable kits in 8 different stages with the Stage 1 Kit including just the front 2.5" adjustable coilovers (without reservoirs), rear 2.0" shocks, 2" lift rear coils, and front sway bar relocation blocks, to the Stage 8 Kit which includes external reservoir front coilovers with CDVC rear 2.5" Omega Series shocks (with ICON Bypass Valves that provide 28 settings of compression and rebound adjustment), 2" lift rear coils, front upper control arms and rear upper and lower links (in either a billet aluminum or tubular steel construction), a rear track bar, and the sway bar relocation kit. Recommended tire size of 33". Icon offers their front coil overs with or without external reservoirs and in either a standard travel or extended travel version (not to be confused with long travel).
Notes: Previously known as Donahoe Racing, in 2008 the company was restructured and is now formally known as Icon Vehicle Dynamics. Aside from 3" lift kits, Icon also offers 5"-7" adjustable front coil-overs designed to be used with the Rough Country 6" lift kit. These shocks replace the supplied top load spacer/factory shock combination with a 2.5" Diameter Fine Tuned Race Style Coil-over. Icon also has rear piggy-back shock absorbers in a 2.5" diameter for the Rough Country 6" lift.
Icon also offers products as part of their S2 Modular Performance Shock System which allows for a secondary shock to be added to your front Icon suspension setup. One of the nice things about the S2 system is there is no welding required, it is completely bolt on, and will provide further dampening and doesn't require aftermarket lower control arms. They do offer lower control arm skid plates as well and not only do they provide protection for the stock LCAs, but they also serve as the mounting point for the secondary shock that would go with the S2 modular shock system. It can be purchased as a kit in 3 different stages or as individual components.
Icon also has a rear hydraulic air bump stop system to reduce rear-end “kick” provide increased bottom-out resistance over stock. This kit installs inside the coil, and the bump-stops are fully rebuildable with the ability to be tuned for a custom ride. They also provide no loss in wheel travel. Another item Icon has is aluminium front sway bar relocation blocks for just under $40.
Install Threads:
Installed Donahoe Racing Coil overs
Installed my Donahoe/Demello lift today
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Ironman 4x4
Type: Full Non-Adjustable Lift Kits or Front Adjustable Coilovers
Price: $999 - $3,231
Pictures:
Kit Details: Ironman 4x4 recognizes that there is no single solution practical for the varying needs of 4x4 owners and different driving conditions; therefore, Ironman 4x4 offers a wide selection of matched components. The 3 types of lift kits are Comfort, Constant Load, and Performance and all are available with either Gas Shocks (54 mm dia.), Foam Cell Shocks (60 mm dia.), or Foam Cell Pro Shocks (65-72 mm dia.) Nitro Gas Soft Ride shock absorbers are best used where comfort is preferred rather than firm control. The softer valving is best suited to light or no load applications. The Foam Cell shock absorbers provide a similar feel to the Nitro Gas shock absorbers, but these shock absorbers feature a larger piston and bore size to allow for more oil capacity which allows the shock absorber to operate cooler in rough offroad conditions or long haul corrugations. Ironman 4x4 also offers the newest Foam Cell Pro shocks are the most durable and robust design to date with the front coilovers developed to be fully adjustable coilovers similar to the BP-51 coilover from OME. Ironman 4x4 also sells a 20mm polyurethane spacer for the rear coils to compensate for added weight to the rear of an FJ.
Notes: Metal Tech offers this kit with the Light Racing Upper Control Arms to further increase performance.
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JBA (Jeepin By Al)
Type: Upper Control Arms
Price: Upper Control Arms - $508 to $773
Pictures:
Details: JBA is specifically an aftermarket Jeep product company but they do offer a few items for FJ Cruisers including upper control arms. They have a Standard (STD) and Heavy Duty (HD) Version of their ball joint UCAs and they both feature extended ball joint travel over OEM and even other aftermarket uniballs for a full 90 degrees of motion (40 degrees up and 50 degrees down). They are specifically designed for more articulation and especially for high caster. Their STD UCAs have tubing with 5/32" wall and that is 1" dia while their HD UCAs have a 3/16" wall and 1-5/16" diameter with 11 gauge guests on the bushing bongs.
