The Definitive List of Ways to Lift a Tercel 4wd

General discussion about our beloved Tercel 4WD cars
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stefando
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My tercel:: The Caribou: 1983 SR5
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Re: The Definitive List of Ways to Lift a Tercel 4wd

Post by stefando »

I threw some monroes on the rear, ran air lines- everything in under an hour. Made a huge difference even with no spacers up front (fresh strut cartridges). I'd highly suggest this $60 mod for anyone who wants a reasonable rear lift without increasing tire size, the car just looks normal and level. I run 175 65 R13 wheels.
1983 SR5 Brown
Salmon River California
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LowBuckCanuck
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My tercel:: 1986 DLX 4wd Wagon "Jenny"

Re: The Definitive List of Ways to Lift a Tercel 4wd

Post by LowBuckCanuck »

stefando wrote: Fri Jan 11, 2019 4:09 pm I threw some monroes on the rear, ran air lines- everything in under an hour. Made a huge difference even with no spacers up front (fresh strut cartridges). I'd highly suggest this $60 mod for anyone who wants a reasonable rear lift without increasing tire size, the car just looks normal and level. I run 175 65 R13 wheels.
My Monroes took considerably longer than an hour to install on account of the leaking welds on them, buyer beware. They work great now that they're airtight! :lol:
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stefando
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Re: The Definitive List of Ways to Lift a Tercel 4wd

Post by stefando »

LowBuckCanuck wrote: Fri Jan 11, 2019 5:20 pm
stefando wrote: Fri Jan 11, 2019 4:09 pm I threw some monroes on the rear, ran air lines- everything in under an hour. Made a huge difference even with no spacers up front (fresh strut cartridges). I'd highly suggest this $60 mod for anyone who wants a reasonable rear lift without increasing tire size, the car just looks normal and level. I run 175 65 R13 wheels.
My Monroes took considerably longer than an hour to install on account of the leaking welds on them, buyer beware. They work great now that they're airtight! :lol:
That's crappy.. cheesy plastic hose fittings too. Maybe I'll regret it someday but for now they work perfect.
1983 SR5 Brown
Salmon River California
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LowBuckCanuck
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Re: The Definitive List of Ways to Lift a Tercel 4wd

Post by LowBuckCanuck »

stefando wrote: Fri Jan 11, 2019 10:37 pm
LowBuckCanuck wrote: Fri Jan 11, 2019 5:20 pm
stefando wrote: Fri Jan 11, 2019 4:09 pm I threw some monroes on the rear, ran air lines- everything in under an hour. Made a huge difference even with no spacers up front (fresh strut cartridges). I'd highly suggest this $60 mod for anyone who wants a reasonable rear lift without increasing tire size, the car just looks normal and level. I run 175 65 R13 wheels.
My Monroes took considerably longer than an hour to install on account of the leaking welds on them, buyer beware. They work great now that they're airtight! :lol:
That's crappy.. cheesy plastic hose fittings too. Maybe I'll regret it someday but for now they work perfect.
Yeah, the ones I got were defective but it would of been a greater hassle to send them back than to just weld it myself.
Tercy85
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Re: The Definitive List of Ways to Lift a Tercel 4wd

Post by Tercy85 »

It’s been a while since anyone posted here and I was wondering if anyone has done any lifts with new parts lately?

I have had 5 orders cancelled on me over the last month or so thru eBay and other retailers for Moog CC247 springs for the rear. I also just tried a set of CC848 springs with no luck, as the pigtailed end it too narrow to fit over the upper spring mount. I attempted to cut a bit off and it sat awesome in the spring mounts, but when I dropped the car it was even lower than stock I think (or about the same).

I am out of ideas and I cannot find pathfinder springs anywhere. Are there other part numbers that anyone has tried? Or any other random springs that work? I am looking to match up with my front end which is lifted about 2” with Moog 81043 springs.

Please help!

