I'm going to be lifting my 2007 4Runner slightly very soon. Anybody have suggestions on what impact wrench I should buy (even a model number and brand would help). I also am wondering about spring compressors. I know you can rent them at Auto Zone, but I hear they have a tendency to bend when working with truck springs. If anybody has any tool recommendations, or even if somebody wants to lend me some things for a day or two I'd appreciate it. I am still at a point where I have to use power tools to do everything (doc doesn't want me cranking my spine too much with hand tools), so I need to find some decent stuff. I already have a nice Craftsman compressor. My last impact wrench was a Harbor Freight and it blew up after about 10 minutes. I ended up having to rent one from Ace for $45 last time I had to lift an engine. It was so worth it though!

I bought an air tool set from Lowes for about $100. It came with an impact, a ratchet, an air hammer and a rotary tool. I have done 4 lift installs and various other tasks with it and it has never let me down.

Cool deal. Do you happen to remember what brand it is? I wouldn't mind getting a nice little setup like that. I guess all I'd need was a set of spring compressors and a set of decent forks and pullers and then I'd have everything I need and could help anybody else out who wanted to do a lift in the future.

I have 2 sets of spring compressors. Using them is scary. I would take them to a local tire shop and have them done for you. Call around first though, I thought Les Schwab would give me a good deal because of the customer service I had always experienced there. I was wrong.

p.s. you're welcome to use them. I was doing the OME Heavies (the ones that are so heavy they don't recommend them for the FJ anymore.

Thanks for the tip. I'm a bit scared of using them anyway. I've heard stories of them bending, twisting, and snapping. I've heard rumors of death even. I'm not so spry anymore, so if a piece of metal is going to come flying at my head then I want to be nowhere near it as I couldn't get out of the way.

My problem is that I've got the XReas sport suspension and have to remove the shocks and leave them at full droop and remove a specific bolt to get the lines off while working on them without depressurizing them, and then reassemble everything. If I do it wrong somehow then I end up with an XReas system that is totally ruined, and that was supposedly like a $1500+ option. I don't particularly care for it, but I don't want to ruin it either. I am doing the FJ springs for sure. I guess I could try to locate some FJ off road shocks and do the whole deal at once and set the XReas shocks aside untouched and have them available to put back on if I were to sell the 4Runner down the road. I was hoping not to have to do that much though.

Oh decisions decisions. If I just had $20,000 fall into my lap this whole thing would be so much easier. I'd leave the 4Runner alone as the family truckster and do all of my suspension upgrades and other mods on an FJ and call it good. Curse not having any money!!! CURSE IT!!!!!!

Did you get your lift on yet?

A couple of my friends and I just installed OME lifts on 2 4th gen 4runners last week.

Nah, the doctor won't let me work on my truck yet. My spine isn't healthy enough yet to handle any sort of torque, even from air tools. I can't bend either. I'm down in the dumps about the whole thing. I've got everything here and I just have to sit and wait until I get cleared to do anything. What a drag.

^^^ well with a little notice I'm willing to lend a hand.

I'm willing to come and watch and make the ooing and aahing sounds which every events needs.

You guys are the nicest ever. I'd love to put together a wrench night to help others. I feel like a beggar here when talking about the 4Runner. If anybody wants to put together a night of wrenching fun, then let me know. I'd love to be involved. I can bring my compressor and a few other nifty tools I've picked up along the way. We can even do it here, but my garage isn't particularly large and I have a driveway that slopes down at quite an angle from the driveway to the street.... but we can still find a place to work here if you'd want. I am in Orem. Hopefully I get cleared to work a wrench within a few weeks. I can do stuff like track down wiring issues, repair/replace audio systems, install interior modifications, and stuff like that which doesn't take a lot of twisting, bending, or strength. I just have to be careful to keep my spine in place until fusions are final.

I've installed a tow system on an FJ if anybody ever wants help with that one. I've also done quite a few brake jobs, painted some trim, replaced stereo systems (I used to do this one for a living), and am generally good at figuring stuff out. I also love to teach (since that is my profession) and would love to pass anything on to you guys that I know, and in turn I would love to observe and see how many things are done that I have yet to learn. I learn better by being shown how and then having a chance to practice at things.

Scratch that. The 4Runner is sold. Moose, do you want your springs back? I can bring them back over to you as I never did get them installed. I have a spacer lift here as well.