Lowering a Prerunner

Newbie, so please be gentle.

Have an 04 Prerunner 3.4 auto I bought 7 months ago with 88K miles - near perfect, one-owner. It's a combination play and work truck (minifarm), and I'd like to lower it 4" - 5". All info I've found discourages this. I can handle moderately difficult mechanical work, so is this a reasonable possibility without going bankrupt? Thanks for your ideas.

 

Welcome to the site...you sure you wanna lower it?

 

besides the mechanical issues, i never saw the point in lowering a truck... theres no point having a truck if its lowered!

 

Unless you get an x-runner.

 

Hey man regardless of what we all say it's ultimately your truck and you just gotta be happy with it. Everyone has their opinions. No matter what you choose, there's someone here to help ya out.

 

one way for the rear you could go leaf springs under the axle. and for the front i really dont know to much. only lowering i have dealt with is a mini truck tacoma

 

buy a 5-lug? you would probably make money trading for one. I've never heard of lowering a prerunner but i know they make kits to lower 5 lugs.

 

dc lowrider would be cool... access/reg cab meh just get a 5lug... but any way you look at it is possible, but it may cause bankruptcy, simply for the sheer fact it be all one off... id look at trying to swap a 5 lug front suspension/frame graft? the rear is easy

 

http://www.tundraracing.com/prerunnerdropkit.htm

 

I was just about to post this.

People have done it in the past. Good luck, it'll look good!

 

your gonna get lots of people saying lowering a truck is dumb..well simple fact is they are narrow minded and clueless...Lower that thing! you can do an axle flip in the rear which will lower it 5" or 6"...I did that on a chevy I had. I bought new spring perches/pads for about 25 bucks and welded them on, I had to get new U bolts and fab a mounting plate as well. the rear with shocks cost less that 100 bucks. as for the front...no clue on the toyota.

check out that tundra racing site jason posted

 

Well, it sounds to me like he's curious about lowering his prerunner to non 4wd height for easier access, not to make some bagged out ass scrapin lowrider. He might be trying to make a decision about lowering vs. just going after a 5 lug regular height version of the same truck. Has anyone considered that before bustin out with all the negative lowered shit? There's nothin wrong with it lowered, lifted or otherwise if it suits your needs and wants. There is stupid & sick versions of both lowered and lifted so how bout we answer his questions and spare the should and shouldn't opionated garbage. He said combo use so I doubt an all around farm/fun truck would be draggin the ground all offensive to some.

 

http://www.tundraracing.com/taco5.jpg

This looks good. I am not sure how a 1st gen would look.

 

There's a guy on Customtacos.com with your body style 4 door on a 5 lug frame and suspension. Try searching on there for it. Other than that all I know of is the lowering kit for 05+ Prerunners.

 

those are for 05+. im pretty sure there's no kit out for the 1st gen trucks.

ummmm....where do i start? there's just as many reasons why to lower your truck as there are reasons to lift it.

 

Thanks for all the good comments, both pro and con. To me, the truck just looks out of proportion as it sits, and - as a former dirt track car and bike racer - I believe it would handle better if lowered. Also, access is a little bit of a pain because my wife and I are both on the short side. Finally, using it for chores on our minifarm would be easier if the loading height were down a bit.

So - I know y'all are anxiously awaiting my decision - Looking at expense, hassle factor, and the fact that the truck is in nearly new condition, I'll leave it as-is. However, if someone with a comparable year and condition S-Runner wants to trade even - - - who knows?

Thanks again for all the great advice.

 

Oh dang. I didn't even pay attention. Thanks for pointing that out.



Is there any way that a leaf could be removed from the stock pack?

What about buying a lower rate coil or even just a shorter one for the front?

 

they have a 4 leaf pack so im sure it can be done, but i'm pretty sure it won't be that much of a drop, at most maybe a 2". & i haven't heard of any lowering coils for the 1st gen 6 lug trucks. the only lowered 6 lug 1st gen's ive seen have been body transplants...doublecab body on a 5 lug frame.

you could always cut coil up front and do a leaf under axle conversion, but i have no idea if you can get the front into alignment once you lower it, and cutting springs never ride very well.

 

Would a five lug coil bolt up? or are there complications.

for the rear 2 inches would be better than nothing and probably much easier than doing sua.