Literally spent 2 weeks looking for less-than-all of the information in this video. For what ungodly reason has the RU-vid algorithm not skyrocketed this channel? Please keep giving us amazing content like this.
@@Toastert4co yes. Toyota customers also have very low expectations, in my experience. How Toyota does it, I have no idea. But they certainly have an excellent sales force, maintaining the myth of reliability and durability. So customers are willing to ignore the poor performance of Toyota cars and trucks when it comes to vehicle dynamics and comfort. Don’t get me wrong, I like my Prado. But it’s a long way behind the New Defender for example. I wouldn’t trade, because I like my car. But the fanboy attitude is beyond me.
@@Toastert4co that's exactly the case here in Dubai, the shops do everything.. the average 4 wheeler has no clue what he's driving only that it's cool looking
Thanks for putting this together! I haven't seen anyone else give this good of an explanation of the Toyota IFS... this was a fantastic concise overview of the suspension and all its major components and their functions! Really valuable info as a new 4runner owner thinking about mods for overlanding/offroading.
I just paused this video midway to comment that this is some of the highest quality content I've ever seen on suspensions (and overall, actually). Completely focused and perfectly concise. I'm very impressed so far!
WOW! This is undoubtedly the BEST explanation of a suspension system that I have ever seen. Clear, concise, organized and very well presented. Thank you! *SUBSCRIBED*
Very very impressive in-depth review and demo! I don't remember seeing one like this on RU-vid. This guy makes other suspension explanation videos look like elementary student work
Very well done videos. I appreciate the wealth of technical detail. I have a GX 470. I'm wondering if you might be able to provide any insights as to why the GX sits lower than other 120 platform vehicles? Thanks.
He’s got excellent presentation and knowledge. Shows the “COMPLEXITIES” of the independent front suspension 🤔🧐…. I will stay with a solid front axle less complex,more robust.
When you produce your video on swaybars & KDSS can you include an explanation and testing of KDSS spacers? I keep getting mixed views when researching wether this is needed. I don’t run spacers but also don’t have any lean. Thanks for this awesome content.
Thank you Kai. Your passion about engineering comes through clearly in your videos. You have a gift for sharing the information with others too. Great job with the videography and editing.
Kai… thankyou so much buddy… never seen any videos get to the details you have done… little overwhelming with the technical stuff, but it’s amazing… I just upgraded with a 3” lift kit from Ironman, I think I need to lower it to May be 2.5 or more…. Keep it going buddy… great job
Thank you! It depends on the coilover design. The ones with a solid adjustment rings like this, you can. Just lift the tire off the ground so the spring load is low enough. Some other ones like Fox and Kings have a split clamping style ring. Those you better remove from the vehicle and use a spring compressor before adjustments. With the spring load in place those can easily skip thread and bind.
Hi this is great stuff! 0. Did I get this right? The top limit of the wheel travel is the rubber bump stop. The bottom limit is the full open length of the strut. The difference between these is the "wheel travel". 1. When you say that only the static equilibrium point shifts when the ride height is "lifted", what type of lift do you mean? How was this "lift" achieved.? 2. If a top hat spacer is fitted above the strut, to achieve the aforesaid "lift", then the static equilibrium point would still shift down. But would the strut's extended length also cause the down travel to increase beyond the previous droop limit. Would this mean that the wheel travel in this case is not conserved and has increased? (by an amount equal to spacer thickness) ? Thanks for the video and effort in explaining it practically.
The only thing I'd add to this, is that a STRUT is not just a coilover... a strut is actually an integral part of the suspension. If you remove it, the motion of the wheel is no longer constrained. Many manufacturers of aftermarket parts and maintainers get this wrong (or just mislabel them). Think of the front suspension of say, a Camaro vs a Corvette. If you remove the front damper of a Camaro (a strut based suspension) the wheel will not be constrained and can move wherever it wants. If you remove the front damper of a Corvette (a double wishbone) the wheel is still constrained, just undamped. So for that, while many people call the front damper setup on a double wishbone a strut, it is an improper use of the term. It's a coilover shock.