They also offer their own JBA Total Control rear shocks and front JBA Adjust-A-Strut Total Control coilovers, but these aren't listed specifically for FJs, just Tacomas. Contact them to see if they work for FJ Cruisers as well. The UCAs have a one-year warranty. And they are also a dealer for Old Man Emu lift kits, shocks, and coils.
Last Updated: 2/19/2023
To help understand the comparison a little more and what type of lift kit or suspension components are actually offered from each company, where it says "Type" refers to the type of lift it is or components offered. But the basic types of lift kits include the following:
- Spacer Lift/Leveling Kit: These lifts achieve simple lift or leveled stance by placing "spacers" above the factory coils and strut assembly. They have the potential to damage factory suspension components including shocks, ball joints, etc. Not recommended for off-roading but good if you are just looking for the lifted "look."
- Full Non-adjustable Suspension: These kits actually replace the factory suspension components with lifted parts to allow for a lifted stance. However they are not able to have their height adjusted to compensate for added weight from bumpers or other accessories.
- Full Adjustable Suspension: These kits also replace factory suspension components with lifted parts to allow for a higher stance. And they have adjust-ability built in to their design. Some front coilovers are threaded and allow for more fine tuning of the height while other designs have several notches that are set distances apart and allow for the lift to be adjusted in that way.
- Long Travel Kits: These kits require a bit more work, welding, and fabrication to install and often require more parts than are included in the kit, but widen the stance of the FJ by usually 2" on each side or even 3.5" depending on the kit (at least for the front). (Do not confuse the +2" and +3.5" of long travel kits with height, those numbers refer to the added width from the longer control arms. These kits all pretty much fall under the classification of a 3" lift.) Some rear long travel kits are available out there and just increase the amount of flex or wheel travel in the rear axle, but these do not affect the width of the stance.
- Body Lift Kits: These kits range in height but have nothing to do with the suspension of the vehicle, and rather add a spacer puck between the frame and body of the FJ to raise the body of the FJ. While this does add some height and clearance in some areas like wheel wells, the frame is still the same distance from the ground and so are any components bolted to it like rock sliders and bumpers. Body lifts produce a noticeable gap in some areas of the FJ, between the grille and bumper for example.
- Solid Axle Swap: For those really looking to change their FJ's off-roading capabilities forever, a solid axle swap (SAS) is where you may look. They require cutting out all the original independent front suspension components and custom fabricating the setup with an aftermarket front axle complete with steering parts, drive-lines, linkages, and more.
Generally here on the forum, folks like to run 3" lifts with 285 or 33" tires. It is the ultimate combo for the FJ though you can of course go with larger or smaller tires or more or less lift. Companies like Old Man Emu or Bilstein 5100s are the "go-to" for achieving a quality lift, but the original OME lifts have no adjustibility and the Bilstein 5100 lift has limited adjustibility. (Meaning if you installed the lift, and the front of your FJ was sitting a little too high, there would be no way of "fine tuning" the lift to get it level.) But for a little more money, there are many brands or options for lift kits with adjustable coilovers that can be purchased and those really allow the user the ability to get their ride height right where they would like it, with some of the more popular options being ToyTec, Icon, Fox, or King. There are 6" lifts out there but they do tend to raise the FJ's center of gravity a bit making it more tippy and while they increase the FJ's approach, descent, and break-over angles, you don't gain too much ground clearance. The really limiting factor in clearance height is the size of the tires which raises the lowest parts of the FJ (the rear shock mounts, rear differential, and ends of the lower control arms) further off the ground.
Terms:
UCA - Upper Control Arm or upper a-arm
Coilovers - The combination of the front coils and shocks together an a complete assembly where the coils surround or go "over" the shocks.
Adjustable coilovers - Coilover assemblies that have a threaded section and have a plate resting against the coils which can twist up or down the threads in order to compress or loosen the coil and thus provide more or less lift. Some other coilovers may have notches along the shock into which a snap ring can sit in and then the plate that holds the coil is held in place by that snap ring. The lift height is determined by the height at which the plate is mounted on the shock.
