Sway Bar Link Swap?

Hi all,
Real quick question. I am doing the suspension on my 1st gen taco. Nothing fancy, just the expected Bilstein 5100 with General leafs taking me up probably 2". I don't need much. I was chatting with a buddy and he mentioned I can use 2nd gen 4runner rear sway bar links to replace the front ones on my truck. We had a moment of doubt and couldnt confirm length.

Can anyone verify this?

Much appreciated.

 

^2nd gen 4Runner link is 3.85" longer, that's a lot more than your lift amount:
https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=7532772&cc=1279009&pt=7580&jsn=496
https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=2347846&cc=1272350&pt=7580&jsn=403

Turd gen 4Runner link is closer to the expected length. No idea if the pin diameter is correct:
https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=2508768&cc=1364611&pt=7580&jsn=790

 

thanks! Good thing I have a turd gen in my driveway and can go measure.
Cheers

 

Out of curiosity, why do you want to replace the links with 4 runner links, or replace them at all?

 

In anticipation of the added height with the lift. It's not much of a lift so I probably don't need them but it's a just-in-case scenario I would like to be prepared for. As i mentioned in my initial post I am mostly just looking to confirm the conversation I had with a friend.

 

Just a few thoughts to share- a vast majority of folks who lift their trucks and wheel them remove the front sway bar altogether. The additional preload in the coil (from adjusting the spring perch on the 5100) usually serves to reduce body roll just as much as the sway bar does. I personally didn't run my sway bar from like 2001 until maybe 2021 when I rebuilt the whole front end. I still had the sway bar, and I don't wheel that much beyond dirt roads anymore, so I put it back on. I am not sure that it made a bit of difference as I have Kings with 650lbs coils.

With these trucks, and IFS in general, the way "lift" happens is by increasing the preload in the coil spring (forcing the spring to fit into a smaller space, essentially). Bilstein 5100s have the adjustable perch, adjustable and rebuildable (Kings, ADS, Fox, ICON, etc..) coilovers have a threaded collar, but they do the same thing. The IFS geometry is never altered in any way from the lift- the arms/knuckle/wheel will always travel within the same range as before the lift, but sit at a steady state higher in the range. So what this means for your swaybar end links, is that you don't need to alter them. They will work the same at 0" lift, to 3" (although 2" really is the max recommended if you have 4wd, or care about your back/spine).

This differs from the back, and other vehicles (say a jeep with a coil sprung axle), there the spring is increasing the distance from the frame to the axle.

Speaking of that- I see you're going with General Springs for the rear end. While those shouldn't result in lift over the original stock springs (yours may be worn, so that you get a relative lift from your current height), you do need to compensate for any rear lift with an extended rear brake like, and altering the LSPV bracket the same amount as the lift you have.

 

Great write up, thank you. I probably won't be doing much wheeling in this. iI is mostly my workhorse and just need better load bearing springs than the very sad sagging ones I have. As for the extensions for the rear, yes I have a plan for this... I'll be making some brackets and ordering an extension kit. Open to recommends on the kit.

 

I have to give a big shout out to Overland Custom Design in respect to sway bar links, just got mine today UPS, and installed, AWESOME!, i had the napa ones they lasted a year, the OCD links are fully adjustable and heavy duty! Heim joints with adjustable turnbuckle......these are the answer ! if you want to keep your sway bar and have adjustable preload then look no further.
R/
Andy

 

I just did 5100's, 882's and Dakar leaf pack, my swaybar bushings and endlinks were dunzo, I drove it like that prior to my new parts arriving and I hated the body roll. I replaced my bushings with poly and new OEM endlinks and I like it much better. I built my truck to be more of a driver than hardcore off-roader.