Tema 4x4 lift kit

Here is the original thread, which I am branching off due to the original title seems inappropriate to the direction things ended up taking.

As things left off, the original shipment was returned by Russian Customs. Therefore, there is a new shipment OTW. I just received the tracking information earlier today

 

Guess what arrived today...



While this is all great, and I'm excited to go get a loaner spring compression tool at Autozone and some free time to get this installed, I have some questions first.

For example, How does one replace the third pin (bolt) in the rear shock assembly "end abutment," seeing as how only two of the three go from the shock up into the body, whereas the third is welded to the body itself?

 

I, also, can't wait to see how it goes. The last SIX weekends (give or take - I stopped counting) it has rained here in Greensboro. Now, even as committed as I am to seeing this through, without a covered garage...

In the meantime, it occurred to me to take a look at the suspension. Several YT videos I've watched on mounting suspension mention they were doing so due to broken springs. This struck me as odd, so I thought I better check mine to see if I may need to put in new suspension components while adding the lift.

As it turns out, my springs appear fine. The rear shocks appear fine, as well, and I'm pleased with the ride quality, as well.

As for the front, the most noticeable thing is the strut boots are both torn completely into pieces. Also, I have noticed that the driver side sometimes makes a rubbing noise, or on a particularly large bump (such as exiting a driveway with a deep gutter) it will even make a bit of a squishy noise.

Visual inspection shows that the driver strut has a bushing at the top of the piston shaft which appears to be crooked. The one on the passenger side appears centered on the shaft. The bushings would typically be covered by the boots, were they still intact.

Does anyone know, can this be rectified? How much should I even care?

 

Later, I'll try to get more pics. I had another, but the file was corrupted.

In the lower right, there is a little arm that I had to disconnect to lower the axle enough. Once weight was back on the hub, I was able to reconnect it.

So far, I have only finished the rear. I've only driven a couple of miles. No odd noises, and the ride feels the same. I keep expecting to feel more sway, I guess because in my head there is more spring travel now. Of course, there isn't really.

As far as I can tell, it's just what I was hoping for: extra height, with no change in ride quality.

As I said, I'll have to get more pics to show the stance. In short, I notice it being taller, and a little roomier in the wheels wells, but it's not so much that most other people wouldn't pass right by it.

The front is going to be more of a challenge

 

The next morning, and I don't even think about it or feel it while driving

 

https://tema4x4.ru/catalog/prostavki_zadnikh_pruzhin_dlya_toyota_toy_15_038_poliuretan.html

 

40mm. And I'd be disinclined to look at trying to go for more without further modifications. As it was, I had to temporarily disconnect the one arm I pointed out above, as well as wedge a bottle jack between the frame and the axle crossmember in order to bring the hub down low enough to reattach the strut on the driver side (passenger side was easier, perhaps due to parking on uneven ground)

 

Sorry for the poor lighting, due to time of day. In any event, she is now ~40mm higher at all 4 corners :: wipes brow ::

The highlight of the day was discovering I could replace the pins at the top of the strut assembly with the longer pins from the kit withOUT having to compress the spring and disassembling the assembly!

 

The pins don't necessarily want to come out. I found it helpful to rethread the nuts back onto the pins partway, with the widest part on top, in order to give a surface to strike. Then I braced the bottom of the strut assembly top flange against the concrete curb of the Autozone parking lot, and struck the nut side of the pins with a 3lb peen hammer until they came loose.

Similarly, the news pins may not want to go in all the way. I found this was not an issue, as the force of tightening the nuts back on drew the pins up into the top flange of the strut assembly.

The top flange may need to be rotated in order to push each of the pins into place. Parts of the top of the spring area cover the flange to a greater or lesser extent, depending on how it is rotated.

The last thing that occurs to me is that I found it best to leave BOTH side of the vehicle raised until both sides were completely reconnected. Otherwise, reattaching the anti-sway bar (?) may be near impossible. As it was, there were times I had to use a jack to make everything line up, and times I had to tap fasteners into place that normally would slide

Just the one for the rear posted above. The front can't really be seen from the outside when installed

New pins were included. Despite warnings in the printed instructions, they fit fine. I can't say for certain what sort of metal they are.

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Let me add that I can feel the difference more than I can see it, especially after completing the front. No more scraping. On the downside, harder cornering feels just a little more top-heavy.

Definitely feeling higher than other compacts, or even a Buick I passed yesterday. Not quite crossover/SUV range, but maybe like a Subie?

Ask me again after I get the A/T's on the rims (for an additional 36mm)

 

This morning, pulling out of the McDonald's parking lot, I felt how deep the gutter was as I started to pull onto the street. Instinctively, I started to back off the gas accelerator so i wouldn't bottom out. But then remembering that I had those extra 40mm, I actually pushed it a little harder. Great feeling!

Also this morning, I reset the average MPG calculator on the Consumption screen of the MFD and set the cruise control to try and keep my own bias out as much as I could. After 27 miles, it read 44.7

While I'm happy to report that 44.7 is higher than I anticipated, I can't say I have an exact # from this same stretch of road, and certainly not controlling for all other possible conditions. It seems impossible to me that the lift could have increased the fuel efficiency, but it does seem that any decrease is relatively negligible, particularly for someone looking for more ground clearance.

As the saying goes, "YMMV," and in this case, literally so. I know this isn't anything like a step-by-step guide. For those who are trying to evaluate the feasibility and cost-benefit ratio, I hope it has been helpful

 

Something I discovered while working on this project were these arms in the front (shown disconnected from the upper part)



The rubber piece at the upper end appears to have a blow out of grease. Can anyone direct me to more information on this? I'm afraid I'm not even sure what this part is called :/

 

As a follow up, I'm still loving the lift, and after getting my ECM flashed, I can report an improvement to 52MPG highway (for those concerned that a lift will ruin the fuel economy)

 

YW, I'm glad to know it might help

And yes, I have P185/65R15 Douglas (Wal-Mart) All Seasons. As one of my next steps, I plan to reshoe the Prius with P205/75R15 General Grabber AT2's (if they'll fit :: crosses fingers :: ), and hopefully in time for the Tennessee Gambler 500 this October!

Edit: Something I've neglected to mention in this thread so far is that I never went back and had an alignment. The Prius doesn't seem to favor one side over another, and treadwear appears normal