1998 suspension rebuild. 4x4 Off-Road access cab, 6ft bed, 3.4L manual

After reading suspension threads here for last 2 days, I realized that most all suspension threads here involve replacing stuff to LIFT truck or increase off road performance. However, I am happy with my 4x4 Off Road performance and just want to replace old degraded parts, so tons of threads on expensive lifts don't apply. Truck is 100% stock as purchased in 1998, and have never replaced ANY suspension items.
I street drive, and off road AZ river bottoms and dirt roads for hunting. Nothing technical ever.
I do have a new 2021 TRD-OR Tacoma that I am now using for daily, so this older one will probably be mostly used for hunting, camping, and appliance moving... so I might lean to increased load capability and hunting trails. But still nothing too technical.
So:
1. If my front suspension bushings are all worn, and I want to just rebuild, what parts should I go with? OEM seems expensive, and Moog looks to supply rebuild part kits, for example.
2. If I'm rebuilding everything, are there some parts I should just replace for time/effort savings, like whole rack and pinion if I have to replace upper tie rods and joints anyways? Or some stockish UCA that already comes with new bushings or ball joints for reasonable costs?
3. What is front suspension easiest sequence of repair, so I don't cause myself more time and effort?
4. What shocks should I go with up front, it I'm just renewing but not looking for any real lift... Toyota OEM, or Bilstein 5100s I see mentioned often, etc?
5. Rear springs and shocks... what shocks for replacement? If I need new springs, 25 year, what is best replacement kit?

P.s. I've read a ton of threads and watched sub repair videos. This is the one I found most useful here.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/steering-and-suspension-overhaul-thread.379887/
I'm looking for some big picture sequence and parts for stock replacement, or slight load increase.

Here are some pics I just took. If I can figure out how to upload pics here... If you see issues, throw it out--I've never done any suspension work. Thanks!

 

Rack and pinion boots degraded


But inside doesnt look too bad...



Tie rod end:



Cv boots both good, no tears.









Upper control arm ball joints:

 

Bilsten 5100s are 2-2.5" lit whereas the 4600s are a stock height. You should at least get OEM lower bjs with new bolts, Moog is a good choice as well. Polyurethane bushings help give a tighter front-end feel. At this point in its life, I'd replace everything minus the rear leafs as long as none of the leafs are broken. Get a plan together and do everything all at once so you can be 1 and done then go get it aligned. Doing it all at once also saves you from having to get it aligned multiple times. Save money and don't buy new arms just rent a bushing press from a tool store. If you have the money get an OEM rack along with new hoses.

 

Almost everyone will tell you to only go with OEM Lower Ball Joints and OEM Steering Racks. Most other suspension parts are up for debate. Not sure I would replace the steering rack just because you might be doing the tie rods.

 

No but the rack looks like it is leaking on one side.

 

I just did this a few months ago on my '03. From my experience, the order is to work from the bottom up.

To refresh LCA bushings (two options below) you're going to have to pull ball joints off the knuckle and remove the TRE's from the knuckle and sway bar, and at least the bottom bolts of the coilovers. So at that point, most definitely ball joints, LCA's, and probably TRE's but if you're going to do the rack, unless they're shot the TRE's can wait until later.

I'm sure you've come across the threads about snapping ball joints, the weakest point of these trucks. Do not go aftermarket, go only OEM on the ball joints. For the LCA's, there are two (and a half) options: pull the existing ones and replace the bushings with OEM bushings, replace the entire LCA and save yourself at least 3-6 hours of work, or the half option, buy some used LCA's, replace the bushings and swap them out. You may need to replace cam bolts in this process, you may not - they're around $200 for a set so see if the ones you have are serviceable. Mark the cam bolt positions before removal. I went with new LCA's and for a couple reasons mentioned in the post after that I'm glad I did. I read too many negs on Moog or other aftermarket LCA's for a stock configuration.

Moving up (or back) to the steering rack, that may look good but if it's been open for any length of time it's probably not. Your choice to just replace the boot, but I'd go with the whole rack (and did.) At this point you'd also want to replace the TRE's (why put old ones on a new rack) and if you didn't already, throw in a new set of sway bar bushings, you have to remove it to make room to pull the rack. If you want to go deluxe, sway bar links if they're leaking or torn.

Aside, OEM bushings are rubber and give a softer driving feel, allowing the rack to move slightly in hard turning. I went with Energy Suspension red's (blacks are stiffer) and not sure how much it contributes, but it now has tighter feel to steering, but I replaced a lot of other stuff.

OEM on the rack. You can get by aftermarket ones but the jury is out, there are some stories on here.

If you're staying stock and never plan to lift, you don't need 5100's (adjustable), you want 4600's. If those are original springs, you might want to get an assembled set of coilovers unless you're down with working with spring compressors. This company has (or had) the best price on a set of assembled coilovers with Bilsteins all around. They assemble them themselves (and can swap out coils if you email them) and ship from various warehouses across the country, I received them in a matter of days and the pics are here of how they came. Moog 81104 springs that are as close to stock spec as possible.

Saving the upper ball joints for last, they don't hold the entire weight of the truck. Although leaking I would rely on other tests to ensure they're good, otherwise it could be a save-for-later. If you plan on replacing them it might be a good idea to do it when you have the LCA's out. There are some shenanigans you have to do to force the LCA down to replace them separately.

I've worked on cars all my life and "me neither," was a total suspension ignoramus (and still am I guess, always learning.) The estimate they gave to do the work was motivation enough to knuckle in lol . . . you'll find the answers here. My experience, I totally underestimated the time it would take to get it all apart and realized 2 hours in there was no way to get it done without a half inch impact wrench. I don't know how I ever lived without one. Hope that hits some of the questions.