Extended Travel - Some coilovers like those from Icon are offered in an extended travel version which isn't to be confused with long travel. These have another half inch or so of range of movement and should be used only with aftermarket upper control arms so factory ball joints aren't damaged from over-extention.
Shocks - The part of the suspension like a piston that provides the dampening and resistance control of the suspension.
Coils/Springs - The coiled metal that actually provides the "lift" and is responsible for the height of the vehicle.
And if you're more of a visual learner, here is a link to my YouTube series diving into FJ Cruiser suspension! https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFNYEViviF91aw4mr-DPLnHG4r1L-IL45&feature=shares
ADS Racing Shocks
Type: Front Adjustable coilovers, Rear Shocks, Bump Stops
Price: Front Coilovers - $2,034 to $2,700 ; Rear Shocks - $1,391 to $2,398 ; Supplemental Kit - $90
Pictures:
Kit Details: Though not offered as a full kit, ADS's website has all the components necessary to lift the FJ 3". They have a variety of 2.5" diameter coilovers with or without reservoirs and even with compression adjusters. ADS also has 2.5" diameter rear shocks available in piggy back, reservoir, and non reservoir varieties, and with compression adjusters available on the external reservoirs. They also have Eibach coils for the rear, bump stops, and you need their "supplemental kit" which looks like it includes a diff drop, front sway bar relocation brackets, and spacers for the lower mount of the front coilovers.
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All-Pro Off Road
Type: Long Travel Kits and other suspension components
Price: Front Long Travel Kit: $3,258 ; Upper Control Arms - $844 ; Solid Axle Swap Parts: $3 - $1,732
Pictures:
Front Suspension Details: All-Pro offers several front suspension items including their popular long travel kit which includes both upper and lower control arms made from 4130 chromoly tubing which add +2” of track width per side, extended brake lines, heavy-duty spindle gussets which require welding, and tie rod extensions. The kit requires long travel coilovers, and All-Pro offers some from different companies. Other kit options which are suggested or are required include their heavy-duty steering kit, chromoly extended axle shafts, and Wheeler's SuperBump bumpstops. Many other parts are offered from All-Pro, including parts for those without long travel, like their popular stock length 4130 Chromoly Upper Control which have a 1.25” uni-balls and zerk fittings for easy lubrication.
Rear Suspension Details: All-Pro’s offers their AntiRock sway bar kit, which requires some welding and minor trimming but no longer offer their own real links.
Solid Axle Swap: All Pro offers many of the components required for a solid axle replacement if you wish to say goodbye to your independent front suspension. Except for the actual axle, they have most of the parts necessary to do the swap, but obviously labor costs would be extensive and much welding, trimming, and cutting would be necessary.
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BDS Suspension
Type: Spacer Lift Kit and Upper Control Arms
Price: $536 for kit; $812 for UCAs
Pictures:
Details: Provides 3" of lift, recommended tire size is 285/70R17. Front suspension of this kit uses a combination top mounted strut spacer along with a preload spacer to lift the vehicle and retain the factory geometry. The rear of this kit replaces the factory coil springs with 2" BDS ProRide coil springs to level the stance and comes with NX² series shocks that retain the ride quality and allow full articulation of the rear suspension. Rear sway bar links are also replaced with longer ones to allow the sway bar to operate in its ideal position with the lift installed. The kit can be upgraded with BDS's own tubular upper control arm.
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Bilstein
Type: Full Adjustable Suspension Kits
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Details: While Bilstein is the producer of high quality shocks and coils they do not advertise their suspension in "kit" form or even as individual products for purchase on their websites. The only way to obtain Bilstein shocks or a Bilstein lift is through dealers such as ToyTec, PureFJCruiser, etc. Sonoran Steel Fabrication for example uses Bilstein shocks and coils in their lift package, as do some lifts offered by ToyTec, and others can surely be listed. Some of the products offered through dealers will already be pre-assembled, but other times they come in pieces where assembly is required and sometimes disassembly of the factory struts is done in order to reuse the factory coils.