That makes sense. Thanks for pointing that out! Basically strut is only for something like a MacPherson strut construction, which serves the part of the function of steering knuckle and UCA.
I would love to see A video of what happens to suspension if you out a expensive lift kit in and Still Keep The Struct 2inch Spacers Installed Like installed on a Dobinson or fox Lift instead of Level Lift spacer with Stock suspension most if not all High end lift companies say never Keep tour Level Lift spacers On upgraded coil over lifts. Thing it would be a great educational video are they full of crap or could it cause harm to use level spacers on Expensive lifts 12:41 @Tinkerer's Adventure
Ive got a 3rd gen Tacoma and this channel is fantastic. Ive got a set of Ole Man Emu springs around some bilstien shocks for a 2" lift. I also have some JBA upper control arms...Its all in my closet right now. Looking at 285/70/17 tires and some 17"wheels but now I think its too much. Maybe I should stay within the factory 16" wheel realm. I will keep watching in hopes wheel and tire combos comes up. I cant find a 285/70/16 tire from a reputable company so there must be a reason.
you are the smartest automotive vloger...very detailed and well explained about IFS specially for toyota truck and suv...can I still use oem uca for 2inch lift for the front and 1inch for the rear on a 2015 4runner sr5...
Absolutely love this series. I always knew I wanted to lift my 4Runner no more than an inch or two because I feel heavily lifted rigs were so excessive and unnecessary. People get obsessed with fitting bigger tires, but with that you’re going to increase weight, need lower gearing, drop the diff and with all of that you’ve now taken a beautifully engineered vehicle and changed it to something untested. You’re also going to effect CV angles (they break all the time) you’re going to raise your center of gravity and risk toppling over, and you’re going to lose down travel at the cost of increase up travel. Super interesting to see you test the diminishing returns you see in travel and articulation. My goal will be to maximize my travel and articulation while maintaining ride quality and factory reliability. I cannot wait to see your video on sway bars cause my next purchase was going to be detachable sway bar end links
My stepson has bought an older single cab Hilux. He doesn’t even have his license, but has embarked on “improving” it. He has lifted it by 4 inches and wants to put oversize wheels on it. I am quietly confident that he will be breaking driveline and suspension components as he also has a heavy right foot. I would love him to watch this video, but I doubt that he will.
@@DavidRamirez-fe5dd watch part two. He’s taking about extended coils, most lifts are stock coil size, adjusted with preload. Which comes with its own set of problems.
@@bruiser6479 I looove the hilux. I would focus on making sure that truck runs perfect with no misfires and such before doing anything to the suspension. They do make good rock crawlers, especially with the solid axle.
@@jvogler_art4708 I totally agree. Unfortunately my stepson doesn’t. My advice to him was to leave the vehicle stock and to only change things when there was an objective necessity to. He really has no understanding whatsoever of how vehicles are designed to be a coherent system. He is adamant he wants to learn from his own mistakes as opposed to other peoples mistakes.
Great video! You should do one about how to get more droop, like using a diff drop, and how a small half inch spacer would work with an already extended travel coilover, and what upper control arms maximize droop, and how that comes into play when trying to clear the body mount for a high caster wheel alignment
Fantastic video! This save everyone days/weeks/months of searching forums for explanation of how suspension works and all parts associated. Now research on the forums is more focused and helping people make a better decision about lifting. Superb job and video!
Man, you rock. You make enthusiasts like me understand complex IFS setup. My Land Cruiser 100 has a tortion bar. I wish to see a video show us how to setup a proper lift for LC 100.
I rarely comment or subscribe to channels but this vid is definitely worth it. Thanks for making the video and explaining the IFS suspension in such simple terms.
Finally..!!!!! I love all these technical aspects you present here, thank you for taking the time to finally explain everything to the world.. Looking forward to the next one!
