Hi all,

I am looking at getting some air bags to put inside my rear coil springs to up the load capacity. Firestone sells a kit for the '91 four- runner. Does anyone know if the springs on those are the same size as on the Hiace?

Cheers,
Pard

Hey Pard,

I have been looking into coil spring spacers for my rear springs. I got under there with calipers and found that hiace springs are about 10cm interior diameter and 13cm exterior diameter. I corresponded with the guy from "4Crawler" who makes moderate lift kits for older and less common toyotas. The kit for the earlier 4runner that used rear coil springs would not fit a hiace, as their springs are several cm wider diameter. He suggested that I try the generic spacers from JC-Whitney.

I am planning to buy a 12"x12" sheet of 1" or 1 1/4" HDPE from a plastics manufacturer to make my own coil spacers. It looks as though I could put 2 or 2.5" spacers in the cup on the trailing swing-arm that holds the bottom end of the spring without compromising how well it is seated in the cup.

I know a lift doesn't change the performance of the spring itself, but it would reduce some of the rear sag.

Keep us posted as to what you find out about the bags. You know, another option would be to try and find a suitable replacement spring from another vehicle (needle in a haystack?).

Here are some useful links I came across in my search for lift kits:

Setoguchi - hiace 2" lift kit (translated japanese page)
http://209.85.135.104/translate_c?hl=en&u=...cial%26hs%3DrB8

JC Whitney - Universal Coil Spacer
http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Product...0003419/c-10101

McMaster-Carr (go to raw materials, plastics, etc)
http://www.mcmaster.com/

4Crawler
http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/ForSale/Produc...otaOnlyProducts

Yotatech Forum discussing HDPE spacers:
http://www.yotatech.com/f2/homemade-rear-c...spacers-124037/

Cheers,
PBS

Heya PBS:

Yep, it would be nice to know what springs would work. They can't be entirely unique to the Hiace. Maybe the LJ 78 had the same - similar weight of vehicle anyhow. The spacers would help the look, maybe the aerodynamics, and keep the headlights out of other drivers' eyes. Let me know how it works out!

Pard

Ok, I just checked my springs more carefully. 12" long (under load of empty van, not sure what they would be uncompressed), 5" exterior diameter, 5/8" coil wire diameter, so interior diameter = 3 3/4".

I also saw a post somewhere where someone received a table from AirLift that specified all the available spring dimensions compatible with their air bags. Maybe send them a note. If you do get a table from them, or someone else, please post.

PBS

Thanks for the dimensions. I'll see what they say, and post anything I get from them.

Cheers,
Pard