-Tercy85
1978 Toyota Sunrader 16’ rear door
1985 Toyota Tercel SR5 4-AC swap
2005 Toyota RAV4 4wd
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AugustusFerdinand
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Re: The Definitive List of Ways to Lift a Tercel 4wd

Post by AugustusFerdinand »

While I haven't installed my lift yet as I am in the midst of a 7AGE swap, I bought ACDelco brand since I couldn't find Moog either. If you're insistent on Moog, try ordering them from Summit Racing. I've ordered some rare OEM replacement parts from them and while they took awhile not being in stock, they did arrive.
1983 Toyota Tercel SR5 - 7AGE swap in progress
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Petros
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Re: The Definitive List of Ways to Lift a Tercel 4wd

Post by Petros »

there are placed that will custom wind springs for you to any spec. not as costly as you might think, likely you would have to find them on the internet, not many people have springs wound for them anymore, so there would not be a lot of them around anymore.

of course, you would want to specify the spring you want as far as length, spring rate, etc.
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Re: The Definitive List of Ways to Lift a Tercel 4wd

Post by The Professor »

You folks appear to have bought up what remains of the Moog Pathfinder springs! :lol:
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Tercy85
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Re: The Definitive List of Ways to Lift a Tercel 4wd

Post by Tercy85 »

Update:

I have GREAT NEWS for anyone attempting a lift currently.
As of the date of this posting, I have located rear coil springs that will give 2-3” of lift to our wagons!

After tons of research which started with making a spreadsheet of about a dozen different spring options and their specs for comparison, and ended with digging thru posts on an XJ Jeep forum, I had finally found it!

The Moog CC782 is the answer we’ve been looking for!
These are on rock auto and available elsewhere also.
They are found under 1990 Jeep Cherokee front coil springs
Free height: 18.4”
Installed height: 15”
Inner dia: 4.04” (a little snug but it fits great)
Bar: 0.57”
Lbs/in.: 146lb
Load: 503lb

The only modification you’ll need to do is cut off the pig tail end on the top of the spring. You can choose to cut one coil off (which gets it just before the taper of the pigtail) for about 3” of lift, or one more full coil cut For about 2”. Keep in mind, they will get stiffer as you cut down. I chose to do one coil and see how it looked, and I think I’ll keep it for now to see how things settle after a couple hundred miles.

Now, for the rear shocks.

I drove a few hundred miles (including some off roading) with stock my ‘85 rear coils supported by some new Monroe MA700’s, these looked cool and lifted the body up well when parked, but didn’t do much for stiffening at all. In fact, it felt like a boat! So after I threw the new Jeep coils in, I needed to find a better mono tube shock. The shock needed to have more top end travel because the Monroe’s were at full extension already. Just then, I looked over at my ‘05 rav4 and thought I’d try those on for size. Turns out they are perfect! And I could not be happier with the ride now. It handles like a new car!

‘02-05 RAV4 rear shocks: Kyb gas-a-just #KG4738

BA1C3A31-4523-4054-9C66-A30DA1EAF62B.jpeg
Hoping the rake will settle down a little bit, I might cut another coil if it doesn’t.
6C0B0AB3-4956-4070-BECE-9426BF2EE045.jpeg
I need bigger tires now!
0F57C9BB-995D-472A-9B90-73956849AAA2.jpeg
Oh and my front end is:
Moog 81043 coils
Kyb 363037 struts

And I didn’t have to replace any hats or mounts or anything as mine were all in good shape.

Well, I hope this post helps someone out as the ones before have helped me. 🤙🏼
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Last edited by Tercy85 on Fri Oct 23, 2020 4:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1978 Toyota Sunrader 16’ rear door
1985 Toyota Tercel SR5 4-AC swap
2005 Toyota RAV4 4wd
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LowBuckCanuck
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Re: The Definitive List of Ways to Lift a Tercel 4wd

Post by LowBuckCanuck »

Tercy85 wrote: Wed Sep 09, 2020 6:03 pm Update:

I have GREAT NEWS for anyone attempting a lift currently.
As of the date of this posting, I have located rear coil springs that will give 2-3” of lift to our wagons!

After tons of research which started with making a spreadsheet of about a dozen different spring options and their specs for comparison, and ended with digging thru posts on an XJ Jeep forum, I had finally found it!

The Moog CC782 is the answer we’ve been looking for!
These are on rock auto and available elsewhere also.
They are found under 1990 Jeep Cherokee front coil springs
Free height: 18.4”
Installed height: 15”
Inner dia: 4.04” (a little snug but it fits great)
Bar: 0.57”
Lbs/in.: 146lb
Load: 503lb

The only modification you’ll need to do is cut off the pig tail end on the top of the spring. You can choose to cut one coil off (which gets it just before the taper of the pigtail) for about 3” of lift, or one more full coil cut For about 2”. Keep in mind, they will get stiffer as you cut down. I chose to do one coil and see how it looked, and I think I’ll keep it for now to see how things settle after a couple hundred miles.

