Installation manual
4” suspension system
2005 — 201
8
Toyota Tacoma
4x4 and 2WD PreRunner with Upper
Control arms
Part # 54905
ss05212014
Important customer information:
Part # 54905
2005 - 201 8 Toyota Tacoma
4x4 and 2WD PreRunner
4” suspension system with upper control arms
Part # Description Qty.
52907-02
54910-01
53905-01
53905-01
BU3000
BL201
5U-242S
916NW
14WA
S10140
50930PL
Strut pre-load spacer
Upper strut spacer
Driver side upper control arm
Passenger side upper control arm
Strut plate hardware bag
Rear Blocks
1
2
916” x 2 916” x 8 5/8” square u-bolts 4
U-bolt hardware bag
1
1
2
2
1/4” USS flat washer
9/16” x 2” fender washer
BU30000 Hardware
54910NB Hardware bag
Hardware bag
54905INST Instruction sheet
1
1
1
1
2
4
1
2
Tuff Country EZ-Ride Suspension highly recommends that a qualified or a certified mechanic performs this installation.
It is the responsibility of the customer/installer to wear safety glasses at all times when performing this installation.
It is the customers/installers responsibility to read and understand all steps before installation begins. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our technical department @ (801) 280-2777. Also, the OEM manual should be used as a reference guide.
This vehicles reaction and handling characteristics may differ from standard cars and/or trucks.
Modifications to improve and/or enhance off road performance may raise the intended center of gravity.
Extreme caution must be utilized when encountering driving conditions which may cause vehicle imbalance or loss of control. DRIVE SAFELY! Avoid abrupt maneuvers: such as sudden sharp turns which could cause a roll over, resulting in serious injury or death.
Congratulations on your selection to purchase a Tuff
Country EZ-Ride Suspension System. We at Tuff
Country EZ-Ride Suspension are proud to offer a high quality product at the industries most competitive pricing. Thank you for your confidence in us and our product.
It is the customers responsibility to make sure that a re-torque is performed on all hardware associated with this suspension system after the first 100 miles of installation. It is also the customers responsibility to do a complete re-torque after every 3000 miles or after every off road use.
The Tuff Country EZ-Ride Suspension product safety label that is included in your kit box must be installed inside the cab in plain view of all occupants.
For a list of parts, please refer to the back of the installation manual for photos of parts that are included in this suspension system.
After the original installation, Tuff Country EZ-Ride
Suspension also recommends having the alignment checked every 6 months to ensure proper tracking, proper wear on tires and front end components. Tuff
Country EZ-Ride Suspension takes no responsibility for abuse, improper installation or improper suspension maintenance.
Make sure to use thread locker or loctite on all new and stock hardware associated with the installation of this suspension system.
After the completion of the installation a front end alignment is required.
Limited lifetime warranty
Notice to all Tuff Country EZ-Ride Suspension customers: It is your responsibility to keep your original sales receipt! If failure should occur on any
Tuff Country EZ-Ride Suspension component, your original sales receipt must accompany the warranted unit to receive warranty. Warranty will be void if the customer can not provide the original sales receipt.
Do not install a body lift in conjunction with a suspension system. If a body lift is used in conjunction with any Tuff Country EZ-Ride Suspension product, your Tuff Country EZ-Ride Suspension WARRANTY
WILL BE VOID. Tuff Country Inc. (“Tuff Country” ) suspension products are warranted to be free from defects in material and workmanship for life if purchased, installed and maintained on a non-commercial vehicle; otherwise, for a period of twelve (12) months, from the date of purchase and installation on a commercial vehicle, or twelve thousand (12,000) miles (which ever occurs first). Tuff Country does not warrant or make any representations concerning Tuff
Country Products when not installed and used strictly in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions for such installation and operation and accordance with good installation and maintenance practices of the automotive industry. This warranty does not apply to the cosmetic finish of Tuff Country products nor to Tuff Country products which have been altered, improperly installed, maintained, used or repaired, or damaged by accident, negligence, misuse or racing. (“Racing is used in its broadest sense, and, for example, without regards to formalities in relation to prizes, competition, etc.) This warranty is void if the product is removed from the original vehicle and re-installed on that or any other vehicle. This warranty is exclusive and is in lieu of any implied warranty of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose or other warranty of quality, whether express or implied, except the warranty of title. All implied warranties are limited to the duration of this warranty. The remedies set forth in this warranty are exclusive. This warranty excludes all labor charges or other incidental of consequential damages. Any part or product returned for warranty claim must be returned through the dealer of the distributor from whom it was purchased. Tuff Country reserves the right to examine all parts returned to it for warranty claim to determine whether or not any such part has failed because of defect in material or workmanship. The obligation of Tuff Country under this warranty shall be limited to repairing, replacing or crediting, at its option, any part or product found to be so defective. Regardless of whether any part is repaired, replaced or credited under this warranty, shipping and/or transportation charges on the return of such product must be prepaid by the customer under this warranty.
