Let's see if this link works. :-)

http://community.webshots.com/photo/432254269EHDmbG#

 

The above link works for me but if I use it as the link when inserting the image into a post, the image is not displayed....only the box with the red x in it is displayed?? I'm still not doing something right. Must be a slow learner. :-)

 

I'd like to know exactly how anyone got the front's in w/o disconnecting the tie rod! A few have mentioned doing so. I banged my head on it last night for 2 hours trying to get those suckers in (wheel left, wheel right, wheel up, wheel down) till I decided it was time to pick up a tie rod puller.

 

See my posts in this thread:

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Maybe I just got lucky! I never had to force anything in, it was just a matter of putting it thru the right place and manuvering things around until it slipped right in.

 

It's possible, but not nearly as quick and easy as just disconnecting the tie rod.

Also, in the rear, there is no need to use coil compressors. I had to use them in the rear with the first 5 installs I did (with Revtek, NE, and Daystar) but with the OME we didn't have to use compressors at all. Was real easy!

 

Here is a little comparo shot of my install.



Installation was a breezy after I decided to disconnect the tie-rod. Also, I made quick work of the Xreas uninstall by way of some wire cutters.

 

Here's a link to mine, complete with wheels and tires.

Link to pics of lift thread

 

So Im finally lifted! With the help of a friendly neighbor (who happens to work for CarQuest so he has all the tools ), the back only took a couple of hours last night and the front a couple of hours this morning.

2 points I think might be worthy of mention. The rear installation required disconnection of the barke line bracket on the drivers side and the speed sensor bracket (it may have been a brake line too..hey it was late!) on the passenger side to get enough flex to fit the spring in. I dont know if this was just the way I did it or I was being over cautious by they were both stretched to the max and I still couldnt fit the spring in without doing this. I couldnt have gotten a torque wrench on the top nut of the rear shsock if I wanted to but the busshing is bulging not flattened. (thanks for the guidance on that since Ive been known to put the old gorilla grip on stuff from time to time!). The write up says 30'/lbs for this bolt but the FSM says 18'/lbs. (27-2 in the FSM). Is this because of the OME bushings are different?

The front did require the tie rod tot be disconnected but not the ball joint. I got away with usisng the factory jack and a couple of wood blocks to push the upper control arm down far enough to get the bottom of the front struts in. I couldnt get a torque wrench on the inner top plate stud nut either but its german (good-n-tight).

My drivers side strut bottom was slightly out of alignment with the top plate by just a couple degrees so it was a little tighter going on than the passenger side as a result. The steering wheel is slightly down on the left after install although its tracking straight. Did anyone elses steering wheel end up off center? I know I need an alignment now, but I dont understand this since the jam nut wasnt loosened on either tie rod? And Im nervous because of the slight top plate misalignment...

I just dirve by the wheel shop and think Im going to get 17x8 0 offset 4.5 AR Diamond Backs and 275/70/17 BFG's. Does that sound like wrong for any reason? Id rather not have to trim! Thanks as always!

 

You will still have to do some trimming (probably) with those tires ... but it definitely won't be a lot. Good luck!

 

Maybe I'll stick with the 270/65/17's then. although I'd like to hide the top of the rear shock with the tire....

here's a couple pix... obviously I still need some wheels & tires and window tint......

 

great pics. As for the tires ... from the BFG website, what is the outer diameter and width of the 275/70/17 ??

Who makes the 270/65/17 you're thinking about?

 

I believe he meant 265/70/17

 

obviously there is no such width as 270, sorry and thanks.

 

Well, there is a 295/70/17, which I thought was weird, so you never know.

 

My steering was off after a lift. I think the toe causes the problem. I drove about 200 miles to settle everything then got an alignment. I printed out the FSM alignment pages for the shop just to be safe. Did a 'lifetime alignment' deal at Firestone. Also got a balance. There is a coupon on their website, 10% off two services.

 

Went wheeling today and was wondering, James and Andries, did you notice a big difference in flex after disconnecting the rear sway bar? I haven't tried that yet, but thought I might next time, as I found myself wishing for a little more flex.

 

Mine did great when I went wheeling. The 896s are too stiff and don't compress. Get 895s or add a lot of weight in the back.

 

They compressed a lot, there just wasn't much down travel on the other wheel when one was compressed.

 

The OME shocks added about 2" extra down travel at the wheel over the stock shocks, which is OK. I found the flex improved quite a bit after the OME was installed over stock. With the 895s the wheel compressing didn't "stuff" as good as with the stock coils, so I can only imagine that it will be much worse with 896s. WHen the 4Runner was loaded with some weight in the back the 895 flexed just fine, empty it still doesn't compress fully.

Did the shock fully extend on the droop side? Also did the axle hit the bumpstop on the compressed side?

 

Yeah, the shock was fully extended and the axle was hitting.