Rear Lift Options — Spacers vs. New Coils
If you only drive on pavement and want the truck level, a $100 rear spacer is fine. If you carry a roof rack, drawer system, or bumper, swap to new rear coils — spacers preload the stock spring, accelerate sag, and ride worse on every surface.
The 5th-gen 4Runner sags in the rear from the day you drive it home, and any added weight makes it worse. Stock rear coils were specced for a near-empty cargo area; bolt on a roof tent, sliders, a rear bumper with a tire carrier, and a Trasharoo full of recovery gear and you'll measure two-plus inches of rear droop within a few months. There are two ways to get the rear back up: a spacer that sits on top of the stock coil, or replacement coils sized for your real load.
Spacers are cheaper. A Daystar 1.5-inch rear coil spacer kit runs about $90 and installs in two hours. The catch is that a spacer doesn't fix anything — it pre-compresses the stock spring, which means the truck rides on a stiffer portion of the spring curve and the spring is closer to coil bind under articulation. Forum consensus on 4Runners.com and Trail4Runner is consistent: spacers ride harshly compared to new coils, both on and off-road. They're acceptable on a stock-weight, mall-crawler 4Runner that needs to look level. They're a bad answer on a built truck.
New coils are the right answer for any 4Runner carrying real weight. The three brands that come up over and over: Old Man Emu (OME 2890 medium-load coils at about $320 give 2 to 2.5 inches with up to 250 lb constant load), Dobinsons (variable-rate C59 series, around $360, broad load ratings), and Eibach Pro-Truck (around $280, slightly firmer ride). Pair them with appropriate shocks — Bilstein 5100s at $80 each for a budget setup, Bilstein 5160 remote reservoirs for heat dissipation on long trails, or Icon 2.0/2.5 series for a high-end build. Spring rate matters more than brand: get a constant-load coil rated for the weight you actually carry. OME's "medium" is right for a roof rack and some recovery gear. "Heavy" is right for a rear bumper and tire carrier. Going too heavy ride harshly; too light squats under load.
A common mistake: installing rear lift coils without addressing the upper control arms or sub-frame contact points. Once the rear is up 2+ inches, the rear shock may run out of droop travel — check shock length and consider extended-travel rear shocks if you've gone above 2.5 inches.
Steps
- Weigh the truck loaded with everything you usually carry (CAT scale or estimate by adding component weights).
- Pick a coil rated for that real-world weight — not stock weight.
- Remove the rear wheels; support the axle with a floor jack.
- Disconnect the rear sway bar end links and the rear shock lower bolts to let the axle drop further.
- Disconnect the rear track bar at the axle (leave the frame side).
- Lower the axle until the stock coils are loose; pull them out by hand.
- Install new coils with the isolator pads. Use a coil retainer if articulation is unrestricted.
- Reconnect shocks, end links, and track bar. Torque to spec.
- Drive 10 miles and re-measure ride height. Allow 100 miles for coils to settle.
Why it works
- New coils restore actual spring capacity, not height
- Better ride on every surface compared to spacers
- Wide load-rating selection from OME, Dobinsons, Eibach
- Two-hour install with hand tools
Trade-offs
- Spacers preload the stock spring and ride harshly under articulation
- May need extended rear shocks if going above 2.5"
- Heavy-load coils ride stiff when the truck is empty
- Coil spring R&R can pinch fingers — control the axle drop carefully
Tools required
- floor jack
- jack stands
- metric sockets 17mm-22mm
- torque wrench
- breaker bar
Parts
| Part | Vendor | Est. price |
|---|---|---|
| Daystar 1.5" rear coil spacer kit | Daystar | ~$90 |
| Old Man Emu 2890 rear coils (medium load) | ARB / OME | ~$320 |
| Dobinsons C59-319V variable rate rear coils | Dobinsons | ~$360 |
| Eibach Pro-Truck stage 2 rear coils | Eibach | ~$280 |
| Icon Stage 2 rear coil and shock kit | Icon Vehicle Dynamics | ~$700 |
Sources
- 5th Gen 4Runner Lift & Leveling Kits: Beginners Guide
- Top 10 5th Gen 4Runner Suspension Lift Kits
- Eibach vs Dobinson vs OME (4Runners.com)
Related
- Best Shocks for the 4Runner — Bilstein 5100, Fox 2.0, and OME Nitrocharger
- Upper Control Arm Upgrade After Lift — 5th Gen 4Runner
- All Toyota 4Runner guides & tools
- Browse the full DIY database
Written and maintained by an AZ wheeler and driveway wrencher. How we source guides. Always cross-reference your factory service manual — modifications affect vehicle safety and warranty. Work at your own risk.