Important information that needs to be read before installation begins:
Due to the different variation of the stock strut spring rate, height after installation of the spacer may vary.
Any questions please feel free to contact Tuff Country or your local Tuff Country dealer.
Tuff Country recommends a 33”x12.50” tire package once part # 54905 has been installed. If larger than a 33”x12.50” tire is installed on your vehicle in conjunction with part # 54905; Tuff Country assumes no liability and the warranty will be VOID. Due to different types of tread patterns, some aggressive tires in this size recommendation may require slight trimming of inner fender plastic.
New longer rear shocks are highly recommended once part # 54905 has been installed on your vehicle and the rear shocks need to be ordered as a separate part
#. If you have not already ordered your rear shocks, please feel free to contact Tuff Country or your local
Tuff Country dealer and order your rear shocks. Tuff
Country recommends installing a 26” fully extended shock in the rear.
Before installation begins, Tuff Country EZ-Ride
Suspension highly recommends that the installer performs a test drive on the vehicle. During the test drive, check to see if there are any uncommon sounds or vibrations. If uncommon sounds or vibrations occur on the test drive, uncommon sounds or vibrations will be enhanced once the suspension system has been installed. Tuff Country EZ-Ride Suspension highly recommends notifying the customer prior to installation to inform the customer of these issues if they exist.
This Suspension kit comes with (1) installation manual and some post installation procedure literature and it is the installers responsibility to make sure that the customer receives the post installation procedure literature. If a customer would like a copy of the installation manual, please have them visit our website at www.tuffcountry.com. Have them go to the customer care section to download these instructions. If you have any questions, please feel free to call us at (801)
280-2777.
Tuff Country EZ-Ride Suspension recommends a wall mounted strut compressor be used when performing the steps that talk about installing the strut spacer into the strut. If you do not have a wall mounted strut compressor, please have these steps performed by your local Toyota Dealership
Hardware bag 50930PL includes:
PB69137 Poly upper control arm bushings 8
S10248 .750”x.555”x2.280 crush sleeve
SERT05 Grease Fitting
4
4
Hardware bag 54910NB includes:
Quantity
S10247 Differential drop sleeves
126B 1/2” x 6” bolt
716WA 7/16” USS flat washers
12UN 1/2” unitorque nut
S10105 1.000” x .325” x 1.300” sleeve
M8501.25B 8mm x 50mm 1.25 bolt
M8WA 8mm flat washer
2
2
2
2
3
3
3 of jack stands. Place a jack stand on both the driver and passenger side. Next, remove the wheels and tires from both sides.
2. Remove the front skid plate and save the skid plate and hardware for later re-installation.
3. Working on the driver side, remove the sway bar end link from the knuckle. Save the hardware for later re-installation. Repeat procedure on the passenger side.
Recommended tools selection:
Wall mounted strut compressor
Torque wrench
Standard socket set
Standard wrench set
Metric socket set
Metric wrench set
Tape measure
Hydraulic floor jacks
Please follow instructions carefully:
Before installation begins, measure from the center of the hub, to the bottom of the fender well, and record measurements below.
Pre-installation measurements:
4. Working on the driver side, remove the cotter pin that connects the knuckle to the upper control arm. Save the cotter pin for later re-installation. Loosen but do not remove the castle nut that secures the knuckle to the upper control arm. Carefully break the stock taper in the upper control arm and the knuckle. Once the taper has been broke, remove the castle nut and set aside for later re-installation.
Repeat procedure on the passenger side.
Driver side front:_______________________________
Passenger side front:___________________________
Driver side rear:________________________________
Passenger side rear:____________________________
At the end of the installation take the same measurements and compare to the pre-installation measurements.