The most popular shock by Bilstein used on FJ Cruisers for lifted applications is their 5100 Series shock, which has adjustability for the front suspension depending on how you mount the coil with the notched mounting plate (most using the "3rd notch" to achieve a 3" lift). More recently though some have started using Bilstein's newer, larger 6112 Series and 5160 Series shocks for increased performance. The 6112 has a larger diameter and therefore increasing dampening power and would be used on the front suspension. The 6112s are also height adjustable like the 5100s. And the 5160s are for rear suspension applications and feature an external reservoir for keeping the internal gasses/oils cooler. Bilstein's newest addition to the lineup is their B8 8112 (ZoneControl® CR) shocks. For the front suspension the B8 8112 coilovers do have adjustability between 0.6 - 2.5" in a thread-like fashion vs the retainer clips and notches used on other Bilstein shocks and they are larger in diameter and include a 60 mm remote reservoir. Then for the rear they have the B8 8100 bypass shocks which feature incremental flow adjusters that allow infinite changes in damping force for precise compression and rebound control and also include a remote reservoir. The website also states that new rear springs are available for 1″ lift, 1.5″ lift and 1.5″ Heavy Load with 400-lb. constant weight.
The following PDF from Bilstein's website could be of great use to whoever wants to learn more about their suspension: http://cart.bilsteinus.com/pdfs/off-road.pdf
Another noteworthy thing to add is that Bilstein suspension comes on FJ Cruisers from the factory. The special edition FJ Cruisers even feature specifically tuned Bilsteins for more off-road based applications. The 2007 TRD Special Edition FJ Cruiser featured TRD Bilstein "off-road tuned" shocks, giving them an edge over the base model FJs. And the 2008 & 2010-2013 Trail Teams Special Edition FJ Cruisers have "trail-tuned" Bilsteins which are often referred to as "TT Bilsteins," the "TT" either standing for Trail Teams or trail-tuned. The 2014 Trail Teams Ultimate Edition FJ Cruiser however got an extra special treatment from TRD and Bilstein. It received "TRD-tuned" Bilstein shocks in the front and rear, specifically with the 5160 Series in the rear complete with the external reservoirs and with special, red TRD coils in the front which added additional height as to allow the TTUE to have a leveled stance. These TRD/TTSE/TTUE shocks are available for purchase from suppliers online.
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Camburg Engineering
Type: Full Adjustable Suspension, Long travel kits, and other suspension accessories.
Price: Stock Length UCAs - $750 to $1500; Long Travel Kits - $3,895 to $7,700; Front Coilovers/Shocks - $1,100 to $2,287; Full Lift Kits - $1,220 to $5,150; Rear Shocks/Coils - $306 to $1,493
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Details: Camburg offers standard and long travel suspension kits and also offers individual suspension components for purchase. Their long travel system will yield up to 15″ travel on a 2WD FJ and 14″ on a 4WD FJ and can be upgraded by adding an additional 3-tube bypass shock. Long travel 2.5" diameter coilovers from FOX or King can be purchased with the kit and the LT kit includes Upper Uni-ball A-arms, Lower Uni-ball A-arms, Lower Uni-ball Spindle Adapter, Brake Lines, Limit Straps, Steering Extensions, and Coilover Mounts.
Several types of lift kits are available too with ranges of components included. They now offer their new Kinect Series billet upper control arms as well as new stock length performance lower control arms.
Notes: Other items from Camburg available for purchase individually include their 1.25 Performance Uni-ball Arms, UCA ball-joint cover, limiting straps and clevis, long travel axle shafts, and Camburg rear coils, King coilovers, and Fox coilovers.
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Daystar
Type: Spacer Lift Kit
Price: $160 for the full kit
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Kit Details: Daystar offers polyurethane spacers that provide 2.5" front lift and 1.5" rear lift to both raise and level the stance of the FJ. There is no Metal-On-Metal contact so the polyurethane absorbs the noise, vibration, and harmonics that come from the suspension and avoids transmitting them to the passenger compartment. Maximum recommended tire size is 32" and it comes with a limited lifetime warranty. Also, the kit is of a top-mount easy-install design so no special tools are needed for installation. Front and rear spacers can be purchased separately.