Awesome explanation of the IFS components, operation, limitations and guidance on optimal configurations. Being a learn by seeing and doing guy, I appreciate the visuals and breakdown structure of the video (lessons). I feel fairly confident in wrenching my own suspension upgrade. Brilliant! Subscribed.
It would be awesome if you did this same IFS breakdown on other popular IFS trucks like the F150. That way we could know what the actual limits of geometry are. The information you provide is extremely helpful. Thanks for making these videos!
I love this video so much, not only because you explained everything clearly with details and great quality of video footage, but also you quantified and summarized the before-and-after changes with numbers and charts. Can't wait of the next part! Great work Kai!
This is solidly the most informative and rational channel about Toyota off-road design on the internet. Subscribed, liked, and thankful for the presentation of informed analysis on this topic! Amazing.
Mate, awesome production value and determination to obtain relevant data. Much respect! Looking forward to the sway bar video. Currently getting some weird noises from the front one after a 2 inch lift IFS Prado 90 SWB. Really interested in understanding how the geometry works and what can be done. Cheers!
Amazing wealth of information of the IFS and its engineering and limitations in change of certain aspects, pros and cons. Well presented so that a layman can understand. Great job.
Any brand coilover recommendation to help with top out/ thud on full extension? Dobinson ucas, stock lowers currently. My ome nitrochargers/ 885 springs are thudding so loud on top out. Like over a speed bump/ rock/ washout where the shock extends quickly and thuds on top out. Oddly enough only driver side. It’s definitely the shock top out not contacting anything. Just measured my downtravel. 1.5” driver side/ 1.85” passenger. Perhaps why the driver side tops out at harsher and more noticeable.
I don’t know any brand specifically do something to prevent this. The bilstein 8112 has a top out zone, but it will also make noise, just different noise. For this very issue, I switched to long travel and have 4-5” of down travel.
@@TinkerersAdventure I ended up taking out a spacer that was on the driver side for the “Toyota lean”. It was small but was a preload spacer and giving me around .40” lift in that coil. Well, unbelievably gaining back that little down travel has stopped the top out. I have about 2” down travel now on the driver side. Not ideal but it’s working great now.
I RANDOMLY stumbled across your channel and i have to say. ive watched 4-5 videos STRAIGHT , back to back. i love your layout and your delivery of information etc. you would make a GREAT tv show / educational channel for shop classes / school etc. just solely based on how you make things so visual and simplify things. i wish / hope the best for you and your channel. i hope the FJ market comes down again so i can get my first "truck / 4x4" ! ( never was truck guy till the last few yrs ) all i have been watching is FJ videos. please keep this style content coming ! ( ps , i loved your sway bar video )
I've watched most of your videos now and what you are explaining to people, is what I've been telling people for years and sometimes the information hasn't been taken nicely. Now I can just refer them to your videos to explain it all! Thank you and keep these up!
Just came across your channel mate. Superb. I'm probably the world's worst mechanic... and your explanations and visuals are the best I've seen regarding ifs suspension components. I'll be binge watching all your other videos. Great stuff. Keep them coming. Cheers 🍻
Wow Kai, I'm so happy to have subscribed to your channel recently! Such well thought out and executed content! I will be watching all of your Videos for sure!
I don´t know how you have so little amount of views. So useful information in this video. There are tons of ppl doing videos that don´t know what they are doing and they get millions of views. You deserve more!!!
If you keep making these comprehensive videos, I'll keep watching and sharing them. Excellent work. Please make some 4Runner parts. Your FJ front bumper is next level. Thank you for the quality and cheers to your inevitable future success.
Rough Country cheap coilovers actually have really good stroke/length for a 3" lift, and 07-14 Tundra rear shocks are pretty much perfect for extended rear down travel without going wild with bumps and 35s, or needing a specific extended travel progressive spring.
Hidden Gem of a video.. just found this channel yesterday and now I am hooked. Also by you adding the Prado you are providing info the Land down undAH would appreciate too... looking forward to watching the whole series.
Great information. Thank you for the technical focus and great intuitive demonstrations of every components role. Looking forward to more videos from you.
