Notices
86-95 Trucks & 4Runners 2nd/3rd gen pickups, and 1st/2nd gen 4Runners with IFS
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by: DashLynx

Downey "Long Travel" suspension system, Gen II 4Runners

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 08-31-2006, 06:52 PM
  #1  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
FredTJ's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Tucson, AZ USA Age:60
Posts: 1,518
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Downey "Long Travel" suspension system, Gen II 4Runners

Any know anything about the Downey "Long Travel" suspension system for the front of Gen II 4 Runners ?
Mainly does it provide any lift due to the 2" longer control arms, or is it just the "standard" height, but allowing more articulation, possibly more down travel ?



Thanks,
Fred
Old 09-01-2006, 03:46 AM
  #2  
Contributing Member
 
rollem's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Walnut creek CA.
Posts: 218
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Yeah, I'm saving some dough for the same on my 93 4x4 pickup. They said it will give me 3 inches of lift and 13 inches of travel. Those numbers sound good to me. Though the kit is a bit pricey.
Old 09-01-2006, 08:34 AM
  #3  
Registered User
 
norcalsvx's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: GRASS valley, CA
Posts: 2,122
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
how much is that kit going for?
Old 09-01-2006, 08:47 AM
  #4  
Registered User
 
da_bigg_wigg's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Halifax, NS
Posts: 1,245
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Click Me!

That is a link to the downey website. One thing is for sure, it ain't cheap...
Old 09-01-2006, 10:18 AM
  #5  
Registered User
 
Bear80's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: San Antonio TX
Posts: 358
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Atleast they took a hint and put better axles in the system, I hate my old downy slip yokes. I wonder if there are still major pains with alignment and hight like with the old rancho arms. The price for the arms, shock tabs, and ball joints isn't so bad but the axle cost put it over the top.

Last edited by Bear80; 09-06-2006 at 06:53 PM.
Old 09-01-2006, 10:39 AM
  #6  
Contributing Member
 
rollem's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Walnut creek CA.
Posts: 218
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
The arms alone are like 1300.. I figure it's going to be @ 3k for the front and back. @ 2k for the front.
Old 09-06-2006, 01:41 PM
  #7  
Contributing Member
 
Keggo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bakersfield, CA
Posts: 1,820
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
sheesh...
I like jd fab stuff personally.
Old 09-06-2006, 01:46 PM
  #8  
Sponsoring Vendor
 
Strap22's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Dallas Texas
Posts: 1,100
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
A lot of money for an IFS setup. Old Man Emu works weel for your application. Check out our complete Gen2 steup in the vendor advertising section.
Old 09-06-2006, 02:05 PM
  #9  
Registered User
 
F0RSAKEN's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Lynnwood, WA
Posts: 112
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
I bet you could do a SAS for cheaper if you had any fabrication skills....but that kit looks awsome if you are set on keeping the IFS.
Old 09-06-2006, 02:11 PM
  #10  
Contributing Member
 
mastacox's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Fort Worth, TX
Posts: 2,893
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Sounds to me like you could get a Total Chaos suspension for about the same price... and the TC (or JD Fab) kits are 3" wider each side, not just 1.5"

Last edited by mastacox; 09-06-2006 at 02:15 PM.
Old 09-06-2006, 05:12 PM
  #11  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
FredTJ's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Tucson, AZ USA Age:60
Posts: 1,518
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Originally Posted by strap22
A lot of money for an IFS setup. Old Man Emu works weel for your application. Check out our complete Gen2 steup in the vendor advertising section.
The option 1 that yields 3" ~ 4" of suspension lift, I assume that's gaining the additional lift in the front (over the 1 1/2" or so that the BJ spacers provide) to bring it up to 3" ~ 4" is by cranking up the torsion bars ?




Thanks,
Fred
Old 09-06-2006, 05:13 PM
  #12  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
FredTJ's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Tucson, AZ USA Age:60
Posts: 1,518
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Originally Posted by Keggo
sheesh...
I like jd fab stuff personally.
Because ???

Do you have a website link ?




Fred
Old 09-06-2006, 05:17 PM
  #13  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
FredTJ's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Tucson, AZ USA Age:60
Posts: 1,518
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Originally Posted by mastacox
Sounds to me like you could get a Total Chaos suspension for about the same price... and the TC (or JD Fab) kits are 3" wider each side, not just 1.5"
Having been poking around some, on the web, on some of the other sites, etc., it appears that the TC arms, since they are so long, produce a LOT of stress on the torsion bars and mounts.
The TC kit(s) appear to be more for pre-running rather than rock crawling, which is what I do out here.