Install threads:
Daystar 2.5" Front & 1.5" Rear Lift Photos
Daystar lift installed... must read if installing in home garage, TIP
Daystar | Suspension Lift Kits, Leveling Kits, Body Lifts, Phone Mounts
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Dirt King Fabrication
Type: Long Travel Lift Kits, Stock Length Upper & Lower Control Arms
Price: Upper Control Arms - $600 - $1,000 ; Lower Control Arms - $1,850 ; Long Travel Kit - $3,500 - $5,151
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Details: Dirt King Fabrication makes quality suspension components at competitive prices to other similar companies. They offer a range of UCAs with options between ball joints or uni-balls and bushings or heim joints. They also offer stock length lower control arms designed to increase ground clearance and wheel travel. Dirt King also offers their own front long travel suspension kit which boasts 13.5” of travel and can accept up to a 35” tire. Their kit is available for 2WD or 4WD setups and they offer the kit with the axle shafts that you can rebuild into your CV axles yourself or you can simply order complete axle assemblies. They also sell other accessories and offer regular or long travel versions of coilovers and shocks from King, Fox, etc.
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Dobinsons Spring & Suspension
Type: Full Adjustable Lift Kit, Full Non-Adjustable Lift Kits, Links, UCAs, Etc.
Price: Full Kit - $1,100 to $2,790; Rear Links - $305 to $360; Diff Drop - $65; Upper Control Arms - $715 to $1,095
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Details: Dobinsons offers high quality suspension options for FJ Cruisers, from full lift kits that either adjustable or non-adjustable or even have external reservoirs to rear upper and lower links, rear panhard bars, sway bar links, upper control arms, or other individual suspension components. The lift kits advertise that they offer 1.5" to 3.5" of lift and some of the kits offer shocks or coils in different colors, including the unique Dobinsons teal color. Some of their shocks are even designed for extra travel and require their diff drop kit as well as an aftermarket upper control arm, such as theirs. Other options offered are designed for different load weights for the front or rear if you plan on loading your rig up with equipment or mods.
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Eibach
Type: Full Adjustable Lift Kit, OE Replacement Shocks, and Upper Control Arms
Price: 3" Lift Kit - $986 to $1,388 ; Lifted Coil Springs - $225 ; Lifted Shocks - $114 to $139 ; OE Shocks - $104 - $134 ; Upper Control Arms - $696
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Details: Though it isn't a typical adjustable coilover, Eibach has shocks similar to Bilstein that have slots that allow for lift between 2-3". Eibach's "Pro Truck Lift" includes their front strut assemblies and rear shocks, but they also offer Front and rear shocks/coils separately for lifted applications as well as front and rear shocks for stock height that act as OEM replacements. Eiback also has "Pro Alignment" upper control arms with a hybrid tubular and forged steel design, OE style ball joint, and it has improved droop travel as well as offers +/-2 degrees of additional camber over factory.
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Elka
Type: Full Adjustable Lift Kit
Price: Full Set - $1,900 - $4,039 ; Front Coilovers - $1,300 - $2,350 ; Rear Shocks - $600 - $1,690
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Kit Details: Elka offers full adjustable lift kits that include front adjustable coilovers and rear shocks. These kits (and specifically the front coilovers) come in 0-2" versions and 2-3" versions depending on how much lift you desire, and the rear shocks are for 0-2" lifts as well. The front and rear suspensions can come with 2.0" or 2.5" diameter shocks and some even come with external reservoirs. Some of them are offered as well with DC knobs which allow for precise fine-tuning of the high-& low-speed compression damping. Individual components are available for purchase.
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Fabtech Motorsports
Type: 3" Full Adjustable Lift Kits, 6" Adjustable/Non-adjustable Lift Kits, Upper Control Arms
Price: 3" Lift Kit - $3,509 to $3,981 ; 6" Lift Kit - $3,333 to $5,956 ; UCAs - $843
3” Lift Kits
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Kit Details: Fabtech offers 2 different 3" lift kits for the FJ. They include tubular upper control arms that feature 1.25” OD, .120” wall thick chromoly tube construction with 1” diameter Teflon lined uni-balls. The uni-ball UCAs can be purchased separately and can be used on stock applications or on 6" lifted applications. Kits also include Dirt Logic front coilovers and rear shocks, but no kit includes rear coils. Depending on the level of kit, the coilovers or rear shocks may have external reservoirs.
