Best leaf springs for my 91' SAS 4runner? (wheeling/camping/road use)

[123danb]

As title states I am trying to decide what leafs to use when doing the SAS in my 91' 4runner w/ 3.4 swap.
Its my first time building a solid axle rig, so if I ask anything dumb please chalk it up as I am new to this crap lol.

I have the Sky's SAS kit with ultra clearance front hangar and high steer, I have been told need approx 4" of lift or so for high steer to clear.
I do plan on wheeling this thing, but am also looking for it to have "decent" road manners as I do intend to use it to go camping and get my ass to the ski hills in the winter.
Just wondering what front leafs people with experience would recommend as kind of an "all around" should I just go with Trail Gear 3"? What about the HD? Or do I just build it as a wheeler and try to drive it on the street lol.
Seen lots of folks says RUF flex well but I am concerned about road manners as well as have read some folks say they bend pretty easy.

Also, are Chevy 63's in the rear going to be okay for me? When I go camping there can be quite a bit of gear in the back (coolers + occasionally a 3500w generator, canopy etc) so am concerned about being really squatted when cargo is loaded if the Chevy 63's are too soft. Is there any other recommendations for the rear?
Or should I just be prepared to add-a-leaf to the 63's or something? If 63's are the go to, what length of shackles do you recommend?

Am I better off just building it to wheel/flex and going from there? If I do that and decide to change front springs, that could potentially mean that I need to relocate the front leaf shackles then correct?

Any / all information and advice is appreciated, thanks for reading.

 

[Clb]

Are deavers still available?
Next
Primary useage?
Pick your poison, d.d or crawler?
Rufs are fine if built correctly, I wasn't impressed with the t.g shit on my sased taco.
Realistically, a sorted crawler can d.d. ok
A rad crawler not so much.
63's are awful thick...
Ok
Time for the fanboi's

 

[YotaAtieToo]

Tg/allpro/ect springs work well, but have gotten crazy expensive.

YJ wrangler lift springs are probably the best you can get for the money if you can deal with the centered pin.

 

[ToyodaAddict1980]

Old man emu springs will fit 35s and high steer with a drop hanger and shackles. I've seen this work well on multi use 4runners that see alot of highway miles. They are also an affordable option. Never ran them myself though.


As far as the 63s, you can get 4 + overload packs or run an add a leaf, I think Rancho RS60612 is the one. Not saying 63s are the best choice for your application but that's how to deal with the weight.

 

[NorCalJalopy]

I know you.

 

[rattlewagon]

I think budget comes in a lot here. But really it doesn't matter. It will all work, and its all changeable.

You could also do something like the old man emu springs as RUFS. CS009r are rear springs that work great in the front. Regular RUFS bend because they are 30+ year old leafs, they are just tired. Which is also why they flex so well.

The chevys are a 1/2 ton spring (or more). Yours currently are 1/4 ton springs, so they will be able to handle the weight, if not just add an extra leaf. They come in lots of different configurations stock. a 3/4 ton truck will have many leafs and you can mix and match to get what you want.

The reason for needing lift with the high steer is so the drivers leaf does not hit the pitman arm when flexing up. You can get away with lower springs with a flat arm and/or some minor frame notching.

 

[toyotajeep]

I'm not new to Toyotas at all, but this is the first solid axle newer 4Runner I have owned. It is a 91 as well with a pretty stoutish front bumper but it does have a 4 cylinder. I have only had it on the road about a month. I bought it as an off road crawler and I made it street legal and am in the road daily now with it.

It is an 85 front end, typical TG SAS kit it appears. 4" n TG front springs and the rear are 63's with possibly an ad a leaf. No massive shackles or anything.

Driveability. Rides really smooth off road down my horrible driveway-like 10 MPH faster than my other trucks. Safe on road to me at least, will go 65 one handed etc.

What I have noticed however is that it feels like the front is noticeably softer than the rear. Almost a little too soft, I would describe it as a little washy feeling what ever that means LOL. It has good condition Bilstiens on it etc. front and back. I was surprised at how stiff the shocks were.

FWIW - My truck came with two additional sets of front springs that look a bit more stout, like maybe some old DAVEZ springs etc. I will likely swap those in.

I can't imagine that a person would want RUF unless you built them up with extra leaves etc. Something or it will likely be really unbalanced feeling.

Overall I really like it. Comfortable, flexes nice and drives good on road and so forth but I would say the spring rates are not really balanced I guess.

For crawler reasons the PO put a 2" body on it and with 36's it is tall. I really can't pull the body lift out with out alot of work due to how he built it.

Sorry for the long post.