 

@tacoman2001$ thanks for that rundown, very helpful and answered several of my questions. On the rear leaf springs, from those pics of the empty truck bed height above wheels, and the pretty flat springs while empty, would you still say to leave them? If I plan on mostly carrying loads now, like duck kayak and gear, would you add something like an add-a-leaf, or maybe airbags?
Thx!
@zwatson, thx for the info on oem lower ball joints

 

@rocknbil WOW, what an incredibly detailed and helpful post! Thanks so much, your post has really helped me on getting enough info to start this project, and how to plan the work flow.

I'm pretty much not driving the 98 right now, though it has zero drive issues besides steering has gotten a bit sloppy. No tire wear or alignment issues. So I can pretty much put it up on jackstands in my backyard on a concrete pad, and just take as much time working through this as needed.

My plan right now:
1. Get energy suspension full kit, red polyurethane. Replace all bushings, rack bushings, etc.
2. Get oem LBJ, maybe entire Lower control arm, will look at your post and prices. I might pull one off first and see how hard just replacing bushings is.
3. Will get moog tie rod ends probably, or oem, price depending.
4. I don't mind using spring compressor, have watched ton of vids on best tools for ease. But I will look at that shock w springs complete setup you listed.
5. Will plan on 4600 Bilstein, but will read some more on what benefits vs. Issues may come from using 5100s. I don't see any benefit to 2" front lift if I'm not doing hard technical stuff, just driving gravel, sand, mud in dry washes to hunt. I would love if anyone educates me though, on why I might want 5100s and that slight lift? Thx!
6. Not sure on the rack and pinion... it has likely been exposed, I will look closer at it for issues and leaks. I hear both of you above saying oem rack is wise, so will plan that if needed.

Thanks again, will welcome any nore input or critiques of plan from anyone!

 

Oh, wheel bearings... is it worth doing myself, or just take to Napa and have them press in new ones?

 

Start spraying Blaster on stuff yesterday…

 

so. i just did a full frame swap on my 98. but with that new OEM springs, some 4600s and new steering gear. she drives like a dream! (honestly. it is like the most comfortable truck ive owned. even more so than my 01 was with the fancy suspension)


that being said, OEM still can be had NEW for the steering rack.. best to spend the money on it vs the remans.
Aftermarket LCA are decent. but dont expect more than 3 years from the bushings... they're trash
OEM only for LBJs. dont skimp on them..
Go 555 for the outer tie rods.. i've had good luck with them VS moog. Napa sells them as their Altrom brand if i remember right

i decided no poly bushings on this truck. they have their place. but eh. comfort? rubber bushings win. thats a decision you'd have to make. my 01 and my 95 both have poly bushings. they're nice. but fighting the constant squeaking on my 01 did get tiring.

 

I really don't see a need for a lift unless it lets you mount larger diameter tires. Larger tires = more ground clearance. More ground clearance = better of-road performance. If you do decide to lift, you will want to plan on lifting the rear too. Easiest way is lifting shackles (can be installed w/o removing springs) but won't improve the ride or load capacity. Whole new leaf pack is next on the amount of work scale. Lots of options out there. Add-a-leaf is the most work as you have to remove the leaf pack, disassemble, add the leaf then reassemble, then reinstall. So if your rear leafs are good, or you just don't want to go there right now, I would skip the 5100s & go with the 4600s. There are also helper springs or air bags that would increases your load capacity somewhat. Just my $.02. Good luck w/whatever you decide.

 

You said it yourself OP, "the truck has no driving issues" and that's after 25 years and literally no maintenance to the suspension.

Those were OEM suspension components. Moral of the story is I'd spring for OEM components on as many of these items as you can afford to. If you want to get another 25 plus, relatively trouble free years outta the truck, then OEM is the most cost effective way to get that.

If you like wrenching on the truck frequently then maybe cheaper aftermarket parts are the route you wanna go. Makes a good excuse for day drinking

 

Great points here.

 

Thanks for your comments on lifting, that is similar to what I was thinking, but I figured I was missing something. But I did not realize the effort for add a leaf, and was kinda confusing that with helper spring. Thanks!

 

Great points! Finding the OEM rubber bushings for control arms might be an issue. Saw some threads saying they were not available unless buying whole new arms, but then one comment that a guy found oem bushings... problem is I didn't bookmark that thread, and now it's lost with the other 300 I read heh...

 

So for upper control arms I believe that is the case. In that case you should be fine to use something like Moog arms or bushings.

For lower control arms, the OEM rubber bushings are available and I'd highly recommend them. I myself tried using Moog LCA bushings, and they failed in 3 weeks. Second go around I got smart and sprung for OEM. It sucked doing that job (which takes all day long) twice in a month.

 

For LCA's 48061-35050 are the rear ones and 48061-35040 are the front ones. In the first link it says "front" but I believe that's a typo, compare the illustration to the real fronts in the second link (also you can see the rears highlighted in the exploded illustration.) I made a spreadsheet of all this stuff before starting.

For uppers I have 48632-35070 for both sides front/rear (sold in quantity 1, so you'd need 4.)

That site used to be the best deal on OEM parts, McGeorge Toyota out of Richmond VA but they sold out to Orisman very recently. Hopefully they maintain the same level of service, it doesn't look like the prices have changed.

I would still go for full LCA's, by the time I got it all apart I was so grateful I didn't have to press out bushings with a bottle jack and torch. Besides that, on both front LCA bump stops the weld on the nut inside the LCA failed and I had to cut into the old ones to get the bump stops off. Here's the left 48069-35120 and here's the right 48068-35120.

 

@rocknbil thanks again, you are really taking the painful research out if this for me!

 

Haha . . . wait until you tally up the bill LOL . . .