Notes: It is suggested to use 33" tires with these kits. Body mount chop is suggested. Separate 07-09 and 10-14 kits. Front Dirt Logic coilovers have a 2.5" diameter and rear Dirt Logic shocks have a 2.25" diameter.
6” Lift Kits
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Kit Details: Fabtech offers their 6" lift kits in either a Basic or Performance System, the difference being that the Basic Systems use long strut extensions so the factory front struts can be used while the Performance Systems come with varying degrees of adjustable Dirt Logic coilovers. Kits include Heavy Duty 1/4″ Thick, High Arched Crossmember, Ductile Iron Steering Knuckles, Heavy Duty 1/4″ Thick Steel Skid Plate, Impact Struts, Sway Bar links, Rear Upper & Lower Link Arms, and Rear Coil Spring Spacers. The kits will include wither Fabtech performance shocks for the rear or Dirt Logic rear shocks depending on the level of the kit. The stock front and rear driveshafts are retained due to Fabtech's precise suspension geometry. Installation of this system will alter the center of gravity of the vehicle and may increase change of roll over as compared to stock as with all 6" lifts. Cutting and welding is required.
Notes: Recommended for use with 35" tires, and trimming will be required.
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FOX Racing Shox
Type: Full Adjustable Lift Kits or Single Components
Price: Front Coilovers - $260 to $2,200 ; Rear Shocks - $200 to $1,500
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Details: FOX offers multiple shock and coil-over options for FJ Cruisers of all years. You can purchase their suspension specific for 07-09 models and 10-14 models. They offer both "Factory Race Series" and "Performance Series" coil-overs and shocks. Factory race are 2.5" coil-overs (which have a remote reservoir option) are a smooth-bore, clear coated, zinc plated, and honed seamless alloy with components made from black anodized billet aluminum with a shaft built from 7/8" hard chrome plated heat treated alloy steel. And then the Performance series are 2.0" coil-overs which do not have a reservoir option, are made from the same materials as the factory series coil-overs, but it has an aluminum shock body which dissipates heat three times faster than steel. All the coil-over options from FOX are adjustable, some allowing for factory height and others allowing for 3" of lift. Making this a good option for both stock and lifted applications. Certain Factory Race Series coil-overs require aftermarket upper control arms.
FOX also offers multiple options for the rear suspension of FJ Cruisers. As with the front suspension options, there are Performance and Factory Race Series shocks. The Factory Series 2.5 shocks are for 0" - 1.5" of lift. Then the Performance Series has 2.0 ITP shocks are available for 0" - 1.5" lifts for stock setups or 2" - 3" versions for lifted applications.
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Freedom Off-road
Price: Full Lift Kits - $480 to $680 ; UCAs - $390 to $530 ; Links - $220 - $300
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Details: They offer full kits, and individual parts like UCAs, rear upper and lower links, and a track bar. Some of which are adjustable. The full kit comes with adjustable coilovers (from 2.5" to 5" lift applications), rear shocks and coils (for 3" of lift), and extended front sway bar links. Their UCAs can come with either a ball joint or uni-ball.
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Icon Vehicle Dynamics
Type: Full Adjustable Lift
Price: Full Lift Kits - $2,095 to $7,917 ; Front Coil Overs - $1,470 to $2,258 ; Rear Shocks - $188 to $2,195 ; Rear Coils - $247 to $300 ; Rear Links/Track Bars - $368 to $945
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Kit Details: Icon's products come in specific versions for 07-09 FJs and 10-14 FJs. They offer full adjustable kits in 8 different stages with the Stage 1 Kit including just the front 2.5" adjustable coilovers (without reservoirs), rear 2.0" shocks, 2" lift rear coils, and front sway bar relocation blocks, to the Stage 8 Kit which includes external reservoir front coilovers with CDVC rear 2.5" Omega Series shocks (with ICON Bypass Valves that provide 28 settings of compression and rebound adjustment), 2" lift rear coils, front upper control arms and rear upper and lower links (in either a billet aluminum or tubular steel construction), a rear track bar, and the sway bar relocation kit. Recommended tire size of 33". Icon offers their front coil overs with or without external reservoirs and in either a standard travel or extended travel version (not to be confused with long travel).