Now, for the rear shocks.

I drove a few hundred miles (including some off roaming) with stock my ‘85 rear coils supported by some new Monroe MA700’s, these looked cool and lifted the body up well when parked, but didn’t do much for stiffening at all. In fact, it felt like a boat! So after I threw the new Jeep coils in, I needed to find a better mono tube shock. The shock needed to have more top end travel because the Monroe’s were at full extension already. Just then, I looked over at my ‘05 rav4 and thought I’d try those on for size. Turns out they are perfect! And I could not be happier with the ride now. It handles like a new car!

‘02-05 RAV4 rear shocks: Kyb gas-a-just #KG4738


BA1C3A31-4523-4054-9C66-A30DA1EAF62B.jpeg
Hoping the rake will settle down a little bit, I might cut another coil if it doesn’t.
6C0B0AB3-4956-4070-BECE-9426BF2EE045.jpeg
I need bigger tires now!
0F57C9BB-995D-472A-9B90-73956849AAA2.jpeg

Oh and my front end is:
Moog 81043 coils
Kyb 363037 struts

And I didn’t have to replace any hats or mounts or anything as mine were all in good shape.

Well, I hope this post helps someone out as the ones before have helped me. 🤙🏼
Awesome work! I love a bit of part sleuthing for the greater good!
brucnich
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Re: The Definitive List of Ways to Lift a Tercel 4wd

Post by brucnich »

I plan on doing the Abra Cadaver lift on both front and rear because my Tercel needs all new suspension anyway, but I have a question that I'm not sure if it's been answered or not. Since the front lift is 1.75 could I cut the spring a quarter inch, maybe a half inch to lower it so I don't chew my CVS? Would I be able to cut the back to so I don't have a ton of rake? Or do you guys know if the 1.75 on the front will be fine on the CV axles? Thanks looking forward to trying this lift once I get my wheel bearings done, also gotta flush my coolant and try some head gasket leak stuff...
I dont know what I am doing but I can make vague assumptions let you fill in the gaps for me and let you think I knew it all along...
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NWMO
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Re: The Definitive List of Ways to Lift a Tercel 4wd

Post by NWMO »

brucnich,

If you can find the Moog 81043 for the front, you should be good without cutting anything. I've got about 40k miles on the lift and haven't had any CV problems. I did replace the driver's side, but it was unrelated to lift, passenger side (shorter) is still original to the best of my knowledge. Abra (Noah) had a little different lift and I some of the posts/info on that lift have been accidently lost. He's on the similar FB page if you want to reach out to him.

Chris
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AugustusFerdinand
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Re: The Definitive List of Ways to Lift a Tercel 4wd

Post by AugustusFerdinand »

Noah did an update in December last year, at the 4 year anniversary of the lift, and said he's put about 60k miles on it with the lift with no CV issues and on 27" tires.
1983 Toyota Tercel SR5 - 7AGE swap in progress
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simon84
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Re: The Definitive List of Ways to Lift a Tercel 4wd

Post by simon84 »

As several members have mentioned, to ease the CV angle, you can drop the front cross member, trans mount and driveshaft carrier bearing mount. I just did this on my tercel that has 1" spacers at the top of the front strut tower mounts and the rear pathfinder springs/firebird shocks. I used 1/2" spacers since longer bolts that I found to use for the front cross member mounts would just fit that and I had some 1/4" steel flat bar that I could use and made two spacers for each side of the cross member. Used same type of spacers for the trans mount and the drive shaft carrier mount. Not too hard to do. I just used a floor jack to hold up the cross member while I removed and re-bolted the crossmember, one side at a time.
I think this is fairly easy to do and worth while.
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AugustusFerdinand
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Re: The Definitive List of Ways to Lift a Tercel 4wd

Post by AugustusFerdinand »

Any before/after photos Simon? Did you make the spacers for the struts and springs or buy them?

Correct me if I'm wrong, wouldn't this effectively give another 1.5" of lift (1" up for the suspension, 1/2" up for the body due to crossmember drop)?
1983 Toyota Tercel SR5 - 7AGE swap in progress
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