How to Lower a Toyota Truck

A 1989 to 1995 Toyota two-wheel-drive pickup truck comes with a torsion bar front suspension, and leaf springs in the rear. If you want to give your Toyota a bit better handling and a lower center of gravity, then you can lower the truck. This process takes a few hours to do, but once it's done the truck will have a sportier look, yet still function correctly as a truck.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

things you'll need:

• Jack
• Jack stands
• Tire iron
• Tape measure
• Paper
• Pen
• Open-end wrench set
• 3/8-inch ratchet and socket set
• Lowering block kit

1. • 1

     Park the Toyota on a level surface. Measure the truck from the ground to the tops of the fender wells on all four corners and record these numbers on the paper with the pen. Lift the truck onto four jack stands placed under the frame, using the jack, and take off all four wheels, using the tire iron. Put another pair of jack stands under the rear axle as well.

   • 2

     Find the torsion bar cross member, which is underneath the rear of the cab of the truck. Find the torsion bar adjusting bolts, which run up and down in the torsion bar cross member. Loosen each bolt the same amount of rotations using the 3/8-inch ratchet and socket, but do not remove the bolts. Loosen each bolt approximately two full rotations per inch of lowering.

   • 3

     Unbolt the U-bolts holding the axle to the leaf springs, using the 3/8-inch ratchet and socket, and then remove the U-bolts. Lift the axle slightly using the jack and put the lowering block between the axle and the leaf spring.

   • 4

     Install the longer U-bolts from the lowering block kit onto the axle and secure the leaf springs to the axle with the 3/8-inch ratchet and socket.

   • 5

     Reinstall the wheels with the tire iron and lower the truck onto the ground with the jack. Repeat the measuring procedure from Step 1, and compare your numbers. If necessary, adjust the torsion bars further to fine tune the front suspension's height.

Tips & Warnings

• Once the vehicle is lowered, you should take your truck to a professional alignment shop. They have laser alignment tools at their disposal that aren't available to the public, and can dial in your alignment to a precise degree.