Custom Fox Kit Results and Install Experience

Figured I would post my Accutune experience, results, and maybe some things to consider if you go down this road.

TL;DR: Kit arrived quickly and in perfect condition, install was mostly trouble-free, and the ride is amazing both on and off road. Couldn't be happier! Props to Accutune.

I installed the kit below on my 2018 TRD Pro that was on the stock Fox suspension. I still had about 15k miles left before needing a shock rebuild, but I've added a lot of weight so decided to spend the money on a good suspension (buy once, cry once?) and ditch the air bags since I run a more constant weight now. Here's the contents of the kit:

Fox Custom Mid-Travel Stage Kit
Front 2.5 Fox Performance Elite
Rear 2.5 Fox Performance Elite
Accutune Remote Reservoir Brackets
Accutune UCAs
Deaver Expedition Stage II leaf springs
Accutune U-bolt flip kit w/bump stops

Install went smoothly (took a total of maybe 8 hours over a few days), but here are a few things to consider during install:

- Leaf springs were way easier than I expected (I've never done them before). I did use a ratchet strap to get things to line up, but overall it was pretty easy and I had no extra hands to help. Those leafs are heavy, though.

- The bottom of the rear shocks were a bit of a tight fit. I spread the mount apart just a little to get things to slide in easier -- the bolt cinched it back together.

- My aftermarket rear bumper bracket was overlapping where the remote reservoir mounts on the passenger side, but not enough to cause an issue. I just adjusted the bracket position a little.

- Removal of the driver's side UCA bolt required the removal of the battery and some wiring brackets, and a bit of bending. I would not attempt to do it without removing the battery, it's worth the 5 minutes. The passenger side just required removal of a bracket and popping some wiring loose, and very little bending.

- My aftermarket front bumper has braces that bolt to where the sway bar brackets bolt in. The remote reservoir brackets bolt there as well, and I had to widen the hole on the bracket for one side to get the bolts in. Not a big deal.

- The angled Accutune reservoir brackets move the front reservoir a bit further forward on the bottom, which is where the oil line connects. This made getting them mounted a bit of a challenge and required a bit of force to stretch the line and get the bottom clamp on. It's in a somewhat cramped space, so mostly just a little frustrating when you are so close to being done.

- The sway bar relocate did require use of the included spacers for the TRD skid plate mounts to provide adequate clearance. The included bolts were not long enough for the TRD skid plate, but the stock ones were actually long enough even with the spacers. But, I had to find spacers for the rear skid plate bolts, which weren't included. And I can no longer use a jack on the skid plate, it will have to be removed to use the jack point since there is now a gap.

- I got a vibration at around 15-20 mph, and especially when slowing or braking to a stop. This made sense to me since the pinion would be pivoting down and increasing the angle. I measured things, and my pinion angle was quite a bit off from the front angle. I tried a carrier bearing drop (the 8mm OME kit) but that didn't solve it. So, I got some 3 degree axle shims from Headstrong Offroad. These only took about an hour to install, but I would advise just getting some and putting them on during the initial install. These get the angles much closer to even and will help avoid vibrations and premature u-joint wear. NOTE: The OEM leaf springs actually have a shim, although it looks to be either 0.5 or 1 degree. So if Toyota shims it, you probably should, too. This fixed the vibration.

- I did not have to adjust the front coilovers.

Hub-to fender measurements before and after:

Before After
LF 20 3/8" 22 1/2"
RF 20 3/8" 22 5/8"
LR 21" 24 1/4"
RR 21 3/8" 24 1/4"

I add ~120 lbs. of gear/supplies for camping, so I like it to have a bit of a rake when not loaded.

The ride and handling is wonderful. But now my truck looks like it skips leg day. Will figure out tires when these wear out.



EDIT: Got new shoes, 285/75 R16

 

I have more or less that exact setup, except with Deaver U402 stage IIIs. And with DSC adjusters. Shocks tuned by / provided by Accutune Offroad, self-installed.

About 7,500 miles on them so far, no issues. Mostly daily-driver town/highway miles, but I've put them through their paces at speed for extended runs on single-track forest trails. 60-70 miles today in pretty hot CA summer heat (>90ºF,) 30-50mph speeds, carrying 800 lbs cargo, no fading or noticeable change in suspension performance, even during several hours of more or less continuous hard driving on dirt.

The truck is just massively confident & planted with these shocks & springs, it will go as fast as I care to go, to the limits of my driving ability + risk tolerance, and soak up pretty much whatever is thrown at it (within the relatively limited range of a mid-travel setup.)

It's not often one can find long dirt forest roads that are situated in such a way that certain segments of them can be safely run in excess of 60 mph, but I've found some and its fun as hell. With FOX 2.5s on all 4 corners, suspension performance is no longer the limiting factor.

Even with the stock 4.0L engine, not blown, carrying 800lbs of cargo & crap up moderate slopes, the truck itself is no longer the limiting factor, it's the road itself. (Staying on it, at speed.)

After my outing today I finally understood why this setup costs ~$6 grand. It's kind of insane to drive a loaded 4x4 pickup on moderately-rough single-track mountain dirt road at highway speeds and feel pretty close to completely in control.