Some of the "hard core" boards speaking highly of the 930 Porsche CV joints.



Fred
Old 09-06-2006, 05:39 PM
  #14  
Contributing Member
 
Keggo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bakersfield, CA
Posts: 1,820
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Originally Posted by FredTJ
Because ???

Do you have a website link ?




Fred
Actually Deathrunner has the jd fab LT IFS. I prefer it over the TC or Downey for that matter for a couple of reasons... 1. The lower control arm is constructed with plate instead of tube (seems sturdier) 2. I think their kit can use your torsion bars until you get enough cash saved up for coil-overs I'm pretty sure their kit can use the torsions... Someone correct me...

JD Fab

Last edited by Keggo; 09-06-2006 at 05:44 PM.
Old 09-06-2006, 07:34 PM
  #15  
Contributing Member
 
mastacox's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Fort Worth, TX
Posts: 2,893
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Originally Posted by Keggo
Actually Deathrunner has the jd fab LT IFS. I prefer it over the TC or Downey for that matter for a couple of reasons... 1. The lower control arm is constructed with plate instead of tube (seems sturdier) 2. I think their kit can use your torsion bars until you get enough cash saved up for coil-overs I'm pretty sure their kit can use the torsions... Someone correct me...

JD Fab
Hmmm, I think it's the other way arond (the TC Caddy kit can use torsions, JD Fab's T1 can't), I don't see anything on JD Fab's site about using Torsions... EDIT: upon closer inspection, it looks like the JD Fab kit might have a place to bolt the stock torsion bar mount... not sure.

Nevertheless, I was referring to the Total Chaos Gen II Caddy kit, which is coil over. One hell of a kit... (DROOL)

Last edited by mastacox; 09-06-2006 at 07:40 PM.
Old 09-06-2006, 07:47 PM
  #16  
Contributing Member
 
mastacox's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Fort Worth, TX
Posts: 2,893
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Originally Posted by FredTJ
The TC kit(s) appear to be more for pre-running rather than rock crawling, which is what I do out here.
Dude, if you do all rock crawling, you should just do a SAS... A long travel IFS is for Baja-style prerunning, going fast, and jumping. Not rocks.
Old 09-06-2006, 08:51 PM
  #17  
Contributing Member
 
pinnacle's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Simi Valley, Ca
Posts: 498
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by mastacox
Hmmm, I think it's the other way arond (the TC Caddy kit can use torsions, JD Fab's T1 can't), I don't see anything on JD Fab's site about using Torsions... EDIT: upon closer inspection, it looks like the JD Fab kit might have a place to bolt the stock torsion bar mount... not sure.

Nevertheless, I was referring to the Total Chaos Gen II Caddy kit, which is coil over. One hell of a kit... (DROOL)
The JD Fab kit you can run either torsions or coilovers. Deathrunner ran torsions on his kit first then switched to coilovers.

I run the Gen II caddy kit. You have to use coilovers on this kit. You can get the Gen I kit if you want to run torsion bars.

I was looking at getting the JD Fab kit, its $$$, but I found a real good deal on my Gen II caddy kit.
Old 09-06-2006, 09:32 PM
  #18  
Registered User
 
deathrunner's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: San Diego CA
Posts: 2,969
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
I would personally get a chaos or JD kit for the money you'll be putting into the Downey setup.

In my eyes they have always proven themselves to be behind the curve with suspension kits and allowing something as troublesome as the slip yoke driveshaft is proof.

I think the Downey upper arm looks kinda weak. Granted 13" of travel is nice, but imagine what those Porsche cv axles would allow for on a JD or Chaos kit. I bet we could pull 15" with those joints.
Old 09-07-2006, 04:48 AM
  #19  
Contributing Member
 
rollem's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Walnut creek CA.
Posts: 218
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
I want to see my truck 4 ft. in the air..... No maybe not. looks expensive. To build and to fix when it breaks....
Old 09-07-2006, 06:18 AM
  #20  
Sponsoring Vendor
 
Strap22's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Dallas Texas
Posts: 1,100
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by FredTJ
The option 1 that yields 3" ~ 4" of suspension lift, I assume that's gaining the additional lift in the front (over the 1 1/2" or so that the BJ spacers provide) to bring it up to 3" ~ 4" is by cranking up the torsion bars ?




Thanks,
Fred
Fred, you are correct. I personally don't recommend doing this setup if you are actually going to wheel it but we do have some customers that want the lift and don't care about the CV angles because they use it for show and not for real wheeling.


Quick Reply: Downey "Long Travel" suspension system, Gen II 4Runners



All times are GMT -8. The time now is 01:04 PM.