Post installation measurements:
Driver side front:______________________________
Passenger side front:__________________________
Driver side rear:_______________________________
Passenger side rear:___________________________
Front end installation:
1. To begin installation, block the rear tires of the vehicle so that the vehicle is stable and can’t roll backwards. Safely lift the front of the vehicle and support the frame with a pair
5. Working on the driver side, place a reference mark on the driver side strut. This is done so that the driver side strut will be put back into the driver side of the vehicle.
Working on the driver side, remove the (3) upper nuts that connect the strut into the stock location. The nuts may be discarded. Repeat procedure on the passenger side.
9. Remove upper control arms from vehicle
6. Working on the driver side, remove the lower bolt that connects the strut to the lower mounting location and save the hardware for later re-installation. Special note: During removal of the bolt, take special care not to damage the CV boot. Also, make a mental note on which way the bolt is removed, it needs to be re-installed the same way that it was removed.
Remove the strut assembly from the stock location and set aside for further instructions. Repeat procedure on the passenger side.
7. Working on the driver side, Remove plastic clips holding rubber spray gaurds to the inner fender. Only remove enough to get to the upper control arm bolt. Repeat on
Passenger side.
8. Using a pair of large channel locks or similar type tool, bend the pinch welded lip of the inner fender just enough that the upper control arm bolt will be able to be completely removed. Remove bolt and save. Repeat on passenger side.
10. Locate the new upper control arms. Locate (8) poly bushings and (4) S10248 sleeves from hardware bag
50930PL, Install the new bushings and sleeves into the new upper control arms. Special note: Make sure to use a fair amount of lithium or moly base grease before installing the new bushings and sleeves into the control arms.This will increase the life of the bushing as well as help prevent squeaking.
11. Locate the new sert fittings from hardware bag
50930PL. Install the new sert fittings into the new upper control arms. Special note: Make sure not to over tighten and also make sure that the sert fitting is facing towards the outside of the vehicle. This will make for easier access when using a grease gun.
Tuff Country EZ-Ride Suspension recommends a wall mounted strut compressor be used when performing the steps that talk about installing the pre load spacer into the strut. If you do not have a wall mounted strut compressor, please have these steps performed by your local Toyota Dealership
13. Place the driver side strut into a wall mounted strut compressor. Scribe a line on the top plate, rubber isolator, and the top of the coil spring. Also, scribe a line on the bottom of the coil and the bottom coil seat. Special Note: if these steps are not performed properly, reinstalling the strut back into the vehicle will be difficult.
12. Locate (4) 9/16” x 2” fender washers out of hardware bag
50930NB. Working on the driver side, install the new upper control arm into the OE pocket using the OE hardware along with the new fender washers. Torque bolts to 95 ftlbs.
Special note: The fender washers will be installed on the inside of the arm as it attaches to both the front and rear mounts. Do not tighten at this point. Repeat procedure on the passenger side.
14. Carefully compress the strut until the upper top plate can be removed. Remove the nut and hardware and save for re-assembly.
15. Remove upper top plate and remove rubber isolator, save for re-assembly.
16. Locate (3) 10mm x 2 1/4” strut stud bolts from hardware bag BU30000. Working on the top plate that was removed from the strut, knock out the 3 OE studs and discard. Now carefully install the new 10mm strut studs.
17. Locate (1) new upper strut spacer, the newly modified top plate, the rubber isolator, the OE strut and hardware.
Place the strut spacer onto the strut plate making sure that the cut outs in the spacer fit over the head of the studs, then install the rubber isolator onto the new upper spacer.
Place assembled top plate onto the coil spring and carefully compress back together and re-attach OE Nut and hardware. Torque to 65 ft lbs. Also, make sure that the lines that were scribed on the top plate, rubber isolator, coil spring, and the bottom coil seat are all lined back up together.
18. Locate (1) new strut pre-load spacer and (3) 10mm nylon lock nuts from hardware bag BU30000. Working on the driver side, install new pre-load spacer on top of upper strut plate, it will go over the 3 new studs. Now install entire strut assembly back into the vehicle OE location and secure using new 10mm nylon lock nuts. Torque to 36 ft lbs. Special note: It makes things a bit easier to cut off the excess threads on the studs.