Notes: Previously known as Donahoe Racing, in 2008 the company was restructured and is now formally known as Icon Vehicle Dynamics. Aside from 3" lift kits, Icon also offers 5"-7" adjustable front coil-overs designed to be used with the Rough Country 6" lift kit. These shocks replace the supplied top load spacer/factory shock combination with a 2.5" Diameter Fine Tuned Race Style Coil-over. Icon also has rear piggy-back shock absorbers in a 2.5" diameter for the Rough Country 6" lift.
Icon also offers products as part of their S2 Modular Performance Shock System which allows for a secondary shock to be added to your front Icon suspension setup. One of the nice things about the S2 system is there is no welding required, it is completely bolt on, and will provide further dampening and doesn't require aftermarket lower control arms. They do offer lower control arm skid plates as well and not only do they provide protection for the stock LCAs, but they also serve as the mounting point for the secondary shock that would go with the S2 modular shock system. It can be purchased as a kit in 3 different stages or as individual components.
Icon also has a rear hydraulic air bump stop system to reduce rear-end “kick” provide increased bottom-out resistance over stock. This kit installs inside the coil, and the bump-stops are fully rebuildable with the ability to be tuned for a custom ride. They also provide no loss in wheel travel. Another item Icon has is aluminium front sway bar relocation blocks for just under $40.
Install Threads:
Installed Donahoe Racing Coil overs
Installed my Donahoe/Demello lift today
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Ironman 4x4
Type: Full Non-Adjustable Lift Kits or Front Adjustable Coilovers
Price: $999 - $3,231
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Kit Details: Ironman 4x4 recognizes that there is no single solution practical for the varying needs of 4x4 owners and different driving conditions; therefore, Ironman 4x4 offers a wide selection of matched components. The 3 types of lift kits are Comfort, Constant Load, and Performance and all are available with either Gas Shocks (54 mm dia.), Foam Cell Shocks (60 mm dia.), or Foam Cell Pro Shocks (65-72 mm dia.) Nitro Gas Soft Ride shock absorbers are best used where comfort is preferred rather than firm control. The softer valving is best suited to light or no load applications. The Foam Cell shock absorbers provide a similar feel to the Nitro Gas shock absorbers, but these shock absorbers feature a larger piston and bore size to allow for more oil capacity which allows the shock absorber to operate cooler in rough offroad conditions or long haul corrugations. Ironman 4x4 also offers the newest Foam Cell Pro shocks are the most durable and robust design to date with the front coilovers developed to be fully adjustable coilovers similar to the BP-51 coilover from OME. Ironman 4x4 also sells a 20mm polyurethane spacer for the rear coils to compensate for added weight to the rear of an FJ.
Notes: Metal Tech offers this kit with the Light Racing Upper Control Arms to further increase performance.
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JBA (Jeepin By Al)
Type: Upper Control Arms
Price: Upper Control Arms - $508 to $773
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Details: JBA is specifically an aftermarket Jeep product company but they do offer a few items for FJ Cruisers including upper control arms. They have a Standard (STD) and Heavy Duty (HD) Version of their ball joint UCAs and they both feature extended ball joint travel over OEM and even other aftermarket uniballs for a full 90 degrees of motion (40 degrees up and 50 degrees down). They are specifically designed for more articulation and especially for high caster. Their STD UCAs have tubing with 5/32" wall and that is 1" dia while their HD UCAs have a 3/16" wall and 1-5/16" diameter with 11 gauge guests on the bushing bongs.
They also offer their own JBA Total Control rear shocks and front JBA Adjust-A-Strut Total Control coilovers, but these aren't listed specifically for FJs, just Tacomas. Contact them to see if they work for FJ Cruisers as well. The UCAs have a one-year warranty. And they are also a dealer for Old Man Emu lift kits, shocks, and coils.