Greetings, Doug from Toytec quoted me a price on the Light Racing, Bilstein and Custom Toytec package. The price seems good considering how many have said how great the ride/performance is.
Who has done this type of suspension upgrade in the past? What are the steps involved? Is this something a mildly coordinated or average-ly clumsy guy can do by himself in his garage? Am I out of my mind for considering this?
If all you are doing are swapping pre-assembled struts and rear springs out, all you need are some high jackstands, a good floorjack, some ratchet type tiedowns(to pull the rear end back in line) and some good deep sockets,ratchet and wrenches.(maybe some cigars, at LEAST three) and some to watch over ya if something falls and you will have it!
If you have to assemble struts using some stock parts, then you will also need some GOOD spring compressors.(don't get the cheep ones, this IS NOT childs play.) you should then, with some skills be able to do it yourself. IF I CAN DO IT ANYONE CAN!!
You can PM me if you have questions i did not answer.
I have the same set up that you are considering and though I am no mechanic I do know my way around a car with a wrench. After asking around on several forums and e-mailing with Toytec I was convinced to have the lift professionally installed, mostly because I didn't have jackstands or a good jack and lacked a torque wrench.
This is definitely a decision I regret.
After reading the instructions that came with the Light Racing Coilovers I could see that it was a pretty straightforward swap of the parts. Definitley something I felt was within my capability. There were a few details highlighted by Light Racing that were different from a swap of the standard coilovers, but nothing major just how to orient the parts and where to install their mounting spacers which stock coilovers don't have.
I had already made the appointment with my dealer and budgeted the funds so I still brought everything down to my dealer and I gave them specific instructions on how it was to be installed. I spoke to the suspension tech at the dealer and explained everything in detail to him, highlighting the same 3 items that from my reading the instructions were critical. Once again these were the only things different from simply replacing stock coilovers for another set and only involved where to install mounting spacers and how to orient them.
The day after I got my FJ back something wasn't quite right. I looked under the car and contrary to my instructions about how to orient the mounting hardware the tech had totally left the hardware out of the lift. My $1K coilovers were now rubbing on the lower control arm mount because they were not spaced correctly due to missing hardware. Look at the bottom of the coilover in this pic and you can see how it's rubbing on the lower control arm mount and is actually being damaged due to a missing spacer.
2 more trips to the dealer and they finally got it installed correctly. I now definitely feel that my $350 would have been better spent purchasing the torque wrench, jack stands, and suv jack from Sears for about $130 total and then taking out the wife to a fancy dinner with the leftover $$.
So for what it's worth, I spent about the same amount of time (7 hours) going back and forth to the dealer and waiting for work to be done, plus also spent more money than what it would have cost to buy the tools I lacked, and these I would now have in my posession for doing other mods down the road I say do it yourself just so you know it will get done right!
Regards,
Alphonse
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Voodoo MT, Upgrade 2, Roof Rack, Side Air Bags
Mods:
All Pro Front Winch Bumper w/Warn M8000 + Winchline Synthetic, PIAA Driving Lights, Color Front Rock Camera, White 16" Steelies, 33" MTZ's, Donahoe Coilovers, Toytec 2" Rear Springs, Bilstein Shocks, Demello Sliders, TRD Exhaust, Atrac/Locker Hack, Raised Diff Breather, Body Mounts Chopped, Toyota Hitch, JL Audio 8" in Stock Box, Polk 4" Dash & Rear Pillars, TWM SS Shift Knob, Locking Gas Cap, High Output Horn, FJ Valve Chromies
I have the same set up that you are considering and though I am no mechanic I do know my way around a car with a wrench. After asking around on several forums and e-mailing with Toytec I was convinced to have the lift professionally installed, mostly because I didn't have jackstands or a good jack and lacked a torque wrench.
This is definitely a decision I regret.
After reading the instructions that came with the Light Racing Coilovers I could see that it was a pretty straightforward swap of the parts. Definitley something I felt was within my capability. There were a few details highlighted by Light Racing that were different from a swap of the standard coilovers, but nothing major just how to orient the parts and where to install their mounting spacers which stock coilovers don't have.
I had already made the appointment with my dealer and budgeted the funds so I still brought everything down to my dealer and I gave them specific instructions on how it was to be installed. I spoke to the suspension tech at the dealer and explained everything in detail to him, highlighting the same 3 items that from my reading the instructions were critical. Once again these were the only things different from simply replacing stock coilovers for another set and only involved where to install mounting spacers and how to orient them.
The day after I got my FJ back something wasn't quite right. I looked under the car and contrary to my instructions about how to orient the mounting hardware the tech had totally left the hardware out of the lift. My $1K coilovers were now rubbing on the lower control arm mount because they were not spaced correctly due to missing hardware. Look at the bottom of the coilover in this pic and you can see how it's rubbing on the lower control arm mount and is actually being damaged due to a missing spacer.
2 more trips to the dealer and they finally got it installed correctly. I now definitely feel that my $350 would have been better spent purchasing the torque wrench, jack stands, and suv jack from Sears for about $130 total and then taking out the wife to a fancy dinner with the leftover $$.
So for what it's worth, I spent about the same amount of time (7 hours) going back and forth to the dealer and waiting for work to be done, plus also spent more money than what it would have cost to buy the tools I lacked, and these I would now have in my posession for doing other mods down the road I say do it yourself just so you know it will get done right!
Regards,
Alphonse
EXCELLENT. Those deep sockets come in handy.
__________________
Knowledge is King. Fun is the Key
TitSilver 4X2 AT daily (just a little pimped) FJC and Black 4x4 not so base anymore (TRD) supercharged weekend warrior. Coach of the Old gangster troop - Still HORSEMAN PESTILENCE
So for what it's worth, I spent about the same amount of time (7 hours) going back and forth to the dealer and waiting for work to be done, plus also spent more money than what it would have cost to buy the tools I lacked, and these I would now have in my posession for doing other mods down the road I say do it yourself just so you know it will get done right!
If you're going Toytec don't miss out on the group buy set up by guru. I got the Toytec rears and brake line extenders, great service and incredibly quick shipping by Doug & crew, highly reccomended.
I say do it yourself just so you know it will get done right!
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