19. Locate the lower strut bolt and hardware. Secure the
Strut assembly into the lower control arm mount. Torque to 75 ft lbs. Special note: when installing the lower bolt, make sure it is installed the same direction that it was removed. Such as the head of the bolt will be towards the rear of the vehicle.
20. Repeat steps 13-19 on the passenger side.
21. Working on the driver side, re-attach the new upper control arm to the steering knuckle using the new castle nut and cotter pin. torque to 90 ft lbs. Repeat procedure on passenger side.
25. Locate (2) new S10247 Diff drop sleeves, (2) 1/2” x
6” bolts, and (2) 1/2” unitorque nuts from hardwar bag
54910NB. Also locate the OE oversize washers removed earlier, Install the front differential drop spacers between the
OE brackets and front crossmember. Secure using new 1/2” x 6” bolts and 1/2” nuts. Torque to 80 ft lbs.
26. Locate (2) S10105 sleeves, (2) 8mm x 50mm bolts, and
(2) 8mm flat washers from hardware bag 54910NB. Also locate the skid plate and OE skid plate hardware, Re-install the skid plate using original hardware in the front and new bolts and spacer sleeves in the rear. Torque 8mm bolts to
12 ft lbs.
22. Locate (1) 1/4” unitorque nut, and (1) 1/4” USS flat washer from hardware bag 50930NB. Working on the driver side,
Secure the OE ABS brake line bracket to the new upper control arm. Repeat procedure on passenger side.
27. Re-install the tires and wheels and torque the lug nuts to the proper torque specifications.
Front Installation complete!
Rear end installation:
28. To begin installation, block the front tires of the vehicle so that the vehicle is stable and cannot roll. Safely lift the rear of the vehicle and support the frame with jack stands.
Make sure the parking brake is NOT set, then remove the tires and wheels.
23. Locate Sway bar hardware, re-attach sway bar endlink to the steering knuckle and torque to 65 ft lbs. Repeat on passenger side.
29. Working on the driver side, remove the shock from its upper and lower mounts. Repeat on passenger side. New longer shocks are highly recommended once part number 54910 has been installed on your vehicle, and the
24. Locate the front differential mounting points, carefully remove the (2) OE bolts that connect the front differential rear shocks may need to be ordered as a seperate part
#. If you have not already ordered your shocks, please brackets to the front crossmember, save the oversized washer and discard the bolt and nut. feel free to contact Tuff Country or your local Tuff
Country dealer and order shocks. Tuff Country recommends installing a 26” fully extended shock in the rear.
30. Working on the driver side, remove the brakeline bracket from the axle housing, the bolt may be discarded
31. Position a pair of hydraulic floor jacks under the rear axle, raise up on both jacks until they make contact with the rear axle, working on the passenger side, loosen but don’t remove the ubolts, now move to the driver side and remove the ubolts completely. Lower down the driver side of the axle enough to install new rear block. Place new rear block in between the bottom of the leaf springs and the axle perch.
Raise jack and install new longer ubolts loosly. Now move
Check and double check to make sure that all steps were performed properly. After the completion of this install, Tuff Country Recommends taking the vehicle in for a complete front end alignment.
back to the passenger side and repeat procedure. Once both blocks have been installed, Torque the new ubolts to
85 ft lbs.
Tuff Country EZ-Ride Suspension recommends that a complete re-torque is done on all bolts associated with this suspension system. It is the customers responsibility to make sure that a re-torque is performed on all hardware associated with the system after the first 100 miles of installion. It is also the Customers responsibility to do a complete re-torque after every 3,000 miles or after every off road use. Neglect of following these steps could cause brackets to come loose and cause serious damage to the suspension system and to the vehicle.
32. Locate (1) S10105, (1) 8mm x 50mm bolt, and (1) 8mm flat washer from hardware bag 54910NB. Install new spacer sleeve between the brakeline bracket and the axle mount.
Torque bolt to 12 ft lbs.
33. Locate new shocks and install into OE location using OE
Lower hardware.
34. Re-install the tires and wheels and torque the lug nuts to the proper torque specifications. Carefully remove vehicls from any jack stands.
Installation Complete!
52907-02 / Qty. 2
Strut Pre-load spacer
54910-01 / Qty. 2
Upper Strut Spacer
53905-01 / Qty. 1
Driver side upper control arm
53905-02/ Qty. 1
Passenger side upper control arm