 

[triple_fcked]

This 4Runner is on RUF and 63’s. It goes down the highway excellent, and rides really really well, but Toyota rears are getting harder to find. Old man emu rears up front as mentioned above are a good leaf spring to use.

They sit a little tall initially, and you have to make a sort of bastard pack on them if you take the overloads out because they will “W” easily if you run them as is without the overloads.

Other than that I really think for the price cs009r springs are the best option now a days for doing a leaf spring SAS.

 

[YotaAtieToo]

My 81 had ome rears up front. I will say they rode very cushy and flexed good.

They just seemed too soft. Even just going down hill they would bottom.out on very small bumps. Id bet they would sag quickly if i kept running them. That was with the short overload intact, but long one removed. My rig is a family crawler, with a full cage, so probably closer to 4runner weight.

Not a bad spring by any means, but not a great fit if you want longevity and stability.

 

[Clb]

This has rufs on both ends, they are bastard packs.
For those who say rufs break, I have 3 full length top leaves, something like ?10? Or so.
I added 1 tween half of them and altered the free length for the next leaf down thru the pack.
Wheels fine.

 

[Slander]

I wonder how.many of those RUF packs that broke are because of people cutting off or opening up the spring clamps??

 

[ToyodaAddict1980]

I wonder how.many of those RUF packs that broke are because of people cutting off or opening up the spring clamps??

I've had great luck with RUF on my first gen. 6 leaf packs, clamps intact, and bump stops.
Limit straps seem like they maybe worth entertaining but haven't done it yet.
Though, It's not a trailer rig, so it doesn't get beat to absolute shit.

I've got a set of Sky's 3f crawler springs stashed away for back up but my RUF have been going strong for years.

 

[triple_fcked]

I wonder how.many of those RUF packs that broke are because of people cutting off or opening up the spring clamps??

Absolutely the case, I had to reweld some straps to keep mine from fanning and kinking the main when bound up, and I have mine set to bump at flat. I'll gladly take longevity over the 2" of travel I'm leaving on the table

 

[Clb]

I added clamps to keep the peace, also payed attention to the end gaps/spacing.
So yea slander me 2

 

[Slander]

Also recommend running shackle forward, I have had great luck with this setup wheeling it hard and street driving it since 2016. I would also look in to putting it on a set of yj leafs. Toyota stuff is getting hard to find and expensive, jeep shit not so much. I am currently running fj62 RUF on my taco, got them for free from a friend, they work fine, do not recommend as they are hard to find and replacements are stupid expensive. The other advantage of running shackle forward is you don't have to deal with that stupid spring hangar that hangs down and seems to always rip off the frame at some point.

 

[Yotacrawlin]

Also recommend running shackle forward, I have had great luck with this setup wheeling it hard and street driving it since 2016. I would also look in to putting it on a set of yj leafs. Toyota stuff is getting hard to find and expensive, jeep shit not so much. I am currently running fj62 RUF on my taco, got them for free from a friend, they work fine, do not recommend as they are hard to find and replacements are stupid expensive. The other advantage of running shackle forward is you don't have to deal with that stupid spring hangar that hangs down and seems to always rip off the frame at some point.

Not sure I agree with the shackle forward method as yes it does work but maybe I’m biased as they just seem like massive rock hangers and if you slam the shackle into something it could bend springs easier. With the hanger forward at least it can act as a gaurd and not damage the spring, sure it’s still a rock target regardless bc it’s leafs.

That being said your right Toyota shit is hard to come by now and jeep stuff not as much. I’m still a big fan of bastard packed RUF with the top 3 leafs from the rears and cut to length lower 3. 63s are tried and true in any scenario I always think they are worth it in any build and can carry weight. Start with the 2wd 3 leaf pack if you find loaded up it sags alot just get a 4 leaf pack and run those or add a leaf.

As far as aftermarket springs imo they cost absolutely way to much now and even the 3” springs sit stupid high

Stock Waggoner springs are always an option, they used to make 44044s which were a 2” lift Waggoner spring but I think they don’t make them anymore. They typically run the same center pin and spring spacing as most aftermarket springs

 

[Skinny]

Time is money

Get a set of SAS springs with the correct amount of "lift" you need to match where the rear is at and run it.

Unless you need to push the axle further forward, need custom level tuning, etc. bolt then in and go.

Don't overthink it, the SAS springs on the market will ride great and flex enough for what you need.

 

[eacook1]

FWIW, I have Sky's 3f springs in the front, stock 4 link in the rear with longer springs panhard drop etc. It rides really smooth and comfortable. It handles terrible with no sway bars. At least one sway bar is in my future.